Isomaru the Windspeaker [The Resurgent]

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, the Jungle outside of Abalone


"Damnit," Isomaru cursed under his breath; the twig had given him away, and now his foe was darting off down the path faster than he could run. Not for the first time he wished for a way to transform into a tropic bird like Lyla could do when she needed to track prey undetected.


Hmm...flying. Not like a bird, but perhaps taking to the higher ground could speed the chase.


Unfortunately, the Cornusum trees of the West lacked the low-hanging branches of the coniferous trees he had grown up climbing. Taking off at a full run, he drew an iron-headed arrow from his quiver and sighted a vine eight yards high connecting two trees. Taking aim, he attuned himself with the essence of the world around him, letting it accumulate in his hands until the final moment when it exploded into his bow and the arrow that released from it, attempting to slice the vine to give him a handhold he could use to grab and launch himself upward into the sturdy limbs high off the ground. From there he could continue his chase at a greater speed. He only hoped that he was as limber as he was in his youth.


His hand paused only a moment over the glittering caste mark on his forehead as he reached up to wipe the sweat from his brow. This was going to be fun.


--------------


Isomaru is attempting to get into the trees to avoid the underbrush and run/swing Tarzan-style through the jungle trees while chasing his prey. He'll use the First-Archery Excellency (3m, peripheral) to aid him in trying to cut a vine with an arrow to give him an entry into the upper limbs of the trees. This puts him at the glittering caste mark level.


Perception + Survival = 3 successes


Dex + Archery = 5 successes


Dex + Athletics = 2 successes


Essence pool:


Personal: 15 | 15


Peripheral: 33 | 36


Caste Mark Glow level: Glittering/Weak glow

 

[Tikor]

The Loom, in the canopy


Isomaru keeps the doe-qi just within the edge of his perception as he takes the time to aim and connect with the vine. The vine seperates just how the Descending Sun planned, and swung right to his hand. However, his feet were not as cooperative. Several jumps succeed, but after a few hundred yards his luck runs out. Jumping up to the branches after being propelled from a vine he misses the branch he was aiming for. Instead he lands ... on thin air. Luckily the underbrush cushions his fall.


Isomaru looks up from his fall to see the doe-qi eating the same type of fern it was when he first spotted it. Nothing about it's demenor or facial features betrayed a thing, but Isomaru couldn't shake the feeling that the doe-qi was laughing at him.


Isomaru takes stock of where he is. Looking around he sees the road back to Gateway, 10 yards from the spot he unceremoniously fell upon. He also sees a purple orchid to his south, away from the path but still in view. The orchid is in bloom out of season. Calibration plays tricks on the natural cycles of plants sometimes in the West as well as the East, Isomaru notes.


-----------------


Because this isn't combat time, you can get the mote reward for each action here, I'm assuming they're on different ticks without hauling out the tick system. During combat you can only get the mote reward once per tick.


You regain 1 mote from the Per+Surv, and 2 motes from the archery shot. No motes from the failed Dex+Ath. You have stunt dice added to all of these rolls, but for simplicty (read: plot, movement) I just decided which succeeded and which didn't keeping your rolls in mind (i.e. 2 more dice likely wouldn't get you to enough successes to Tarzan like you wanted to).


Roll Per+Awareness. Reveal the difficulty you beat.


difficulty 2: You see a coyote tail dissapear into the foilage. This is terribly odd since coyotes are native to the northeast plains, not this western island. There isn't any grasslands on Abalone to support a coyote's normal prey...


difficulty 4: You see a coyote covered in moonsilver tatooes look on you at the spot you fell. It shakes it's head from side to side mirthfully, then dissapears into the foilage.

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, the Jungle outside of Abalone


Dusting himself off, Isomaru does his best to guard his emotions. He had seen Lyla's glittering Caste Mark before; there could be no mistaking the mark shining on the coyote's forehead now. He had almost shot at a Lunar. Could Lunars smell surprise? Fear? He was almost certain they could, and his reaction now would almost certainly be used against him later. While he did an excellent job of steeling himself, there was no way he could lie to himself. He had been discovered by a Lunar. His Caste Mark had marked him as a Solar. And he had been effortlessly outclassed. None of this boded well. Bad luck, this time of year. It was almost a year to the day since his village had been destroyed. Best to return home and avoid the jungle for the time being. The Lunars may not be so playful next time.


Well, perhaps this all was for the best. He had spent more than enough time traipsing through the jungle; it was time to get back to work. His search had even borne fruit in the form of these orchids. He would have to examine them later and examine their impact upon his wards and talismans and see how the crushed orchid reacted with the two primary poisons he had heard people complain of out here.


With an ambivalent sigh, Isomaru picked up a few handfuls of the orchid, gently laid them in his pack just as the Caste Mark on his forehead disappeared from sight.


With that, he gathered his belongings and took the path back towards his shop, sparing one last glance for the tall Cornusum tree. The first place he had been bested by a Lunar, and, he feared, likely not the last.


------------------


Isomaru rolled a 6 on the Perception + Awareness roll, allowing him to see the Tell of the Lunar he had been duped into chasing. A Temperence roll to keep his emotion calm resulted in 3 successes, if that's at all relevant or useful. This pretty well brings his search and chase to an end, but at least it wasn't a complete waste.


He grabs enough orchid to ground into three doses and heads back after his Caste Mark fades.

 

[Tikor]

--------------------


Couple things upon re-reading/doing more work around your character:


I am showing you a Lunar in its true spirit shape (moonsilver tattoes and all) of a coyote, which I assigned as Lyla's true form (I didn't see anything about her true form, so I made this up). I've also got most of Lyla's character sheet written down, let me know if you have any specific idea on her charms/theme and I can try to acomodate them. Right now she's a jack of all trades trixxy type Lunar, not hulk-smash type Lunar, or some other specialty type Lunar.


A Lunar's tell is only a tell when the Lunar is in any form besides their spirit shape and deadly beastman (because in those two forms it's not being magically hidden, it's just like any other part of the Lunar, there for anybody to see). Here your roll allows you to see the Lunar, not the tell. Seeing a tell involves MDV, as well as a Per+Aware at difficulty 1 in normal conditions once the MDV check has passed. If the MDV check fails (and it's a static value vs. static difficulty, so no roll is required) then it's impossible to spot the tell without the aid of charms. Needless to say you failed that check, and thus didn't see any tell on the doe-qi.


Last, Lyla didn't spent enough Essence to need to use Peripheral pools and thus have her Caste Mark flaring, though this wouldn't stop her from spending the 1 mote to conciously and purposefully flash it at you, which I wouldn't find out of character in the least. Just note that doing so takes concious thought on her part.

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, En route back to Eastern Miracles


After a leisurely hour long stroll back to his modest shop, Isomaru could sense the entire city in its fever pitch for the coming celebration. These were strange and difficult times, and these mortals needed an excuse to celebrate and forget the cares of their everyday lives. As time wore on, he feared there would quickly be less and less worth celebrating.


Isomaru caught himself mid-thought. There I go again, raising myself above the level of man. Has this past year made me so different from these people? I am no god. Why shouldn't I be able to enjoy myself this time of year like I once did?


But he knew the answer. 237. 237 of his closest friends and relatives killed by the Haltans and the Faceless. 237 reasons to continue growing his skill until the time came when all of Creation no longer need fear either the gossamer devils or the banished Old One's from the time before Creation's First Age. Besides, a large order for talismans had been placed by an anonymous patron, and he would finish up the ritual that created the last of them tonight.


-------------


Yeah, thanks for doing the rounds on the mechanical stuff; I don't think any of it really changes much of the outcome though, thankfully. It was late when I typed that last post, and I for some reason translated Moonsilver tattoos ==> Caste Mark. Also, it used to be that spotting a tell was Perc. + Awareness difficulty 2, which is what I was assuming counted for the difference between the 2 and 4 required successes in the previous roll.


Thanks for reminding me about Lyla's true form. I hadn't quite decided on it yet, and had it narrowed down to either coyote, wolf, or raccoon, and I think coyote works rather well. She is indeed Trixxy McUseful Lunar, as opposed to Rawr McSmash Lunar, something that she occasionally catches flak for among her battle hardened tribe mates (and, thanks to her Trixxyness, is usually something she can argue her way out of while making herself look good...just as she disappears while leaving whoever she was arguing with confusedly contemplating the validity of her argument). We can work out charms if necessary, but in general, nothing too fancy.


And this is exactly the kind of flirty/playful/keeping my eye on you shenanigans I would expect from Lyla.

 

[Tikor]

--------------------


Great. I'm glad I read Lyla right.

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, Back at Eastern Miracles


Now at his shop, Isomaru unlocked the small wooden door that would withstand everything short of a battering ram knocking on it, thanks to the fruits of his profession. His distant encounter with Lyla reminded him that the time to make his rounds on the Lunar's wards was nearing. Calibration would be a bad time to go, so it would have to wait until the week after.


It was now 2:00 in the afternoon, and this final talisman required just five more hours of careful work before it would be complete. Most of the talismans he was requested to craft were for simple things; good health, driving away spirits, warding against ghosts, that nature of thing. It wasn't often he received orders to craft talismans against Fair Folk, but he never scoffed at the opportunity to do so.


His workshop was really quite modest. A small forge just hot enough to reduce iron into a more malleable state stood against the back wall. The rest of his components lay neatly spread out on the counter in front of him, including the nearly finished talisman which consisted of a small iron ankh worked, crudely, into a thin sheet of granite. Once upon a time, Hidetada would have supplied him with Ironwood to complete his rituals, but that was a long time ago, and granite was thankfully in large supply. A bit of tree bark from the Haltan redwood sapling mixed with some crushed lotus would make the talisman a conduit for the natural Essence of Creation. Finally, he would scrawl the finishing runes on either side of the ankh using the antler of a male doe-qi and the blood of a stryx. He would have to work quickly before the blood dried, but in the final moment, the iron in the blood of a child of Creation would resonate with the iron dug from Creation herself. When empowered by the sweat and effort of man, the talisman would forever become a bane against the Faceless.


Taking his mortar and pestle to the lotus and tree bark, he began his work.


This was so much different from the craft he had performed just a year ago. Back then, he could not sense the essence all around him. Only once he began working with the raw materials could he feel the essence of Creation surrender itself to his craftsmanship. Gone now were the need for invaluable materials purchased from the other side of Creation to fuel his work.


Essence fueling his hands, he began grinding the lotus and tree bark together into a thin paste. An hour went by, two hours, his hands working furiously as he covered the talisman 10 times in the concoction. The sweet, earthy scents reminded him of home as he prepared the blood and the antler for scrawling the runes into his talisman. A third hour, then a fourth, and finally he began the final leg of the procedure. In his native tongue, he wrote the symbols of earth, fire, air, water, and wood. The runes of the Five Elements were standard in warding against any unnatural entity in Creation: it was anathemic to ghosts, demons, and of course, the Faceless.


Writing in the rune for the word "Iron" in his native tongue, the talisman gradually emitted a cobalt glow, signifying that the talisman had begun absorbing essence. The time window had become very small. He channeled his own essence and his very will into the talisman as he inscribed the final rune: "Order." In a small flash of gold and cobalt, the work was done. The runes became etched permanently into the granite, the iron in the blood cutting deep into the stone. Acrid smoke hung in the air, and it was complete.


Isomaru sat down.


-----------------


Isomaru is creating a 1 dot talisman against Fair Folk. His Intelligence + Occult pool is 10, with no bonus dice from his Thaumaturgy specialties as creating a talisman is not in the purview of Warding talents. He will spend 5 motes of personal essence on his 1st Occult Specialty and add the 2-di stunt for a total of 17 dice, and four motes of personal Essence to reduce the resources cost of the consumable materials from Resources 4 to Resources 2.


The roll results in 7 successes.


Essence:


Personal: 6 | 15


Peripheral: 36 | 36


Willpower: 5 | 6

 

[Tikor]

-----------------


You, sir, get a 2 die stunt.


Also, write up a post that introduces visitors to your shop. We'll be visiting soon.

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, Eastern Miracles


The small shop and living quarters known as Eastern Miracles is a two-story stone building open to the sea air, like most other buildings in Gateway. It stands three doors down from a marketplace/bazaar where one might purchase the day's local catch, local fruits and vegetables, wines, trinkets, and perhaps even a sword or a suit of armor. The sign out front is written both in Forest Tongue and Seatongue.


Upon entering, a patron will notice an Eastern, tribal motif. Animal skins, fishing nets, tribal masks and that sort of thing adorn the walls, not so much for decoration, but as a reminder of Isomaru's home.


Shelves wrap around three walls of the shop, and are stocked with various sundry goods. Medicines for very minor ailments, anti-venom, bandages soaked in a compound that immediately staunches blood flow, crushed plants, herbs, seeds of various kinds.


The back wall has a staircase that ascends to the second story. In front of the staircase is the counter behind which Isomaru does his work. A small stove doubles as a forge and heating element for a large black cauldron that is usually making some concoction (either a minor alchemical compound or deer stew, depending on the time of day). The counter is made of a hardened, treated, glossy wood. If one were to look behind the counter, there would be various pouches of components used in thaumaturgical rituals, such as those described in the above post. Isomaru usually keeps his bow strung and mounted on the wall behind the counter, along with a quiver of arrows (except when he has use of them, of course).


-------------------


Essence:


Personal: 6 | 15


Peripheral: 36 | 36


Willpower:


6 | 6 (+1 from the stunt)

 

[Tikor]

Gytherial, At Eastern Miracles on the last Mercuryday of Descending Fire


Isomaru is busy with his supplies ducked under the counter. He simply couldn't remember where he put that basilisk liver...


"Ahem" Gytherial clearly pronounces with a hint of sadistic mirth.


Isomaru, not noticing the arrival of a customer, is startled and bangs his head on the underside of the counter. He then stands and looks at Gytherial. He sees a pale and alluring female of medium height with pointed ears and long blond hair that suggests partial ancestry from the people of air. She is slim, but well muscled. She is dressed in a kimono the color of the jungle leaves, with brown doe-skin boots that only the sharpest of senses would hear coming. A glance about her person shows that she is unarmed, or at least all of her weapons are concealed.


"I'm here to issue a commission. I hear you are a talented talisman maker. Do you have anything that would work against ... the Dragon-Blooded?" As she speaks Gytherial approaches Isomaru. The last words are but a conspiratorial whisper from a foot away.


---------------------------


Wavecrest is a Realm satrapy, if only in name. Such a question (as well as the answer) can get someone in trouble.

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, Eastern Miracles on the last Mercuryday of Descending Fire


Tomorrow, I must remember to ward that door to warn me of intrusions, Isomaru thinks to himself for perhaps the 10th time in the last year. There was just so much to do, and surprise customers in the early evening were the least of his worries. At least he hoped.


Isomaru, close to his people though he was, had always been a scholar and a bookworm, dedicating himself to mastering the arts of his tribe and reading all manner of lore about Creation's history. In general, he did not like dealing with women. Especially pretty young women..."Dazzling Arrow Frogs," his mother called them. They blind you twice: once with their beauty, once with their venom. He could almost feel the wisdom in her words swirling about the room.


Centering his posture and taking a deep breath, Isomaru did his best to retain his composure and business-like tone.


"Ma'am, I make it a rule to not ask about the business and wishes of my clients. However, I fear you may mis-understand the type of magic I am capable of producing for you. My talismans are the finest you will see in your years, but their purpose is to turn a blade or protect from unnatural magic. They will do you little good against the roaming hands of a lonely solider or to guard against losing your chastity. Perhaps you are here to acquire some Maiden's Tea in preparation for the upcoming celebrations? I could have a batch prepared for you by the first light of dawn. Though if you truly seek protection against the Dragon-Blooded, I could use the sap of a rubber tree to fashion for you a ward against disease known to my people as a prophylactic."


This was an extraordinary request from an extraordinary client. He would need more information on her motives before he could begin serious negotiations. He started scanning his shelves for the antidote to Arrow Frog venom, he feared he would need a dose of it by the time this was over with.


---------------


Isomaru is about to fail spectacularly at trying to read Gytherial's motives, so instead of outright questioning her, he will attempt to raise her hackles so she will involuntarily volunteer more information about the purpose of her request.


Good luck, Isomaru.

 

[Tikor]

Gytherial, Eastern Miracles


"I appreciate your concern, but a prophylactic will not be required." Gytherial says with a look that clearly shows her lack of appreciation.


"I'm quite certain what I'm after. I'm not learned in thaumaturgy or I wouldn't be here, but I know talismans exist to ward against countless other things in Creation. Tell me if you can make such a thing or if you can't. I need the talisman within the next 5 days." Gytherial pauses, then remembers "Of course I can pay for such a quick job if the product is genuine."


---------------------------


Gytherial could walk up to any mortal poker game in Creation and leave with every player's shirt (and probably would just out of spite). She won't be goaded into giving away information so easily. Do know that I gave her a penalty for you making her miffed, though.

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, Eastern Miracles


Walrus teats, this one has lost her damned mind! Isomaru thought, citing the strange epithet he had heard sailors down at the docks toss around in times of great distress. He wasn't sure what a "walrus" was, exactly, but he was certainly learning some of the peculiarities of being inserted into another culture.


Gliding in front of the counter, Isomaru peaked outside his open shop door to see if any unwelcome ears were listening before shutting the door gently. Once the door was shut, his demeanor changed from that of a father scolding an insolent child to that of a father caring for his snake bitten son.


"You thrice damned fool! Do you have any idea what sort of danger an item like that would call upon you? Powerful beings can sense the presence of such a magical item on you, if you were to be found with one, or captured, if it were to be linked back to me. . ." Isomaru's eyes glazed over, as if in a trance.


The visions again. Clad in a feather light suit of golden armor that moved with the breeze, he sat in meditation, concentrating on an area of Creation that had been incurred upon by the Faceless Ones. As he concentrated, the swirling Wyld energies receded as forest and fields were reclaimed. In pockets where the Faceless resisted, he saw them in his mind's eye and they knew destruction. Extreme concentration. One inch of Creation reclaimed, one foot, one monster destroyed. Such was his exertion that he scarcely felt the swords of five of his closest lieutenants piercing his flesh. In his rage, he grabbed one by the throat and reduced him to a pile of smoldering ashes. But the darkness came...no...not a darkness, but a loss of light. Cold.


"Yes, they are borne not of just flesh, but of the fruits of Gaia herself. Would it be any different than warding against Children of the Elements? Smoldering ash is one of the base elements..." Isomaru blurted out suddenly, completely oblivious that he has just spoken in Old Realm, a language he had never learned. Isomaru's attention snapped back to Gytherial, as if he had been awoken from a silent reverie.


"No such magic has been attempted, but in theory such an item could be created. There is no guarantee, but the blood of the elements that pulses in the veins of the Dragon-Blooded is little different from the Essence that makes up the elementals themselves. However, this is risky business. If you are caught, you will be killed, and the eyes of the Dragons shall fall upon me. Perhaps you would like to convince me why I should risk my life to create such an item for you?'


-------------------


A Perception + Awareness roll to notice any eavesdroppers outside the shop before talking with Gytherial resulted in 1 success. The rest of the conversation is under the assumption he saw/heard nothing (anyone even doing a half-assed attempt at hiding could evade 1 success) If Isomaru has any reason to believe someone was outside listening to him, Isomaru would not carry out the above conversation, and we'd have to retcon most of the post.


His flashback is mechanically meaningless (though if Gytherial speaks Old Realm, she would definitely recognize it as such), though I do not think it would be a bad idea to make some sort of roll to see whether Isomaru is really creative enough to come up with such a complex and precise an idea for creating a talisman against Dragon-Blooded (I went ahead and rolled Intelligence + Occult to see if I was that smart and the result was 10 successes - let me know if you think another roll is more appropriate, or if the roll was altogether unnecessary.)


The ball is now in Gytherial's court. Isomaru really doesn't want to risk his life to create a dangerous artifact for a stranger he's never met without some good reason. Social combat may be appropriate, but Isomaru is secretly curious and excited to be coming up with a new type of talisman never crafted before and is really just looking for a good excuse, so it really won't take a whole lot of convincing if you'd rather save time.

 

[Tikor]

Gytherial, Eastern Miracles


Gytherial dons a smile of actual enjoyment, then addresses Isomaru. "Why should you risk your life to create such an item? Because, Anathema," she snarls, then continues "I'd have a much easier time with this Wyld hunt buisness if I just sent them after you instead of dealing with them myself. And ... " she continues in a childish, mock-whiny voice "if I didn't have the proper tools I'd be forced to do just that."


Gytherial then takes a friendlier tone "Consider it practice! You'll have need of such talismans at some time or another I'm sure."


-----------------


Int+Occult is appropriate. At 10 successes you have a full blueprint complete with ingredients for each type of talisman as well as the basic idea of how to tie 5 together into an uber-talisman against all Dragon-Blooded (3-dot artifact). Each requires 1 non-reusable and consumed ingredient that cannot be Essence substituted that comprises the physical talisman itself. Air is a type of Wyld-tainted rock that perpetually draws in air. Savants aren't really sure where the air goes, they just know it's no longer in Creation. Earth is the tongue of a ghoomsru (a type of rock-frog). Ghoomsru consume rock and excrete soil, and are found in the near-east wherever the bedrock starts and the soil ends. Fire requires a type of northern gem that is an extremely efficient heat sink, practically limitless in the energy that it can hold, though it takes in heat rather slowly. No matter how much heat the gem contains it is always as cold as ice. Water requires a handful of normal sand from the far south. The pebbles have millenia of 'memory' with the utter lack of water. The little gods of these pebbles have such a hard time with the concept of wetness that they intrinsically repel all forms of water - in their little minds they think something so weird could only come from the Wyld and is best left alone. Wood requires soulsteel ore from the Labryth that has yet to be combined with human souls into proper forged soulsteel. The potential for life-ending inherent in the ore suits your purposes for the talisman.


You regrettibly only have mention of these things in your tomes and no examples onhand. The market of Gateway is known for it's oddities, though... I definately want to see you approach a ship with goods from the far south asking how much they want for the sand at the bottom of their crates =^.^=.


If you don't want to simplify this with social combat I don't feel the need to either. I'd rather not miss this opportunity for bringing out the personalities and tactics of the characters, though, especially with no other thread for you to post in yet.

 

[Wyuli]

Does Isomaru have to choke a bitch, Eastern Miracles


"Your tongue issues strange curses, girl. I am anathematic to no being that rightfully exists in our world. Instead I grind my bones to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The result is the shop you see here."


Isomaru breathes a heavy sigh. "But the Anathema have this world running scared. All one need do is whisper word of anathema to call down a stampede of jade and bravado for a witch hunt, when true danger is less than three days travel away. You would ruin my new life here, and for what, little arrow frog? A mere trinket?" Isomaru eyed her disdainfully, becoming more curious about her heritage as the conversation went on.


He hoped his long dealing with the spirits had given him the ability to tell a truthful argument that hid great lies.


---------------------


Basically, social combat means that Isomaru is going to get train-wrecked, but I wouldn't mind giving it a try, and I'm sure we could both use the practice with dealing with it, so how do we start?


Mechanically, Isomaru is doing three actions as part of this "stunt" (for lack of a better word): He is going to deflect the notion that he is Anathema with a not-completely-truthful, but linguistically correct, argument. Something like a Manipulation + Presence roll? He's also probing her for lies to try and see if she really does have the capability/desire to call down the Wyld Hunt on him. Contested roll of some sort (her roll/my MDV would depend on whether she's lying or telling the truth, I'm assuming)? Lastly, I'd like to utilize my knowledge of the world and its people (Lore, perhaps Investigation?) to figure out just what kind of ancestry Gytherial is.


I'm kind of milking this for a cool scene that gives me interesting insight into this character, but I'm happy to speed it along if it would be better for the overall story.


Essence:


Personal: 6 | 15


Peripheral: 36 | 36


Willpower:


6 | 6


Compassion


[X][X][ ][ ][ ]


{ }{ }{ }{ }{ }


{ }


Conviction


[X][X][X][ ][ ]


{ }{ }{ }{ }{ }


{ }{ }{ }{ }


Temperance


[X][X][X][ ][ ]


{ }{ }{ }{ }{ }


{ }{ }{ }{ }


Valor


[X][ ][ ][ ][ ]


{ }{ }{ }

 

[Tikor]

------------------------


Social combat works like this:


We both roll Join Debate which is the same roll (Wits+Awareness) as Join Battle. Usually this is done at the start of an argument, but we'll ignore that and start it up mid-battle like we are now.


Initiative then figured out, whoever's turn it is first can make actions. There are 3 natural 'social attack' action all with their own speed and rate based off of Presence, Performance and Investigation. See 2e Core, just after mass combat and before the end of that chapter. I'm away from my books, this is all from memory. Social attacks are you convincing someone to either 1) exhibit a desired emotion 2) do something (compulsion) or 3) be convinced of something. Social attacks go up against MDV which have the very prevalent modifiers of 1) Appearance difference 2) Intimacies 3) Virtues and 4) Motivation. If the MDV is beat then the influence can still be resisted by burning a Virtue Channel. Which virtue is up to ST disgression (and can be swayed by defensive stunts, obviously). Examples are given in the houserules thread. Anything else is a miscellaneous action, and miscellaneous actions don't go up against MDVs. There are guards, flurries and aims just like regular combat. Your action as you described it is a mundane flurry of 1 social attack and 2 miscellaneous actions.


Charms, of course, are rules exceptions and the above likely applies, but there's no guarantees.


1) Convincing Gytherial you aren't Anathema. This is as you said a Manipulation+Presence attack, since what you're saying you know to be a lie and the way you're going about it (you aren't, like, singing at her). This would be opposed by her MDV.


2) A miscellaneous action to discover the rating of her Conviction and Compassion Virtues. This is likely a Perception+Investigation roll since you aren't actually speaking to her. Since you aren't compelling her to do anything, this would be against a difficulty other than her MDV, her ability to hide her Virtues, which is Manipulation+Larceny or Manipulation+Socialize if she's actively hiding from you. It is a contested roll and there is no 'defender'. If she's not consciously hiding from you it's probably at a difficulty of her Manipulation. Notice also that this doesn't actually answer the question, it just gives rather good supporting evidence (Conviction 5, Compassion 1, your ass better watch out.) If you instead were to ask "Do you really have the balls to throw the Wyld hunt on me?" that would be a Charisma+Investigation attack, compelling her to answer truthfully. This would be opposed by her MDV. Similar Presence and Performance attacks could be justified.


3) What kind of ancestry Gytherial is is another miscellaneous action if you're just trying to tell by looking at her. It would likely be two rolls, one Perception+Socialize and then an Intelligence+Lore at a difficulty I assign. Alternatively you can get answers via various social attacks like Charisma+Investigation "Who are your ancestors?" a Manipulation+Presense "Tell me your ancestry or I'll do something terrible" or Charisma+Performance "Tell me the story of your people".


If your MDV is beat you are actually, truly convinced that the argument is valid and that you should feel/do/think whatever the attack said. You can burn channels to resist, see the houserules section on that. Both you and Gytherial have good reason to burn channels (You don't want your head on a pike for making these talismans, and Gytherial seems to have a DB problem) but you also both have good reasons to not burn channels (You are curious now that you've thought up how to make these things if they'll actually work. She might not want to burn all her channels and be vulnerable to future social attacks and lessened should combat break out). Since this is the case it will be up to you whether you burn channels on particular social attacks of Gytherial's that beat your MDV.


So roll join debate, and think about your first action!

 

[Wyuli]

-----------------


Join Debate: 1 success


First action is per the line, "You would ruin my new life here, and for what, little arrow frog? A mere trinket?" Mechanically, "Do you have the balls/capability of calling down the Wyld Hunt?" I'll hold off on the dice rolling for now.

 

[Tikor]

Gytherial, Eastern Miracles


Gytherial dons a smile of actual enjoyment, then addresses Isomaru. "Why should you risk your life to create such an item? Because, Anathema," she snarls, then continues "I'd have a much easier time with this Wyld hunt buisness if I just sent them after you instead of dealing with them myself. And ... " she continues in a childish, mock-whiny voice "if I didn't have the proper tools I'd be forced to do just that."


Isomaru remains unswayed. He returns with "You would ruin my new life here, and for what, little arrow frog? A mere trinket?"


"You're right, that's hurtful and mean." She says quickly, but sincerely. "Perhaps it is too much to ask someone I don't know well. Maybe we could get to know each other better. What do you like to do for fun?" Without waiting for an answer she glides over to your bow on the wall, admiring it for a second. "Hunt? I know these lands well. Perhaps you could learn what kind of a person I am side by side against a common foe. Mayhaps then you will want to make those talismans."


--------------------


Gytherial takes a monolouge (aim action) for 3 ticks then performs a Manipulation+Presence attack (threatening you). This attack does not directly interact with any of your existing intimacies, virtues or motivation. You have a relative appearance difference of -2, meaning Gytherial effectively has +2 MDV to all your spoken social attacks and you have -2 MDV to all her spoken social attacks. You have the choice of defending or accepting the attack (I assume you defend, we'll retcon if you don't). Her attack does not beat your MDV.


You attack is Charisma (4) + Investigation (2) + 1 die stunt = 7 dice. You roll 2 successes, and do not beat her MDV. She successfully brushes off the question without definitively revealing her thoughts about it. You do not know if she will throw you to the Wyld hunt or not.


You roll Perception+Awareness while Glytherial moves around the shop. Since you're looking right at her while she moves so you get +2 situational dice. You roll 5 successes.


She uses the small talk about hunting to establish a social stealth attack. Socialize is the social stealth skill and the social war skill. When used as stealth it is opposed by Investigation. Gytherial does a mundane flurry of Re-establish stealth and a Presence attack. Her small talk manages to distract you from the argument making your MDV not apply. Her attack beats your MDV of 0. Her attack is taking a compassionate route, so you can resist with one channel of Conviction if you so choose. Otherwise you will be convinced that you want to make the talisman(s) for Gytherial, and would probably go hunting with her as well.


She is now at -4 MDV for her flurry, but since her MDV refreshed this tick that penalty won't be applicable until next tick. I suggest aiming.


X - Tick 0 - Gytherial aim


X - Tick 1 -


X - Tick 2 - Isomaru Investigation attack


X - Tick 3 - Gytherial Presence attack


X - Tick 4 -


X - Tick 5 -


X - Tick 6 -


[Now] - Tick 7 - Isomaru, Gytherial flurry


- Tick 8 -


Waiting for your defense choice/action.

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, Eastern Miracles


Hmm, she has a point. Hunting common enemies? If she truly is an enemy of the Faceless, it would be unwise to pass up such an ally...


Isomaru shook himself. "While I would enjoy once again the feeling of the soil on my feet once again, let me tell you first the story of a young man from my village I knew who went to play alone in the woods with a young girl he had met. She lured him away with her playful smile, and they began to sneak out of the village every night to do more than just talk. Every night he allowed himself to be led further away from the village until he was led to a place beyond a waterfall where he saw his dreams transpire before his very eyes. It was there she revealed her true intentions, her true horror as a Faceless, and preyed upon his love and fear until there was no life left in his shell."


Isomaru nodded, recalling the bedtime story his mother used to tell him to caution him against Fair Folk. And pretty women too, it seemed.


"You are not such a beast, else you would not be standing as calmly before me as you are right now. But this world contains many mysteries that I have yet to unravel, and an arrow frog may take on many different colors." Isomaru grinned. "Perhaps you will tell me enough about yourself to gain your trust, that I might return the favor?"


------------------


Isomaru is inquiring about her heritage using a direct question (Charisma + Investigation, was it?), after taking a 3-tick monologue to round out his point.

 

[Tikor]

Gytherial, Eastern Miracles


Fine. If it's information he wants I'll flood him.


Gytherial approaches you quickly, and you can't help but think threateningly. She whispers "I am Gytherial the Winged, Descendent of the People of Air, Night Caste Solar of Gateway, scion of Jolu-lu, god of Gateway. Two days hence the Demon Cook of the East was attacked by a Dragon-Blooded on patrol looking for another Solar, I assume Winter Breeze, and has by now no doubt spread the news across the whole island. Every Dragon Blooded that can be spared is likely waiting outside this city as we chatter here about whether you're willing to make preperations or not. We need to ally and quickly, or we'll be cut down individually the second we step out of Gateway in a pitiful re-enactment of the post-Usurpation cleanup."


Gytherial slows her speech as if speaking to a child "Will you make me talismans or won't you?"


---------------------


Mechanically Gytherial chooses not to defend in step 2. You offer her something she wants - your help - in exchange for information, so she accepts.


Important points Gytherial has revealed:


Gytherial is a descendent of the people of air


Gytherial is a Solar, Night Caste


Gytherial works for the god of Gateway


The Dragon Blooded map of Gateway now reads "There be Anathema"


Gytherial thinks Gateway is safe


Gytherial has memories post-Usurpation


X - Tick 0 - Gytherial aim


X - Tick 1 -


X - Tick 2 - Isomaru Investigation attack


X - Tick 3 - Gytherial Presence attack


X - Tick 4 -


X - Tick 5 -


X - Tick 6 -


X - Tick 7 - Isomaru aim, Gytherial flurry


X- Tick 8 -


X- Tick 9 -


X- Tick 10 - Isomaru attack


[Now] - Tick 10 - Gytherial Presence attack


Do you choose to defend (step 2)?

 

[Wyuli]

Isomaru, Eastern Miracles


Living in Abalorne had given Isomaru access to strange sights. One of the most memorable was sometime during Ascending Water when Hamoji the volcano god had made his displeasure known through a loud and showy eruption that ultimately caused little harm. The priestesses were sent scrambling, and he didn't see Lyla again for almost a month after that. He recalled the scattered debris, the explosion, the smoke, the...chaos. It reminded him very much of the inside of his head right now.


Is she telling the truth? She must be, why would she lie about such a thing? More than one of us has returned? How could I have been so blind! And now the storm of jade and bravado has set down upon us? Damn the questions, I have been careful, scrupulous until this point. Perhaps flagrantly so.


Taking his bow and quiver off the rack and slinging them over his shoulder, Isomaru began assembling the few tribal components that were necessary for his rituals into a small satchel.


Almost as an afterthought, he peered over his shoulder and grinned at Gytherial, "I am called Isomaru, though I was once called something else. I am the Windspeaker for my village of Sangawa in the East that has since been set upon by the Faceless. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I hope you will forgive my temerity; we live in interesting times, and I am not prone to rash action. Please be patient one moment; I must gather my friend Hidetada before we set out. We have much work to do before the sun rises."


----------------


Isomaru is not resisting the roll. He's grabbing a few things and his Yasal crystal and heading out to gather.

 

[Tikor]

Gytherial, Eastern Miracles


Gytherial grabs your arm, stopping your readying activities "What are you looking for, thaumaturge? You can't expect to saunter out into the woods at a time like this, do you? I approached you unseen in your own shop, you won't stand a chance against a trained assassin in the forest, even if they aren't as hard to spot as I." Gytherial preens slightly at her admission of her stealthy capacities, but is otherwise dour.


----------------------


What you need to craft the talismans other than Essence is written a few posts back.

 

[Tikor]

The Loom, Gateway


Isomaru responds "Thank you for your concern, but the forest is not my destination. I must make my way to the docks to gather supplies for your talisman. With your warning I'll likely make one for myself as well. But I will not return to this place, for it will not be safe if the hunt is about as you say. I will buy my way on to a ship. This may be a Realm satrapy, but a captain's ship is his own country. If a Wyld hunt violates a captain's rights on his own ship in port, I'll have no few new allies, for all would then know their own ship could be next."


She looks away and squints her eyes briefly then says "I think I know just the captain. I'll keep an eye on him and set up a meeting, here. Stay and produce your talismans. I don't think the hunt will move for a few days, yet. They need to drawn in more forces, which is good for us now and bad for us later."


Isomaru counters "How can you assure my safety here? The ship seems the safer plan to me."


Gytherial "I am the Scion of Jolu-lu, god of Gateway. Though a few mortals distracting a Wyld hunt on account of captains rights would be to our advantage when the time comes, at this time all of Gateway is equally as safe for our kind. If the good captain cooperates you'll be on his ship shortly." Then, vehemently "DO NOT step outside of Gateway, though, for there my lord's domain ends and his protection cannot reach beyond."


Isomaru, slightly creeped out "I still need to go down to the docks for supplies." Isomaru sets his bulkier belongings down and picks up his usual shopping pack with money, extra space and implements to help him evaluate possible components. "How can I stay in touch with you?"


"Pray to Jolu-lu. He'll be listening." Gytherial then silently dashes out the door.


----------------------


Where is you Wyuli? I have a story to move.

 

[Tikor]

The Loom, above the Gateway docks


Isomaru nervously walks down to the docks, looking for hostile Dragon-Blooded behind every corner dispite Gytherial's assurances.


Several fishing boats are at dock, though by no means all as many are out harvesting the bounty of the sea. Only a few small Navy ships are in dock, most are out on their final patrols before the coming Calibration. Almost all of the Wyld comer ships that hail from Gateway are in dock. Even though Calibration is not yet upon the world, the nearness of it increases the danger of the trade enough that the 'fleet' is far from their Wyld waters, in docks like Gateway selling their wares. Several ships owned by the government of Gateway are seen keeping order and collecting docking fees. The Western Trade Alliance claims the most ships, they are the biggest presense in the area. They have their own private docks that are chock full of high-ranking Western Trade Alliance members in addition to renting out much of the public docks. Several pearl diver ships are in residence likely setting up shop for the lucrative Calibration sales. The Tya, as usual, have only a ship or two in Gateway. It seems Calibration has not affected their presence. Only a few ships flying the outsider's flag are visible. Most people make their way home for Calibration one way or another.


Isomaru is a newcomer to Gateway, and even though he has heard all the flag's factions explained to him before he still needs to get out the artfully drawn guide that he bought from a child along to port when he first came into town. The rough paper guide matches the flags to the factions, and lists a few of the usual goods and services each faction provides.


Unbeknownst to Isomaru an ancient and now revered mayor grew tired of hearing the endless wares of the city being hawked all hours of the day, so he instituted a system by which the various groups could advertise without polluting the air of his beloved port town. He made 10 (quite fashionable) symbols that show what group a merchant belongs to. Regulars to the port town know the factions and what type of wares or services they have to offer as well as what wares or services they are likely to buy. Thus yelling was reduced by an order of magnitude and now Gateway is the most pleasant and quiet port town in Creation, at least in the local's eyes (and ears!). Isomaru has found out that any child knows these symbols and their associated wares and is capable of artfully drawing them in the sand and explaining the simple, obvious wares of each faction to newcomers for a small price. It's a cottage industry that has the side effect of children being friendly with outsiders, to the dismay of more some parents. Isomaru, knowing a deal when he found one, opted for the more permanent option of a paper guide when he first came to town.


I should try the Wyld comers first, they are the most likely to have the oddities I require.


Through visiting the various factions Isomaru is able to gather a type of Wyld-tainted rock that perpetually draws in air, a northern gem that is an extremely efficient heat sink, and a handful of normal sand from the far south. The first he obtained from the Wyld comers, the second from a Tya ship returning from the North and the third from some very confused Western Trade Alliance merchants. Due to the haste of his mission he wasn't in a good bargaining position (except for the sand) and Isomaru's funds are almost completely depleted by the Wyld comers and for the northern gem Isomaru had to part with the ever popular talisman against disease he kept for rainy day purchases such as these.


Damn those swindlers driving down the prices of genuine talismans!


Ghoomsru tongues seem impossible to come by this far west. All of even these experienced traders didn't know what he was talking about, though he had to endure looking through various other preserved tongues in their wares just to make sure. Soulsteel ore he was not couragous enough to inquire about. He saw no ships that hailed from Skullstone where such an inquiry wouldn't be news, and asking any other ship would likely decrease his chances for buying his way onto them should Gytherial prove not as resourceful as she hinted at.


Isomaru then spends all but an hour of his waking day crafting talismans and hoping for the best.


----------------------------


The flags of the various factions looks like the attached picture.


You know have everything to craft 3 anti-Dragon-Blooded talismans, one vs. Air, one vs. Fire and one vs. Water. You have 6 days, of which I will give you 15 hours each for 90 total. The Wyld hunt may or may not show up at the end of this time, but that's where you are in crafting when the next scene starts - Balthazar showing up at your shop.


You have 3 hits of Resources 0 left. Enough to eat off of for a while, but certainly not enough to buy passage on a ship.<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2009_01/57a8bfb54c36c_City20Symbols20starter_notes.JPG.834214e541f8cf96ab4d0f2abd941a72.JPG" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="23448" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2009_01/57a8bfb54c36c_City20Symbols20starter_notes.JPG.834214e541f8cf96ab4d0f2abd941a72.JPG" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>

 

[Wyuli]

Fourth Afternoon of Calibration, RYXYZ


Isomaru sighed with contempt at his lack of participation in the previous night's proceedings. Gaining the compliance of the gods is straightforward, if not simple; even the most stubborn river god could be persuaded with enough supplication if the cause was good enough. The hearts of men, however, so steeled in misguided convictions, can seem to refute even the most sensible of arguments with blind obduracy. The truth of the matter was, he was awash in confusion such that his own convictions seemed lost in the torrent of bold rhetoric.


Lighting some incense and removing his Yasal crystal that contained the essence of his friend Hidetada, Isomaru sat down legs crossed on a tasseled pillow to clear his head of the confusion. The fate of Gateway would likely be decided with or without him, but the mystery of his link with the other strangers (Gods help me, three of them Solars) was what he could concentrate on now.


Isomaru could hear the voice of his friend Hidetada manifest in the back of his mind.


"Thaumaturgy is bound by the laws of Creation, but Sorcery is a different matter altogether, right? If essence is what created this link, perhaps your own essence is intertwined in some way?"


Isomaru nodded. "I can...feel...the others. If our animas are tied together in some way, perhaps that is the key to understanding how strong this bond truly is?"


Isomaru breathed deeply, closed his eyes, and called to mind pictures of the sailor, the merchant, the slender girl, and the carefree chef. He reached out with his anima, attempting to touch theirs, like a blind fisherman grabbing for spring trout.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mechanically, will be attempting to discern the strength of the Sworn Brotherhood spell...by doing Science on it. Sit in shop, concentrate on the individuals. If successful, I figure that'll give me a rough estimate of the strength of the bond at this range. From there, I should be able to make my way towards the rest of the party, then figure out some way to get inside


So for now,


Attempting to locate party members, no charms.