Myth: A New Age CYOA

[Azira]

Also, I also feel it's wiser to go ahead on the heal spell rather than the wake-her-up ritual. Melete asleep is safer than Melete awake..

A

 

[Smashing Axe]

It sounds like we're pushing it with the large loan we took, at least we told Mayer to be somewhat aggressive however. I think we just need to make sure we don't pass out for a long period of time and we should be relatively safe. Here's hoping anyway.

A

 

[archaen]

BAndwagon. It may be worth it to gate back to our tower and grab 500WP of our money to get out of that loan faster.

 

[Fangshi]

But when did we even ask the mages how it worked?

I thought the subject can't 'modify' the content that the book gives. In essense, I am asking how did the fine print even make it there?

I just want to understand what we should watch out for if we continue to use the book in the future.

The book records the life of the individual in question but is likely to only give the broad strokes, it does this by looking into the 'soul' of the individual in question. Now you can not lie to the book and if a false memory is placed in the target the book will know that it is false. However the book will also make note of the importance that the subject places on different pieces of information. That is how it functions as a useful tool.

For example it will not record every meal they ever eat unless it is told to. What it will record is a particularly important meal. It determines what is important through two forms of input, the criteria the operator gives it and the importance that the subject places upon the events in their own lives. If a subject focuses really hard on a particular piece of information at the expense of other similar pieces of information then it will reflect that back to a degree. In this case the mages placed emphasis on a spell that could do exactly what you required but that has an absurdly long casting time as a means to get back at you (yes mages are that paranoid that they create and teach 'trap' spells). The fellows noticed this and instead cobbled together a solution from other spells in the records that can do the same thing.

To draw a broken and awkward analogy. You have a room and this room is your target's mind, every memory is an item in that room. When you use the book you take a picture of the room. Nothing is allowed to be hidden. So you will see everything in the picture as it is in the room but the angle of the shot and the importance given to particular items is in part determined by the mind you are scanning.

You will get the truth but it is not completely foolproof.

 

[Fangshi]

It will NOT dump us back into the Dreaming, right? Right?

You should be fine, probably.

Are there any old and ugly dwarven mages available for hire?

Now Nevill, you should know that the Harem King's Demon's love is all encompassing. He will take even the ugly ones for it is his place to love all.

Actually he is in part based on Rāvaṇa as portrayed in the Ramayana so that might tell you something about the size of his harem.

It may be worth it to gate back to our tower and grab 500WP of our money to get out of that loan faster.

I will have to look up the exact numbers I gave earlier but I am fairly certain that I said you need more than three mages to open a stable Gate back to Muirthemne. Though I suppose you could try to borrow a few mages from Albrecht.

 

[Jester]

Hmm
D) Derryth concentrate on healing ritual with Eagle (i expect Wisdom is most important check here). Thais casts second one, backed by Lyssa and Academy mages as lifeline (i expect Mazzarin accessories should help here and mby give Lyssa second bracelet).

 

[archaen]

Hmm
D) Derryth concentrate on healing ritual with Eagle (i expect Wisdom is most important check here). Thais casts second one, backed by Lyssa and Academy mages as lifeline (i expect Mazzarin accessories should help here and mby give Lyssa second bracelet).

I think that splitting up our mages when we are casting unfamiliar rituals where we can die, and one group doesn't have a reroll, is folly.

I will ask Fangshi, do we need to do anything to keep Melete from being harmed in her coma? Are we spooning apple sauce into her mouth and making sure she doesn't get bed sores or does the spell have a protective component? If she is going to possibly come to harm, we might need to switch en masse to get her up instead.

 

[Grimgravy]

A

If something happens in the meanwhile and Mel is a lost cause, we know where to coldly send her body for personal gain.

 

[archaen]

If we ever do wake our intrepid inventor up we are going to have to set her up a mile away from anything flammable in a structure with 5 foot thick stone walls backed with lead. That is of course if she even comprehends what we did to save her and doesn't just want to leave to work on her next project of trying to reach the nearest celestial body with a cannon or whatever outlandish project she comes up with.

We will also need a team of non idiot savants to take her inventions and add practicality and safety features before allowing any human beta testing. Too bad Lyssa can't make something like DnD bloody skeletons that can put themselves back together after being turned into a fine mist by a weapon malfunction.

 

[Nevill]

Yeah, I've asked about what our perspectives with Melete will look like.

Say, Fangshi... Before (if) we split up with Melete, can we ask her what plans does she have for a foreseeable future and if she would be interested in becoming a private artificer for our group? We have enough wealth to supply her with whatever resources she needs for her crazy inventions, and it would not be much different from what she had been doing so far. We can offer her protection and the potential to realize her wildest dreams. Surely this prospect might intrigue her?

So long as you can protect her she has no problem working for you. Give her food, housing and materials and she will remain happy. It also helps that you are part of a very small group of people not trying to kill/capture her.

It appears we'll have to set up a secret bunker to keep her in, supply her with sacrifices ingredients for her mad experiments, and wait until the awesome happens. Kind of like the Spinner, except bigger in scope and less predictable.

 

[Fangshi]

D) Derryth concentrate on healing ritual with Eagle (i expect Wisdom is most important check here). Thais casts second one, backed by Lyssa and Academy mages as lifeline (i expect Mazzarin accessories should help here and mby give Lyssa second bracelet).

Added. Though the fellows of the Academy will not actually help to cast the ritual. They do not really care what happens to the inventor and the spell is dangerous. They won't risk themselves for her.

I think that splitting up our mages when we are casting unfamiliar rituals where we can die, and one group doesn't have a reroll, is folly.

I will ask Fangshi, do we need to do anything to keep Melete from being harmed in her coma? Are we spooning apple sauce into her mouth and making sure she doesn't get bed sores or does the spell have a protective component? If she is going to possibly come to harm, we might need to switch en masse to get her up instead.

Well splitting up would increase the difficulty of both spells by a couple orders of magnitude. It might be doable though.

All the minor details are being dealt with by Alric's people. He keeps a single deaf, dumb and blind mute for this exact sort of thing. Which is my way of saying I won't have her starve to death on you for example.

As for keeping her from harm that is hard to say, she does still have a bounty on her head from one of the largest, wealthiest and most powerful clans in the empire. As long as no one knows where she is though she should remain relatively safe. That is provided you stay on Albrecht's good side and he is not given a good reason to turn her over...

 

[Nevill]

Eagle has agreed to help you with your spell and hopefully you will be able to perfect it before he is required to leave. If you are quick enough you may even be able to conduct the ritual with his direct help which would be a definite advantage.

Just out of curiosity, what are we doing to improve on the ritual, and is there anything we can do to increase our chances of casting it together? If it concerns magic theory, perhaps the academy fellows might have an insight into that, even though they are not proficient in that particular school. Or does Eagle object to making the details of the ritual known?

That is provided you stay on Albrecht's good side and he is not given a good reason to turn her over...

If we get on Albrecht's bad side, I am afraid Melete will be the least of our concerns.

What is the meaning of closing the Empire's embassy, though? How much of a hit did the relations between the kingdoms take? I imagined it would be bad, what with the most influental family in the Empire supporting the house bent on overthrowing Albrecht, but I didn't think it will come to this.

...I kind of regret missing on the rumors about the 'mages from the North'. We might want to ask Eagle about what does the 'other side' know about us.

 

[Fangshi]

Just out of curiosity, what are we doing to improve on the ritual, and is there anything we can do to increase our chances of casting it together? If it concerns magic theory, perhaps the academy fellows might have an insight into that, even though they are not proficient in that particular school. Or does Eagle object to making the details of the ritual known?

You will utilize his familiarity with the field of restorative magic to try and complete your knowledge of the spell. If you succeed it should make the ritual safer, yo will be less likely to permanently drain yourself or otherwise harm yourself while casting it. You may even be able to take some of his tips and use them to fashion new spells but that will depend entirely on whether or not your succeed.

There is not really anything you can do at the last minute to increase your odds of finishing before the two days are up.

You could consult the Academy as well but it would serve to delay things rather than speed them up. It would take two days for the research team necessary to be formed and brought to speed for the task. By that point Eagle would already be gone. If you want to perform neither ritual in the next two days that is also an option, it would let you work with Eagle and then take your findings to the fellows but you can only put off your business obligations for so long before they begin to suffer and you likely will not have much time to perform rituals for a few weeks to a month while you get everything in order.

What is the meaning of closing the Empire's embassy, though? How much of a hit did the relations between the kingdoms take? I imagined it would be bad, what with the most influential family in the Empire supporting the house bent on overthrowing Albrecht, but I didn't think it will come to this.

The impression you get is that they took a fairly large hit. You do not know how strained relations have become though as no one seems willing to really discuss it. Damh was quite drunk when he let that information slip, if he had been sober it is doubtful you would have learnt even the little that you did.

...I kind of regret missing on the rumors about the 'mages from the North'. We might want to ask Eagle about what does the 'other side' know about us.

Sure, it costs you nothing to visit the man and ask a few questions while Damh is not around. You ask him about how the imperials see you and he laughs.

Damh has been spreading a lot of rather vicious rumours about you it seems. That you consort with demons, that you speak to Dark Gods, that you have broken imperial law and are actually fugitives from the north, not heroes. That sort of thing. So far such rumours are confined to human circles as the general dwarven population still sees you as heroes.

Damh's slander and the King's own exaggerations of your abilities and achievements have come together to paint you as a pair of beautiful and terrible mercenaries from the depths of the empire. Well versed in arts both dark and disturbing and certainly not to be trifled with.

You are also portrayed as about seven feet tall with eyes of steel and tongues of flame but that is mostly drunken gossip, no one actually believes that... well almost no one...

So the 'other side' still seems to know next to nothing about you. They do not know where you came from, who your allies are (besides the obvious) or what your agenda is. They only know that in the course of two weeks you broke an army that outnumber you 'one hundred to one' and then proceeded to destroy the Eberhardts and their allies in one of the largest political upsets of recent memory. They know you are their enemies and that is about it for now.

 

[Nevill]

Damh has been spreading a lot of rather vicious rumours about you it seems. That you consort with demons,

Check.

that you speak to Dark Gods,

Check.

that you have broken imperial law

Check.

Damn it, he is onto us!

Damh's slander and the King's own exaggerations of your abilities and achievements have come together to paint you as a pair of beautiful and terrible mercenaries from the depths of the empire. Well versed in arts both dark and disturbing and certainly not to be trifled with.

An archmage of great powers and ancient magics, she controls shadows, and she fights monsters, and she saves people; a fell and terrible mistress of the dark arts!

Excellent. We need more shady people in our circle.

Our organisatiuon shall be formed out of the outcasts from the every cormer of the world. Are there any minor kingdoms left free for the taking on the continent? We might want to start our own Empire once we get big enough.

 

[archaen]

With all the discuss I will leave my vote the same. I think it is safe to say that A will take it with 6 votes and only one dissenting D vote.

 

[Nevill]

By the way, since the Academy seems to be finished with Melete's ritual, maybe we can give them the Spinner to research if there is a connection to the Spider Goddess? And what about the Mystery Box? Do we want the privilege of studying and opening it ourselves?

 

[Azira]

Derryth would never willingly part with a puzzle. Unless perhaps, as a lesson to Thaïs, for her to improve her own puzzle-solving skills.

 

[Nevill]

Is it a puzzle, though? It's just a mystery box.

When we were offered to open it, we refused based on that it needs more research. Well, now we can do reseach.

 

[Fangshi]

Excellent. We need more shady people in our circle.

By my count almost all of your social circle is composed of shady characters. If what you have done ever gets out, in the eyes of the law you would be the bad guys. For example:

Spoiler

Your Mages:
Derryth - could be brought up on dozens of charges of unsanctioned ruin delving, the possible murder of Miosguinn and knowingly aiding multiple servants of the Dark. She would likely hang.
Thaïs - as your near constant companion she could be charged with everything you can.
Amena - reasonably blameless but in the eyes of the law she is a servant of the Dark due to her years spent under Eris' tutelage, she might not hang but she would likely be imprisoned for life.
Brigit - thief, murderer and grave robber; and that was all before she met you. She can be charged with just about everything you can and on top of that she can be charged with temple robbery.
Serpent - Actually Serpent is fairly clean relatively speaking. You have Miosguinn's murder and the unsanctioned ruin delving but beyond that not much. Of course the little he has done is still enough for a lifetime in prison.
Christine - Cultist, enough said, they kill those without hesitation.
Lyssa - Necromancer, your death would seem kind in comparison to what would happen to her.

Your Warriors:
Gareth - unsanctioned ruin delver and suspected murder but he is a veteran so he might get a pardon. If the full might of imperial law falls on your organization he is likely the only one that might walk away but it is doubtful that he would choose to do so.
Ithapi - A maul, all they need is a good excuse and no one to defend him
Biliku - Cultist, see Christine
Uttu - Cultist, see Christine
Caoilainn - Mercenary in the employ of cultists, see Christine. That is provided they do not lock her away for study.
Berty Levy -

Associates:
Nine - Two Fallen Lords, they will kill her if they can
Meletē - known 'murderer' and 'political subversive', the Brannons would make sure she dies slowly.

Are there any minor kingdoms left free for the taking on the continent? We might want to start our own Empire once we get big enough.

Right, here are your options, in case you ever want to daydream about your own kingdom/empire.

Spoiler

The largest state in the known world is the New Cath Bruig Empire. The core of its territory runs from the Cloudspine Mountains in the west to the Great Devoid and the Dire Marsh in the east; and from the Twelve Duns in the north to the Forest Heart in the south. The southern part of this territory holds most of the Eastern Empire's population (the lands between Willow Creek, Brayle and Tallow). The old heartland of the empire consists of the Barrier, this was prime farmland at one point but now it is good for next to nothing, the land is riddled with monsters and most of it is abandoned, nothing will grow here until the land has healed. To heal this land would take mastery over the elements and complete control of the weather. The land is worthless right now and the entire Barrier could probably be purchased for maybe 2000 - 3000 WPs as long as it was done very discretely.

Anyway that is the Empire proper, the rest of its territory is made up of the numerous lands Alric holds under different titles. These lands include:

The Free Cities of the North which are technically independent republics but Alric is their 'protector', he collects taxes and maintains an army for their defense.

Both the Ermine and the Forest Heart operate as independent states though they are technically part of the Empire. The Ermine is run by the fir'Bolg who are in a formal alliance with the emperor, it is a sort of sovereign association with a form of mutual defense pact. The Forest Heart is 'governed' by the Forest Giants, one of the few species to actually fight the Trow and survive. Alric has recognized their claim over the forest in exchange for limited logging rights. They have no real wealth to speak of so they are not taxed.

The Province (or Western Empire) is technically independent as well though Alric wears both crowns at the moment. It is hard to say what will happen if the emperor dies, will the two crowns once more separate or will the Province remain a part of the Empire? It is one of the great questions of Derryth's time. The territory of the Province runs from about Otter Ferry and the edge of the Ermine all the way down to Strand. In the west it is bordered by the Great Ocean and to the east it ends at the Cloudspine.

That little island in the south west corner of the map is known as Leix and is currently abandoned though it is technically part of the Empire. It was home to the pirates of Leix who were massacred by the Avatara Maeldun around 2458. As far as anyone knows, no one currently inhabits the island.

So those are all the lands that Alric claims, if you want any of them you will need to challenge him or be very sneaky and clever.

Now the rest of the map is also claimed by lesser powers.

First you have the Dwarven Kingdom you have spent this chapter in. All the land in the southeast corner of the map is claimed by the dwarves. A lot of it is desert and mountain but there are a number of rich mineral veins as well. Naturally taking over the kingdom officially would be quite difficult as you are not a dwarf.

Gower is the next largest actually independent kingdom. It is a poor land known mostly for sheep farming, the people are a mixture of Berserk explorers and Bruig fugitives. Gower tends to get crushed every time the Dark invade but they always seem to bounce back. Connacht was a Goverman but they have contributed little since his time to 'civilization'. The Marquess of Gower runs the place though no one knows who he or she is.

Then you have the Twelve Duns and the Strainer of Krakens (the only big island in the north sea), they are claimed by a loose confederation of Berserk tribes held together by their elders and the druids. But you would not want to steal Serpent and Christine's crowns right?

Then you have the Trow state of Avernus based out of the fortress of Rhi'anon. No one really knows much about the Trow, how they live, what they want. It is doubtful that anyone could seize that territory without first exterminating its inhabitants.

Finally there is the Drowned Kingdom of Yer-Ks (Culwyeh's former kingdom) and the Deep Mire. No one claims them since no one wants them but if you could raise the drowned kingdom, drain the swamp and wrest it from its current inhabitants it would be yours by right of conquest.

Of course there is also the possibility of more lands to the east or south east but those lands have never been properly explored. They are filled with ghôls and worse.

As you can see it would be difficult to carve out your own state but not impossible, you just need to be mindful of opportunities when they present themselves.

By the way, since the Academy seems to be finished with Melete's ritual, maybe we can give them the Spinner to research if there is a connection to the Spider Goddess? And what about the Mystery Box? Do we want the privilege of studying and opening it ourselves?

This, essentially:

Derryth would never willingly part with a puzzle. Unless perhaps, as a lesson to Thaïs, for her to improve her own puzzle-solving skills.

It is a mystery and Derryth loves a mystery, she would be loathe to let someone else have first crack at the box. Also it may contain powerful magical artefacts, ancient spells, lost maps, maybe even the real ORB OF ULTIMATE POWER!!!

She really does not want to give that up but if you can make a strong case for it being necessary she might do it.


Current Tally Bandwagon:

Spoiler

Kz3r0: A
Nevill: A
Azira: A
Smashing Axe: A
archaen: A
Jester: D
Grimgravy: A
GreyViper: A

A) 7 votes
B)
C)
D) 1 vote

The vote will stay open for another day and a half at least as it is the middle of the weekend here (probably 52 hours or so).

 

[Nevill]

Berty Levy -

They'll never get him alive, will they?

 

[Fangshi]

They'll never get him alive, will they?

They may as well try to catch the wind.

He has a very interesting history with law enforcement to say the least.

 

[Kz3r0]

Excellent. We need more shady people in our circle.

By my count almost all of your social circle is composed of shady characters. If what you have done ever gets out, in the eyes of the law you would be the bad guys. For example:

Spoiler

Your Mages:
Derryth - could be brought up on dozens of charges of unsanctioned ruin delving, the possible murder of Miosguinn and knowingly aiding multiple servants of the Dark. She would likely hang.
Thaïs - as your near constant companion she could be charged with everything you can.
Amena - reasonably blameless but in the eyes of the law she is a servant of the Dark due to her years spent under Eris' tutelage, she might not hang but she would likely be imprisoned for life.
Brigit - thief, murderer and grave robber; and that was all before she met you. She can be charged with just about everything you can and on top of that she can be charged with temple robbery.
Serpent - Actually Serpent is fairly clean relatively speaking. You have Miosguinn's murder and the unsanctioned ruin delving but beyond that not much. Of course the little he has done is still enough for a lifetime in prison.
Christine - Cultist, enough said, they kill those without hesitation.
Lyssa - Necromancer, your death would seem kind in comparison to what would happen to her.

Your Warriors:
Gareth - unsanctioned ruin delver and suspected murder but he is a veteran so he might get a pardon. If the full might of imperial law falls on your organization he is likely the only one that might walk away but it is doubtful that he would choose to do so.
Ithapi - A maul, all they need is a good excuse and no one to defend him
Biliku - Cultist, see Christine
Uttu - Cultist, see Christine
Caoilainn - Mercenary in the employ of cultists, see Christine. That is provided they do not lock her away for study.
Berty Levy -

Associates:
Nine - Two Fallen Lords, they will kill her if they can
Meletē - known 'murderer' and 'political subversive', the Brannons would make sure she dies slowly.

The Circle of the Lost indeed.

 

[Baltika9]

More like 'Circle of the Walking Dead,' amirite?

 

[archaen]

Excellent. We need more shady people in our circle.

By my count almost all of your social circle is composed of shady characters. If what you have done ever gets out, in the eyes of the law you would be the bad guys. For example:

Spoiler

Your Mages:
Derryth - could be brought up on dozens of charges of unsanctioned ruin delving, the possible murder of Miosguinn and knowingly aiding multiple servants of the Dark. She would likely hang.
Thaïs - as your near constant companion she could be charged with everything you can.
Amena - reasonably blameless but in the eyes of the law she is a servant of the Dark due to her years spent under Eris' tutelage, she might not hang but she would likely be imprisoned for life.
Brigit - thief, murderer and grave robber; and that was all before she met you. She can be charged with just about everything you can and on top of that she can be charged with temple robbery.
Serpent - Actually Serpent is fairly clean relatively speaking. You have Miosguinn's murder and the unsanctioned ruin delving but beyond that not much. Of course the little he has done is still enough for a lifetime in prison.
Christine - Cultist, enough said, they kill those without hesitation.
Lyssa - Necromancer, your death would seem kind in comparison to what would happen to her.

Your Warriors:
Gareth - unsanctioned ruin delver and suspected murder but he is a veteran so he might get a pardon. If the full might of imperial law falls on your organization he is likely the only one that might walk away but it is doubtful that he would choose to do so.
Ithapi - A maul, all they need is a good excuse and no one to defend him
Biliku - Cultist, see Christine
Uttu - Cultist, see Christine
Caoilainn - Mercenary in the employ of cultists, see Christine. That is provided they do not lock her away for study.
Berty Levy -

Associates:
Nine - Two Fallen Lords, they will kill her if they can
Meletē - known 'murderer' and 'political subversive', the Brannons would make sure she dies slowly.

Well, we always have our fall back plan of becoming Faceless' or Nine's minions in their bid to take over the world in case we get caught out. That ended well for everyone that followed them before right? By the time we get back to Muirthemne I am sure we will be completely embroiled in Faceless' plots anyhow.

 

[Nevill]

Well, we always have our fall back plan of becoming Faceless' or Nine's minions in their bid to take over the world in case we get caught out. That ended well for everyone that followed them before right?

Faceless I can understand, but what do you have against Nine?