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[FE] the lumberjack school of warfare
Posts
Zia keeps her eyes trained on the magic tome. A bit flustered, she almost skips right over properly introducing herself. "My name is Zia, I'm from a small village on the outskirts of Ravennia. It's very nice to meet you, Sir Knight."
She looks at the man in armor and her eyes light up as she remembers the lance that was recently procured on the battlefield. Zia walks over to where it rests against the wall and presents it to the knight, carrying it awkwardly. It's clear she's never held a lance in her life, as the blade clangs against the ceiling and a nearby bookshelf before she harnesses the weight. "I think you might be better suited than I to wield a weapon like this."
All the while, her eyes keep shifting back towards Erica and that book. "It's impressive that such an old book is still being held together. What's it about? It looks nearly ancient!"
What kind of things can I buy from Grant and for how much?
Allan spins the lance expertly, missing table, chair, skin, and hair by millimeters. "Haha, nice heft, well balanced, this! Much obliged, little lady, and I'm sure it'll come in handy next time I'm stoppin' some big mean mother hubbard from cuttin' you a superfl'us new backside."
She seems to be speaking and acting with much more formality than you remember from the cellar. It's probably the whole not being one step away from death thing.
Shop:
Antitoxin (100 per charge)
Iron Sword (500)
Longsword (800)
Slim lance (400)
Javelin (300)
Short Spear (800)
Iron Axe (300)
Hammer (700)
Reaper (800)
Iron Bow (500)
Short Bow (900)
Heal Staff (600)
Wind (600)
Thunder (700)
Buying stuff from the shop won't need a series of IC posts, just say what you wanna get and take it out of your cash on hand!
Glaring at the knight, "As if I were a common necromancer. Psh. Any fool can draw runes on a body and read out of a book that's probably got... notes... in the margins." Sardo pauses and shudders at the thought. "Real magic takes years of work and study before you even see a spark of fire or whisper of wind."
Eyeing the book intently, Sardo turns to Zia and says with an air of resignation, "I know when a hint is being dropped. I suppose if you wanted, I could take a look at that for you. Figure out what it's about and such. After all, if you want something done right, you should leave it to Sardo the Magnifi- Oooh, a healing staff. I've always wanted to try my hand at this. So, if I translated that text correctly, I should just wave it like this and things should be getting better. Or it should breathe a gout of fire. Life and Fire are very close in the language of the Ancients, you see." Sardo seems very please with his purchase, and continues talking with Zia.
"Anyway, I'll take a look at that book, if you want. It shouldn't take long to get the gist of it, at any rate."
Twitch Stream
Orson looks concerned. "Yes, that's the correct motion, not that that level of technique is even necessary for a stave as simple as the heal staff. But even more than in other schools you need strong conviction when using staves, a conviction to help and aid the person you're healin', or wardin, or protectin. Imaginin' the effect, the pain you're alleviatin, or whatnot seems to help. Head priest liked to say "Cultivate a genuine, altruistic desire to help another at all times, but especially when performing your duties." Also why you can't heal yerself with a stave."
He takes on a stern tone. "And I mean that. Otherwise you're just going to thwack someone with magical energy like so many talented yet cocky mages who visited the temple in my own years of training, which is just the opposite of what yer shootin for!"
She starts to rise, but winces with pain and lowers herself into the seat again. "...yes."
alright, I'd like to get things rolling again by wednesday, thursday at the latest. Everybody good?
"Speaking of staves, I think there's someone here who could use the attention of one." Macia leas back, a wry grin under her nose. "Take that as you may."
Steam
Sardo exclaims, "A willing test subject! Alright now, um, let's see. Gotta care, gotta care, gotta ca- actually, what's your name again, lady? Maybe where your from, etc. It might help if I know you better. Kind of hard to care about a complete stranger."
Twitch Stream
Allan balks at the terrifying eagerness of the newly staff-wielding mage. "Best be keepin away from me, yeh look as liable to kill someone as to heal 'em. No offence, but I'll get mah healin from the expert."
Ready to move on any time. I'll just be sitting here chatting until that happens.
Right over his head, on both counts.
"Macia. Emesa. And I think it'd be better if you left that to a professional."
Steam
Sardo shrugs and puts the staff away, "Well, if you want my first attempt to be out on a battlefield in an emergency situation, I suppose that's up to the lot of you."
He then pulls up a chair and starts reading one of his many books.
Effective Speed 4 with Flux
Base hit + Skill = 86
Adept on roll of 4 or less
Base crit = 6
Base damage = 15
Gold = 400
EXP = 20/100
Twitch Stream
Steam
Zia swiftly pulls up a chair next to the shaman, peering around him to catch glimpses of his text. "How did you get involved in learning magic?" she asks, her eyes glued to the words on the page. "I'm sure that sounds like a silly question, but where I come from, we don't have books like these," motioning towards the literature.
Gonna buy 2 antitoxins for 200g
Orson's immediate reaction to Macia's request is a somewhat subtle eye roll, not accompanied by the usual attention-commanding body language he exhibits when speaking or making most gestures.
"Haven't you already had enough of my care, Miss Emesa? With how demanding you are you'd think you were nobility in disguise." Orson snarks, walking up to her. He pauses and closes his eyes for a second before lifting the stave, healing energies washing over the Wyvern Rider for the third time.
He pauses for a response before continuing, grabbing Sardo by the robe and...somewhat gently tugging him towards Erica. "My powers weren't enough to fully help Erica before, but if we work together we might be able to get the lady back on her feet.
...And if you end up zapping her instead, I'll be right here to counteract your error!" he finishes with a wide, eyes-closed grin.
Post etc. etc.
Going to be gone until Friday, got too much of a test to study for.
I will probably update and push things onwards tonight!
Pleased to have an audience to lecture, Sardo stands up and places his book down on the chair so Zia can get a better look. "Well, it's a bit long, but I suppose I could try and give you a brief version. First off, you'd spend a number of years learning to become fluent in the language of the Ancients. It's no easy task, since it has the most draconian system of grammar in the known world and one mistimed pause or stutter could completely change the meaning of the sentence. After you'd mastered the linguistic aspect of magic, you'd get down to study of the theories of magic. Most people know that dark can overpower anima or, to use the common turn of phrase, elemental magic, but why? A few years later, once you'd learned how all the magical forces of the world intermingle, then you'd be given your first spell book and be taught how to invoke the powers locked within. Here, Orson was right. This is the point were study can only take you so far. You have to want the magic to happen. Interestingly, most of the tests are very trivial matters, which teaches one of the most important lessons in using magic. The ability to make yourself care. I, for instance, was given that spell book on the chai, and was told to snuff out candles. It took me months to realize that I just couldn't care about a candle sitting on a table."
Sardo pauses and chuckles at the memory, " I must have looked like a crazy man. Sitting at a table with an open book, countless discarded candle nubs and melted wax half covering the table, with me sitting there reading the same page of a book over and over and over again. It's rather hard to get emotionally invested in candles, you see. Around month two or so, I had an inspiration! There was no way I was going to care about some candles on a table, so all I had to do was imagine a scenario that snuffing them out was important. Say about to fall down and start a fire. As soon as I thought about it, the room went dark. I was so shocked I didn't realize what had gone on until I'd opened the curtians of the room. I was so excited I went into town to celebrate, and... I don't remember the rest, actually. It's been a while, but that was the important bit."
And suddenly, Sardo feels himself getting tugged along by the back of the robe. "Hey! Who's that?"
After hearing Orson's idea, Sardo beams and pics up the staff, "I'll be right back, zia. Unfortunately, my services are required elsewhere."
Standing next to Marcia, Sardo points the staff at her and thinks happy thoughts and flesh knitting back together, "Ready Orson? Let's go on three. One... Two... Three!"
Effective Speed 4 with Flux
Base hit + Skill = 86
Adept on roll of 4 or less
Base crit = 6
Base damage = 15
Gold = 400
EXP = 20/100
Twitch Stream
"Easy there, doctor." Macia points to the other injured woman in the room. "Patient's over there. Nurse Orson's already seen to me."
Steam
"Er, right. I knew that."
Twitch Stream
"WYVERNFUCKER," the woman swears from the floor, her voice suddenly returning to what it sounded like when you first encountered her. Her composure returns quickly, though. "Ah. Thank you for your help, but this appears to be a rather serious injury after all." Erica sighs, bringing herself upright with as much dignity as possible.
Luckily for her ego, the scene is interrupted by Russo's very loud reappearance. [Door is slammed open and takes 2 damage!]
"Great, no one's run off like a little girl yet." He takes a second to consider this statement. "Heh, no offense meant, ladies." The woodcutter laughs. "Alright, you all ready to finish this-"
"Aren't you being a little foolish?" The second voice comes from the hooded figure you saw with Russo earlier. "I mean, even more than usual?" The voice is an older man's, hoarse and mocking. "Think. The woman has something that someone wants badly enough to kill people for. Even if our prisoner was telling the truth and there aren't any more of these," he snickers, "Worms around, are you really going to let her remain here while you take all of your..." the second man scans the room. "...friends here off to go raid a fort full of heavily armed, if continually drunk and unskilled, men, leaving the town defenseless again? Doing just one of those options would be utter idiocy. Doing both is tantamount to killing these people yourself. Think, boy. "
Erica frowns. "If it's trouble, I can be on my way immediately." However, Russo and the hooded man are completely focused on each other, ignoring the rest of the room.
Russo's grin slowly works its way into a scowl. "Shit, and here I thought I was in charge here. I'm not going to kick an injured woman out so assholes like those guys from before can get at her." He lowers his voice, in a failed attempt to be subtle. "And you know as well as I do we can't pay mercenaries for another day. This has to end now."
"Do what you want. However, if you decide on your current plan of action, I would make one change. Leave half of these children here. If Valetia's attacked while you're out, everyone there dies. Possibly in whatever fun way our forest-loving friends were dispatched. Which, I have no doubt, you would wish to avoid. I realize that you want to rush off as soon as possible, but think."
Russo opens his mouth as if to respond, but thinks better of it. "You, you, you, you, and you," he growls, pointing at you all. "Come with me." He storms out, stomping even louder than he did for an entrance.
bah. This was gonna be longer but I'm tired and it's late. You can respond to this one or not, the next stage is up...tomorrow? Friday? we'll see. Working off the assumption people follow orders :P
That's an interesting presupposition you got there.
You must wait for further plot progression before venturing forth.
Nice to see a poor NPC suffering from railroading for once :rotate:
yes, even with magic
also if you've noticed the writing sucking and having even worse pacing than usual recently I apologize. Things may or may not have been suffering as a side result of me sort of going crazy and restructuring literally all of my planned plots because I don't even know. I promise* things will get less bad shortly.
*quality is subjective, yo. Promises are not binding legal contracts, either
Fort Gladus. An old, stone keep located deep within the Valde Forest. The stronghold of some minor lord during the Infernal War, one of many rendered nameless by time. The man wasn't a fool, though. His retreat from the front lines may have lost his family its position at court, but gave him unparalleled insight as to how the "abominations" behaved. Without a commanding presence, someone to guide their path, they were aimless. Still dangerous, yet no longer an unstoppable force. Within the walls of the fort, the lord built himself a labyrinth, filled with traps and false passageways. He would separate the creatures from their master and pick them off at his leisure, while most waited for further commands, out of sight of their leader. It was an inspired move. Yet, when the Lord of Flames' forces broke through the front lines and made their way to the fort, the young noble found that he had greatly underestimated both his opponent's intellect and patience. The hastily-constructed inner walls broke easily, and the noble and his soldiers found themselves trapped by their own handiwork as patchwork constructs of bone and melted flesh burst through their defenses in every direction.
Some say the man's soul still roams the halls of the building, trapped forever in his own foolish creation. That's a silly fable, though.
I mean, when you're dead, you're dead.
The leaves block much of the sunlight as you make your way through the forest, making the place even less welcoming than the smell of stagnant water would alone. Before you know it, night falls and it becomes impossible to keep track of your direction. Russo spends the trip in frustrated silence, only speaking up to warn you of the occasional above-ground root. It's difficult to tell if the man is just lost- until you come across a helpful wooden sign nailed to a tree, painted with the delightful phrase "KEEP OWT." A tasteful little skull caricature accompanies the words.
Russo snorts. "Alright, keep quiet now."
He doesn't seem capable of following his own advice, but it's probably better to not mention that. The large man makes his way forward semi-stealthily, hiding as much of himself as he can behind one tree, then another. Following him, you reach a dense section of overgrowth with a good view of your destination. This fortress must have looked nice once, but it's been almost completely covered with vines, and sections of masonry are collapsing or broken all over. Trees have sprung up in the clearing surrounding the keep, giving you a clear path of approach. Russo squats in the dirt and uses one calloused finger to draw a map of the keep.
"Okay. Luckily for you all, I timed this so we should be here while mosta these bastards are taking a relaxing break. Which means, y'know, glug glug," he says, miming drinking with the non-dirty hand. "The place has two floors above ground, one below. Unfortunately, there aren't many entrances. The main entrance, which I do not recommend as a plan of attack, since they'll likely have two or more guards posted there. I'd rather trust the entrance on the left," he continues, circling a section of the western wall. "Haven't seen anyone guarding that on my trips here. It's covered with vines, but cutting through those should attract a lot less attention than cutting through guards, if you catch my drift. It might bring you all up to the second floor, though- looks like a series of stairs moving upwards." The big man leans back, satisfied with his explanation.
"...well?"
"I say we march on in 'ead first. We gonna kill 'em all sooner'r'later, might's well be sooner." Allan strikes the ground with the butt of his lance to emphasize his point.
"Sir Knight, that may work well for you, but I think you might be more prepared for that course of action than the rest of us." Zia gently knocks against the warrior's heavy armor. A frown washes over the young girls face as she considers the situation Allan illustrated. "Are we really gonna have to kill these..." Her voice trails off to silence.
She looks at Allan, then to Sardo, and finally her gaze lands upon Russo. "That's the only way to stop them from hurting Erica and the townspeople, isn't it?" she asks gloomily.
Orson [14/14] [Build 12] [Mend] [Exp: 48]
"Well, they certainly think that armed robbery is a fine way of living, at least."
Orson pauses, then glances at Russo. "So you're sure this side entrance will take us inside? Can't be too many vines if you can see the actual entrance."
all can come up with a way to get these bastards out of here without killing them, I'd be happy with that. But... I wouldn't bet on your chances."
The large man responds to Orson next. "Yeah, it's not completely covered or anything. Just... not easy enough for these fellas to clean up. Don't think they're expecting anyone st- crazy enough to attack them at home, either."
Eh, why not. [Orson gets 24 exp! Sardo gets 11 exp!]
"Look, I don't care which one we do, let's just flip a coin." Allan appears to be itching for battle.
"If that's the case," Orso says in response to Russo, "sounds like the side entrance is the way to go."
Sardo [18/18] [Build 7] [Flux]
"I'm also not too keen on marching in the front door. I'd prefer to not to give them enough time to get ready to defend themselves once we attack. Catch them with the-" Sardo stops mid-sentence and shudders "Well, hopefully with their pants up, but without any weapons or armor."
Twitch Stream
"Yeah, whatever, side entrance, let's go." Allan marches towards the side entrance.
Beyond, the corridor turns left and then into a long, dark series of steps upwards. The plants end abruptly, and the whole place has a damp, gloomy feel. You can't see the top of the staircase, but someone is moving around up there. Possibly two or three someones?
Zia follows quickly behind the knight, silently moving across the landscape. She unsheathes her blade and slides it into the vegetation, prying the vines apart so she could take a peak inside.
"It looks like no one's nearby," she whispers, and tilts her ear towards the opening.
"I hear some voices, but I can't pick out what they're saying." The sword comes free as she gently tugs it from the greenery. The blade now horizontal, she tries sawing into a stray vine that protrudes away from the corridor, testing the blade's effectiveness.
"...we already head down this way?" A man's voice, snappy and irritated. "I think I'm able to recognize the damn patterns of bricks by now."
"Wait." A woman's voice, brusque and emotionless. "You hear that?"
"Hear what? Rats?"
"Shut up." The voices halt, but after a moment of silence, you can just barely make out footsteps, moving in your direction. They don't seem to have reached the stairs yet.
The blade freezes midway through the vine, her body stiffens. A few strands of her raven hair floating in the wind are the only indication that time itself hasn't stopped. She blinks once, twice, and then suddenly she retreats to the nearby wall, her back pressed against the crumbling bricks. She looks at Allan and though she doesn't say a word, her eyes scream what her lips could not.
Someone's coming!
Orson, who against all odds decided to take the side entrance after advocating for it, prepares to take action as he hears the guards' approach. He surveys the stairs: is there a place for someone as lithe as Zia to hide beneath or to the side of them? Cutting off the enemy's path of retreat seems important, and not a job that people as massive as himself or Allan could succeed at in this case.
Allan takes a deep breath and readies his lance. Not the best at planning sneak attacks, having spent his professional career either clanking about on the battlefield or the tourney, he prepares to stab the first non-allied thing he sees through the doorway. After all, what better surprise than a lance in the side?
...If anyone cared to check behind them, they would find a dearth of Russos. And possibly Macias as well?
@Shock_G is apparently out, at least momentarily. Woo.
Macia [19/19] [Build 8] [Light Crossbow]
Macia watches her coworkers scramble up to the keep, her eyes half-lidded. She leans over on her saddle and spits. Guess they forgot she had a near-dragon with her.
"Yip yip." Gyorsul takes off with an eerie quietness, clearing the distance to the fort's western wall quickly. His claws dig into old stone as Macia readies her crossbow. They stay there, above the doorway, ready to rescue their allies or provide cover fire, however this turns out.
Steam
Orson brusquely grabs Zia by the arm and decisively points at the small alcove. A plaintive expression is on his face.
Shock you are at full HP, should change your statline.