Down an alley a corrupt blue-sash has been struck on the back of the head. Knee deep in sewer muck a woman carries a bag of makeshift explosives. At the edge of Traveller’s District a gnoll vagabond signals to a mean looking human from a rooftop. That man lights a cigarette, and a spark ignites in the city.
Your heist is already twenty minutes in, another forty and Noah’s little riot will be in full swing.
It is night, but the sky is a dull purple, everything is still plain to see. What an odd fragment of a world this is.
—
Question time!
Answer this whenever you like, it doesn’t have to be in your next post.
Scanning the lounge for inspiration you see that there is an intended bar at the north end of the room, many portraits of past ministers and clerks, masks hung up on the wall (they’re similar to that merchant you met, Bran) and that through Doshi’s own guidance you learn there are a couple of bathrooms (actual flushing toilets, showers, bathtubs, sinks!) just outside.
The guards are investigating the thing Fleur knocked over, is that just down the hall? Are we stuck in the guard training room unless we sneak by them?
Fleur is down the stairs and further east of your position. Guards are now inspecting the area.
To the west there is a door ajar, candles are lit in the room, which is providing what little illumination you currently see by.
The southern door is locked. It’s pretty ordinary, you could break it open, but you don’t have the training or tools to pick it.
If you tried to go down the hall you’ll likely be spotted, but you can go for it. You main trouble is even if you popped out you can’t see down the steps and further down the hall. Perhaps if one of you was invisible? But that splits you up further.
Gisard whispers to Pomme "I think our most likely path forward isss through the north room and the blasted puzzle door I saw."
As for what Gisard finds heroic... this is a tough question. He's a cynical, selfish pragmatist. I guess since he's selfish, doing something altruistic at great risk or cost to oneself would seem heroic. But also suspicious.
If you’re heading back to the prayer room roll +Dex.
On a 10+, you’re in, no problem.
On a 7-9, you make it, but guards will head your way. You’ll have to block off the door you go through with something, and that won’t hold them for long.
On a 6-, expect the worst.
You’d better figure out how that puzzle works pretty quick! So access your surroundings within the prayer room with the move Discern Realities.
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
Taking advantage of her empty sockets, Holly gives Lateef and her companion a good stare as they move off to the lounge. Mentally checking off the members of the rival team, she can only conclude this must be the child, disguised somehow. Could she endanger a child, as she is potentially endangering Ali, to get vengeance? A hero would always rescue the innocent over and above any personal need. But is she a hero?
She realises she's been staring at her reflection in the bottles when the Minister goes silent. "My associate speaks of hope- for wondrous inventions; a city transformed- but hope is reliant on faith. Faith is fed by experience, proven by action. We could prattle here, delaying your experience of faith- nay, of Divinity- or we could chase our destinies this very instant."
“Hm, a compelling speech, err... Madam? But until I see how this bottled storm can provide energy... Well actually, we could... No, never mind. Unless you can show me something concrete I’m afraid this meeting is over.”, Doshi sighs, jingles his coin purse, then brightens, “Good to see you Indrajit, do give your father my best.”
Minister Doshi has an idea, but you’re going to have to grease the wheels with coin, a big promise or something concrete.
'We should check that room though, make sure no one is going to walk up behind us while we are sneaking into the puzzle room.
Pomme quietly pads over to the door cracked open with the light spilling out and without widening the door, tries to quietly peek through.
----
What does Pomme define as heroism? One can look no further than the greatest example of heroism of Pomme's faith and mousekind. Farine, who sacrificed herself upon the Thorn to save her peoples from the Shrykes. Placing oneself in peril for the betterment of others.
Peeking within you see workbenches and tools hung neatly on a wall.
Piled high in chests and across the work surfaces are various masks. The majority of them have no discernible eye holes.
There must be a purpose to them, but what?
What you had considered to be candles turns out to be small hovering things. They’re between a foot and four foot off the ground, barely moving. They are creatures of smokeless flame, and from the occasional twitch of their simplistic limbs they must be sleeping. Or is dormant a better word? Do they await something?
Hrmm. I thought this was going to be a guard room? Maybe it still is? Uniform 6 had mentioned fire elementals. Pomme takes a longer look trying to really puzzle things out.
Given that what you’ve snuck through so far seems to be the guard section of the building, it stands to reason everything in here counts as guard stuff. Even the little wisps. So the question is who can make use of elementals? Wizards.
Look out for wizards. There are wizards acting as guards too, or at least a secondary force somewhere in parliament. You have to wonder if the other group have met one already.
Besides that these masks must be useful in some manner. Perhaps it is worth taking one or more?
Lastly, take a look at paintings, and know that if they’ve got door puzzles, this place is bound to have secrets all around.
Gisard takes a peek and confirms those look like fire elementals. He also recalls the man he saw in the hallway before doing... something with his eyes, and then guards came by to investigate. It now seems likely he was magically communicating in a similar manner to Gisard's telepathy spell. He guesses the wisps might grow larger and brighter when "awake," as a flame grows with fuel.
Curiosity piqued and haste momentarily forgotten, he cautiously enters the side room with the wisps and investigates one of the masks. (do you want a roll for this)
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited March 2019
Bran senses the Minister's expectancy. "Esteemed Minister! Could man build the cart before he tamed the camel, nor could he light the camp fire before he discovered the kindling? I think not. But Amlah has shown me visions of a great and bright future for this city, founded on the boundless electricity found out beneath the sands. This..."
...and Bran holds up the Bottled Lightning...
"...is to what is out there, as a hair upon my head would be to my whole self. Your mages dabble at the edges of a stream, whereas what I intend is to draw forth buckets from an immense sea. Only once we have located and plumbed the deposits found out in the desert, can we begin to create the machines that would operate at the scale I envision."
Bran clears his throat, and then takes a few steps toward the portraits on the wall.
"It is impressive to me, such men that have come before. Were their deeds not so great, so deserving of immortal memory?"
Bran turns to face Minister Doshi directly, a broad smile on his face.
"I sensed a moment ago, you had a thought, an idea perhaps. Perhaps Amlah has granted you such a vision as well? I am a humble explorer, esteemed Minister; whatever may come, I am satisfied only that our venture be successful. But with your backing, your name and reputation could be that which brings this great power to the people here. Perhaps even enough for a portrait or two of your own."
The promise here is that the Minister gets to claim all the credit for whatever the wealth of electricity can bring to this world.
Bran takes a moment, looks to visibly collect his thoughts, then smiles at the collected company.
Gisard, things aren't exactly progressing smoothly up here. Tell me you're getting somewhere with finding that device.
Where Bran comes from, in the circles he ran in, heroism is the thing that gets you got. Sure, yeah, being a hero means all the typical things: selflessly putting yourself between your friends and danger. The only problem with that is it's the kind of behavior that gets you caught by the authorities, or shanked in a back alley by gang of thugs while you cover for your crew.
Listen, Bran will stand up for a friend or ally. He'll even spill and shed some blood, if necessary. But he's developed a keen sense for where the line between getting the job done and heroism lies, and he's got no intention of crossing it.
Very little progress. Many guardsss, many locked doorsss. There are magic users in this building as well, potentially among the staff and guards both. On the bright ssside we have not been discovered yet.
Coins practically light up in the minister’s eyes, “Ah, yes, I do see a vision.”
Bran, you’ve got +2 forward to your next roll.
Minister Doshi leads you all through a art gallery (all rather decadent, gaudy even) which connects onto an adjacent room. He unlocks the door, and guides you down a staircase leading down to a dark, dusty place.
“I shouldn’t really have that key, but this place fascinates me. Do remind me to put it back in a bit. And keep this just between we pioneers, yes? Now then, marvel at the ingenuity of this young inventor!”
Doshi cranks a handle by the door and a chandelier bursts into life. It’s a uniquely green light source, made of burnt glass baubles filled with dancing flames.
“Elemental magic, of course, you know how the order loves to summon such things!”
With the place illuminated you see that you are on a platform overlooking a deeper room. The room below consists of nothing but shelves and boxed objects—you note a few are sealed shut, chained up, even bolted to the floor.
There’s a huge double iron door down there too. It has no keyholes. Instead it has a small human body shaped indent in it that goes across both doors.
There’s a spiral staircase leading down to it.
“Amlah is whimsical, I believe, for he brings many things into being. Perhaps we can quickly find something to run on your electricity. Then I will be sure to find the funding for your expeditions!”
“Err... You can safely release just some of your storm? Right?
Gisard, you successful deduce that Omar is a wizard that is using almost the same spell you are. You carry +1 forward to your next roll.
(But you need not roll to enter that room)
Likewise, as you creep into the room you realise these dormant elementals will not awaken from your presence, and that they will be much larger when active. You halve damage from fire elementals until the end of the heist.
It’s 50/50, but you suppose you might be able to snuff the life out of them before they’re ever told to wake up and attack.
You’re free to explore the room, and freely take any items you desire.
Items include:
Carpentry tools — Mundane tools fit for a master craftsman.
Odd masks — Upon inspection they are finely enchanted to allow you to see out of them despite the majority of them lacking eye-holes. No other enchantment is placed on them. You can carry up to 4 on your person.
Grimacing Shield — A leather covered wooden shield with an ogre-like face. +1 armour, 2 weight.
Poultices and Herbs — Green herbs, bandages, mundane healing aids. Heal 5 HP. 2 uses, slow, 1 weight.
OOC:
The masks are a lot like the one the merchant Bran met was wearing, but feel free to describe one or more of them as you wish.
Fiction comes first in DW, so if you’re holding a shield I’ll make situations where it’s knocked from your hand or makes doing something difficult on a roll of 6-, but you can otherwise do anything, including spell casting, with a shield.
Jamila crosses her arms, deliberately remaining on the last step of the staircase, “I do not think we should be here. Lord Ali, perhaps we should return to the gallery.”
“And miss out on Br—Indrajit’s discovery, and whatever trinkets parliament has been hiding? Where’s your sense of curiosity my friend?” Ali retorts with a smile.
Whoever wants to search the place, just do so, I’ll tell you want you find.
Gisard wonders to himself what the masks are for. Doesn't seem like they'd store decorative objects in a room like this so they probably have some practical purpose.
He'll take 4 of them with him just in case, along with the healing supplies (if both are weight 1, he's at 7/8 load). If they're masks designed for more human-like heads, do they seem like they would fit on Gisard properly with his big alligator face or Pomme with their wolf-face or original mouse-face? Have all the people we've seen so far in here been humans? Are there any non-magical apparatus on them that seem like they do anything? Mechanical bits or filters or anything like that? He also quietly asks the amulet if it can identify their purpose once they're out of the elemental room.
The masks count as 0 weight. They’re very light wood.
There are some long faced hollow masks you can squeeze on, though they’re not exactly designed with lizardfolk in mind. They might only be that shape for effect, not to actually fit someone’s face in.
Everyone you’ve seen so far is human. However, during the day a few other kinds of people might visit or work in lower ranking roles.
There’s really nothing to them, it almost seems a waste to enchant them to be see-through on one side if you’re not doing to do anything else with them.
The amulet grows harshly cold, the gem blinking rapidly, as if thinking.
I CANNOT — FATHOM — I YEARN
TO KNOW — WHY
—
While you’ve been snooping the guards down the hall have moved on, Fleur could be called back as you move into the prayer room.
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
As Bran begins to look over the variety of objects in the room, he stops to scrutinize something completely mundane, apparently lost in thought.
Gisard, east from front entrance through lounge, then north, then first door on left. Inside a gallery, behind a locked door, we're in a secret storeroom. Large iron doors here with an indentation of a figure of a man, less than a hand in size. Bran tries to mentally project an image of that man-shaped indentation, having exactly no idea how telepathic magic works.
Bran shakes his head, and then begins to expound to the room as he begins to look over the collected objects with very serious interest.
"Of course, Master Doshi! We must be careful, however, as this electricity can be a fickle and dangerous beast. One must give it just the right path, lest it rush out and escape to its whims. Just as one does not open the floodgates on a great dam, we must take precautions before we attempt the same with the mote of power contained in this jar."
Checking the objects in the room, of course!
TL;DR what follows - The Player (Me) Knows More Than The Character (Bran)
It's probably worth laying out some backstory here that's been rattling around in my head. When we first started playing, I envisioned Bran coming from a world where magic was largely absent, hence previous notes of charlatans and con-men. I think this is because magic is actually long dead in his world, a fairy tale memory at best, and society has had to move forward somehow. Some may claim to use it, but true magic died long before Bran was born. To see it in action is bewildering and unsettling to him...and Gisard just up and telemagically put his voice in Bran's head as the most recent example, so he's rolling with it as best he can.
Frankly this whole adventure so far, from the jump, has rattled Bran's expectation for what the "real world" is. Hooray, magic!
So anyway, back to Bran's current line of bullshit: I think rudimentary electricity and electrical engineering exists in his home world as the thing that society eventually moved toward, say like circa our real-world mid-to-late 1800's, just as Bell, Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse (among many others!) started to create devices and machines that could go into widespread use. That said, Bran is certainly no engineer or scientist. He understands some basic concepts, as an interested layperson might, but doesn't have any knowledge or grounding in the underlying principles. So! He's going to buuuuuulllllllshit as hard as he can, knowing what little he does, and hopefully not get anyone hurt in the process. Well, anyone from his crew anyway.
It is also worth mentioning that I'm an Electrical Engineer by education. ;P
So! If I'm pushing the concept too far, just let me know, and I can tone this down. I very much doubt Bran will be so "interested" in any of this stuff once we've moved on past the heist: Bran's flexing proverbial muscles here he doesn't have, working on an understanding that's probably dangerous at worst, harmless and ineffectual at best.
Using my acute powers of spatial awarenesss together with that highly precise description of your route and my perfect knowledge of the floorplan, I can determine with near certainty that you are definitely inssside of the parliament building. As for the door, sounds like sssome more puzzle door bullshit. Seemsss unlikely that any body would open it, wouldn't serve much of a purpose as a ssstupid overly contrived magic door lock that way. Perhaps you need a specific person, or a particular person-shaped object.
A moment later, Bran hears: That was sssarcasm, about the location, by the way, I have no idea where you are.
Jamila has Minister Doshi by the neck. It takes you a second to register the situation. You don’t know why. His legs are kicking a foot off the ground.
“Where is the rest of her? Where is she?”, her voice is stone cold, “I knew siding with the enemy was foolish. She said they’d have a place for her... Steel Mother was right!”
Ali tries to intervene and is hacked at the waist with her ceremonial scimitar for his trouble. Out cold. Gushing blood. He bounces twice before he lands at your feet Bran. Bran, he needs immediate attention! He needs to get out of here, fast!
Through all this madness a canister of something acidic smashes on the floor. Two potions shatter and something slimy bubbles and reaches out before turning to ash. A shadow skitters out of a melting box. Who knows what that was.
“We wouldn’t be here at all if not for cretins like you.”, there is a static crackle in her voice as she turns to you Holly, “She should have listened. I knew... I knew... and I’ve done nothing all these years...”
Her bejewelled scimitar drips with blood. In her other hand is a skeletal metal arm. Minister Doshi is dead by her feet. She steps over his corpse.
Holly. Ready for a duel?
—
Gisard & Pomme
You hear a sudden shout that is quickly silenced in the room behind the locked door. A bit of shuffling, then nothing.
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
edited March 2019
Holly's rapier emerges from her ribcage with the satisfying scrape of metal on bone. "This isn't the first time I've duelled while dressed as nun, nor is it the first time I've been beTRAYED!"
Geth, roll 2d6+2 1d6 for Slashin' and Hackin'
Slashin' and Hackin':
2d6+28 [2d6=2, 4]
Grog on
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
The rapier becomes a fog of steel around Jamila's guard, hemming her in.
[ooc: I'll apply the Torrential technique, so if she attacks me she takes another 1d6 damage]
She walks straight into your piercing strikes and grabbing a chained container with one hand she crashes it down on your skull. A couple of your teeth pop out and you reel forwards.
Jamila takes 12 damage (her skin is 2 armour).
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
Holly, you take 5 damage.
A gash across Jamila’s face reveals an inhuman visage beneath.
Damage:
1d10+12 [1d10=1]
Damage:
1d10+15 [1d10=4]
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
edited March 2019
Holly shakes her skull, keeping her guard up and ignoring the teeth that fly loose. She stares at the bodyguard's exposed skull, circling warily.
[+1 forward for Riddle of Steel
HP: 12/16 (-1 damage from my 1 armour)
I'll ask:
-What is this person trying to hide?
-Who's really in control here?
-What emotion drives this person?]
What is this person trying to hide?
Fear. Jamila is afraid. Her outburst will cost her everything. She doesn’t see a way out now other than cutting a path through whatever and whoever is in front of her. She hasn’t even thought about what to do if she makes it.
Who’s really in control here?
She’s letting her basic conditioning, her programming if you knew the word, do the heavy lifting. It’s something she and her ‘sisters’ overcame a long time ago, but right now it’s easier than really thinking.
What emotion drives this person?
Regret. One sister sided with that party long ago, the other was either a turncoat or gave herself up, and wound up dead in this very building for it. Only Jamila choose not to get involved, and only she has had something approaching a good life in this desert world.
If only she’d done something, anything at all, those long years ago.
Holly, Jamila is has raised the chained container above you a second time! Roll to Defy Danger! (Use whatever stat is appropriate for your action).
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
edited March 2019
Holly sees the Jamila's terrible power before her, but is paralysed by empathy.
Geth, roll 2d6+1 for Defy Danger Dextrously
Defy Danger Dextrously:
2d6+16 [2d6=4, 1]
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited March 2019
Bran, starting to drag Minister Doshi away from the brawl, sees Jamila raise up her arm again to strike. He yells a command to his Tricksy Rope with one pointed hand.
The tricksy rope whips around her arms quick as a flash! But she still manages to slam the container down on Holly before being forced to let it tumble over her. The ceremonial scitimar hits the floor with a loud clang too.
Jamila pounces over Holly’s balled up form and goes in for an overhead clubbing with her arms. She strikes you square on the head, then kicks you on your ass.
She pauses, looking over Ali, who is unconscious in a pool of blood. Then she looks back at you and takes a step forward.
Holly, you take 6 damage.
Bran, you take 5 damage.
What do you do?
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
Damage:
1d10+15 [1d10=4]
Damage:
1d10+111 [1d10=10]
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GrogMy sword is only steelin a useful shape.Registered Userregular
edited March 2019
Holly staggers, then draws herself up to her full height. "Perhaps you're right- what do I know of betrayal? What do I know of pain and loss compared to your own?" She gestures to the metal arm.
"Who is the true culprit though? Who dragged you here in the first place? Ali? The parliament? Your fellow abductees? Us? No. There is a terrible being whose will alone has wrought the terrible circumstances you face. Join us and in our quest to find Glamjin."
She extends a hand toward Jamila.
"To seek vengeance on divinity will not be easy. But I guarantee you that a hundred and sixty decades here there's nothing but sand and regret. At least my way, we might be able to... together... come across some kind of redemption."
Guards are rushing to somewhere far away from either team, followed by screams, the sound of metal clashing, and guards rushing the other way.
The temperature rises. The fire elementals are loose...
...and the esteemed magicians of the Order of Mysteries have them at their command!
Pomme & Gisard
Pomme, Gisard, the little wisps are waking up! And getting hotter! And growing! You need to leave that room and get a couple of closed doors between you and them else they’ll attack!
—
Hao-Gou
He huffs and digs at the earth on the hill with his mighty paws. The pooch grows impatient to aid his friends. He’ll come running as soon as he sees trouble, or a fitting signal. Gisard, you could blow your flame out of a window as a signal should you need a hand, or whatever else any of you can think of.
—
Though as yet considered isolated incidents, power is shifting in the city.
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
With JamilaBot out of the room, Bran moves from Doshi to Ali to assess the nobleman's wound.
Gisard, Ali's down. His bodyguard Jamila is some sort of metal automaton, and after a brief altercation here has gone to the first floor with an axe to grind. I'm certain you're probably hearing it by now! Give her a wide berth. We need to figure out where this device we're looking for is, before this whole building comes down around us.
I did mention to you while we were planning yesterday that Pomme found out she wasss a conssstruct in the city , didn't I? Frankly thisss is all going about how I- DAMNATION THE FIRE ELEMENTALSSS ARE WAKING!
Gisard grabs Pomme and runs out into the hallway, slams the door shut behind them and then starts running down the hallway to the east. Ha-HA, now we don't have time for resident evil door puzzles! What are the odds the map device is behind that stupid gaudy piece of crap door anyway!
... Right? It couldn't possibly be behind that door, this place seems pretty big, it wouldn't be behind a door in the second room they checked, would it? Riiiiiiight?
... He turns around and runs back into the north room, and shuts it tight behind him after Pomme's inside. Curse you, door puzzles.
If nothing else needs to be resolved at this moment Gisard will start examining this prayer room, such as objects in it, the door and the conspicuous painting on the wall.
That door is open and there are a couple of people inside.
It’s the smouldering orcish guy from the other party, along with the automaton. He carefully picks up half a human shaped emblem off a button and replaces it with a chalice of equal weight. To the side of them is a completed puzzle involving water, weights and scales. The white knight pointedly isn’t with them.
The fellow and automaton piece together two halves of a human shaped emblem.
He half smiles, and moves a toothpick across his mouth, “Now we just need to figure out where this goes awh shiiiiite.”
“You appear to be having an error Paolo, do you require a hard reboot?”, the automaton replies.
"Oh! Hello there, fellow burglars! Ha ha, funny running into you here. Don't mind usss, we're just escaping from some fire elementals. I didn't want to sssolve that door puzzle anyway."
The slick looking guy puts a hand out protectively against the automaton.
“Confirmation received; all units ceasefire. Greetings, I have been told my designation is too long, so you may call me Scout. This is Paolo. We are from two separate collectives, but are working together using what little intel we have uncovered. Do you know where this key will fit? There is a 78% likelyhood it will open the way to their geometric field analyser.”, from there Scout gives you a list of who’s who, what they’ve found out and from where in overbearing detail.
Paolo spits out his toothpick, “They must not have poker where you’re from, because you sure can’t keep your cards to your chest.”
You hear a roar of flame lick passed the door, followed by the crackle of curling canvas. The fire elementals are racing towards Jamila, wherever she is. Were you to step outside you’d see most things are intact, but many paintings are aflame.
You might have to work from Bran’s directions to some degree.
If or when you decide to do so, roll +Int.
On a 10+, you get to Bran and Pomme, no trouble.
On a 7-9, choose one.
- I’ll tell you what room you make it to (about half way), but at least you’re still hidden.
- You get as far as the gallery, and bring the wrath of the guards with you!
OOC:
For those that feel they need to know the other parties a bit better.
Hitten, Lizardfolk Gladiator
Surprisingly chill. Escaped the colosseum with a band of trusted gladiators. Jumped off the ship they stole to fight a sea serpent. Stolen when he tried to swim into a strange bubble, thinking it was air.
Scout, Robot Surveyor
Semi-autonomous machine of ‘The Gardener’ tasked with examining, exploring and just going, forever, or until a comet crushes them. Stolen when they activated a fake artefact Glamjin glamoured up to look like Precursor tech.
The Frog with No Name, Frogfolk Samurai
Doesn’t say much. Follows the honourable code of Keroshidu.
Sindr, Elven Prince
Not the soft kind of nobility mind you. His world is in the capital letter First Age, and is having some teething problems concerning dragons, giants and some evil thing giving out rings.
Ten Catfolk Monks
Meow!
—
Sir Krig, ... Paladin
Fights in an endless crusade against heretics and demons. Not very nice.
Van Lonestar, Surdathian Bounty Hunter
Brought up on some backwater planet run by an evil dictatorship that spans a whole galaxy. When civil war broke out he did the right thing—yeah, kill for money, steal, smuggle and play both sides.
Jupiter Zoom / Gene Genie / Capt. Trumpet
A little kid who can, amongst other things, change their form drastically.
Paolo, Orc-blood ...
Ain’t saying nothing.
Lady Lateef, Human Noble
Sometimes, people are exactly what you expect them to be.
Posts
Down an alley a corrupt blue-sash has been struck on the back of the head. Knee deep in sewer muck a woman carries a bag of makeshift explosives. At the edge of Traveller’s District a gnoll vagabond signals to a mean looking human from a rooftop. That man lights a cigarette, and a spark ignites in the city.
Your heist is already twenty minutes in, another forty and Noah’s little riot will be in full swing.
It is night, but the sky is a dull purple, everything is still plain to see. What an odd fragment of a world this is.
—
Question time!
Answer this whenever you like, it doesn’t have to be in your next post.
What defines a hero?
Bran & Holly
Minister Doshi looks at you expectantly.
Scanning the lounge for inspiration you see that there is an intended bar at the north end of the room, many portraits of past ministers and clerks, masks hung up on the wall (they’re similar to that merchant you met, Bran) and that through Doshi’s own guidance you learn there are a couple of bathrooms (actual flushing toilets, showers, bathtubs, sinks!) just outside.
To the west there is a door ajar, candles are lit in the room, which is providing what little illumination you currently see by.
The southern door is locked. It’s pretty ordinary, you could break it open, but you don’t have the training or tools to pick it.
If you tried to go down the hall you’ll likely be spotted, but you can go for it. You main trouble is even if you popped out you can’t see down the steps and further down the hall. Perhaps if one of you was invisible? But that splits you up further.
As for what Gisard finds heroic... this is a tough question. He's a cynical, selfish pragmatist. I guess since he's selfish, doing something altruistic at great risk or cost to oneself would seem heroic. But also suspicious.
On a 10+, you’re in, no problem.
On a 7-9, you make it, but guards will head your way. You’ll have to block off the door you go through with something, and that won’t hold them for long.
On a 6-, expect the worst.
You’d better figure out how that puzzle works pretty quick! So access your surroundings within the prayer room with the move Discern Realities.
She realises she's been staring at her reflection in the bottles when the Minister goes silent. "My associate speaks of hope- for wondrous inventions; a city transformed- but hope is reliant on faith. Faith is fed by experience, proven by action. We could prattle here, delaying your experience of faith- nay, of Divinity- or we could chase our destinies this very instant."
Geth, roll 2d6+1 for Parley
“Hm, a compelling speech, err... Madam? But until I see how this bottled storm can provide energy... Well actually, we could... No, never mind. Unless you can show me something concrete I’m afraid this meeting is over.”, Doshi sighs, jingles his coin purse, then brightens, “Good to see you Indrajit, do give your father my best.”
Minister Doshi has an idea, but you’re going to have to grease the wheels with coin, a big promise or something concrete.
'We should check that room though, make sure no one is going to walk up behind us while we are sneaking into the puzzle room.
Pomme quietly pads over to the door cracked open with the light spilling out and without widening the door, tries to quietly peek through.
----
What does Pomme define as heroism? One can look no further than the greatest example of heroism of Pomme's faith and mousekind. Farine, who sacrificed herself upon the Thorn to save her peoples from the Shrykes. Placing oneself in peril for the betterment of others.
Piled high in chests and across the work surfaces are various masks. The majority of them have no discernible eye holes.
There must be a purpose to them, but what?
What you had considered to be candles turns out to be small hovering things. They’re between a foot and four foot off the ground, barely moving. They are creatures of smokeless flame, and from the occasional twitch of their simplistic limbs they must be sleeping. Or is dormant a better word? Do they await something?
Hrmm. I thought this was going to be a guard room? Maybe it still is? Uniform 6 had mentioned fire elementals. Pomme takes a longer look trying to really puzzle things out.
Geth, roll 2d6+2 for Discern Realities
- What should I be on the lookout for?
Look out for wizards. There are wizards acting as guards too, or at least a secondary force somewhere in parliament. You have to wonder if the other group have met one already.
Besides that these masks must be useful in some manner. Perhaps it is worth taking one or more?
Lastly, take a look at paintings, and know that if they’ve got door puzzles, this place is bound to have secrets all around.
Curiosity piqued and haste momentarily forgotten, he cautiously enters the side room with the wisps and investigates one of the masks. (do you want a roll for this)
...and Bran holds up the Bottled Lightning...
"...is to what is out there, as a hair upon my head would be to my whole self. Your mages dabble at the edges of a stream, whereas what I intend is to draw forth buckets from an immense sea. Only once we have located and plumbed the deposits found out in the desert, can we begin to create the machines that would operate at the scale I envision."
Bran clears his throat, and then takes a few steps toward the portraits on the wall.
"It is impressive to me, such men that have come before. Were their deeds not so great, so deserving of immortal memory?"
Bran turns to face Minister Doshi directly, a broad smile on his face.
"I sensed a moment ago, you had a thought, an idea perhaps. Perhaps Amlah has granted you such a vision as well? I am a humble explorer, esteemed Minister; whatever may come, I am satisfied only that our venture be successful. But with your backing, your name and reputation could be that which brings this great power to the people here. Perhaps even enough for a portrait or two of your own."
Bran takes a moment, looks to visibly collect his thoughts, then smiles at the collected company.
Gisard, things aren't exactly progressing smoothly up here. Tell me you're getting somewhere with finding that device.
Where Bran comes from, in the circles he ran in, heroism is the thing that gets you got. Sure, yeah, being a hero means all the typical things: selflessly putting yourself between your friends and danger. The only problem with that is it's the kind of behavior that gets you caught by the authorities, or shanked in a back alley by gang of thugs while you cover for your crew.
Listen, Bran will stand up for a friend or ally. He'll even spill and shed some blood, if necessary. But he's developed a keen sense for where the line between getting the job done and heroism lies, and he's got no intention of crossing it.
Coins practically light up in the minister’s eyes, “Ah, yes, I do see a vision.”
Bran, you’ve got +2 forward to your next roll.
Minister Doshi leads you all through a art gallery (all rather decadent, gaudy even) which connects onto an adjacent room. He unlocks the door, and guides you down a staircase leading down to a dark, dusty place.
“I shouldn’t really have that key, but this place fascinates me. Do remind me to put it back in a bit. And keep this just between we pioneers, yes? Now then, marvel at the ingenuity of this young inventor!”
Doshi cranks a handle by the door and a chandelier bursts into life. It’s a uniquely green light source, made of burnt glass baubles filled with dancing flames.
“Elemental magic, of course, you know how the order loves to summon such things!”
With the place illuminated you see that you are on a platform overlooking a deeper room. The room below consists of nothing but shelves and boxed objects—you note a few are sealed shut, chained up, even bolted to the floor.
There’s a huge double iron door down there too. It has no keyholes. Instead it has a small human body shaped indent in it that goes across both doors.
There’s a spiral staircase leading down to it.
“Amlah is whimsical, I believe, for he brings many things into being. Perhaps we can quickly find something to run on your electricity. Then I will be sure to find the funding for your expeditions!”
“Err... You can safely release just some of your storm? Right?
Map
Gisard, you successful deduce that Omar is a wizard that is using almost the same spell you are. You carry +1 forward to your next roll.
(But you need not roll to enter that room)
Likewise, as you creep into the room you realise these dormant elementals will not awaken from your presence, and that they will be much larger when active. You halve damage from fire elementals until the end of the heist.
It’s 50/50, but you suppose you might be able to snuff the life out of them before they’re ever told to wake up and attack.
You’re free to explore the room, and freely take any items you desire.
Items include:
Carpentry tools — Mundane tools fit for a master craftsman.
Odd masks — Upon inspection they are finely enchanted to allow you to see out of them despite the majority of them lacking eye-holes. No other enchantment is placed on them. You can carry up to 4 on your person.
Grimacing Shield — A leather covered wooden shield with an ogre-like face. +1 armour, 2 weight.
Poultices and Herbs — Green herbs, bandages, mundane healing aids. Heal 5 HP. 2 uses, slow, 1 weight.
OOC:
The masks are a lot like the one the merchant Bran met was wearing, but feel free to describe one or more of them as you wish.
Fiction comes first in DW, so if you’re holding a shield I’ll make situations where it’s knocked from your hand or makes doing something difficult on a roll of 6-, but you can otherwise do anything, including spell casting, with a shield.
Jamila crosses her arms, deliberately remaining on the last step of the staircase, “I do not think we should be here. Lord Ali, perhaps we should return to the gallery.”
“And miss out on Br—Indrajit’s discovery, and whatever trinkets parliament has been hiding? Where’s your sense of curiosity my friend?” Ali retorts with a smile.
Whoever wants to search the place, just do so, I’ll tell you want you find.
He'll take 4 of them with him just in case, along with the healing supplies (if both are weight 1, he's at 7/8 load). If they're masks designed for more human-like heads, do they seem like they would fit on Gisard properly with his big alligator face or Pomme with their wolf-face or original mouse-face? Have all the people we've seen so far in here been humans? Are there any non-magical apparatus on them that seem like they do anything? Mechanical bits or filters or anything like that? He also quietly asks the amulet if it can identify their purpose once they're out of the elemental room.
There are some long faced hollow masks you can squeeze on, though they’re not exactly designed with lizardfolk in mind. They might only be that shape for effect, not to actually fit someone’s face in.
Everyone you’ve seen so far is human. However, during the day a few other kinds of people might visit or work in lower ranking roles.
There’s really nothing to them, it almost seems a waste to enchant them to be see-through on one side if you’re not doing to do anything else with them.
The amulet grows harshly cold, the gem blinking rapidly, as if thinking.
I CANNOT — FATHOM — I YEARN
TO KNOW — WHY
—
While you’ve been snooping the guards down the hall have moved on, Fleur could be called back as you move into the prayer room.
Gisard, east from front entrance through lounge, then north, then first door on left. Inside a gallery, behind a locked door, we're in a secret storeroom. Large iron doors here with an indentation of a figure of a man, less than a hand in size. Bran tries to mentally project an image of that man-shaped indentation, having exactly no idea how telepathic magic works.
Bran shakes his head, and then begins to expound to the room as he begins to look over the collected objects with very serious interest.
"Of course, Master Doshi! We must be careful, however, as this electricity can be a fickle and dangerous beast. One must give it just the right path, lest it rush out and escape to its whims. Just as one does not open the floodgates on a great dam, we must take precautions before we attempt the same with the mote of power contained in this jar."
TL;DR what follows - The Player (Me) Knows More Than The Character (Bran)
It's probably worth laying out some backstory here that's been rattling around in my head. When we first started playing, I envisioned Bran coming from a world where magic was largely absent, hence previous notes of charlatans and con-men. I think this is because magic is actually long dead in his world, a fairy tale memory at best, and society has had to move forward somehow. Some may claim to use it, but true magic died long before Bran was born. To see it in action is bewildering and unsettling to him...and Gisard just up and telemagically put his voice in Bran's head as the most recent example, so he's rolling with it as best he can.
Frankly this whole adventure so far, from the jump, has rattled Bran's expectation for what the "real world" is. Hooray, magic!
So anyway, back to Bran's current line of bullshit: I think rudimentary electricity and electrical engineering exists in his home world as the thing that society eventually moved toward, say like circa our real-world mid-to-late 1800's, just as Bell, Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse (among many others!) started to create devices and machines that could go into widespread use. That said, Bran is certainly no engineer or scientist. He understands some basic concepts, as an interested layperson might, but doesn't have any knowledge or grounding in the underlying principles. So! He's going to buuuuuulllllllshit as hard as he can, knowing what little he does, and hopefully not get anyone hurt in the process. Well, anyone from his crew anyway.
It is also worth mentioning that I'm an Electrical Engineer by education. ;P
So! If I'm pushing the concept too far, just let me know, and I can tone this down. I very much doubt Bran will be so "interested" in any of this stuff once we've moved on past the heist: Bran's flexing proverbial muscles here he doesn't have, working on an understanding that's probably dangerous at worst, harmless and ineffectual at best.
Like all good con-men!
A moment later, Bran hears: That was sssarcasm, about the location, by the way, I have no idea where you are.
Jamila has Minister Doshi by the neck. It takes you a second to register the situation. You don’t know why. His legs are kicking a foot off the ground.
“Where is the rest of her? Where is she?”, her voice is stone cold, “I knew siding with the enemy was foolish. She said they’d have a place for her... Steel Mother was right!”
Ali tries to intervene and is hacked at the waist with her ceremonial scimitar for his trouble. Out cold. Gushing blood. He bounces twice before he lands at your feet Bran. Bran, he needs immediate attention! He needs to get out of here, fast!
Through all this madness a canister of something acidic smashes on the floor. Two potions shatter and something slimy bubbles and reaches out before turning to ash. A shadow skitters out of a melting box. Who knows what that was.
“We wouldn’t be here at all if not for cretins like you.”, there is a static crackle in her voice as she turns to you Holly, “She should have listened. I knew... I knew... and I’ve done nothing all these years...”
Her bejewelled scimitar drips with blood. In her other hand is a skeletal metal arm. Minister Doshi is dead by her feet. She steps over his corpse.
Holly. Ready for a duel?
—
Gisard & Pomme
You hear a sudden shout that is quickly silenced in the room behind the locked door. A bit of shuffling, then nothing.
Geth, roll 2d6+2 1d6 for Slashin' and Hackin'
[ooc: I'll apply the Torrential technique, so if she attacks me she takes another 1d6 damage]
Geth, roll 1d6 for Damage
She walks straight into your piercing strikes and grabbing a chained container with one hand she crashes it down on your skull. A couple of your teeth pop out and you reel forwards.
Jamila takes 12 damage (her skin is 2 armour).
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
Holly, you take 5 damage.
A gash across Jamila’s face reveals an inhuman visage beneath.
[+1 forward for Riddle of Steel
HP: 12/16 (-1 damage from my 1 armour)
I'll ask:
-What is this person trying to hide?
-Who's really in control here?
-What emotion drives this person?]
Geth, roll 2d6+1 for Discern Realities
What is this person trying to hide?
Fear. Jamila is afraid. Her outburst will cost her everything. She doesn’t see a way out now other than cutting a path through whatever and whoever is in front of her. She hasn’t even thought about what to do if she makes it.
Who’s really in control here?
She’s letting her basic conditioning, her programming if you knew the word, do the heavy lifting. It’s something she and her ‘sisters’ overcame a long time ago, but right now it’s easier than really thinking.
What emotion drives this person?
Regret. One sister sided with that party long ago, the other was either a turncoat or gave herself up, and wound up dead in this very building for it. Only Jamila choose not to get involved, and only she has had something approaching a good life in this desert world.
If only she’d done something, anything at all, those long years ago.
Holly, Jamila is has raised the chained container above you a second time! Roll to Defy Danger! (Use whatever stat is appropriate for your action).
Geth, roll 2d6+1 for Defy Danger Dextrously
"Restrain that woman's arms!"
[OOC: Attempting to Aid Holly's Defy Danger.]
Geth, roll 2d6+3 for Aid (+Bond, +2 Forward)
The tricksy rope whips around her arms quick as a flash! But she still manages to slam the container down on Holly before being forced to let it tumble over her. The ceremonial scitimar hits the floor with a loud clang too.
Jamila pounces over Holly’s balled up form and goes in for an overhead clubbing with her arms. She strikes you square on the head, then kicks you on your ass.
She pauses, looking over Ali, who is unconscious in a pool of blood. Then she looks back at you and takes a step forward.
Holly, you take 6 damage.
Bran, you take 5 damage.
What do you do?
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Damage
"Who is the true culprit though? Who dragged you here in the first place? Ali? The parliament? Your fellow abductees? Us? No. There is a terrible being whose will alone has wrought the terrible circumstances you face. Join us and in our quest to find Glamjin."
She extends a hand toward Jamila.
"To seek vengeance on divinity will not be easy. But I guarantee you that a hundred and sixty decades here there's nothing but sand and regret. At least my way, we might be able to... together... come across some kind of redemption."
[HP: 8/16]
Geth, roll 2d6+3 for Parley
“Understood. Glamjin. Yes. But first, the animals that killed her.”
Jamila swivels around mechanically, traces her red eyes over a shelf, then punches through an iron chest and pulls out a jet black axe.
She storms off up the staircase, then turns her half skeletal face towards you all.
She grimaces, “I’ll be back.”
Guards are rushing to somewhere far away from either team, followed by screams, the sound of metal clashing, and guards rushing the other way.
The temperature rises. The fire elementals are loose...
...and the esteemed magicians of the Order of Mysteries have them at their command!
Pomme & Gisard
Pomme, Gisard, the little wisps are waking up! And getting hotter! And growing! You need to leave that room and get a couple of closed doors between you and them else they’ll attack!
—
Hao-Gou
He huffs and digs at the earth on the hill with his mighty paws. The pooch grows impatient to aid his friends. He’ll come running as soon as he sees trouble, or a fitting signal. Gisard, you could blow your flame out of a window as a signal should you need a hand, or whatever else any of you can think of.
—
Though as yet considered isolated incidents, power is shifting in the city.
Gisard, Ali's down. His bodyguard Jamila is some sort of metal automaton, and after a brief altercation here has gone to the first floor with an axe to grind. I'm certain you're probably hearing it by now! Give her a wide berth. We need to figure out where this device we're looking for is, before this whole building comes down around us.
Gisard grabs Pomme and runs out into the hallway, slams the door shut behind them and then starts running down the hallway to the east. Ha-HA, now we don't have time for resident evil door puzzles! What are the odds the map device is behind that stupid gaudy piece of crap door anyway!
... He turns around and runs back into the north room, and shuts it tight behind him after Pomme's inside. Curse you, door puzzles.
If nothing else needs to be resolved at this moment Gisard will start examining this prayer room, such as objects in it, the door and the conspicuous painting on the wall.
“Nice.”, you hear someone say.
That door is open and there are a couple of people inside.
It’s the smouldering orcish guy from the other party, along with the automaton. He carefully picks up half a human shaped emblem off a button and replaces it with a chalice of equal weight. To the side of them is a completed puzzle involving water, weights and scales. The white knight pointedly isn’t with them.
The fellow and automaton piece together two halves of a human shaped emblem.
He half smiles, and moves a toothpick across his mouth, “Now we just need to figure out where this goes awh shiiiiite.”
“You appear to be having an error Paolo, do you require a hard reboot?”, the automaton replies.
What do you do?
The slick looking guy puts a hand out protectively against the automaton.
“Confirmation received; all units ceasefire. Greetings, I have been told my designation is too long, so you may call me Scout. This is Paolo. We are from two separate collectives, but are working together using what little intel we have uncovered. Do you know where this key will fit? There is a 78% likelyhood it will open the way to their geometric field analyser.”, from there Scout gives you a list of who’s who, what they’ve found out and from where in overbearing detail.
Paolo spits out his toothpick, “They must not have poker where you’re from, because you sure can’t keep your cards to your chest.”
You hear a roar of flame lick passed the door, followed by the crackle of curling canvas. The fire elementals are racing towards Jamila, wherever she is. Were you to step outside you’d see most things are intact, but many paintings are aflame.
You might have to work from Bran’s directions to some degree.
If or when you decide to do so, roll +Int.
On a 10+, you get to Bran and Pomme, no trouble.
On a 7-9, choose one.
- I’ll tell you what room you make it to (about half way), but at least you’re still hidden.
- You get as far as the gallery, and bring the wrath of the guards with you!
OOC:
For those that feel they need to know the other parties a bit better.
Surprisingly chill. Escaped the colosseum with a band of trusted gladiators. Jumped off the ship they stole to fight a sea serpent. Stolen when he tried to swim into a strange bubble, thinking it was air.
Scout, Robot Surveyor
Semi-autonomous machine of ‘The Gardener’ tasked with examining, exploring and just going, forever, or until a comet crushes them. Stolen when they activated a fake artefact Glamjin glamoured up to look like Precursor tech.
The Frog with No Name, Frogfolk Samurai
Doesn’t say much. Follows the honourable code of Keroshidu.
Sindr, Elven Prince
Not the soft kind of nobility mind you. His world is in the capital letter First Age, and is having some teething problems concerning dragons, giants and some evil thing giving out rings.
Ten Catfolk Monks
Meow!
—
Sir Krig, ... Paladin
Fights in an endless crusade against heretics and demons. Not very nice.
Van Lonestar, Surdathian Bounty Hunter
Brought up on some backwater planet run by an evil dictatorship that spans a whole galaxy. When civil war broke out he did the right thing—yeah, kill for money, steal, smuggle and play both sides.
Jupiter Zoom / Gene Genie / Capt. Trumpet
A little kid who can, amongst other things, change their form drastically.
Paolo, Orc-blood ...
Ain’t saying nothing.
Lady Lateef, Human Noble
Sometimes, people are exactly what you expect them to be.