GM Rednal's Mark of the Chosen (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

Unused

Around Caer Sirona


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Kind of necessary, this.


In the two years since leaving your parents behind, you've made quite a few interesting strides in life. The moment that changed it all was when a stranger came up to talk to you outside of a book shop, where you'd spent several hours carefully searching through the collection. The man introduced himself as a scholar and collector (he'd been in the store earlier in the day, and was passing by again on business when he noticed you still there), and was curious about why you were so busy seeking knowledge.

It wasn't long before he invited you over to use his library - an offer you accepted only after asking around town and verifying his credentials. Taking the chance, though, you accepted his invitation and received access to a large, private collection of books that the gentleman, Sir Roderick Lawmond, owned.

As it turned out, he was a rather dedicated scholar, and it was your interest in books that had caught his eyes. The wariness slowly faded away as you became more acquainted with Sir Lawmond, and on your fifth visit to his library (studying some ancient archaeological techniques), another guest arrived. It was this encounter that ultimately introduced you to the Order of the Spiraling Eyeball, a group of moderately wealthy gentlemen (and women) who spent much of their time in the pursuit of knowledge.

Your own hobbies were a natural fit for their interests, and after some brief discussions, Sir Lawmond and his friend ultimately decided to sponsor a trip to a nearby dig site and see how well you performed. It wasn't without its issues - you weren't going to forget the goblin attack anytime soon - but your overall performance was most satisfactory. Having proven yourself, you were given an invitation to the Order - you weren't being offered full membership just yet, but you would have some of the benefits. If you performed well enough for the order, the money you made from expeditions would be enough to set you up as a minor noble in your own right, at which point you could join the order in full.

You've spent the time since then working to prove yourself, and finally, Sir Lawmond informed you that it was time for your greatest test. The Order of the Spiraling Eyeball was mostly focused on gathering knowledge, but back in the days of its formation, it had also set forth a mandate for its members: They had to use their information on a regular basis to make a positive change in the world. Those who refused to act upon their knowledge were not considered worthy of membership, and someone higher up in the group - you weren't told who - decided that the Order was going to investigate (and resolve) the disappearance of captives being held in the Prison of Balareth.

This prison is one of the more notorious facilities of the land - it hangs over the mouth of an active volcano, suspended by great chains and protected by magic to ward off the heat. It... generally doesn't have a lot of escapees, since there's really only one effective way out of the place (and magic blocks the sneakier methods). The fact that multiple people are escaping is very unusual.

The Order believes that a group of bandits or slavers - they're not quite sure which - is behind what's going on. Your mission is to locate and infiltrate the camp of this group, gather whatever information you can, and return it to the place where the Order's forces are hiding. There are several hundred people in the camp (mostly well-paid, talented, and reasonably loyal mercenaries that the Order's members have hired), and it's believed that this force will be quite sufficient once they know where to go.

Sir Lawmond has recommended that you try scouting out the mountains and/or investigating in the town a little ways down from the prison, where some of your targets might be hiding. The camp can't stay hidden for more than two days or so, and you'll need to complete your mission before then if you're going to have any chance of success. If you do complete this mission, you'll be given full membership in the Order and significantly better sponsorship for your next few digs. If you fail... well, you probably won't get another chance. This mission could very well decide your future... so you really do need to give it your best.

You're free to ask Sir Lawmond for more information before you set out, and he'll explain whatever he can. You can also make a one-time Wisdom check for information about various courses of action - every 5 points will provide another piece of information about how to go about something and what's most likely to work.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

As he describes the mission, she leans forward to catch every word, writing down key facts. All of the reasons that come to mind make her skin crawl. There is no doubt about her accepting this mission. When he is done, she will take a moment to ponder. She collects her questions into three main topics.

"What maps do we have of this area? And of course, how reliable do we think these maps are?"

"What is this town known for? What do they trade in? Any people of note? Does anybody in the order have any contacts there?"

"What do we know about the prisoners? What crimes were they imprisoned for? Do we have reports of what their skills and powers were? Are there any signs of them being connected to any organization?"

Wisdom check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Knowledge geography: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Knowledge local: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21


"Limited maps of the terrain, I'm afraid." Sir Lawmond said, grimacing slightly. "There's basic maps of the roads and the routes to the prison, of course, but people are... discouraged... from doing genuine survey work. Something to make it harder for other people, I suppose. The town is basically a staging point for the prison, sending in a lot of supplies. A lot of released criminals just sort of settle down right there, though, so it's got a pretty seedy underbelly. Good for us, though, because that usually means good information. If you're really good at bluffing your way through, you might even be able to get hired by this group we're after. We've got no formal contacts there. The prisoners are in for various crimes. Balareth's a sort of high-security, all-purpose facility. I checked some of the court information before we left - it's got some basic cells for when they mostly want to scare people back onto the straight and narrow, then a bunch of long-term cells for the real hard cases. Anyone with genuinely dangerous abilities gets locked up in the high security area, which apparently has countermeasures. I don't think any of them have escaped, or the government would've sucked up its pride and investigated in force." he explained. "For now, it's just been a steady trickle from the less-secure areas, and we've still got no idea how they're doing it. Or why. There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern to who's smuggled out, either, but that might just be because we don't know enough yet."

As for your knowledge of the area, that remains limited. However, you do recall some explanations from one of the books you read, which detailed scouting operations. In addition to testing your knowledge of the wilderness, you'd have to be deliberately stealthy if you didn't want to give yourself away - if you were too obvious with your movements, you'd alert your targets to your presence. (Scouting out in the wilds involves both Survival and Stealth checks.)


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

"I think the village stands the best chance of learning how they did it as well as who they are. If it goes south, I slip out and check the wilds." She pauses, think over what she'll need, "Since time is short, do you have any way for me to communicate my findings back? If it's available, it would let us get the assault going hours quicker."


Sadly, no - and quick message services probably wouldn't be enough anyway, since one of your tasks was to try and acquire information (in the form of letters, plans, and so on) from the camp and escape without being detected. Just locating the camp wasn't going to be enough, given the high likelihood that valuable information would be destroyed during the attack. As long as you began heading back by the end of tomorrow, things ought to be fine.

With that out of the way, you were given careful directions to the town and soon set out. It's a slightly ramshackle place, with a lot of buildings that look like they were put up by people who didn't have much training in construction and just built what they thought something looked like. Many places have loose boards - or walls thoroughly tarred to stop the wind - and the dirt roads look well-worn.

Looking at the bustle of the town's residents - several hundred people, mostly common laborers and former convicts - it's quite possible you could search for information (though you'd want to be discreet while doing so). It might also be possible to try and infiltrate the group directly by getting yourself hired, though you'd probably have only one shot at convincing them.

Each task in town will take a certain amount of time to complete, and you'll have 16 hours each day in which to act. Note that some tasks are repeatable and carry additional benefits if they're performed again (some can be repeated over and over, others just once). Some tasks also have consequences for failure, so you'll need to weigh your talents and decide how many times you want to risk it...

As promised, this game involves quite a bit more than simply being a murderhobo. XD This is my first time homebrewing something quite so large, and I'm trying to give as much player agency as the overall plot allows.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

Before she enters, she'll use her sleeves to make garments that are sturdy but worn. There will be a few stains that could be old blood, and some stitching from old blades. She'll wear the machete and whip openly. She never had much of a chance to learn disguises, so she simply puts on the attitude of a mercenary with a flexible moral code.

On entering, she'll try to look to see if there's any particular place where disreputable types gather. She's looking to see if she can get hired. It's the quickest way to the camp if they take her directly.


Any criminals in the town won't be obvious - if you're going to actually find a member of this group, you'll have to ask carefully. Fortunately, most criminal groups are usually willing to bring people on as long as you can convince them you're worth it, and this one isn't likely to be an exception. It's still fairly early in the day, too, so there's time to try again if you don't find anyone.

To find a member of the camp, make a Diplomacy (Gather Information) check, DC 15, and remember to roll for the time it takes. If you fail, you may repeat this investigation as many times as you'd like until you find someone you can talk to. You have 16 hours of actions remaining today.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

"Machete Jen" begins to chat up the town, letting people know she's looking for work. She'll keep on the quiet side about her past.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Time: 1d4 ⇒ 3 Hours


Fortunately, finding someone in town who's connected to a... "certain unnamed group" is easier than you had any right to expect it to be. Maybe because it's still early in the day and nobody's drunk themselves into a surly fit? Either way, it wasn't too long before you found yourself in a ramshackle tavern that mostly smelled of alcohol and thoroughly-cooked meat. Sitting at a table in the back was a human male, about forty years old, with three parallel scars going down his cheek and halfway down his neck. He'd been lucky to survive whatever had given them to him. "Whaddaya want?" he asked bluntly as you approached.

Diplomacy or Bluff will suffice to try and convince them to let you in - your choice.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She's going to be equally straight with him. "You're looking for people who know how to handle themselves. I'm good with a blade, and I know how to keep my trap shut."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16


The man stared hard at you for a few long moments, clearly sizing you up and forming all kinds of judgments. Then his mouth twitched into a wide grin. "Aye." he said, nodding slightly. "The latter's even better than the former. How soon are you looking to leave?"

While it would probably be possible to head out straight away, you could also spend more time in town learning about the group before you left (and being welcomed would make this less dangerous than it would otherwise be). Given the nature of your mission, more knowledge about the group's activities and behaviors would help you fit in and reduce the chance of something unfortunate happening. Still, it was your mission - and you were the one in charge of how it went.

You have 13 hours remaining today.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She nods, "I work for you people now. I go where you need me, when you need me." She pauses, "It probably makes sense to send me up with others. But whatever you need, I do."


"We got a group heading out this afternoon. Meet up then, and bring your own stuff - you can start bumming equipment off of us after you've gotten a few jobs under your belt. Until then, you're on your own." he answered. That was often how things went - groups of criminals could be quite generous to their members, but only when those members were working hard enough to deserve it.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

"Oh, I'm good for now." She pats her machete. "I've got everything I need."

She will take her leave and start talking with the others.

How does gather information work when I have a fixed amount of time?


Roll Diplomacy and hours spent, and hope you don't go over? It's currently about 9 in the morning, and the group will be leaving four-ish, so you've got time to talk. You can cut it off any time and advance to heading the camp's way.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She will spend the rest of the morning slowly getting what information she can out of the people in town, and then head up to the camp.

gather information: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
time: 1d4 ⇒ 4 grumble


After several hours spent gathering more information about this group, you're starting to get a feel for what they're really like, and it isn't particularly pretty. The group seems to be unusually well-organized, with a fairly strict hierarchy and quite a few members. On the bright side, knowing more about their habits and preferences is going to make it easier to act the way they're expecting you to, and misdirection is a great way to avoid notice.

Just after lunchtime, you head out to the target coordinates, taking a cunningly-hidden path up through the forest just west of the volcano the prison is in. Keeping your bearings isn't hard - there's smoke coming out of the caldera. The journey takes almost two hours, but the guards in front of the assembled gate (a wooden edifice, built rather well) seem to have been expecting you, because you're let inside without much fuss.

The good news is that you've found the place. The bad news is that you still haven't found out anything about the prisoners or how they're escaping. There are several ways of doing so, of course - you could question the camp's members, try to find (and maybe steal) documents, or even look to join a group transporting the prisoners. It might be best to be careful, though - failures might start to rouse the suspicions of the camp's members, and too many failures wouldn't be pleasant for you.

Question Members: Roll Diplomacy (Gather Info)
Find Documents: Roll Stealth, and Sleight of Hand if you want to steal any
Join Group Moving Prisoners: Roll Bluff or Diplomacy
Or come up with something else to do!

Also, gathering information in town - and being able to do so more openly, having been hired - has earned you a +1 circumstance bonus to skill checks you make at the camp. Don't forget to include it with your rolls!

It is about 3 PM. You have 7 hours remaining today.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She will start by looking over the camp. She'll examine it's defenses and their probable responses if attacked. She'll estimate numbers and armament. The assault force would need this info.

What do you want me to use for this?


Perception to spot all the details and a time roll of 1d4 hours for gathering the information should do the trick. ^^


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

percetption: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27 +4 to spot things deliberately hidden[/dice]
1d4 ⇒ 2 [ooc]2 hours isn't bad.

After this, she'll try to go for the documents. If need be, she'll use Door Sight to try and find the right place and Unseeing Teleport to avoid guards.

stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
sleight of hand: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21


It was around five in the afternoon that you'd completed your survey of the camp, taking a close look at the defenses and fortifications. They seemed to be using the terrain to their advantage, and a sturdy wooden pallisade protected everywhere the terrain didn't. There were two major gates - a well-arranged pincer attack would likely be enough to cut off their retreat.

Grabbing Documents: 1d4 ⇒ 4

It was starting to get dark out (aided by the increasing smoke from the volcano) as you began to move surreptitiously through the camp. Maybe the darkening sky was helping, because you didn't have much trouble sneakily picking up a few documents someone had left out. They were mostly supply sheets, detailing how much the group needed to bring in on a regular basis in order to function - excellent material for determining how extensive their operations actually were. The bad news was that finding the time to take the documents had involved a lot of patience on your part, and it was night by the time you finished.

It is 9 o'clock. You have one hour remaining today. You could try to slip in one more activity, or simply go to sleep and pick things up in the morning.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She starts talking to people, but doesn't get very far before people start bunking down for the night.

Time: 1d4 ⇒ 4 Darn.

Oh, and I'm stashing the documents in my extradimensional space. Getting caught with them would not be good.

Given the danger, she'll sleep with her mithral shirt on.

How much time will I have tomorrow before I should be heading back?


You were given two days to deal with things. ^^ So, until the end of the day.

Sleeping in the camp is... complex, to say the least. It's more than unfamiliar - it's full of people you'd usually prefer to avoid associating with, and and most of them don't look like they have a lot of respect for other people. The dagger helped, and towards curfew you were directed to a small bunk rather far from any of the fires. Newcomers didn't get the good spots, after all. Fortunately, the night passed without incident, and the bustle before dawn woke you after a few solid hours of rest.

How would you like to investigate next?


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She'll join in with those moving the prisoners.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 Crap


As you moved forward, one of the other guards simply shoved you backwards. "We're not that desperate." the man - a dark-haired fellow missing his left ear - said. "Make yourself useful first and maybe we'll think about it." It doesn't look like you're going to be able to join this group - and since you weren't asked to join in the first place, pushing the issue would probably make them even more suspicious. You'll have to try something else if you're going to get any more information.

The camp's guard level is slightly elevated, and your failed attempt to get into a group moving prisoners has lost you an hour. There are fifteen hours remaining today.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

Worried about suspicion, she's going to spend a little time not pursuing leads. She'll just follow orders to see if the camp goes back to the normal level of suspicion.

time?: 1d4 ⇒ 1


The guards are continuing to be on watch - it doesn't look like you're in any immediate danger of being discovered, but they're showing no signs of slacking off with their vigilance, either. You can keep working, but another failure might make them more wary and cause them to be significantly more watchful.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She will then begin questioning people, trying to find out more without directly dealign with those going to the prison
gather information: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
time: 1d4 ⇒ 4
The dice are not with me today


On the bright side, however, your disguise was - and the people here genuinely believed that you were one of the group, so loosening their tongues was much easier than expected. If you'd snuck in without being truly admitted, things might have been harder, and a few hours of questioning people got you the location of some kind of waypoint about a mile down the path from the prison.

Why yes, this check did have different DCs based on how you entered the camp. XD There are ten hours remaining today.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She will sneak out and find a good spot to observe this waypoint. See what I can learn from this.

stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22


Once again, navigation was on the easy side - the growing smoke from the volcano (now a steady stream) provided an easy way to orient yourself. That was the limit of your luck - twenty minutes outside your camp, a voice rang out from behind. "You there! Why the hell are you out here by yourself!?" Standing about forty feet back was a man dressed like one of the camp's officers, with four other men (clearly hired for their brawn, and not their brains) arrayed around him. Collectively, they looked like one of the camp's scouting groups.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She looks confident in herself. "New information came in, and I have a message for the team." She'll name drop one of the people who is important at the camp as having said this.

bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Memo to myself:
Pick up the mind sphere next level.
Touch the puppet head.


The guard was clearly suspicious, but your falsehood wasn't a particularly bad one, and you could see the other members of the group relaxing slightly. That was gone a moment later, however, as all of them stiffened and looked past you. It didn't take long to see what had grabbed their attention.

The smoke was rising from the volcano now, but piercing straight through the center of it was a pillar of light. "Run!" the officer bellowed, a strange note of panic in his voice. The reason became clear a moment later as the side of the mountain cracked, then shattered completely. It took less than five seconds for the shockwave to pass through the air and blow through you. The last thing you saw was a black mark forming on your hand - then there was nothing but silence.

When consciousness returns, you find yourself in a stone chamber about six by ten feet large. Your things are missing - all except for a long, roughly-made tunic. There are no chains around your arms or legs, though there are definitely hooks for such things set into the wall. The only opening in the chamber is a solid door with a small, barred window most of the way up. Hearing you stir, what can only be a guard looks in at you. "...You're up." he said, tone carefully neutral. "How do you feel?"


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She figures that there's little to lose by being honest here. "I am feeling imprisoned. Can you explain why or how long I've been here?"

Can I figure anything out about the mark?
Knowledge Arcana?: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16


The mark on your hand isn't quite like anything you've ever seen before, and none of your knowledge matches its characteristics. Every now and then, a small bit of white flame comes off of it, though it feels no more than pleasantly warm at its worst. The guard, in response to your question, simply called something down the hall - and three minutes later, two figures stepped into the cell. Several more were outside. All were armed and armored, and each of them bore the same marking - a stylized letter I, in front of a V, which was in turn set in front of a many-pointed star.

"You may address me as Inquisitor Hamilton." the woman in charge said, unrolling a scroll and glancing over it before fixing her gaze on you. She was on the tall side, with dark skin and sharp eyes. "Verthandi Fargazer. A recent arrival in the town below the Prison, sought and obtained work with the Black Claw bandits. Actually a spy working for the group calling itself the Order of the Spiraling Eyeball, and you're lucky we found that out or you would've already been off to the headsman." she said, letting the scroll roll itself back up. "Tell me everything you remember about what happened when the mountain blew."


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

"Thank you. Your thoroughness is commendable." She is honest in her praise. She will then recite all of the details of the time before she blacked out. Given what the inquisitor has already found out, holding back or lying would be foolish, so she is honest. She even uses the memory tricks to ferret out anything she might have missed.

Using Domain power recall


As you spoke, Inquisitor Hamilton listened, not averting her eyes from you for even a moment. Your willingness to be candid seemed to be going over well, and when you were finished, she nodded slightly. "That matches our other reports." she said. She raised one hand and the other guards relaxed slightly, taking their hands away from their weapons. They might have been the Inquisition, but they weren't the type to burn people first and question their purity later. "We examined that mark on your hand while you were sleeping - it's obviously a symbol of some kind, but no scholar we've managed to reach has any idea what it stands for. Some people who've seen the volcano believe it's a sign from Anax - though the True King apparently hasn't bothered to tell anyone what it means. Are you one of his faithful?"

All but the staunchest disbelievers acknowledged that Anax existed, but that wasn't quite the same as following him as a member of his faith. Many people preferred to align themselves to ideas and concepts instead, especially since Anax's doctrine was less 'live your life in the way I tell you to' and more 'do whatever you want as long as you acknowledge me'. Not being one of his followers was not considered heresy.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She nods, "Yes, I am faithful. I think that if he hasn't explained himself, then perhaps he wants us to figure it out for ourselves. It is rare for hims to show such a powerful sign, so there must be something important if this is his doing."[/b]


The Inquisitor nodded and opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. Her body was perfectly still, as were those of all the guards with her - there was no breathing, no blinking, not so much as a twitch of their forms.

<"Well, I suppose that's one way of putting it."> the feminine voice you heard next seemed to be arriving straight in your mind - and the mark on your hand pulsed in time with the words you heard. <"We can't hold this stop for long, so I'm going to keep this brief. Get to the tear in the Titanwall and hit it with the mark I gave you. It's the only way to stop the mountain from erupting and killing all of you. If you can manage that, I'll be able to explain what's going on, but I need you to get there no matter what. Do not mention this discussion to anyone until after you've done that.">

The voice cut out, and movement in the world resumed.

"Indeed." Inquisitor Hamilton said, clearly unaware that anything had happened. "His Divine Majesty has his own reasons for things, and it would be the height of arrogance to believe that we could ever truly fathom his will. Yet if he acts, there is assuredly a reason he expects us to recognize - and it is the purpose of the Inquisition to find that reason. That mark on your hand seems to be pulsing in time with the pillar, and we think there's a connection of some kind - are you willing to help us investigate it?"


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

"Of course." she says automatically, standing and beginning to walk forward. If they attempt to stop her she will stop. "It is not only an incredible display of magical energy, but also an enticing mystery. Oh, and if the volcano erupts, then we all die an excruciatingly painful death. I think that gives me plenty of reasons to want to cooperate."


"It's half-erupted already." the Inquisitor said, frowning. "Though it's true that if it blew entirely, things could be... bad. The prison itself would probably survive, but..." Well, they seemed to be in a known blast radius. The Inquisitor gave several quick instructions to her underlings as you were permitted outside, and before long six soldiers in the gear of Inquisition soldiers ran up and formed into a line. "All right, men, your job is to get Fargazer here to the Prison and find out whatever you can about what's going on in here. We've gotten some reports of trouble on the road - strange creatures - so watch yourselves and don't be afraid to sneak around them if you have to."

Another figure came forward a moment later, opening a strongbox. Your things were inside. As you retrieved them, Inquisitor Hamilton looked back towards you. "There's two routes up the mountain." she noted. "You can go straight up the road if you want - any trouble along the way will see you, but you'll be able to see them coming, too. You can also try to sneak past if you want, though the secondary path is much rougher and things might by lying in ambush there."


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She was concerned about her failure at stealth earlier and with a gorup of seven, she didn't think that would improve their chances. "I think that the direct approach would be better." She turns to the soldiers, "We'd better get moving."

How are the soldiers armed and armored? Can I get an idea of how good they are?


They look like fairly normal soldiers. Game-wise, they'd be Guards (Warrior 3).

The main road towards the prison was broad and relatively well-traveled - no surprise, that, and you could see the clear deformation on the mountain where part of it had broken away. Reaching into the sky and was the pillar of light you'd seen before. Rather than being steady, however, it seemed to be pulsing and thrashing with silent desperation.

"Bad omen, that..." one of the guards muttered, just before being silenced by his teammate. The first half-hour of the journey was easy enough, but eventually two flickering figures rose out of the ground. They were transparent, but also somehow oozing and goo-like, and their eyes flashed red as they looked at you. "What are those!?"

Identify!: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Fortunately, you had the answer to that question, even if they didn't. The two figures looked like Ectoplasmic Humans - a rather nasty kind of undead creature capable of passing through solid objects. Despite their appearance, though, they weren't fully incorporeal and could be affected by mundane items (although their were fairly resistant to weapons that couldn't slash). They were also known for being violently insane (which explained their hostility, although not why they were present here).

Initiative (Enemy): 1d20 ⇒ 20
Initiative (You): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Oh, wow. XD

They were also quite fast - but you were even faster off the mark, perhaps because you'd known to expect some trouble along the way.

The Ectoplasmic Humans are currently 20 feet from you. While there will be a battle map for some later encounters, there's nothing here that requires one, so we'll be sticking with text. ^^


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She warns the others, "Undead. Use chopping blows on them." She'll step forward, drawing her machete and going for the one on the right.

Swift: activate luck
Move: move up and draw weapon
Std: attack

machete attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Correction: Std: wave my weapon around in avaguely threatening manner.


The creatures were still rising up when you darted forward and slashed out - but your cut was just a bit too shallow to strike your target, and it's gelatinous body ducked out of the way. Without hesitation, it turned to face you as the other darted over to engage the soldiers.

Slam: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Its own attack wasn't much better than your own had been, though, and avoiding damage was an easy task.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

Avoiding the undead's response she turns to capitalize on it's overextension. She'll shift around to make sure she keeps the soldiers in view.

machete attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7


This time, your strike was a solid one - and clearly did a whole lot of damage to the ectoplasmic creature, although not quite enough to totally put it out of your misery. The creature darted over to your side and lashed out again, trying to find an opening in your guard...

Slam: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

...and failing.

The other guards, off to the side, were busy engaging their own target and trying to keep it at bay. "All right, boys, careful and steady!" one of them called.

Incidentally, these first few fights are mostly a chance for you to test out your build a little and see how things are working for you. ^^ If something feels genuinely bad or wrong, let me know - you might be able to change it.


Bard 5 // Incanter 5 // Mageknight 3 / Eliciter 2 | AC: 22 / T: 18 / FF: 19 / DR: N/A, SR: 15, Resist: N/A, Immune: N/A | Fort: +5*, Ref: +9*, Will: +7* | M. Atk: +6, R. Atk: +6, M. Touch: +6, R. Touch: +6 | CMB: +6, CMD: 21 | Init: +4, Perc +15* HP: 60/60 | Spell Points: 16/18 | Mythic 5/5 | Channel 7/7 | Hypnotism 4/4 | Inspiration 5/5 | Luck 14/14 | Door Sight 7/7 | Recall 7/7 | Active Powers: foreshadow (5hr), see hazard (5 hr)

She kept calm, using this to predict the creature's next reaction.

machete attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

If it goes down, then She'll move over to help the soldiers, either with taking it down or healing.

Thanks for the opportunity. Things are feeling pretty good so far.


With another solid slash, you were able to put the ectoplasmic creature down - and its gooey form collapsed to the ground, smoking as it lost its cohesion and started to return to the ether. One more slash a moment later brought down the last of the floating figures, and the Inquisition soldiers examined the form as it vanished. One of them had sustained a firm blow to the chest, but he was good to continue.

"What're things like this doing here...?" one of the soldiers muttered. "This area should've been cleared out a long time ago - the army came through and pacified the whole region, trying to be sure there was nothing around that might be able to break into the prison." He scuffed a bit of dirt onto the vanishing form. "That's probably not the last of them. You're not bad with a blade, but we can always go around if you'd prefer to avoid a direct confrontation." The choice, of course, was yours - sneaking around or punching straight through, either worked.

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