Welcome to the Bottom of the Barrel

Game Master Spwack

Dice rolls use the format [d*ice]1d6[/d*ice] without the asterisks.

Your character has a thumping headache, something heavy pressing down on them and no stats.

If you want to do something but it's not a given that you complete it, or ask a question and want a specific answer, roll 3d6 and we'll sort it out from there.

There is a small purply-green glow screaming at you out of your field of vision. You can't quite hear it.

Here is an example of what a completed character doesn't look like.

finito

As your lovely MC, I'm going to be highlighting Grit and Mojo. Every time you roll one of those mark XP up to 5. When you have 5 XP and are in a safe location, you can level up.

Hylos, it's dark. You have a thumping headache, and something heavy is pressing down on you. What do you remember last?

Attempting to activate the Amulet of Power I found, although I don't really remember where I was doing so. But my surroundings don't look too unfamiliar

You found this thing? Woah. Says here it's worth 2-barter. Why do you reckon that is? "I don't know" is definitely an acceptable answer.

If you knew what this thing was when you found it, would you probably would have taken it back to your residence before you activated it.

Unless you're the kind of person to see a shiny artifact and be like "press". Which are you?

The amulet is certainly important, too many guards for it to not be. Not sure what it does though. I wonder what sphere it is linked too....

Ah, Spheres. I remember the Spheres. Gah, irrelevant for now.

I would of normally taken it home to test. But I didn't. I remember there being an urgent reason why I tried to use it. And there was something to do with an interruption.

I want to move whatever is on my chest

The corpse makes a slurping sound and falls into two parts as you shove it off of you, spilling yet more blood onto you. Most of it isn't yours. The entire room is a mess, shattered panels splintered, stone tiles cracked, buzzing residue lingering like a purple sparkling scent wafting on the still air.

The amulet is jammed into the wall on the opposite side of the room. The wall is solid stone, and now covered with hairline cracks. What does it look like, under all that blood and soot?

More importantly, what do you do?

The amulet is some sort of green metal in the shape of a knot. It also doesn't seem to like being manipulated by the Matter sphere apparently.

I get up, pick up my gold "tinted" sunglasses and put them in my pocket. I look down and sigh at the blood covering my suit

Would the blood in this case be organic or in-organic?

Definitely the blood of the ex-guard in pieces on the floor. As you stand up, your ribs complain. Probably not broken. Maybe. Hopefully.

The uniform looks, sorry, looked ceremonial.

I attempt to remove the blood from my suit, making sure that I only use the matter sphere.

I then shift the steel plates in the suit to form a cuirass, walk over to where the amulet is embedded while having a quick look for my cane

The blood slips out neatly. Ever thought about opening up a dry cleaners?

Lets see a Fracture Reality roll for the cuirass though. That sounds slightly more difficult. Remember, since you've mastered Matter you are guaranteed an extra option.

That amulet in the wall is looking kind of funky.

Moving metal plates? eh, suppose so if it is actually going to do something.

1d6 ⇒ 4 + 2

Oh, and my ring. Is that still on my finger?

hmmm.... not a promising start...
Can I choose that it has no adverse side effects?

The correct format is [*dice=Fracture Reality]2d6+2[/dice] take out the *. Yes, it still is.

oh, 2d6
whoops

1d6 ⇒ 4

Fracture Reality: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 5) + 2 = 9

You choose if you want a new roll or to add on the extra die

I'll just say you got a 7-9. Pick two (+1 mastery) options.

1)It achieves it desired outcome
2) There are no adverse side effects

Concentrating exquisitely on the sundered suit of burnished steel, you slice and dice and mash together bits of armor into a servicable stabber. You were unconsciously tensing the entire time you were casting and, yeah, uh, your ribs are definitely broken. No harm dealt yet, but still. Ouch. Anyway, you have a practical piece of steel in your grip (2-harm, hand, servicable). It isn't pretty, and metallic bonds are easy come and easy go, but it'll work. Speaking of working, you hear a muffled clatter of armor outside. Seems the very obvious explosion a few minutes ago was very obvious. What do you do?

In your character sheet, next to your stats, it might be a good idea to put down Harm: 0, and XP: 1, along with your new equipment someone. You also have broken ribs. Yay.

Correction: You have 1 armor and metal bands around your ribs. Somewhat difficult to take off later, but useful for now. Do you still want a spiky metal stick thing?

Nah, I am good. I want to pull the Amulet out of the wall, then go sit in a corner.

I then want to move whatever I can to hide myself

You know that feeling just before you catch something heavy being tossed to you? That moment when you don't know how heavy it's going to be. But after you hold it for a moment, that sensation goes away.

Holding the amulet feels like that.

Hiding huh. Where? The room has been devastated. You hear murmuring coming from outside. Doesn't sound like orders though.

What does the room look like?

Roll+brain to Read the Sitch in order for the answers to give you +1 forward. Other than that, it looks like the kind of place that would have a seemingly useless but pretty artifact on display. Right now, it just looks like a mess. You tell me what you can see, especially if you roll high (or low).

2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4

.....

Ask one of these :

• Where’s my best escape route / way in / way past?
• Which enemy is most vulnerable to me?
• Which enemy is the biggest threat?
• What should I be on the lookout for?
• What’s my enemy’s true position?
• Who’s in control here?

You ask 3 on a full hit, 1 on a partial hit, and 1 on a miss.

What's my enemy's true position?

A guard pokes his head round the corner, clutching a short straw. The spear he's holding is layered with fine silver strands, and the armor is a gaudy and bulky affair. His eyes widen at the devastation inside, the blood, and the gentleman standing in the middle of it.

"P-Private, what do you see?"

He opens his mouth as if about to say something.

What do you do?

I want to pull the glasses out of my coat, put them on and then say
"So, what job did you call me in for this time?"

The private looks around, confused and disturbed.

"I-I-I-I don't... I don't know, who are you, what are you doing here? Why..."

I hang my head, sigh deeply then look back at him.
"Private, I have just been payed to teleport from half way around the world to begin an investigation, and despite my policy of having my clients tell me what they want up front, I decided to make the trip anyway."

I begin to rant
"Because I decided to do something nice for a regular customer. So, I teleport in, nearly killing myself doing so because some asshat decided it would be good idea to stand in what should be a very clearly marked teleport circle. And to top it off, the first sight I see is not someone of importance, but a GOD DAMNED PRIVATE."

"You know what, it's probably not your fault. must have been a problem in the communication. I tell you what. You show me the door, I'll go grab a coffee, come back, and hopefully you will have found someone that actually knows whats going on."

Suddenly the tiles a few meters away start to move and lift up, a quiet muttering can be heard

"Stupid...If it had worked... wouldn't have to use a shovel"

Suddenly a head, shadowed by a heavy cowl appears out of the newly dug hole. it rotates slowly until it faces Hylos stops and freezes.

"Umm, what brings you here?"
Can be heard from the new figure with a voice that doesn't quite sound right.

Mansterveld, if you press the edit button under your most recent post, you can resend it using your new Alias. This means your stats and such will be displayed next to your name. Ask Hylos for help if you need it. I'll do a full post later tonight

I look down, stare, then close my eyes for a second. Then look back at the Private and say "Did you hire him as well?"

The Private is speechless. Luckily for him, the colonel turns up. A corpulent colonel named Carl. He's fat. He's bald. His ceremonial armor makes him look like an entire pig stuffed into a can. He's looking to retire in a few years. He is not happy to see either of you.

"Hurrumph. What in the blazes... is that... is that Private Jenkins all over the floor?"

Is his armor metal?

Steel with silver inlay, at first glance. For a second glance or more information, you'd need to roll.

I stagger back in mock surprise, shout "Imposter!" and attempt to implode his armor.
I also scream at Private "QUICK, STAB HIM BEFORE HE SHIFTS. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR PRIVATE?"

Attempt? Sounds like a bunch of rolls.

Let's see, that's one mana down, a Fracture Reality roll (mastered) and Roll the Bones at +1 because reasons.

thats not nice

Fracture - Fracture Reality: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 6) + 2 = 14

Bones - 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 4, 6) + 1 = 13

oh shit

The colonel staggers back, but it's too late. Him, his metal armor, and the very air around him let out a tortured shriek as their density increases dramatically. The forces release, and the twisted mess is thrown across the room.

The other soldiers can't believe their eyes.

Your skin starts itching.

What do you do?

I scream at the soldiers "QUICK, RUN. BEFORE MORE SHOW UP!"
I also offer my hand to the person(?) in the floor saying "COME ON RABBIT MAN, LETS GO"

Post from Mansterveld:

The weakest, scrawniness member of the soldiers is located via the Entropy sphere. This particular poor sod would wake up twice a night with stabbing pains in his arm.

Fracture Reality: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 5) + 2 = 13

Chosen: The spell achieves it's goal, the spell is cast correctly

The weakling seemingly faints at the sight of blood. Within a few minutes, the slight arrhythmia will instigate massive instabilities and cause a heart attack. And violent cancer, but we can ignore that for now.

Soldiers?

Yes, about a dozen. Well, exactly a dozen. But now the corporal and one grunt is down, and they have no idea what's going on. A few of them look like they are about to charge, a few others look like advancing in reverse is an appropriate strategy. What do you do?

Attempt to run past them screaming "HE HAS A BOMB!"

Let's see a roll with Brute or Grit. You decide which.

Imma go with Grit.
Thats 2d6 right?

2d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 4) + 1 = 7