Blue merely arches an eyebrow, and does as asked. Aside from a small pocketknife, he is unarmed.
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I hope you feel better soon, Jon! Get some rest. If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.
So I want to re-bind and invoke my earth and man spirits, and summon, bind, and invoke an air and a beast spirit. Spirit of Air:
Summoning: - 5 hits
Resistance (Force): - 2 hits Drain (DV 4S): - 0 Drain Binding: - 1 hit Edge for Reroll: - 3 hits (4 total) Resistance (2x Force): - 3 hits Drain (DV 6S x 1.5 = 9S): - 5 Drain Invoking (Binding + Magic + Force = 13 dice): - 7 Hits Successfully bound a Force 5 Great Form air Spirit, owing 3 services.
Optional Powers: Fear, Elemental Attack That is a bunch of drain. I will try re-binding my spirit of Man next since it will not go uncontrolled if I pass out. Re-binding Spirit of Man:
Binding: - 4 hits
Spending Edge to re-roll: - 3 hits (7 total) Resistance (Fx2) - 3 Hits Drain (6S x1.5 = 9S): - 5 drain. Invoking (Binding + Magic + Force - Wound Modifier = 11 dice): - 5 hits uccessfully re-bound a Force 5 Great Form Man Spirit, owing 4 more services than before.
Invoking gives the spirit a larger size (+1 reach), +1 die to resist Banishing, +1 optional power, its LOS powers have a range of LOS(A) including its engulf power and can choose to exclude anyone in the area and the Compulsion power. Optional Powers: Innate Spell (Increase Reflexes), Movement And with 10S drain and 10 hours spent binding spirits, he will sleep and return to the warehouse in the morning. Healing:
(Body + Willpower, 1 Hour)
After a good night's sleep, Blue is refreshed and ready for the day.
Final list of purchases (and times) for supplies: Force 3 Sustaining Focus (manipulation):
Availability: 12
Cost: 30,000 It will take 3 weeks to find, which I think won't happen for two more weeks of in-game time. Force 5 Binding Materials (qty 4):
Availability: 10
Cost: 2,500 each (10,000 total) Interval: 2 days (I think this is based off the cost per each...) 2 days: - 6 hits
Blue will be on his way to pick up the binding materials and then on to his personal lodge for the summoning and binding. I will get those rolls settled tonight or tomorrow.
Blue stands from the couch, tucking his commlink in its pocket and picking up his riding jacket, "Well, if we might be on duty tomorrow night, I have a few things to do to be ready. You all know how to reach me..." With that he heads outside.
You got it. I think a spoiler is best given that it happens entirely out of sight of the others. I am going to take the invoking metamagic. That fits Blue well, I think.
Interlude:
Two days after their run, Blue comes out of his room dressed for travel, "I will be back in a few days. I've some things to see to. I will be off grid for two to three days. Stay safe, yes? Bogotir! Увидимся позже!" After a few good-byes and good-lucks, he steps outside and the sound of his motorcycle recedes into the distance.
Later that day, Blue stands on the shore of the Puget sound and summons a water elemental. He has no electronic devices with him; such are not permitted where he now travels. The spirit manifests, engulfs Blue to his neck, and bears him into the cold water of the sound. With another politely phrased command, Wilson hides Blue and all signs of his passing from any observers. Nearly a day later, on a private island in the Puget sound allowed to revert almost entirely to nature, Blue approaches the one building on the island: a hand-built, low hut made of stone and thatch. Both secrecy, magic, and well-paid contacts hide the significance of the island, but to Blue and the seven other members this was a haven and the center of their magical world. Blue clasps hands, trades hugs, and in some cases simply a respectful nod. These have a bond of shared history that runs deep, and they have come to support Blue in this momentous occasion. The first day is spent in reaffirming friendships, sharing information, and telling stories. All of which served to strengthen the bonds between the young people. The second day is one spent in communal meditation, low conversation, and cleansing rites. That evening, prepared for the coming ritual, the eight make their way in pairs through the dark-shrouded woods to the sacred wood, a stand of thirteen ancient oaks mysteriously arranged in a perfect circle with a huge block of obsidian positioned at exactly north inside the ring of trees. Though it would be customary to hold the rite on Ostara or Beltane, that was not, strictly speaking, necessary. And Blue was impatient, a large part of why it had taken him so long to be ready for this. Faun smiles in fond exasperation at Blue's eagerness, and Sigh chuckles knowingly as his oldest friend begins the journey into the true study of magic. Most of the others have already initiated into the inner mysteries of the Awakened world, and Blue is eager to join them. Taking their places around the circle, the eight shamans begin their rite. The sacred space is purified, the watchtowers are invoked, and the gods and all goodly spirits are invited to join the participants inside the circle. Finally, Blue is called forward to stand before the others. With his own blood and in the words they all have chosen, he swears an oath of secrecy, obedience, and fraternity. Spoken in this place for this purpose, his oath sinks into him, becoming part of his magic. When he looks up, a massive crow is perched upon the obsidian altar. He blinks, and it is an impossibly beautiful woman. He blinks again and it is gone. As the ritual progresses, he can sense that the astral plane, a place he had long thought to be what was beyond the mundane world, is in fact merely the thinnest of thresholds to all that lies beyond the world his physical eyes can see. For all its vastness, it is insignificant beside the metaplanes he can now see. Also to him comes a deeper understanding of the spirit allies he has long summoned. An understanding of how a bound spirit may be enhanced, brought to its full potential by a skilled summoner; an invoking of its great form. The rite comes to a close, and tired, the eight once again walk together through the night. Though this time they travel as a single group back to the lodge and to their beds. The morning of the third day is a time for reflection, recovery, and sharing. The first to discover the art of invocation, Blue is eager to share his understanding with the others, though they seem not to fully grasp his meaning. He has always been the best among them with spirits. The leavetaking begins at noon of the third day. Though Blue hates goodbyes, he is eager to return to the warehouse. These seven are the closest thing he has to a family, but not all of them are what he would call friends. In a mirror image of his trip from a few days before, Blue summons the water elemental again and vanishes behind a screen of concealment as the elemental bears him across the sound and back to Seattle. Blue sets down his commlink with an exasperated sigh, "These people are just being difficult on purpose, I think." When it chirps again with Derek's message he picks it back up and scans through the offers, "The casino looks interesting. Or the extraction. I will have a few new friends to help us out." There is something a little giddy in his eyes when he says this.
@Jon - I could not find any reference to using edge in an extended test either, so I will treat my edge as a single edge pool for the entire test. Can I find my new shiny?:
Week 1:
If I did it right, it will take three weeks to find my focus. Are you guys okay with waiting that long? Otherwise we can do the next run without it. I would also like to get some spirit binding materials and prep a few spirits, if that is okay. @Jon, are you okay with the initiation? I can put it off if you would prefer to wait a bit longer on stuff like that.
And holy hell .. I had forgotten how much of a black hole Mages are for Karma. Like every single thing sucks up Karma; spells, skills, attributes, foci, even some metamagic. If possible I would like to do an initiation with my group using the oath ordeal. With the reductions this will be 8 Karma. Then, using the money for Karma rule (donating some time and supplies to help victims of abuse) to trade 10k for 5 Karma, leaving me with 7. Then I would like to find a Force 3 Sustaining Focus and bond it. Bonding the focus will take six karma, leaving me with 1. The interval for the focus is 1 week (30000), so it might take a while to find. Can you use edge to reroll dice on the availability test?
How much downtime will there be between runs?
Okay, this is taking longer than I expected .. sorry. I am working on it but I need to go to sleep. I will finish it tomorrow.
I will get the Karma Money stuff sorted tonight. is the Nuyen/Karma trade thing actually a thing?!
Jon, will this be a good opportunity to earn (and hopefully spend) some karma?
Blue sniffs at the glass of alcohol, smiling in approval at the heady scent. He takes a small sip to taste, then after a moment tosses the drink back with a practiced motion and lets out a soft, "Ahhhhh," of pleasure and relaxes slightly into the couch. "That is excellent, Derek." He refills his glass and raises it in response to Bogotir, "Current and gone," before tossing another back. The next morning, Blue wakes in his old room, bewildered for a moment, and with the predictable headache. He ignores the pain with an effort so practiced that he doesn't even notice it. Joining the others in the common room, Blue accepts a cup of coffee, "Good morning, my friends. It isn't soykaf is it, Bogotir?"
I am sorry for the delay. Between a 60 hr/wk schedule at work and a family emergency, most of this week has blurred by. I will update with a post tonight after work. I am glad the compression gloves are helping, Jon. Speaking from experience, joint problems are pretty terrible. Thanks again!
Blue glances from Derek to Alter to the others and back to Derek. His silence stretches and Blue half turns toward the door. It seems like he is going to leave until Bronze comes back in. Blue sighs and walks back over to the couch and sits between Bogotir and Alter, "Bronze, you know I can't eat that Soy garbage." After a little bit of a silence he speaks again, directly to Derek, "I miss the team. You end up not staying clean, and I am gone, but I will stay for now. In other news, I have heard a rumor of a spell that might help you, Derek. Might suppress the symptoms till you can shake it for good. I will stay, and I will do what I can."
I am still here. Blue just has little to say. I will get a post up with some kind of activity though.
Not privy to the communication net, Blue begins tailing Alter and Bogotir when they leave the area.
As Bogatir passes Blue's position, Blue summons his magic once more, weaving a protective armor over Alter and Bogotir.
With a potentially hostile sniper watching the location of the van, Blue wants a little more protection for the exposed team. He will move back from the van to where he will see his approaching allies before the sniper would be able to see them, while dispatching his watchers once more with messages. Primus and Secundus: My master cautions you to be alert. There are others moving on a level lower in the garage than where the van is. He heard the sounds of weapons.
After the Watchers return with the messages, Blue sends them back to Michael and Bogotir with another. Primus and Secundus: "My master sends this message: I agree. I will wait here near the van."
After checking the area, Blue finds a deeply shadowed corner where he can still observe the van and summons a handful of Watchers. Primus he sends to report to the others in the van and return with their message, Secundus he sends to report to Michael and return with any message, Tertius, Quartus, Quintus, and Sextus he places around the area to discreetly monitor the ramps up and down from the van, and the next floor up and down. Message from Primus and Secundus: A tiny caricature of Blue appears hovering in front of you, and speaks in a tiny voice,
"Report from Blue: Van is clean as far as I can tell. No explosives I can see. Very clean, either new or it has been cleaned. No sign of any awakened, astral, or dual creatures. You can return a message through my watcher."
I will update for Blue today when I get home.
Blue slips out of the van and, standing out of direct line of sight to the doors, strips out of most of his clothing and gear. Once he is in just his pants, he pulls the magic around himself, shifting his form into that of a large housecat.
The large tomcat, a maine coon, trots down the alley in the direction of the parking garage. Blue makes his way to the correct floor, keeping to shadows and skirting around things like a cat would do.
Bogatir nods solemnly as Blue opens the pillbox for him. "Thank you...", he says after a small moment of clearing his throat. Nodding slowly at Blue, he smiles, his eyes suggesting both worry and pride. "You do, rebyonka", he chuckles. Taking out two small orange pills, he swallows them with a sip of water and leans back down. A few minutes later, his trembling seems to calm itself to a manageable level, and he finishes with his medical procedures with seemingly too practiced motions. How many days did I lose? Either too many or not enough. He sits staring in the distance for a moment longer, then a determined look sits on his face. "Bah!", he lets out, standing up. "I will make tea. Does anyone want?", he asks, slowly rising himself up, shuffling slowly towards the kitchenette. Blue smiles at Bogatir, an old amusement dancing in his eyes, "You know I still do not speak russian, yes? But I will drink with you anyway. No soy though, please." "Johnson wanted a wait a week before the drop. We're making the drop at a parking garage about a block from the Seattle aquarium. There's a black van on the seventh level, marked with a placard for the aquarium and two tickets on the windshield. I've got a code to unlock the trunk, where we'll place the Dragon's Egg. There's a case inside that will broadcast to the Johnson once we've done our part." Blue narrows his eyes at the description of the drop site, "Is the rest of our payment there as well? I do not like this arrangement. I will scout the area before we go, both astrally and shapechanged. It sounds too easy to turn into a trap or ambush. And elves are notoriously tricksey, though not as much as Germans or Dragons." He grins a little in acknowledgement of the irony in his statement. Derek follows Bronze's lead and pulls off his jacket, rubbing the site of his former gunshot wound tenderly. He tosses the jacket to the side and stands up, coming back with a bottle of soy cola. "You ever notice that even once you're patched up, magical healing still leaves a sting? I'll have to go easy on it for the next couple days..." Blue smiles ruefully, "Yes, the body does not approve of being damaged, nor does it approve of being healed so quickly, and so it complains. You should be right as rain by the time we need to make the drop."
For a few moments Blue is utterly unable to reconcile the Bogotir he knows with this seemingly broken and shaking old man fumbling with medications. Not acting like a junkie, but what is...what...how... Unable to even really frame his thoughts into words that do not sound cheap and cliche even in his own head, Blue forces them down and sits beside the older man. Without a word he gently takes the pill bottle from Bogotir's fingers and opens it before handing it back. Blue speaks softly as he holds it out for Bogotir, "You've still got it, old friend."
Blue looks at the small device, "When you are done, I can take it on a trip around the city as a bird."
With the immediate danger past, Blue looks around at the others, "Is anyone hurt?"
Blue reaches into the unseen world once more, conjuring a bolt of stunning force to hurl at the enemy gunner.
I will be out of reach from friday night to tuesday afternoon. I am going to my sister's house and then on to watch the eclipse from inside the path of totality. I may have occasional access on saturday, but I am not planning on posting anything.
Looking out the windows, Blue targets one of the submachine guns, summoning a killing bolt of power that can affect non-living things.
The highly processed materials in the submachine gun shed the spell with no effects.
Blue lays a hand on Derek's shoulder, "Let me help with that." As the van starts to roll out, Blue lets the spells he was maintaining to fade. Reaching back into the true power in the sixth age of the world, he shapes the magic into a healing power.
Blue sprints toward the opening into the sewer, not willing to waste the opportunity give by the suppressing fire with discussion. Once he is through he stops and speaks over the team channel, <Come on! I will put a roadblock in their way!> Once the last of the team is through the opening, Blue summons his magic once more, placing a solid barrier across the opening in the wall. It will not hold up to concentrated gunfire, but it should stop even a charging troll. <There. Maybe one will knock himself out on that in the dust.>
Ya know .... The more I consider the implications of your changes to overcasting, the more I realize that it is a really positive thing for the game. I like it a lot.
Blue takes advantage of the moment and sprints for the safety of the hallway.
<This might be a poor decision,> Blue says over comms as he siezes the threads of magic in the museum, beseeching the spirits to allow him to subdue the enemy. Drawing deeply, deeply enough that he can feel the magic straining at his flesh, Blue hurls a ball of stunning power at the largest knot of enemies he can target.
*** Slightly before the ambush in the big room *** Blue lays a hand on Bogotir's shoulder, "Give me a moment, friend, to help you with that."
After a few moments, Blue turns to Michael, "And now your turn. We need you both in peak condition." Laying his hand on Michael's shoulder, Blue concentrates...
It actually specifically says that it cannot be used to heal damage resulting from magical Drain. That is why Blue has pain resist 3 and a pretty big drain resist pool.
I am pretty sure Bogatir has the right of it; one of the many ways that Edge influences the game is as a tie-breaker.
Blue takes note of the painful motions of his friends, <When we have a few seconds, I will heal those wounds. Try not to get shot in the meantime.>
How would that change, if at all, in the case of bound spirits? I do have a couple of bound spirits, and I would like to reveal a kind of history between Blue and the spirits he binds as the game goes on. EDIT: For maps, I guess if it is a combat that is going to be mostly stationary, or is tactically complex, a map might be nice. But I am pretty okay with Theater of the Mind (ToM) as well. I have both run and played in games that use ToM and as long as people understand that it will be a little hand-wavey and abstract, then it works well.
Blue slips the shotgun out from beneath his coat, its systems coming to life and linking to his glasses. He speaks to the others through their team network, <Lethal protocol?>
Blue curses sulfurously as he quickly reshapes the mana around them into an aura that will increase his speed and reaction time.
He then takes off at a run after Michael, making sure that everyone is following.
Blue looks at the shotgun slung under his long coat, then back up at the others, "I do not think they will let me carry this inside. What sort of scanners or detectors do they have on the entrances?"
Blue nods to the others, "Until tomorrow." Then he withdraws and heads back to his house to rest and prepare.
"I will be ready tomorrow," Blue says as he stands, "when shall we meet back here?" |