GM: Darius
Players: Janie
Synopsis: Janie ventures to the wise warrior totem's metaplane to gain insight into the Fashion spell, encountering various figures of greek mythology along the way.
Wisdom lies in acknowledging when you've spent too much time and effort researching a single field and it's starting to affect your objectivity. With some regret, Janie puts aside her current studies of fragments of Fourth World legends and how they match up to the mythology of the early Fertile Crescent civilizations and turns to her spell formulae.
Besides, it'll take a while before she'll hear a response from the Houngan regarding her request.
After a brief meditation to clear her mind, she contacts Maximilian to set up an appointment in a safehouse they've agreed to for purposes of the Astral gateway, and makes her way there at the appointed time.
Maximilian is waiting for Janie when she arrives- he's grown accustomed to this arrangement, after all, and so it is not very long before she is settled in and ready to project out to the metaplanes
Janie holds out her hand and breathes slowly, focusing her Power to grant Max the one thing he can't gain on his own: Life force and experience.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Conjuring vs TN 6 for "Max is getting to be fairly big, making it harder to transfer at the reduced rate.":
2 3 3 4 4 5 10 = 1 Success
«Plot» Janie says, "Success. Janie pays 1.25 Karma to grant Max the 2.5 karma this trip will cost."
And soon the portal is opened between this plane and the metaplanes, ready for janie to ascend so that she can continue onwards with her quest.
Janie leans back into the chair, then lets her spirit drift away into the Places Beyond. She knows what she seeks; she just doesn't know yet what shape the route will take.
The Dweller soon manifests before Janie. She finds herself standing in a big open hall, her usual clothes have been replaced with a typical greek breastplate, complete with the leather skirt section. Before her stands an alabaster sculpture of Athena, dressed in a toga and helmet. It seems as if the statue is inanimate, at first, but suddenly it comes to life with a crunch as it tears itself from its pedestal. "Such anger. Such rage." She says to Janie, as she moves closer, "The warrior does not give into blind fury, your anger msut be tempered, or it will harm only you." she chastizes.
"I know," Janie replies. "I can not help but feel anger over what I've learned - but I do not let it cloud my judgement. I /will not/ let it cloud my judgement. In time, Iron-Eyes will face justice for his deeds, and if I can hasten that day somehow I will… But I will not go raging off on an ineffectual crusade that will only get myself killed."
The dweller considers this, as if deciding whether that was a good enough excuse or not. Eventually, she says, "Very Well. Prove your head is as level as you say- there is a stratagem here, for the assaulting of a fort. See if you can identify any faults with it.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Strategy + Karma Pool: 1 vs TN 5 for "Let's see…":
2 5 5 10 = 3 Successes
Janie nods and turns to the planning table that wasn't there ten seconds before, gauging the dispositions of the forces on either side, the territory, and the indicated plan of attack.
"Y'r countin' on this feint t'successfully divert /all/ th'defenders off to th'eastern flank; if th'enemy keeps even /half/ a platoon mannin' th'western walls they'll be sure t'spot th'main force's approach through th'ravine /here/-" she indicates the area, "- an' it'll take th'force more than fifteen minutes to pass through it, out in th'open where th'defenders c'n rain down arrows and rocks without riskin' return fire. Ye're bettin' far too much on th'enemy bein' nearly incompetent."
After a few moments, the manifestation of the dweller seems to nod her head. She returns to her pedestal, and she warns Janie- "Be wary, dark times come." And then gestures towards a gateway looming in the darkness. She freezes up, then, back to a astatue, and a blue light eminates from the center of the archway, before finally expanding to fill the whole thing- it's impossible to see what lies beyond the portal, but it is clearly the way forwards
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 1 for "First Metaplace":
5
"Tell me somethin' I /don't/ know," Janie mutters under her breath as she walks forward, through the portal and beyond.
When she emerges from the other side, though the archway stills tand sbehind her, it's blue glow is gone- She stands in the middle of a vast wasteland- in the distance, she can just barely make out what may be a glimmer of civilization. But it looks like it's going to be an arduous trek tog et there, and Janie finds herself wondering when the last time she had a drink was.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Wilderness Survival + Astral Pool: 5 vs TN 5 for "I will survive!":
1 1 1 2 2 2 3 4 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Wilderness Survival + Astral Pool: 5 vs TN 5 for "I will survive! (KP 1)":
2 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 = 2 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Wilderness Survival - 2 + Astral Pool: 5 vs TN 5 for "I will survive! (KP 3)":
1 1 2 3 3 7 = 1 Success
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Wilderness Survival - 3 + Astral Pool: 5 vs TN 5 for "I will survive! (KP 6)":
1 2 2 4 5 = 1 Success
Long treks without any food or water become significantly more survivable when one knows the Nutrition spell, but unfortunately Janie has not yet learned a spell that does anything about /feeling/ hunger or thirst. It's not the most pleasant trek she's ever completed, even though she manages it fine.
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 2 for "Next Place":
4 4
Janie narrows her eyes, glaring at the illusory image in front of her as if it offends her personally, then closes her eyes for a moment to concentrate, focusing her will and skill to UnWeave the pattern of the spell.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Centering vs TN 5 for "Centering for success.":
1 2 4 4 4 7 = 1 Success
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Sorcery + Astral Pool: 8 vs TN 5 for "Soaking S stun.":
1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 8 10 14 = 4 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Sorcery + Astral Pool: 8 - 4 vs TN 5 for "Soaking S stun. (KP 7)":
1 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 10 = 4 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 2:
3 3
Janie manages to beat back the illusion, revealing the truth of the situation- this little spek of civilization, a small town, seems to be long dead. And there is no less than a Gorgon staring straight at Janie. "LOOK INTO MY EYESSS!" The creature demands.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Willpower + Astral Pool: 8 vs TN 5 for "No.":
1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 7 9 20 = 6 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Willpower + Astral Pool: 8 - 6 vs TN 5 for "No. (KP 8)":
1 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 = 2 Successes
Janie meets the Gorgon's gaze head on, the monstrous creature's petrifying effect bouncing off a shield of pure willpower. She holds the monster's gaze just long enough for it to realize what's happening, then grabs it by its serpentine hair and yanks its face down to meet her knee coming the other way. "No."
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 2:
1 3
The creature lets out a scream as it's nose slams into Janie's knee, but it's tail snaps around, and grabs Jan ie by the ankle. She flings Janie away, smashing her through a enarby building, and then slithers back away a little, drawing tis bow and knocking an arrow…
The big disadvantage of hand-drawn projectile weapons is that they take time to draw and aim - time Janie does not intend to let the monster have.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Initiative with a result of 22.
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 2 for "+7":
2 3
Janie flips to her feet and dashes forward, closing the distance before the gorgon can aim and drawing the clubs that her guns have turned into for a brutal opening strike.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Clubs (Pistols) + 4 (Foci) + Combat Pool: 4 vs TN 4 for "Attack!":
1 1 1 3 3 3 3 4 5 5 7 9 11 = 6 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Clubs (Pistols) + 4 vs TN 4 for "Offhand club, compskill.":
1 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 11 = 5 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 + Combat Pool: 2 vs TN 4 for "Countering]":
2 2 3 4 9 9 10 = 4 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 + Combat Pool: 3 vs TN 7 for "soaking 9D":
1 1 1 2 2 3 5 17 = 1 Success
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 + Combat Pool: 3 - 1 (Success) vs TN 7 for "soaking 9D KP1/?":
1 2 2 4 5 7 21 = 2 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 + Combat Pool: 3 - 3 (Success) vs TN 7 for "soaking 9D KP3/?":
3 3 5 5 5 = 0 Successes
The creature lets out another howl of pain as Janie assaults it with the pistols. it does manage to wriggle free, away from her, though it looks worse for ware, it finally levels the bow with janie, and looses an arrow.
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 vs TN 7 for "Attacking Janie with the bow, +3 for S wound":
2 3 3 5 11 = 1 Success
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 - 1 (Success) vs TN 7 for "Attacking Janie with the bow, +3 for S wound KP4/?":
1 3 5 5 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Combat Pool: 4 vs TN 4 for "Dodging.":
2 2 3 5 = 1 Success
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Combat Pool: 4 - 1 vs TN 4 for "Dodging. (KP 9)":
1 3 5 = 1 Success
In that close range, however, a bow is almost worse than useless because of the room you need to draw back the string. Janie dodges the shot with almost contemptuous ease and moves in for the finishing blow.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Clubs (Pistols) + 4 (Foci) + Combat Pool: 4 vs TN 4 for "Finish it!":
2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 7 9 10 = 9 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Clubs (Pistols) + 4 vs TN 4 for "Offhand comp.":
1 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 22 = 4 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 vs TN 7 for "Countering":
1 2 4 5 5 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 vs TN 7 for "Soakin":
1 3 3 4 4 = 0 Successes
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 5 vs TN 7 for "Soakin~KP5/5":
1 2 2 4 10 = 1 Success
The gorgon fumbles with the bow in an attempt to fend off the attack, only to recognize the feint for what it was a second too late to counter the /actual/ strike coming in from the other direction, smashing into its face and slamming it down to the ground. Janie holds a ready stance for a few moments more to make sure it's down for the count, then places her clubs back in their holsters.
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 2:
4 15
The Gorgon finally goes down, turning to stone itself as it dies, and then crumbling away into dust. Janie is free to continue her journey, now free from the Gorgon's illusion, she can make out a road, that presumably leads… well, somewhere, at least.
Janie dusts herself off, then walks further down the path.
as Janie walks along, she will notice that someone seems to be coming her way- someone dressed identically to her. When she gets closer, she'll notice that this other individual has the same colored hair as her. Finally, it occurs- this other person is Janie. It is as if she is walking towards a mirror.
The Place of Destiny. Janie has been here before, and more likely than not will come here again after this trip. She walks up to her mirror image, pausing two steps away and waits for it to offer a challenge.
«Auto-Judge[]» Janie (#4136) rolls Magic + Astral Pool: 8 vs TN 5 for "Soaking S stun.":
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 17 = 7 Successes
Janie's sudden frown and glower is reflected in her counterpart, and her arm twitches as both aspects vie for control. Slowly, inevitably, Janie loosens her fingers one by one until the dagger falls harmlessly to the ground.
«Auto-Judge[]» Darius (#9060) rolls 2:
2 3
And with that, Janie's other self seems to dissapear, so much dust on the wind, and the woman can press on, towards the light in the distance. It takes her what feels like days, but she eventually reaches a great marble hall, full of little statues. It is not long before she manages to find a likeness of Aphrodite clad in a luxorious robe- a physcal representation of the spell she is studying.
Janie exhales in relief as she realizes she has reached her destination, and reverently approaches the statue, reaching out to touch it…
And just as she touches it, she is snapped back into her physical form, with the knowledge she needs to elarn the spell.
Janie jolts awake with an audible gasp as she returns to the physical world, then exhales slowly and nods at Maximilian as she gets out of her chair, somewhat stiffly. "Thank ye f'r watchin' over me," she thanks the spirit.
|
