From d90098d5582c6fde5c011ebe6cc7114f7898c4cb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nanashi Kokoro Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:59:21 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] lots of changes nearly done --- .gitattributes | 2 + Characters/Domain Masters.txt | 698 ---------- Characters/LV1 Enemies.txt | 63 +- Characters/LV2 Enemies.txt | 94 +- Characters/LV3 Enemies.txt | 120 +- Characters/LV4 Enemies.txt | 128 +- Characters/LV5 Enemies.txt | 283 ----- Characters/LVX Enemies.txt | 310 ----- Characters/NPCs.txt | 63 +- Characters/Special Characters/Akarui.txt | 60 + .../Special Characters/Caelum-Starmaker.txt | 54 + .../Demense Masters/Aodaghan.txt | 61 + .../Demense Masters/Arledge.txt | 56 + .../Demense Masters/Cassius.txt | 56 + .../Demense Masters/Conroy.txt | 57 + .../Demense Masters/Corentin.txt | 60 + .../Demense Masters/Dorrin.txt | 57 + .../Demense Masters/Fulmo.txt | 60 + .../Demense Masters/Miranda.txt | 62 + .../Demense Masters/Thanatos.txt | 58 + .../Demense Masters/Tlaloc.txt | 59 + .../Demense Masters/Whittaker.txt | 64 + .../Demense Masters/Zahir.txt | 61 + Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-ACE.txt | 53 + Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-JACK.txt | 56 + Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-KING.txt | 53 + .../Special Characters/FACES/-QUEEN.txt | 54 + .../Special Characters/FACES/-RED-JOKER.txt | 55 + Characters/Special Characters/Jensen.txt | 55 + Characters/Special Characters/Nash-Zeroth.txt | 45 + Characters/Special Characters/Reggie.txt | 71 ++ .../{ => Special Characters}/Striker.txt | 0 Characters/Special Characters/Valeos.txt | 51 + Characters/Special Characters/Zeroth.txt | 41 + Demense/Demense-Black.txt | 132 -- Demense/Demense-Blue.txt | 178 --- Demense/Demense-Brown.txt | 162 --- Demense/Demense-Gray.txt | 166 --- Demense/Demense-Green.txt | 219 ---- Demense/Demense-Indigo.txt | 105 -- Demense/Demense-Orange.txt | 142 --- Demense/Demense-Pink.txt | 195 --- Demense/Demense-Red.txt | 173 --- Demense/Demense-Silver.txt | 99 -- Demense/Demense-Violet.txt | 169 --- Demense/Demense-White.txt | 192 --- Demense/Demense-Yellow.txt | 162 --- Mainline-Story/01 - Start.txt | 311 ----- Mainline-Story/03 - Interactions.txt | 425 ------- Mainline-Story/04 - Returns.txt | 1124 ----------------- Mainline-Story/05A - The Mole.txt | 96 -- .../05B - Meeting The First Face.txt | 301 ----- Mainline-Story/05C - The Crooked King.txt | 151 --- Mainline-Story/05D - Facing the Faces.txt | 324 ----- Mainline-Story/06 - Ending.txt | 278 ---- Mechanics/Buying-and-Selling.txt | 35 +- Mechanics/Items.txt | 156 +-- Mechanics/Magic.txt | 46 +- Mechanics/Regalia.txt | 325 ++--- Mechanics/Skills.txt | 219 ++-- Mechanics/Weapons.txt | 159 +++ ...24-12-02 12-50-16.01_19_08_53.Still004.tif | 3 + Media/Characters/barry-full.jpg | 3 + Media/Characters/barry-happy.jpg | 3 + Media/Characters/barry-head.png | 3 + Media/Characters/barry-lv1.png | 3 + Media/Characters/chimo-full.jpg | 3 + Media/Characters/chimo-head.png | 3 + Media/Characters/chimo-lv1.png | 3 + Media/Characters/chimo-v2.jpg | 3 + Media/Characters/ignis-dragonewt.png | 3 + Media/Characters/ignis-head.png | 3 + Media/Characters/ignis-lv1.png | 3 + Media/Characters/joseph-costume.jpg | 3 + Media/Characters/joseph-head.png | 3 + Media/Characters/joseph-lv1.png | 3 + Media/Characters/joseph-normal.png | 3 + Media/Characters/lucky.png | 3 + Media/Characters/sunny.png | 3 + Media/Images/Logo/fate-prism.png | 3 + Media/Images/Logo/fate-prism.tif | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Beach Boardwalk Mini.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Beach Boardwalk.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Desert Outside Mini.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Desert Outside.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Diadem City.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Farmland Start.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Forest Circle Mini.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Forest Circle.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Grasslands Entry Mini.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Grasslands Entry.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Graveyard Path Mini.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Graveyard Path.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Mountain Valley.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Ocean Island.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Satellite Lobby Mini.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Satellite Lobby.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Tundra Cabin.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Volcano Village.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/Volcano_Village_Mini.png | 3 + Media/Images/Maps/dirt-road.jpg | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/beetle-bind.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/chain.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/dagger.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/fist.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/grenade.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/indigo-star-chips.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/mini-fulton.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/mohka-verglas.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/pipe.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/pistol.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/rogue-mask.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/slingshot.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/sniper-rifle.png | 3 + Media/Weapons & Items/sword.png | 3 + Media/fate-sheet.png | 3 + Story/-GAMEPLAY GUIDELINE.txt | 36 + Story/01 - Start/Start.txt | 392 ++++++ .../02 - Interactions/-CITY_OF_DIADEM.txt | 2 +- Story/02 - Interactions/BANK.txt | 36 + Story/02 - Interactions/BIKE_SHOP.txt | 17 + Story/02 - Interactions/BLACKSMITH.txt | 35 + Story/02 - Interactions/BOOKSTORE.txt | 43 + Story/02 - Interactions/CAR_DEALERSHIP.txt | 23 + Story/02 - Interactions/ENCHANTER.txt | 31 + Story/02 - Interactions/GROCERY_STORE.txt | 16 + Story/02 - Interactions/GYM-NASTICS.txt | 72 ++ Story/02 - Interactions/HARDWARE_STORE.txt | 38 + .../HERBALIST_POTION-STORE.txt | 53 + Story/02 - Interactions/HOSPITAL.txt | 87 ++ .../HYDRO_ELECTRIC_GENERATOR.txt | 51 + Story/02 - Interactions/MALL.txt | 80 ++ Story/02 - Interactions/MECHANIC.txt | 10 + .../MOTORCYCLE_DEALERSHIP.txt | 38 + Story/02 - Interactions/MOVIE_THEATER.txt | 85 ++ Story/02 - Interactions/MUSIC_STORE.txt | 43 + Story/02 - Interactions/PET_STORE.txt | 49 + Story/02 - Interactions/POST OFFICE.txt | 9 + .../02 - Interactions/REAL-ESTATE-OFFICE.txt | 34 + Story/02 - Interactions/RESTAURANT.txt | 37 + .../THUNDER_FORCE_OFFICE.txt | 102 ++ Story/02 - Interactions/WEAPONS_STORE.txt | 42 + Story/03 - Demense/-Indigo-Demense.txt | 126 ++ Story/03 - Demense/Black-Demense.txt | 257 ++++ Story/03 - Demense/Blue-Demense.txt | 195 +++ Story/03 - Demense/Brown-Demense.txt | 286 +++++ Story/03 - Demense/Gray-Demense.txt | 236 ++++ Story/03 - Demense/Green-Demense.txt | 253 ++++ Story/03 - Demense/Orange-Demense.txt | 178 +++ Story/03 - Demense/Pink-Demense.txt | 269 ++++ Story/03 - Demense/Red-Demense.txt | 182 +++ Story/03 - Demense/Silver-Demense.txt | 175 +++ Story/03 - Demense/Violet-Demense.txt | 264 ++++ Story/03 - Demense/White-Demense.txt | 323 +++++ Story/03 - Demense/Yellow-Demense.txt | 260 ++++ Story/04 - The Mole/The Mole.txt | 116 ++ .../05 - The First F-ACE-/The First Face.txt | 411 ++++++ .../--OPTIONAL-TF-COMMANDERS.txt | 82 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/-BODYGUARDS.txt | 47 + Story/06 - Challenges/-CHILDREN.txt | 72 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/-COWBOYS.txt | 102 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/-JEKHYRA.txt | 47 + Story/06 - Challenges/-MORANA.txt | 15 + Story/06 - Challenges/-VILLI.txt | 54 + Story/06 - Challenges/Aodaghan.txt | 71 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/Arledge-or-Akarui.txt | 149 +++ Story/06 - Challenges/Cassius.txt | 182 +++ Story/06 - Challenges/Conroy.txt | 277 ++++ Story/06 - Challenges/Corentin.txt | 63 + Story/06 - Challenges/Dorrin.txt | 60 + Story/06 - Challenges/Fulmo.txt | 64 + Story/06 - Challenges/Miranda.txt | 90 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/Thanatos.txt | 103 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/Tlaloc.txt | 100 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/Whittaker.txt | 106 ++ Story/06 - Challenges/Zahir.txt | 115 ++ .../The Crooked King.txt | 196 +++ Story/08 - The Faces/The Faces.txt | 431 +++++++ Story/09 - The Ending/The Ending.txt | 556 ++++++++ 179 files changed, 10332 insertions(+), 6971 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 Characters/Domain Masters.txt delete mode 100644 Characters/LV5 Enemies.txt delete mode 100644 Characters/LVX Enemies.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Akarui.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Caelum-Starmaker.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Aodaghan.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Arledge.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Cassius.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Conroy.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Corentin.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Dorrin.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Fulmo.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Miranda.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Thanatos.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Tlaloc.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Whittaker.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Zahir.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-ACE.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-JACK.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-KING.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-QUEEN.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-RED-JOKER.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Jensen.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Nash-Zeroth.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Reggie.txt rename Characters/{ => Special Characters}/Striker.txt (100%) create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Valeos.txt create mode 100644 Characters/Special Characters/Zeroth.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Black.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Blue.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Brown.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Gray.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Green.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Indigo.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Orange.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Pink.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Red.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Silver.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Violet.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-White.txt delete mode 100644 Demense/Demense-Yellow.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/01 - Start.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/03 - Interactions.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/04 - Returns.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/05A - The Mole.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/05B - Meeting The First Face.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/05C - The Crooked King.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/05D - Facing the Faces.txt delete mode 100644 Mainline-Story/06 - Ending.txt create mode 100644 Mechanics/Weapons.txt create mode 100644 Media/2024-12-02 12-50-16.01_19_08_53.Still004.tif create mode 100644 Media/Characters/barry-full.jpg create mode 100644 Media/Characters/barry-happy.jpg create mode 100644 Media/Characters/barry-head.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/barry-lv1.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/chimo-full.jpg create mode 100644 Media/Characters/chimo-head.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/chimo-lv1.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/chimo-v2.jpg create mode 100644 Media/Characters/ignis-dragonewt.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/ignis-head.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/ignis-lv1.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/joseph-costume.jpg create mode 100644 Media/Characters/joseph-head.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/joseph-lv1.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/joseph-normal.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/lucky.png create mode 100644 Media/Characters/sunny.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Logo/fate-prism.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Logo/fate-prism.tif create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Beach Boardwalk Mini.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Beach Boardwalk.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Desert Outside Mini.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Desert Outside.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Diadem City.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Farmland Start.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Forest Circle Mini.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Forest Circle.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Grasslands Entry Mini.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Grasslands Entry.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Graveyard Path Mini.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Graveyard Path.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Mountain Valley.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Ocean Island.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Satellite Lobby Mini.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Satellite Lobby.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Tundra Cabin.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Volcano Village.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/Volcano_Village_Mini.png create mode 100644 Media/Images/Maps/dirt-road.jpg create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/beetle-bind.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/chain.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/dagger.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/fist.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/grenade.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/indigo-star-chips.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/mini-fulton.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/mohka-verglas.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/pipe.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/pistol.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/rogue-mask.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/slingshot.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/sniper-rifle.png create mode 100644 Media/Weapons & Items/sword.png create mode 100644 Media/fate-sheet.png create mode 100644 Story/-GAMEPLAY GUIDELINE.txt create mode 100644 Story/01 - Start/Start.txt rename Mainline-Story/02 - In Town.txt => Story/02 - Interactions/-CITY_OF_DIADEM.txt (92%) create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/BANK.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/BIKE_SHOP.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/BLACKSMITH.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/BOOKSTORE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/CAR_DEALERSHIP.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/ENCHANTER.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/GROCERY_STORE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/GYM-NASTICS.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/HARDWARE_STORE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/HERBALIST_POTION-STORE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/HOSPITAL.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/HYDRO_ELECTRIC_GENERATOR.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/MALL.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/MECHANIC.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/MOTORCYCLE_DEALERSHIP.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/MOVIE_THEATER.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/MUSIC_STORE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/PET_STORE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/POST OFFICE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/REAL-ESTATE-OFFICE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/RESTAURANT.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/THUNDER_FORCE_OFFICE.txt create mode 100644 Story/02 - Interactions/WEAPONS_STORE.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/-Indigo-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Black-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Blue-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Brown-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Gray-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Green-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Orange-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Pink-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Red-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Silver-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Violet-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/White-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/03 - Demense/Yellow-Demense.txt create mode 100644 Story/04 - The Mole/The Mole.txt create mode 100644 Story/05 - The First F-ACE-/The First Face.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/--OPTIONAL-TF-COMMANDERS.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/-BODYGUARDS.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/-CHILDREN.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/-COWBOYS.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/-JEKHYRA.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/-MORANA.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/-VILLI.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Aodaghan.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Arledge-or-Akarui.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Cassius.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Conroy.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Corentin.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Dorrin.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Fulmo.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Miranda.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Thanatos.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Tlaloc.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Whittaker.txt create mode 100644 Story/06 - Challenges/Zahir.txt create mode 100644 Story/07 - The Crooked King/The Crooked King.txt create mode 100644 Story/08 - The Faces/The Faces.txt create mode 100644 Story/09 - The Ending/The Ending.txt diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes index d942d6c..e40fe74 100644 --- a/.gitattributes +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -26,3 +26,5 @@ *.exr filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text *.pdf filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text *.odt filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text +*.flac filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text +*.mp3 filter=lfs diff=lfs merge=lfs -text diff --git a/Characters/Domain Masters.txt b/Characters/Domain Masters.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9d23c42..0000000 --- a/Characters/Domain Masters.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,698 +0,0 @@ -The DEMENSE MASTERS are the guardians of the twelve REGALIA. Despite the shared title, they are all different in personality, fighting style, and... well, they're all excessively distinct people for a myriad of reasons. - -One thing they all share is they specialize and are essentially embodied by one element of magic -- They are exceedingly dangerous to be around for that reason alone, and unless you REALLY want those Regalia, should be avoided at all costs - ------ - -Aodaghan Panthrandu -Species: Avian / Phoenix - -The personification of "pissed off", this six foot two bird man has a jet black beak that matches his waist-length tied-back black hair, piercing crimson eyes, and a dark red feathered physique that is well kept but still lithe to allow his gorgeous red, orange, and yellow wings to carry him through the air. His arms are separated from his wings, and at the end of his legs below his forward bending knees is a pair of deep yellow avian feet. - -He normally either wears a fireproof smithing apron & black slacks, or a combat outfit of a knee-length red longcoat bound by small chains across the chest paired with heavy black combat boots. His weapon of choice is a six foot long two foot wide two-handed wavy sword, adorned with a phoenix on the hilt. While he is very much a fan of cutting his enemies down, he has a "habit" of striking with the flat side more often than the blade. "Oops." - -He has a quick temper and is not afraid to fight anything or anyone that steps out of line. The only thing that quells that heated temperament seems to be trips to the hot springs, the local forge, or any environment with a heat stronger than his own. - -LIKES: Physical training, Hot summer days, Working the forge -DISLIKES: Cold weather, YOU. - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 2 - -+5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE -+4 MANA ATHLETICS -+3 CRAFT WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 RESOURCES - -SPELLS -- LV0 PYRO -- LV1 TORCH -- LV2 FLAMETHROWER -- LV3 FIREBALL -- LV4 TAVROS -- LV5 PHOENIX - -IMMUNE : FIRE -RESIST : LIGHTNING WIND -WEAK : WATER - -FLIGHT (Phoenix Wings) -- Pay 1 MVMT : You are hovering over one "ZONE" over the BATTLEZONE -- You move 1 ZONE per MVMT over the other characters, same as normal MVMT -- Cannot ATTACK with, or be ATTACKED by, FIGHT weapons that are not REACH or THROWING -- Any HIT will knock you to the ground until you reactivate FLIGHT - -NATURAL WEAPONS (Clawed feet) -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -SECOND SWING -- Once/Turn : You can attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV - -NICE TRY -- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): -- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY -- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again - -OVERHEATED ASSAULT -- FIGHT ATTACKS with a two-handed weapon hit all TARGETS in ZONE -- If in FLIGHT, you must GROUND yourself as part of the ATTACK, and will gain +1DMG on HIT/MATCH - -PHOENIX FLARE (once/fight) -At 0HP; -- Recover ALL HP -- All FIRE spells gain 1DMG -- All AFTERBURN dealt is doubled - ------ - -Conroy Kaksteist -Species : Feline / Sabertooth Tiger -A curious lover of all things knowledge, his wide merrigold tiger eyes are barely obscured by a pair of black rimmed glasses. His messy black hair is tied back in a loose ponytail, making are to avoid his small round cat ears atop his head. - -He is usually seen wearing a long white coat, reminiscent of a doctor or lab worker, trimmed in some black knotworking all the way down the front, barely obscuring his black knitted shirt and deep red pants underneath. He also rarely wears shoes, preferring the cool floor under his feet. He has no weapon of choice, but when combat is required, he will often don a strange orange stone buckler shield he pulls from his lab. - -He is easily distracted by his innate curiosity, and prefers to read a good book or take a catnap somewhere comfortable, but most of all he enjoys putting his massive knowledge to work whenever he can and help everyone who needs or asks for his aid. - -LIKES: Reading, organizing, teaching -DISLIKES: Outdoor weather, too much chaos - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 - -+5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS PHYSIQUE -+4 DRIVE MANA -+3 INVESTIGATE WILL -+2 NOTICE -+1 FIGHT - -SPELLS -- LV0 CHRONO -- LV1 TIME OUT -- LV2 TIME STREAM -- LV3 TIMEZONE -- LV4 YO'LBARS -- LV5 SMILODON - -IMMUNE: TIME -RESIST: DEATH WIND -WEAK: SPACE - -ADVANCED AWARENESS -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS - -INVENTORY INSIGHT -- Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying - -NATURAL WEAPON (Tiger Claws) -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -SANDS OF TIME -- ITEM: Summons a sand clone of a character from the party at a prior LV - -REWIND -- REACTION: move to any ZONE touched on the prior turn -- Auto cancels incoming ATTACK action if it TARGETs or moves out of range - -HISTORY LESSON (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Replace self with LV5 TIME IDOL SUMMON until it hits 0HP -- Summon has DOUBLE HP -- Summon has UNLIMITED spell use - ------ - -Zahir Onlarla -Species: Insect / Honeybee - -A sunspot of smiles and celebration, this active little guy strives to spread joy in any way he can. His almond colored eyes draw attention to his messy golden blonde hair, billowing around his somewhat insectoid face and making his two small antennae atop his head even more obvious. - -He is usually seen wearing some form of black and yellow clothing, either a casual kilt-like ensemble looking like it was made of a giant flower or a more formal soldier-style for serious occasions. Either way, his weapon of choice is his black and yellow gauntlets that flow right into the whole outfit, and almost obscure his second set of arms. - -You rarely see him without a smile, as he believes joy to be its own religion that should be shared and spread openly to anyone who needs or wants it. If he is ever NOT smiling, people know the situation is serious, but it doesn't take much to being that smiling personality back. - -LIKES: Dancing, Music, Sunny days -DISLIKES: Quiet rooms, dark places - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 2 - -+5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS PHYSIQUE -+4 FIGHT MANA -+3 DRIVE WILL -+2 RAPPORT -+1 CONTACTS - -SPELLS -- LV0 HOLY -- LV1 SHINING RAY -- LV2 SOLARBEAM -- LV3 SHIMMERING BURST -- LV4 AILBHEAN -- LV5 AH-MUZEN-CAB - -IMMUNE : LIGHT -RESIST : LIGHTNING LIFE -WEAK : DARKNESS - -HELPING HAND -- REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK - -NATURAL WEAPON (Bee Stinger) -- You can make a 2DMG Melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -AWKWARD AERODYNAMICS -- You hover over the ground rather than truly fly, but otherwise do not gain the normal benefits of flight -- All HITS received from spells and THROWN potions do 1 less DMG - -OVERENTHUSIASM -- Every PLUS on your FIGHT ROLL with EMPTY HANDED or NATURAL WEAPON strikes deals 1 extra DMG - -FLURRY OF STINGS (once per turn) -- Can FIGHT ATTACK a number of times equal to FIGHT score per ATTACK ACTION -- Can only use NATURAL WEAPON or INFUSED FISTS as weapons - -SHINING SWARM (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Create duplicates equal to the number of party members -- Each clone is placed in the same zone as a player -- Same current HP, MP, and abilities each -- There is no 'real one,' last one standing is the 'real one' - ------ - -Corentin Tasnyak -Species: Reptile / Winged Serpent - -A quiet and meditative person, he prefers the company of the open wind and silence to anyone or anything in particular. His emerald green serpent eyes are partly hidden behind a windswept head of green locks, barely distinct in hue against his forest green scale pattern. - -His preferred method of dress is either a japanese-style casual wear kimono with depictions of the overhead cloudy sky, or a more regal style of green leather armor etched in Aztec knotworking all across his arms and chest piece. Either way, his preferred weapon is an artistically gorgeous long bow designed for long range attacks and heavy impacts. - -This man is all about finding serenity in the world around him.. He finds clean air soothing, and silent winds energizing, but has recently come to appreciate how certain melodies tickle the soundwaves pleasantly. Otherwise, you will often find him drinking cups of homemade tea, made of plants from his own garden. - -LIKES: Rhythmic music, Archery, Tea -DISLIKES: Smoking, White noise - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 2 -+5 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE SHOOT -+4 ATHLETICS MANA -+3 CRAFT WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 NOTICE - -SPELLS -- LV0 AERO -- LV1 AIRBLAST -- LV2 DOWNBURST -- LV3 TORNADO -- LV4 MALFINI -- LV5 QUETZALCOATL - -IMMUNE : WIND -RESIST : TIME FIRE -WEAK : EARTH - -ADVANCED AWARENESS x2 -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to 2 MINUS to PLUS - -GLIDE (Reptilian wings) -- You can move 2 spaces per point of MVMT each turn - -NICE TRY -- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): -- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY -- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again - -SUPERCELL SHOT -- All SHOOT ATTACKS with a bow can hit two targets, so long as both are 2+ ZONES away - -TLACOCHTLI BARRAGE (1MP) -- Make one SHOOT attack roll vs ALL TARGETS on the BATTLEZONE using self-generated magical air darts, each dealing 1DMG + LIFTOFF on a HIT - -MASK OF MIXCOATL (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Recover all HP -- For the rest of the fight, all SHOOT & THROWING attempts at you are made at DISADV - ------ - -Dorrin Dodici -Species: Fish / Bull Shark - -Always seeming to have a tear in his eye, this hulking mass of muscle stands at 6 foot 5 vertically, and not too differently horizontally. He has no hair to speak of, instead preferring to wear some form of hat, making his deep ocean blue eyes his most striking facial feature. - -His body is built with muscle on muscle, and is either easily viewable when he swims shirtless or is barely contained within one of his double breasted mafioso style Italian suits, usually tailored to match his hat. His weapon of choice is a massive fishing harpoon covered in notchwork to resemble the shark that holds it, and his precision with his throws is terrifying. - -This walking talking tank of stoicism is difficult to read emotionally. He spends his time fishing, swimming, or speaking highly of his adopted daughter, but otherwise is very quiet. However, when situations get serious, he is always first and foremost ready to either outsmart his opponent, or outfight them. - -LIKES: Big Game Fishing, Swimming, His Daughter -DISLIKES: Extreme Hot & Cold weather - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 1 - -+5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE -+4 ATHLETICS MANA -+3 INVESTIGATE WILL -+2 EMPATHY -+1 CONTACTS - -SPELLS -- LV0 HYDRO -- LV1 AQUA JET -- LV2 TIDAL WAVE -- LV3 GEYSER -- LV4 IHLENGESI -- LV5 UKUPANIPO - -IMMUNE : WATER -RESIST : ICE EARTH -WEAK : FIRE - -INVENTORY INSIGHT -- Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying - -NATURAL WEAPON (Shark Bite) -- You can make a 2DMG Melee ATTACK without a weapon - -SWIM SPEED -- You can move 2 spaces per MVMT while in water - -MINCOPIE MAGIC -- All WATER spells are treated as THROWN WEAPONS, shaped as water harpoons, and will all do 2DMG per HIT, regardless of SPELL LV - -CRASHING WAVE -- One FIGHT roll with a THROWN WEAPON hits all ZONES in a row, even diagonal - -HURLY BURLY OCEAN (once/fight) -At 0HP: -- Recover ALL HP -- For the rest of the fight, you gain NATURAL WEAPON (Fists) x2 -- *You can make a 2DMG Melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED* -- *These do not suffer DUAL WEILD's DISADV* -- *These Fists are permanently INFUSED with HYDRO* - ------- - -Arledge Tannifila -Species: Rabbit / English Lop - -An adorer of animals big and small, this effeminate cowboy bunny has strikingly vibrant indigo eyes beneath a short head of light purple hair and an adorable black nose, which wiggles when he smells something he likes. Due to his long loopy ears hanging behind him, he finds hats difficult to wear, instead letting his cowboy hat rest against his back by his neck. - -He usually wears simple clothes, his favorite being form-fitting jeans and a dark purple shirt, and he prefers to not wear shoes if he can avoid it. He is a stalwart pacifist, preferring to not fight under any circumstances, but is not afraid to help those in need by giving g a quick boost in energy or patching up a wound. - -This bun is a hard worker, helping to run any and all animal and plant farms he can volunteer for. Seeming to never run out of energy, he is known far and wide as one of the most generous, selfless, and helpful people anyone has ever known. - -Likes: Animals, forests, fruits & veggies -Dislikes: Large cities, wasteful people - -HP 35 | MP 30 | MVMT 2 - -+5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS PHYSIQUE -+4 MANA RAPPORT -+3 EMPATHY WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 CONTACTS - -SPELLS -- LV0 CURE -- LV1 HARMONIZE -- LV2 RESTORE -- LV3 MIRACLE -- LV4 HAZON'AINA -- LV5 TU'ER YE - -IMMUNE : LIFE -RESIST : LIGHT SPACE -WEAK : DEATH - -HELPING HAND -- Once/Round : REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK - -GOT YOUR BACK -- Once/Round : REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a PLUS - -POWERFUL LEGS -- During your turn, you can either: -- (1) Increase your MVMT by 1 -- (2) Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a BLANK - -BOUNTY OF NATURE -- LV4 summons call 2 creatures per cast - -NOBLE SACRIFICE (once per round) -- REACTION: Can use SELF or SUMMON to intercept any HIT in place of another - -BOON OF PACIFISM (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Recover all HP and MP -- Cannot use any ATTACK action next turn - ------ - -Miranda Baarah -Species: Chimera / Gryphon -An enthusiastic romantic, her brown eyes are framed perfectly from inside her trimmed neck-length deep brown hair (framed around her lengthy cat ears), her chocolate brown lips always in a playful smirk, and her well-kept neck plumage. - -Her preferred manner of dress is either none, or a brand new outfit she will handmake in preparation for each situation. Her ensemble also always comes with a place for her whip, of which earned her the title as a 'sadist,' among others. - -Her personality is a split between a flirty performer and a hungry predator, and its hard to see where one ends and the other begins. She loves making eye-catchjng clothing g for others to wear so they can catch the attention of the ones they deserve, but is also not afraid to seek out those people for her own fun. - -Likes: Making clothes, music, sex -Dislikes: being alone, quiet - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 2 - -+5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE -+4 ATHLETICS MANA -+3 CRAFT WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 CONTACTS - -SPELLS -- LV0 STELLAR -- LV1 METEOROID -- LV2 STAR SHOWER -- LV3 GRAVITY WELL -- LV4 CON SU TU -- LV5 GRYPHUS - -IMMUNE : SPACE -RESIST : LIFE EARTH -WEAK : TIME - -FLIGHT (Gryphon Wings) -- Pay 1 MVMT : You are hovering over one "ZONE" over the BATTLEZONE -- You move 1 ZONE per MVMT over the other characters, same as normal MVMT -- Cannot ATTACK with, or be ATTACKED by, FIGHT weapons that are not REACH or THROWING -- Any HIT will knock you to the ground until you reactivate FLIGHT - -NATURAL WEAPONS (Lion Claws) x2 -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -NICE TRY -- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): -- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY -- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again - -ASTEROID BELTING (Once/Turn) -- REACH weapons can attack TWICE per FIGHT action without penalty - -SODOMASOCHISM -- Any HIT/MATCH you do with a weapon heals 1HP per instance of STARSTRUCK the opponent has (cannot exceed MAX HP) - -FATAL ATTRACTION (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Recover HP equal to current MP -- Choose one ZONE to create a black hole -- *Anyone starting their turn in that ZONE takes 1 SPACE DMG* -- *Every turn from there, that ZONE's range expands by 1 row of adjacent ZONES, and the center ZONE's DMG is increased by 1* - ------ - -Whittaker Tormet'i -Species: Deer / Reindeer - -A very skiddish little guy, he is only six feet tall if you count his antlers. His light mocha colored eyes are a perfect match against his light brown fur against his face, his short almost-white locks an almost perfect match against his fur and boney antlers. - -His usual manner if dress is either a long black sweater with white trimming and matching ugg boots, or an outfit comprised of an all white sleeveless tee, jean shorts, and arm & leg warmers to obscure his hands and foothooves so people can't see what he plans to use. Aside from tools he can generate on the fly made of ice, he also carries a white ninjato shortsword as his preferred weapon. - -He is an extremely timid person when it comes to people, and it comes from the end result of nearly every adult he's interacted with recently treating him horribly. The only people he is not afraid of at this point are children, and the one woman that treated him with kindness when he needed it most. - -Likes: Snowy days, ice skating, snowball fights -Dislikes: Summer heat, too much attention - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 - -+5 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE STEALTH -+4 MANA NOTICE -+3 CRAFT WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 EMPATHY - -SPELLS -- LV0 FROST -- LV1 CHILL BURST -- LV2 ICE SPIKES -- LV3 HAILSTORM -- LV4 BELIY MEDVED -- LV5 PERYTON - -IMMUNE : ICE -RESIST : DARKNESS WATER -WEAK : LIGHTNING - -ADVANCED AWARENESS x2 -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to 2 MINUS to PLUS - -NATURAL WEAPON (Antlers) -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -NICE TRY -- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): -- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY -- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again - -ICICLONE JUTSU (1MP) -- ITEM: CRAFT roll to create -- (1) An equal number of ICE STATUES on the BATTLEZONE (destroyed after one HIT) -- (2) Double that number of ICE KUNAI in your inventory (1DMG) (throwing) (dual-weild) - -SNOWBLIND SUBSTITUTION -- Can swap places with one ICE ITEM on the BATTLEZONE per point of MVMT -- Can be used as REACTION - -SNOW ANGEL (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Recover HP equal to your current MP -- You gain the stunt FLIGHT (Peryton Wings) -- All ICE STATUES you summon are now animated & controllable, and gain the 2 ICE KUNAI instead of you on summon -- THESE STATUES CANNOT USE FLIGHT -- You cannot use ATTACK ACTION for rest of fight - ------ - -Fulmo 'Burrasca' Uncial -Species: Procyon / Raccoon - -Calm and cool headed at all times, his gray eyes sit perfectly behind a pair of sunglasses against his grayed out face surrounded by ainterchanging rings of black and silver. His hair, an electric silver, is perfectly neat and trimmed between his long pointed ears. - -When he is not wearing his trademark judge's robe, his preferred manner of dress is a simple set of black clothes, mainly cargo pants and a tee shirt under a denim longcoat. His preferred weapon of style is a pair of revolvers, when he isn't using his overwhelming speed. - -Much like his peculiar fur pattern is so specifically colored, he always sees the world as black and white in terms of right and wrong. Blunt and honest to a fault, he is always charged up to deliver the clearest and most appropriate punishment to those on the wrong side of the law. The only thing more precise than his world views are his gunslinger skills. - -Likes: Stormy days, target practice, the law -Dislikes: Wishy-washy people - -HP 35 | MP 30 | MVMT 2 - -+5 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE SHOOT -+4 ATHLETICS NOTICE -+3 MANA WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 FIGHT - -SPELLS -- LV0 STATIC -- LV1 THUNDERCLAP -- LV2 LIGHTNINGBOLT -- LV3 PLASMA WALL -- LV4 BINESI -- LV5 AZEBAN - -IMMUNE : LIGHTNING -RESIST : FIRE LIGHT -WEAK : ICE - -ADVANCED AWARENESS x2 -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to 2 MINUS to PLUS - -SWIM SPEED -- You can move 2 spaces per MVMT while in water - -CIVIL RETURN -Before using ATTACK or ITEM, you can pull a RANDOM weapon/item and use it -- Anything used follows the same ATTACK/ITEM rules they normally follow -- Any item pulled from this can be THROWN, regardless of item specifics -- Anything used here is only usable for one turn, and will be dropped after - -BULLET STORM (1MP) -- You can shoot FOUR targets per SHOOT action if using DUAL-WEILD -- This ability does not detract extra ammo from RELOAD score -- The first two ROLLS are made normal, and the last two are made at ADV/DISADV - -STATIC STEP -- Can move anywhere on BATTLEZONE each MVMT instead of one ZONE at a time -- Can use as REACTION (will cancel any TARGET ATTACK automatically) - -THUNDER FORCE (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Recover HP equal to current MP -- For the rest of the fight, all normal SHOOT rolls are at ADV -- For the rest of the fight, all SHOOT rolls at DISADV are NORMAL - ------ - -Thanatos Ondogon -Species: Canine / Gray Wolf - -Sulky and creepy by nature, he tends to keep to himself more often than not, but does welcome social interaction during moments of importance and ceremonies. His jade green eyes offset his deep gray face perfectly and attract plenty of attention against his otherwise colorless fur, aside from his platinum silver head of hair. - -His normal manner of dress is something religiously designed such as a pastor's robe or simple black dress clothes, choosing to bleed the colorlessness into every aspect of his overall appearance. But when the situation calls for a more serious overtone, he will don a VERY thick cloak to obscure himself entirely, which leads to VERY obvious conclusions based on his choice of weapon. - -He spends most of his time tending to the graveyard he lives in and around. Digging holes, cleaning headstones, passing out flowers, heading ceremonies for the dearly departed, and on occasion he will even be seen hosting more positive and fun parties. Combining his emphatic voice with any instrument sets a perfect tone for storytelling during ghost story nights. - -Likes: Full moons, repairing instruments, yoga -Dislikes: Daytime, vegetables - -HP 35 | MP 30 | MVMT 3 - -+5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE -+4 ATHLETICS DRIVE -+3 MANA WILL -+2 RAPPORT -+1 CONTACTS - -SPELLS -- LV0 NECRO -- LV1 WITHER -- LV2 TERRORIZE -- LV3 BLIGHT -- LV4 BUFNITA -- LV5 WEPWAWET - -IMMUNE : DEATH -RESIST : DARKNESS TIME -WEAK : LIFE - -HELPING HAND -- Once/Round : REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK - -POWERFUL LEGS -- During your turn, you can either: -- (1) Increase your MVMT by 1 -- (2) Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a BLANK - -INDELIBLE HOWL -- Make a FIGHT attack roll against all ENEMIES in a PLUS shaped formation of ZONES, centered on yours -- Anyone HIT in the nearby four ZONES takes 1DMG -- Anyone HIT in the center ZONE takes 2DMG + has DISADV on all non-ACADEMICS rolls until PLAYER's next turn - -ABUNDANT HARVEST (Once/Turn) -- Upon CRIT HIT with a TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapon, move to a nearby ZONE & immediately make a FIGHT roll with the same weapon for free - -ORCUS' ORDER -- Make an ATTACK with a TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapon in a 5-ZONE C-shape sweep, attacking all characters in those 5 ZONES - -PALE RIDER (once/fight) -- At 0HP: -- Recover all HP -- For the rest of the fight, you can move to any ZONE per point of MVMT -- You gain the feat PESTILENCE -- *(After any HIT, you can remove all instances of DREAD from any/all ENEMIES, and deals 1DMG per instance)* - ------ - -Cassius Summus -Species: Vulpes/ black fox -Cold and uncaring as can be, his midnight yellow eyes are surrounded by an ocean of black fur and hair that reaches to his waist, his fennec-like ears the only distinguishing feature against him. - -Ironically, his preferred manner of dress is the opposite, being a white dress shirt with thin billowing wrists and a pair of gray pants, likely to ensure his opponent has at least a small chance to prove their worth. His preferred weapon is a curvy long dagger, just as dark as he is in hue. - -Noone is entirely sure what his deal is, but he genuinely prefers to be alone and have zero interaction with others. What little we DO know about him is he is as emotionally empty as the black magic he uses, showing no care or remorse for others in any context. - -Likes: -Dislikes: - -HP 35 | MP 30 | MVMT 3 - -+5 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE STEALTH -+4 BURGLARY DRIVE -+3 MANA WILL -+2 NOTICE -+1 DECEIVE - -SPELLS -- LV0 STYGIAN -- LV1 SHADOW STRIKE -- LV2 NIGHT WAVE -- LV3 BLACKOUT -- LV4 PILINDIR -- LV5 NOGITSUNE - -IMMUNE: DARKNESS -RESIST: DEATH ICE -WEAK: LIGHT - -ADVANCED AWARENESS -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS - -DEFT THEFT x2 -- Twice/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE - -SHADOW STRIKE -- Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that target on YOUR next turn - -ASSASSINATION -- You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON - -TENEBROSITY -- Upon an enemy CRIT MISS, can make one ATTACK vs that TARGET for free - -HEART OF DARKNESS (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less; -- For the rest of the fight, every HIT received will only do 1DMG -- For the rest of the fight, you get ADV on all STEALTH rolls - ------ - -Tlaloc Dhjetëra -Species: Manidae / Ground Pangolin - -Not necessarily the brightest light in the room, this behemoth of a man is coated in deep brown rocky scales from around his face back and down, drawing attention to his deep stony brown eyes and goofy smile, which of course means he has no true hair. Unless you count his headscales. - -Clothing is difficult for him, so he mainly sticks to a loincloth, but he DOES have a preferred style of a gown-like toga he can essentially strap onto himself. His weapon of choice is moreso his body, which swings slow but strikes hard, and the tree trunk attached to a rock he "affectionately" calls a warhammer. - -He appears dimwitted and unfocused, but many have taken note of his surprising artistic talent, his more than competent combat skills, AND his keen sense for digging up unique rocks and ores, leading many to think he is smarter than he lets on. - -Likes: drawing, exercising, geology -Dislikes: mean people - -HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 - -+5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE -+4 MANA DRIVE -+3 WILL RAPPORT -+2 CONTACTS -+1 EMPATHY - -SPELLS -- LV0 STONE -- LV1 ROCK WAVE -- LV2 BOULDER ROLL -- LV3 TECTONIC SHIFT -- LV4 BERBEC -- LV5 HIAE MOZA - -IMMUNE: EARTH -RESIST: SPACE WATER -WEAK: WIND - -HELPING HAND -- REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK - -SECOND SWING -- Once/Turn : You can attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV - -TERRA FIRMA -- Any HIT received is guaranteed, but DMG is halved (rounded down) - -SEISMIC STRIKES -- Any FIGHT roll with a WEAPON is at DISADV, but DMG is doubled - -BOULDER BODY (once/turn) -- Can combine MVMT with FIGHT roll, and ATTACK all PLAYERS in every ZONE he enters, using self as WEAPON & using FIGHT score for base DMG - -SIDEARM LANDSLIDE (once/fight) -- At 10HP or less: -- Recover HP equal to current MP -- Make a number of THROWN FIGHT ATTACKS equal to the number of HITS received -- *These are treated as 1DMG INFUSED projectiles (made of scales from your body)* -- *If any MAGIC attacks HIT, the STATUS of those spells is contained in the projectiles* \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/LV1 Enemies.txt b/Characters/LV1 Enemies.txt index fd84947..9ab41c2 100644 --- a/Characters/LV1 Enemies.txt +++ b/Characters/LV1 Enemies.txt @@ -1,36 +1,34 @@ -# The Renegades -A group of freedom fighters made up of random looters, property damage enthusiasts, and people whom just enjoy causing misery. They do not enjoy the idea of being stuck in a giant biodome and want nothing more than to be allowed to leave, but since they are denied that which they consider a "basic freedom," they want to make everyone around them as miserable as they are. - -## THE LV1 ENEMIES, AKA "GRUNTS" -These guys look like normally dressed people, if not a little "thuggish" due to the weapons and items they're carrying. +FIGHTER -MELEE - -HP 20 | MP 0 | MVMT 1 +20 HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT ++5 ++4 +3 FIGHT +2 ATHLETICS PHYSIQUE -+1 DECEIVE EMPATHY PROVOKE ++1 DRIVE NOTICE PROVOKE INVENTORY - Iron Pipe x2 - Iron Chains x2 - Magic Shield (10MP) + - HP Potion SML - 25z > REACTION : Magic Shield ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- MAGE -HP 15 | MP 20 | MVMT 1 +HP 10 | MP 20 | MVMT 1 ++5 ++4 +3 ACADEMICS +2 MANA NOTICE -+1 ATHLETICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE ++1 ATHLETICS CRAFTS DRIVE INVENTORY -- Dagger x4 - MP Potion SML x2 - (Color) Potion SML x2 - 25z @@ -42,14 +40,16 @@ SPELLS > During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- RANGER -HP 15 | MP 0 | MVMT 2 +HP 10 | MP 0 | MVMT 2 ++5 ++4 +3 SHOOT +2 ATHLETICS DRIVE -+1 NOTICE PHYSIQUE WILL ++1 CRAFTS INVESTIGATE WILL INVENTORY - Slingshot @@ -60,43 +60,48 @@ INVENTORY > RESIST : YELLOW ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ROGUE -HP 15 | MP 0 | MVMT 2 +HP 10 | MP 0 | MVMT 2 ++5 ++4 +3 STEALTH +2 BURGLARY DRIVE -+1 CONTACTS PHYSIQUE WILL ++1 DECEIVE RESOURCES WILL INVENTORY -- Dagger x4 +- Sword (2DMG) +- Dagger x4 (1DMG) + - HP Potion SML - 25z > RESIST : PINK > Once/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE + +> Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that TARGET on your next turn ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- SUPPORT -HP 15 | MP 0 | 1 MVMT -+3 INVESTIGATE -+2 RAPPORT RESOURCES -+1 ATHLETICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE +HP 15 | MP 0 | 2 MVMT ++5 ++4 ++3 ATHLETICS ++2 DRIVE RAPPORT ++1 PHYSIQUE RESOURCES SHOOT INVENTORY - Baseball Bat x2 - Dagger x12 - Grenades x2 + - War Banner - HP Potion SML x4 - MP Potion SML - 50z -> Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying - > Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK - -> Once/Turn: Pay 1 MVMT; RESOURCES roll to loot for money, potions, weapons, or other relevant items from Defeated Enemy in same ZONE \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/LV2 Enemies.txt b/Characters/LV2 Enemies.txt index 124c88e..4895cae 100644 --- a/Characters/LV2 Enemies.txt +++ b/Characters/LV2 Enemies.txt @@ -1,47 +1,48 @@ -# The Renegades -A group of freedom fighters made up of random looters, property damage enthusiasts, and people whom just enjoy causing misery. They do not enjoy the idea of being stuck in a giant biodome and want nothing more than to be allowed to leave, but since they are denied that which they consider a "basic freedom," they want to make everyone around them as miserable as they are. - -LV2 SOLDIER -These guys look similar to the prior ones, but look a little cleaner all around. Actual weapons in hand, a bit stronger looking, and definitely better organized. - FIGHTER -20HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT +20 HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT ++5 +4 FIGHT +3 ATHLETICS +2 DRIVE PHYSIQUE -+1 EMPATHY PROVOKE ++1 ACADEMICS NOTICE PROVOKE INVENTORY - GREEN Ring -- Gold sword -- Sword -- Spear + +- Gold Sword (2DMG) +- Sword (2DMG) +- Spear (2DMG) - Magic Shield (10MP) + - HP Potion MED - MP Potion SML - 50z + +> RESIST: GREEN + +> REACTION : Magic Shield -> Can counter DECEIVE roll with EMPATHY roll - ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- MAGE -15HP | 30MP | 2 MVMT +10 HP | 30MP | 2 MVMT ++5 +4 ACADEMICS +3 MANA -+2 ATHLETICS DRIVE -+1 SHOOT PHYSIQUE ++2 NOTICE DRIVE ++1 ATHLETICS CRAFTS WILL INVENTORY - BLUE Ring - PINK Ring -- Light Crossbow x2 -- 10 2DMG Ammo + - MP Potion MED - (Color) Potion MED - 50z + +> RESIST: ORANGE BLUE PINK SPELLS - LV4 RED @@ -49,46 +50,54 @@ SPELLS - LV2 GREEN BLUE GOLD - LV1 YELLOW BLACK WHITE GOLD ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- RANGER -15HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT +10HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT ++5 +4 SHOOT -+3 ATHLETICS ++3 ATHLETICS +2 DRIVE WILL -+1 NOTICE PHYSIQUE ++1 ACADEMICS CRAFTS INVESTIGATE INVENTORY - WHITE Ring + - Pistol x2 -- 10 Pistol Ammo x2 +- 2DMG Ammo x20 - Handaxe x2 - HP Potion MED - (Color) Potion MED - 50z > RESIST : BLACK BLUE + +SPELLS +- LV1 GREEN ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ROGUE -15HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT +10HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT ++5 +4 STEALTH +3 BURGLARY -+2 DRIVE WILL -+1 CONTACTS PHYSIQUE ++2 DRIVE RESOURCES ++1 NOTICE INVESTIGATE WILL INVENTORY - YELLOW Ring + - GOLD Sword (2DMG) - GOLD Dagger (1DMG) -- Dagger x4 (1DMG) (THROWING) +- Dagger x4 (1DMG) + - HP Potion MED - 50z -> RESIST : BLACK BLUE +> RESIST : YELLOW PINK > Once/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE @@ -96,31 +105,32 @@ INVENTORY > You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- SUPPORT -15HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT -+4 ATHLETICS -+3 INVESTIGATE -+2 RAPPORT RESOURCES -+1 FIGHT PHYSIQUE +15HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT ++5 ++4 ATHLETICS ++3 RAPPORT ++2 DRIVE SHOOT ++1 FIGHT PHYSIQUE RESOURCES INVENTORY - BROWN Ring + - 10 2DMG ammo x3 - Dagger x6 - Grenades x4 - Plateholder - Plate Armor x1 -- Whip - Magic Shield (10MP) + - War Banner x2 - HP Potion MED x5 - MP Potion MED x3 + + +> RESIST: BROWN -> Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying - -> Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK - -> Once/Turn: Pay 1 MVMT; RESOURCES roll to loot for money, potions, weapons, or other relevant items from Defeated Enemy in same ZONE \ No newline at end of file +> Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/LV3 Enemies.txt b/Characters/LV3 Enemies.txt index a16e697..a1e8d39 100644 --- a/Characters/LV3 Enemies.txt +++ b/Characters/LV3 Enemies.txt @@ -1,28 +1,22 @@ -# The Renegades -A group of freedom fighters made up of random looters, property damage enthusiasts, and people whom just enjoy causing misery. They do not enjoy the idea of being stuck in a giant biodome and want nothing more than to be allowed to leave, but since they are denied that which they consider a "basic freedom," they want to make everyone around them as miserable as they are. - -LV3 CAPTAIN -A very clearly organized and well-kept leader of the Soldiers and Goons beneath them, these guys mean business and are ready to fight. HARD. - ------ - FIGHTER -25HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT +30 HP | 10 MP | 2 MVMT +5 FIGHT -+4 ATHLETICS -+3 DRIVE PHYSIQUE -+2 ACADEMICS PROVOKE -+1 MANA ++4 PHYSIQUE ++3 ATHLETICS ++2 ACADEMICS DRIVE PROVOKE ++1 MANA NOTICE INVENTORY - GREEN Ring - BLACK Ring -- GOLD Longsword -- Longsword -- Sword x2 -- Spear x2 + +- GOLD Longsword (3DMG) +- Longsword (3DMG) +- Sword x2 (3DMG) +- Spear x2 (3DMG) - Magic Shield (10MP) + - HP Potion LRG - MP Potion MED - 75z @@ -30,29 +24,36 @@ INVENTORY SPELLS - LV2 BLUE - LV1 RED SILVER + +> RESIST : GREEN BLACK + +> REACTION : Magic Shield > Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED & FLEXIBLE FIGHT weapons > REACTION : Once/Enemy, if an ALLY in your ZONE is targeted for an ATTACK, before rolling; PROVOKE roll vs ENEMY WILL roll to redirect attack to YOU - Any HIT/MATCH you receive from this will deal you +2DMG ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- MAGE -20HP | 40MP | 2 MVMT +10HP | 40MP | 2 MVMT +5 ACADEMICS +4 MANA -+3 ATHLETICS SHOOT -+2 DRIVE PHYSIQUE -+1 WILL ++3 DRIVE ++2 ATHLETICS NOTICE ++1 CRAFTS SHOOT WILL INVENTORY +- YELLOW Ring - BLUE Ring -- WHITE Ring -- Crossbow -- 2DMG Ammo x10 +- PINK Ring + +- Revolver x2 (2DMG) +- 2DMG Ammo x30 - Handaxes x4 + - MP Potion MED x2 - (Color) Potion MED x2 - 75z @@ -64,25 +65,27 @@ SPELLS - LV2 ORANGE GREEN BROWN GOLD - LV1 YELLOW PINK SILVER BLACK GOLD -> RESIST : ORANGE +> RESIST : ORANGE YELLOW BLUE PINK ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- RANGER -20HP | 10MP | 2 MVMT +10HP | 10MP | 2 MVMT +5 SHOOT -+4 ATHLETICS -+3 PHYSIQUE WILL -+2 ACADEMICS DRIVE -+1 MANA ++4 ATHLETICS ++3 DRIVE ++2 ACADEMICS WILL ++1 CRAFTS INVESTIGATE MANA INVENTORY -- PINK Ring +- BLUE Ring - WHITE Ring + - Rifle -- 10 3DMG Ammo x2 +- 3DMG Ammo x20 - Handaxe x2 + - HP Potion MED x2 - MP Potion MED x2 - 75z @@ -94,57 +97,57 @@ SPELLS > IMMUNE : BLUE > RESIST : BLACK ORANGE ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ROGUE -20HP | 10MP | 3 MVMT +10HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT +5 STEALTH -+4 DRIVE -+3 BURGLARY WILL -+2 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE -+1 MANA ++4 BURGLARY ++3 DRIVE ++2 RESOURCES WILL ++1 DECEIVE INVESTIGATE NOTICE INVENTORY - YELLOW Ring - WHITE Ring -- GOLD Sword -- GOLD Handaxe -- Handaxe x3 + +- GOLD Sword (2DMG) +- GOLD Handaxe (2DMG) +- Handaxe x3 (2DMG) + - HP Potion MED x2 - MP Potion MED - 75z - -SPELLS -- LV2 GRAY -- LV1 ORANGE YELLOW - -> RESIST : BLACK BLUE + +> RESIST : YELLOW BLUE WHITE PINK > Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that TARGET on your next turn > You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- SUPPORT -25HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT -+5 INVESTIGATE -+4 ATHLETICS -+3 FIGHT PHYSIQUE -+2 RAPPORT RESOURCES -+1 WILL +20HP | 0 MP | 2 MVMT ++5 ATHLETICS ++4 RAPPORT ++3 DRIVE ++2 PHYSIQUE SHOOT ++1 FIGHT RESOURCES WILL INVENTORY - WHITE Ring - BROWN Ring + - 10 2DMG ammo x3 - Dagger x6 - GOLD Sword - GOLD Pistol - Magic Shield (10MP) - Grenades x6 + - Plateholder - Plate Armor x2 - War Banner x3 @@ -152,12 +155,9 @@ INVENTORY - MP Potion MED x4 - 150z -> RESIST : BLUE +> RESIST : BLUE WHITE BROWN > Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying > Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK -> Once/Turn: Pay 1 MVMT; RESOURCES roll to loot for money, potions, weapons, or other relevant items from Defeated Enemy in same ZONE - ------ \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/LV4 Enemies.txt b/Characters/LV4 Enemies.txt index 39e872a..6e6dd92 100644 --- a/Characters/LV4 Enemies.txt +++ b/Characters/LV4 Enemies.txt @@ -1,27 +1,22 @@ -# The Renegades -A group of freedom fighters made up of random looters, property damage enthusiasts, and people whom just enjoy causing misery. They do not enjoy the idea of being stuck in a giant biodome and want nothing more than to be allowed to leave, but since they are denied that which they consider a "basic freedom," they want to make everyone around them as miserable as they are. - -LV4 UNDERBOSS -The highest level of associated agent with the Marauders, short of the actual BOSS of the organization itself. Well dressed, we armed, and well within their capabilities to run your ass. - FIGHTER -30HP | 10 MP | 3 MVMT +30 HP | 10 MP | 2 MVMT +5 FIGHT ATHLETICS -+4 PHYSIQUE DRIVE ++4 PHYSIQUE +3 ACADEMICS -+2 WILL -+1 MANA ++2 DRIVE PROVOKE ++1 MANA NOTICE INVENTORY -- PINK Ring -- BLACK Ring - ORANGE Ring -- PURPLE Ring -- GOLD Broadsword -- Longsword x2 +- GREEN Ring +- BLACK Ring + +- GOLD Broadsword (4DMG) +- Longsword x2 (3DMG) +- Spear x2 (2DMG) - Magic Shield (15MP) -- Spear x2 + - HP Potion LRG - MP Potion MED x2 - 100z @@ -31,7 +26,9 @@ SPELLS - LV2 BLUE GREEN - LV1 RED SILVER YELLOW -> RESIST : GREEN BROWN +> RESIST : ORANGE GREEN BLACK + +> REACTION : Magic Shield > You can now attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV @@ -39,24 +36,27 @@ SPELLS > Can counter DECEIVE roll with EMPATHY roll ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- MAGE -20HP | 40MP | 3 MVMT -+5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS -+4 MANA DRIVE +10HP | 50MP | 3 MVMT ++5 ACADEMICS MANA ++4 DRIVE +3 SHOOT -+2 PHYSIQUE -+1 WILL ++2 ATHLETICS NOTICE ++1 WILL CRAFTS INVENTORY +- YELLOW Ring - BLUE Ring +- PINK Ring - WHITE Ring -- YELLOW Ring -- Machine Gun -- 100 2DMG Ammo + +- Revolver x2 (2DMG) +- 2DMG Ammo x60 - Handaxes x4 + - HP Potion LRG - MP Potion LRG - (Color) Potion LRG @@ -69,26 +69,30 @@ SPELLS - LV2 ORANGE GREEN BROWN GOLD - LV1 YELLOW PINK SILVER BLACK GOLD -> RESIST : ORANGE - ------ +> RESIST : ORANGE YELLOW BLUE PINK WHITE +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- + RANGER -25HP | 10MP | 3 MVMT +10 HP | 20MP | 3 MVMT +5 ATHLETICS SHOOT -+4 DRIVE PHYSIQUE ++4 DRIVE +3 WILL -+2 ACADEMICS -+1 MANA ++2 ACADEMICS MANA ++1 CRAFTS INVESTIGATE INVENTORY - PINK Ring - WHITE Ring - YELLOW Ring -- GOLD Rifle -- 10 3DMG Ammo x2 -- Handaxe x2 + +- GOLD Rifle (3DMG) +- Machinegun (2DMG) +- 3DMG Ammo x30 +- 2DMG Ammo x100 +- Handaxe x4 + - HP Potion LRG - MP Potion LRG - 100z @@ -100,34 +104,32 @@ SPELLS - LV2 BROWN - LV1 GREEN BLUE ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ROGUE -25HP | 10MP | 3 MVMT +10 HP | 0 MP | 3 MVMT +5 STEALTH BURGLARY -+4 DRIVE WILL -+3 PHYSIQUE -+2 ACADEMICS -+1 MANA ++4 DRIVE ++3 WILL ++2 DECEIVE NOTICE ++1 INVESTIGATE RESOURCES INVENTORY - YELLOW Ring - WHITE Ring - BROWN Ring -- GOLD Sword -- GOLD Dagger -- Handaxe x4 + +- GOLD Sword (2DMG) +- GOLD Dagger (2DMG) +- Handaxe x4 (2DMG) + - HP Potion LRG - MP Potion MED x2 - 100z -> IMMUNE : BLACK -> RESIST : BLUE PINK GREEN - -SPELLS -- LV2 GRAY -- LV1 ORANGE YELLOW +> IMMUNE : BLUE +> RESIST : ORANGE YELLOW WHITE PINK BROWN > Twice/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE @@ -135,21 +137,22 @@ SPELLS > You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON ------ +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- SUPPORT -25HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT -+5 ATHLETICS INVESTIGATE -+4 FIGHT RAPPORT -+3 PHYSIQUE -+2 RESOURCES -+1 WILL +25 HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT ++5 ATHLETICS RAPPORT ++4 DRIVE ++3 PHYSIQUE ++2 FIGHT SHOOT ++1 RESOURCES WILL INVENTORY - WHITE Ring - BROWN Ring - GREEN Ring + - 10 3DMG ammo x2 - 10 2DMG Ammo x3 - Grenades x8 @@ -159,6 +162,7 @@ INVENTORY - Plateholder - Plate Armor x3 - Magic Shield (15MP) + - HP Potion LRG x4 - HP Potion MED x4 - MP Potion LRG x2 @@ -166,12 +170,8 @@ INVENTORY - War Banner x4 - 200z -> RESIST : BLUE - -> Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying +> RESIST : GREEN BLUE WHITE BROWN > Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK -> Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a PLUS - -> Once/Turn: Pay 1 MVMT; RESOURCES roll to loot for money, potions, weapons, or other relevant items from Defeated Enemy in same ZONE \ No newline at end of file +> Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a PLUS \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/LV5 Enemies.txt b/Characters/LV5 Enemies.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6f71f7e..0000000 --- a/Characters/LV5 Enemies.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,283 +0,0 @@ -# The Renegades -A group of freedom fighters made up of random looters, property damage enthusiasts, and people whom just enjoy causing misery. They do not enjoy the idea of being stuck in a giant biodome and want nothing more than to be allowed to leave, but since they are denied that which they consider a "basic freedom," they want to make everyone around them as miserable as they are. - -LV5 : THE FACES - -These are the true leaders of the organization, the bosses, the ones that control everything from a relatively unseen shadowy position - ------ - -||ROGUE|| JOKER - -25HP | 10MP | 3 MVMT -+5 NOTICE WILL STEALTH -+4 DRIVE BURGLARY -+3 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE -+2 CRAFT -+1 MANA - -> IMMUNE : BLACK -> RESIST : PINK GREEN BROWN ORANGE WHITE -> WEAK : BLUE - -SPELLS -> LV3 YELLOW -> LV2 BLACK GRAY -> LV1 YELLOW BLUE ORANGE - -INVENTORY -- YELLOW Ring -- WHITE Ring -- SILVER Ring -- GOLD Sword -- GOLD Kunai & Chain -- Daggers x99 -- HP Potion LRG x2 -- MP Potion MED x2 -- (Color) Potion x3 -- 250z - - ADVANCED AWARENESS -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to 2 MINUS to PLUS - -DEFT THEFT x2 -- Twice/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE - -NICE TRY -ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): -- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY -- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again - -JUICED UP -While you are under the benefit of a drank Ele Potion: all rolls gain +1; when potion effect ends, all rolls gain -1 for 3 rounds - -RIP AND TEAR -- Once/Turn : If there are 2+ enemies in your ZONE, You can roll one STEALTH hit vs all of them, and any HIT made does DOUBLE DMG - -FATHER'S BLESSING -Once/Fight, you may change species to shark for rest of fight or until you choose to dismiss -- You gain +1 to PHYSIQUE -- Your NOTICE is now also treated as FIGHT -- You gain 2 NATURAL WEAPON (Fists) 2DMG -> - These are treated as INFUSED with WATER - ------ - -||RANGER|| ACE - -30HP | 40MP | 3 MVMT -+5 ACADEMICS SHOOT ATHLETICS -+4 MANA PHYSIQUE -+3 FIGHT INVESTIGATE -+2 DRIVE -+1 WILL - -> RESIST BLACK -> WEAK EARTH - -SPELLS -- LV5 SILVER -- LV4 GREEN SILVER -- LV3 GOLD WHITE SILVER -- LV2 GOLD WHITE GREEN SILVER -- LV1 GOLD RED ORANGE BLUE SILVER - -INVENTORY -- RED Ring -- ORANGE Ring -- YELLOW Ring -- BLUE Ring -- PINK Ring -- GRAY Ring -- GOLD Rifle -- Pistol x2 -- GOLD Dagger -- 10 3DMG Ammo -- 10 2DMG Ammo x2 -- HP Potion LRG x2 -- MP Potion LRG x2 -- 250z - -INVENTORY INSIGHT -- Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying - -NATURAL WEAPONS (Claws) -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -POWERFUL LEGS -- During your turn, you can either: -- 1) Increase your MVMT by 1 -- 2) Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a BLANK - -SWIM SPEED -- You can move 2 spaces per MVMT while in water - -SOLDIER'S DEXTERITY -- You gain ADV on ATHLETICS rolls against SHOOT and THROWING attacks - -STATIC STEP (1MP) -- REACTION : You can move to any ZONE during your opponent's turn, and if you do this in response to an opponent's ATTACK, you can cancel it if it TARGETS you or half the DMG if it does not - ------ - -FIGHTER JACK - -35HP | 40 MANA | 2 MVMT -+5 FIGHT PHYSIQUE SHOOT -+4 ATHLETICS MANA -+3 ACADEMICS WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 CONTACTS - -> IMMUNE GREEN -> RESIST BLACK PINK -> WEAK SHOOT/THROWING - -SPELLS -- LV3 BLUE -- LV2 RED PURPLE -- LV1 SILVER ORANGE YELLOW - -INVENTORY -- RED Ring -- ORANGE Ring -- YELLOW Ring -- PURPLE Ring -- WHITE Ring -- SILVER Ring -- GRAY Ring -- BROWN Ring -- Warhammer -- GOLD Longsword x2 -- Shield (15MP) -- HP Potion LRG x3 -- MP Potion LRG x2 -- (Color) Potion LRG x1 -- 250z - -BURLY BRAWLER -- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED & FLEXIBLE FIGHT weapons - -LOYALTY -- REACTION : If the team leader is being ATTACKED by a spell: Switch positions with them -- You will now roll in their place, as though YOU were attacked - -NATURAL WEAPONS (Claws) -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -SECOND SWING -- You can now attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV - -BLADE WHEEL -- When you use a FIGHT action with 2 DUAL WEILD weapons, you can ATTACK a number of ENEMIES equal to your FIGHT score with one FIGHT roll in this or any adjacent ZONES -- Cannot CRIT with this ATTACK -- You lose the DUAL WEILD feature this ATTACK - -BRACE FOR IMPACT -- REACTION : You can half the DMG of any HIT against you (rounded down), but you lose 1 MVMT on your next turn - ------ - -MAGE QUEEN -30HP | 40MP | 2 MVMT -+5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS SHOOT -+4 MANA PHYSIQUE -+3 INVESTIGATE WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 DECEIVE - -> IMMUNE : ORANGE -> RESIST : GREEN BROWN -> WEAK : RED SILVER - -SPELLS -- LV5 ORANGE -- LV4 GREEN BROWN -- LV3 YELLOW GRAY GOLD -- LV2 SILVER BROWN BLUE GOLD -- LV1 RED BLACK WHITE GRAY GOLD - -INVENTORY -- PINK Ring -- WHITE Ring -- YELLOW Ring -- BROWN Ring -- Machine Gun -- 100 2DMG Ammo -- Handaxes x4 -- HP Potion LRG -- MP Potion LRG -- (Color) Potion LRG x6 -- 250z - -INVENTORY INSIGHT -- Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying - -POWERFUL LEGS -- During your turn, you can either: -- Increase your MVMT by 1 -- Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a BLANK - -BURLY BRAWLER -- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED & FLEXIBLE FIGHT weapons -- Each weapon can only be used one-handed - -360 DEGREE VISION -- During ATHLETICS rolls against incoming ATTACKS, you can turn one MINUS to a BLANK, or one BLANK to a PLUS - -MAGIC AMMO (1MP) -- If you INFUSE a spell into a SHOOT weapon: You do not need ammunition, as the spell will create its own bullets. - -PACK TACTICS -- If you cast a LV4 spell during your ATTACK action: You can spend double the MP; You may now apply the spell 3 times, but you cannot use other spells this round - ------ - -SUPPORT KING -35HP | 50MP | 1 MVMT -+5 ATHLETICS MANA PHYSIQUE -+4 FIGHT SHOOT -+3 RAPPORT WILL -+2 RESOURCES -+1 ACADEMICS - -> IMMUNE ORANGE -> RESIST BLUE GREEN -> WEAK MELEE/SHOOT - -INVENTORY -- YELLOW Ring -- PINK Ring -- BLACK Ring -- BROWN Ring -- GOLD Sword CUTLASS -- GOLD Pistol MAGNUM -- 30 2DMG Ammo -- Grenades x10 -- Plateholder -- Plate Armor x4 -- HP Potion LRG x5 -- MP Potion LRG x4 -- ELE Potion LRG x3 -- War Banner x5 - -HELPING HAND -- Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK - -SCRAMBLES -- Once/Turn: Pay 1 MVMT; RESOURCES roll to loot for money, potions, weapons, or other relevant items from Defeated Enemy in same ZONE - -UNNATURAL WEAPON (Pistol Whip) -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while wielding a gun - -TEAMWORK -- For every ALLY of the same level, during your FIGHT or SHOOT rolls, you can do one of the following: -- 1) Change one MINUS to a BLANK -- 2) Change one BLANK to a PLUS - -BLADE MAGE (1MP) -- Anytime you are HIT with a LV3 or lower SPELL: Reduce DMG to 1 -- Cannot use REACTION ANTIMAGIC or ATHLETICS against spells - -BEAST HUNTER -- When you HIT a LV4 or LV5 summon with your GOLD GUN: for the rest of the fight, that creature will randomly ATTACK any & all players \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/LVX Enemies.txt b/Characters/LVX Enemies.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0467f00..0000000 --- a/Characters/LVX Enemies.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,310 +0,0 @@ -Jensen (Human) (F) -THUNDER FORCE 1st Commander - -35HP | 30MP | 2 MVMT -+5 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE SHOOT -+4 ATHLETICS NOTICE -+3 MANA WILL -+2 DRIVE -+1 FIGHT - -> IMMUNE : LIGHT -> RESIST : LIGHTNING DARK -> WEAK : WATER - -SPELLS -- LV5 PURPLE -- LV4 SILVER GRAY -- LV3 GOLD GREEN BLUE -- LV2 GOLD BLACK WHITE ORANGE -- LV1 GOLD RED GREEN BLUE SILVER - -INVENTORY -- GREEN Ring -- RED Ring -- Rifle -- Pistol x2 -- 2DMG ammo x30 -- 3DMG ammo x60 -- HP Potion LRG x2 -- MP Potion LRG x2 -- (Color) Potion LRG x2 -- 250z - -ADVANCED AWARENESS x2 -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to 2 MINUS to PLUS - -LIGHTEN THE LOAD -- When you or your ALLY is at half HP or lower: Switch positions - -MYSTIC SUPPRESSING FIRE (1MP) -- You can treat one non-AUTO-FIRE SHOOT weapon (GUN) as AUTO-FIRE - -TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN -- ONCE/ROUND You can pay double the MP on one spell; Double the DMG of any LV1, LV2, or LV3 spell, and if you do, you can increase its overall range by the following amounts: -LV1 : This spell hits ALL characters in two connecting ZONES -LV2 : This spell hits all characters in a 2x4 grid of ZONES -LV3 : This spell hits ALL characters on the BATTLEZONE, except yourself - -DESPERATION DEFENSE -- Twice/Fight, while you or your ALLY are at 10HP or less: -> REACTION : Discard one SHOOT weapon to CANCEL one enemy spell - -------------------------- - -Valeos (Gila Monster) (M) -THUNDER FORCE 2nd Commander - -35HP | 10MP | 3 MVMT -+5 ATHLETICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE -+4 DRIVE RAPPORT -+3 ACADEMICS WILL -+2 PROVOKE -+1 MANA - -> IMMUNE WHITE -> RESIST SILVER BROWN -> WEAK GREEN - -SPELLS -> LV3 GRAY -> LV2 RED SILVER -> LV1 GREEN BLUE PINK - -INVENTORY -- BLACK Ring -- PINK Ring -- Shield (15MP) -- Longsword x2 -- Handaxe x2 -- HP Potion LRG x1 -- MP Potion LRG x1 -- MP Potion MED x2 -- (Color) Potion LRG x3 -- 250z - -HELPING HAND -- Once per fight, you can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK (can be used as a REACTION) - -GOT YOUR BACK -- Once per fight, you can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a PLUS (can be used as a REACTION) - -TACTICAL TAUNT -- REACTION : If an ALLY is TARGETED by an ATTACK: that ENEMY must roll a WILL save VS your PROVOKE roll; if they FAIL, that enemy must ATTACK you instead at +2DMG on a HIT/MATCH (ONCE/ENEMY) - -MYSTIC BLADESMITH -- You can INFUSE two FIGHT weapons with one MP - -ADAPTIVE ANTI-MAGE -- Any STATUS affecting you from a SPELL (not including INFUSION) is permanently applied to your WEAPONS, as though they were INFUSED (STATUS cannot STACK in this way) - -CALAMITY STRIKE -- If you use FIGHT, you can ATTACK all players in a line, in a number of ZONES equal to the number of MVMT you do, but you cannot use MVMT this turn - -------------------------- - -CAELUM / STARMAKER (LV X) -120HP | 120MP | UNLIMITED MVMT -+5 ALL SKILLS - - IMMUNE STEALTH EFFECTS - RESIST ALL STATUS - WEAK NONE - -INVENTORY -Catsith (lizard) -Staff of Stars (3DMG) (Two-Handed) (Flexible) -- Naturally INFUSED with AXIOM (does not require payment) -- Scales to the user's size & need (Flexible does not increase DMG) -- Can be used with STEALTH regardless of limitations - ------ - -INDIGO SPELLS (AXIOM MAGIC) -- Your spells carry no STATUS and cannot CRIT, but cannot be CANCELLED & ignores immunities/resistances -- GOLD SHIELDS & SPELLS REDUCE THE DMG BY THE MP PAID, DOES NOT CANCEL - -EXTRAPLANAR (1MP) -- INDIGO Infusion spell - -STELLARRAYS (1MP) *Star shaped ray of INDIGO magic* -- Target 1 player; Deal 1DMG - -STELLARNIGHT (3MP) *Line of INDIGO star-shaped blasts* -- Deal 3DMG to all ENEMIES in a 1x4+1 L-shaped grid of ZONES - -STELLARNULL (5MP) *An INDIGO colored shooting star eats and reverses the effects of a spell* -- REACTION : COUNTER any cast SPELL, then re-cast it for free, as though it was your own - -MILKYWAY MADNESS (10MP) *An INDIGO star shower rains down across the entire BATTLEZONE* -- All other characters in all ZONES take 5DMG - -CONSTILAQUICE (15MP) *Your gaze compels an enemy to work with you to perform one ACTION in place of your own* -- TARGET must make a WILL roll vs your WILL roll: If they FAIL, that TARGET must attack an ENEMY with any ACADEMICS, FIGHT, SHOOT, or STEALTH ACTION - ------ - -STUNTS - -GAZE OF MESSIAH -- ONCE/TURN : See all enemy WEAKNESSES, then give one player one WEAKNESS - -STAR BODY -- FIVE/FIGHT : REACTION : Half DMG from any ATTACK - -RIVERS OF MAGATSUHI -- ONCE/TURN : Give up one entire set of TURN ACTIONS to increase your & all ALLIES' stats by +1 for 3 turns, but this duration increases by 1 for each subsequent use. This spell automatically ends & resets all bonuses if you take 15DMG - -STELLARNOVA -- If RIVERS OF MAGATSUHI increases all stats to +10 : Skip all remaining TURN ACTIONS for the round, including REACTION, and remove all PLUSSES to all abilities; all players are reduced to 1HP - -------------------------- - -King Akarui - -35HP | 30MP | 3 MVMT -+5 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE STEALTH -+4 FIGHT DRIVE -+3 MANA WILL -+2 ATHLETICS -+1 NOTICE - -> IMMUNE GREEN -> RESIST GRAY BLACK -> WEAK YELLOW - -SPELLS -- LV5 GREEN -- LV4 GREEN BLACK -- LV3 GOLD PINK PURPLE -- LV2 GOLD PINK WHITE BLACK -- LV1 GOLD GREEN PINK WHITE BLACK - -INVENTORY -- CHRYS CROSS Regalia -- ORANGE Ring -- BLUE Ring -- PURPLE Ring -- PINK Ring -- WHITE Ring -- SILVER Ring -- BROWN Ring -- War Axe -- +1 Longsword -- Sickle x2 -- Daggers x10 -- Senbon x10 -- HP Potion LRG x2 -- MP Potion LRG x2 -- ELE Potion SML (LIGHT) - -SECOND SWING -- You can now attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV - -SHADOW STRIKE -- Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that TARGET on your next turn - -ASSASSINATION -- You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON - -BEACON OF TRUTH -- Anyone you HIT with a FIGHT/STEALTH ATTACK cannot use DARKNESS magic or STEALTH attacks against YOU - -CROWN AND SCEPTER -- ONCE/TURN : Sacrifice 1 of your 2 TURN Actions to TARGET anyone; Ask them a question, and if they are WRONG, they cannot use any ATTACK actions on their next TURN -1) How many Spells have I cast since we started fighting? -2) Who did I hit two turns ago? -3) How much mana have I spent? - -FREIKUGEL (MP in multiples of 10) -- THRICE/FIGHT + ONCE/TURN : MAGIC attack using FIGHT roll vs ACADEMICS to dodge: Targets all characters in one ZONE; 1DMG per MANA spent - -------------------------- - -FIRST KING ZEROTH - -35HP | 40MP | 2 MVMT -+5 ACADEMICS MANA PHYSIQUE -+4 ATHLETICS FIGHT -+3 WILL NOTICE -+2 DRIVE -+1 PROVOKE - -> IMMUNE GOLD -> RESIST All Magic Colors -> WEAK INFUSED Weapons - -SPELLS -- CALAMITY GOLD -- LV5 GOLD CERAPTER -- LV4 GOLD ANSE-KU-RA -- LV3 GOLD RESPLENDENCE -- LV2 GOLD BRILLIANCE -- LV1 GOLD GLEAM - -ADVANCED AWARENESS -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS - -NATURAL WEAPON (Hooves) -- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -POWERFUL LEGS -During your turn, you can either: -- 1) Increase your MVMT by 1 -- 2) Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a BLANK - -MIDAS' MIGHT -- All FIGHT attacks are INFUSED fists with GOLD magic that do DMG equal to the difference between YOUR FIGHT roll & the opponent's ATHLETICS/STEALTH roll on a HIT - -HELIOS' HEALING -- Any HIT you make with GOLD magic restores 1HP & 1MP - -EQUALIZATION -- ONCE/FIGHT : At 10HP or less: You recover 3HP & 1MP per spell used in this fight, and for the rest of the fight, all HITS against you with MAGIC you are resistant to only do 1DMG - -------------------------- - -CORRUPTED KING NASH-ZEROTH - -40HP | 60MP | 4 MVMT -+6 DRIVE MANA PHYSIQUE -+5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS WILL -+4 FIGHT DECEIVE -+3 NOTICE SHOOT -+2 BURGLARY -+1 NOTICE - -> IMMUNE GOLD -> RESIST All Magic Colors -> WEAK GOLD Weapons - -SPELLS -- CALAMITY GOLD -- LV5 GOLD -- LV4 GOLD -- LV3 GOLD -- LV2 GOLD -- LV1 GOLD - -ADVANCED AWARENESS -- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS - -ENHANCED NATURAL WEAPON (Hooves) -- You can make a 3DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED - -SCULPTED LEGS -- During your turn, you can either: -- 1) Increase your MVMT by 2 -- 2) Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a PLUS - -ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY -- Every HIT you take from a SPELL gives you RESISTANCE to that color -- Every HIT you take from a SPELL turns that color's RESISTANCE to IMMUNITY - -OVERABUNDANT DISCHARGE -- All SPELLS you cast will now TARGET all players and only need one roll - -ULTIMATE RETALIATION -- You can sacrifice all IMMUNITY & RESISTANCE types: You gain 5HP per IMMUNITY and 1HP per RESISTANCE, then deal 1DMG per IMMUNITY sacrificed across all players -- *this is treated as a GOLD spell with no LEVEL* -- Your HP can exceed its maximum in this way, and if it does, all ATHLETICS rolls are at DISADV until your HP is at or below your original MAX \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/NPCs.txt b/Characters/NPCs.txt index 4780a10..f884919 100644 --- a/Characters/NPCs.txt +++ b/Characters/NPCs.txt @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Accountant Barn swallow - Howard Antique store - Russian Blue (cat) - Wallace + Dugong - Marc Appliance store Corgi - Arden @@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ Bookstore Owner Butcher Ox - Virgil -Car salesman - Weasel - Barry +Car dealership & repair center + Salesman - Weasel - Barry Candy store Shiba Inu - Kabir @@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ Daycare Butterfly - Guinevere (F) Department store - Jaguar - Brennan Moose - Gerald Oppossum - Shea (F) Boxer - August @@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ Garden store Groomer (pets) Persian - Aspen -Gym +Gym / nastics Rhino - Clint Swan - Jada (F) @@ -92,9 +91,9 @@ Hardware store Wallaby - Spencer (F) Herbalist / Potions Store - 4 Geckos - Tom + Jeffrey Billy - Sam + Samwise Marshall Hotel @@ -169,7 +168,7 @@ Rec Center Brown Bear - Frankie Repair center - Okapi - Heathcliff + Boxer - August Restaurants Breakfast - Skink - Siya (F) @@ -192,7 +191,6 @@ Sporting Goods store Storage warehouse Gorilla - Bode - Hamster - Khalid Magpie - Harley (F) Prairie Dog - Marian @@ -261,6 +259,9 @@ Grocery Store Homeowner's Association Sheep - Anais (F) +Hydroelectric Generator + Maintenance - Hamster - Khalid + Money printing Mint Gazelle - Blaise @@ -274,9 +275,12 @@ Newspaper (Diadem Daily) Paper delivery - Wolverine - Denzel Nurse + Alpaca - Micah Elephant - Laverne (F) Scorpion - Kitia - Jellyfish - Oleander + +Packaging Plant + Okapi - Heathcliff Pharmacist Lynx - Terrence @@ -285,7 +289,6 @@ Physical Therapist Daddy Longlegs Spider - Ozran Post Office - Alpaca - Micah Jackalope - Kaito Wolf - Coco (F) @@ -348,7 +351,7 @@ Schools Biology - Dingo - Mrs. Locklear Business Mgmt - Hornet - Mrs. Martin Criminal Justice - Sloth - Mr. McKenzie - Economics - White Tiger - Mr. Mancini + Economics - Jellyfish - Mr. Mancini Education - Quail - Mrs. Lopez Engineering - Capybara - Mr. Anand Ethics - Manatee - Mr. Dunn @@ -366,14 +369,14 @@ Schools Thunder Force (Police Office) 1st Com - Human - Jensen (F) 2nd Com - Gila Monster - Valeos - 3rd Com - Panther (scar) - Harken + 3rd Com - Black Puma (scar) - Harken Clerk - Cat - Binx (F) ----- CAPITOL QUARTZ -Town Hall +City Hall King - Violet robin - Akarui King's Aide - Copper fox - Nash @@ -440,7 +443,7 @@ Waste-to-Energy facility ENTERTAINMENT JUNCTION Amusement Park - Bumper Car - Puma - Fia (F) + Bumper Car - Caracal - Fia (F) Carousel - Hognose Snake - Cormac Ferris Wheel - Goose - Aarav Haunted House - Aardvark - Dion @@ -456,9 +459,9 @@ Arcade Auditorium Narwhal - Jericho -Bar(tenders) - Pine Marten - Koda - Dove - Yuki (F) +Bar + Bartender - Pine Marten - Koda + Bartender - Cow - "Miss Lily" (F) Bowling Alley Pomeranian - Taliyah (F) @@ -473,13 +476,16 @@ Mini-Golf Duck - Ronnie Movie Theater - Toucan - Kilian + Condor - Dolma + Tuft Ear Owl - Awar + Snow owl - Mallory Night club - Barkeep - Dragonfly - Liam + Barkeep - Dragonfly - Tylan + Barkeep - Toucan - Kilian Pool Hall - Turkey - Tylan + Turkey - Liam Public Pool Lifeguard - Whale - Kylie (F) @@ -492,7 +498,7 @@ Roller Rink Stingray - Grayson (F) Strip Club - Dancer - Dugong - Marc + Dancer - Russian Blue (cat) - Wallace Dancer - Moth - Kylee (F) Dancer - Elk - Josias Dancer - Skunk - Riya (F) @@ -510,11 +516,13 @@ RED Ukulele player - Bearded Dragon - Kyong ORANGE - Counter worker - Human - Caelum + Child from explosion - Human - Caelum YELLOW Frozen food stand owner - Pelican - Horace Shop Owner - Flamingo - Janice (F) + Ultimate Frisbee player - Lemur - Amoy (F) + Surfer - Orangutan - Kenoi GREEN Horse wrangler - Kitsune - Villi (F) @@ -531,7 +539,7 @@ VIOLET PINK Fashion showrunner - Human - Caelum Craft room host - Bat - Jamir - Shop Owner - Giraffe - Enid + Shop Owner - Giraffe - Eli WHITE Jazz band @@ -546,7 +554,8 @@ WHITE SILVER Courthouse Clerk - Garter Snake - Pamela (F) - Thunder Force Sign-in Clerk - Leopard - Elizabeth (F) + TF Sign-in Clerk - Leopard - Elizabeth (F) + TF Prison Guard - Jaguar - Brennan GRAY Sobbing woman - Red robin - Rowena (F) @@ -558,5 +567,5 @@ BLACK BROWN Shop owner - Koala - Bunji - Mountain climber - Maned wolf - Jekhyra (F) - \ No newline at end of file + Mountain climber - Maned wolf - Jekhyra (F) + Hot Springs Owner - Dove - Yuki (F) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Akarui.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Akarui.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..529768d --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Akarui.txt @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +King Akarui + +35HP | 30MP | 3 MVMT ++5 ACADEMICS PHYSIQUE STEALTH ++4 FIGHT DRIVE ++3 MANA WILL ++2 ATHLETICS ++1 NOTICE + +> IMMUNE GREEN +> RESIST GRAY BLACK +> WEAK YELLOW + +SPELLS +- LV5 GREEN +- LV4 GREEN BLACK +- LV3 GOLD PINK PURPLE +- LV2 GOLD PINK WHITE BLACK +- LV1 GOLD GREEN PINK WHITE BLACK + +INVENTORY +- CHRYS CROSS Regalia +- ORANGE Ring +- BLUE Ring +- PURPLE Ring +- PINK Ring +- WHITE Ring +- SILVER Ring +- BROWN Ring + +- War Axe +- +1 Longsword (3DMG) +- Sickle x2 (2DMG) +- Daggers x10 (1DMG) +- Senbon x10 (1DMG) + +- HP Potion LRG x2 +- MP Potion LRG x2 +- ELE Potion SML (LIGHT) + +SECOND SWING +- You can now attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV + +SHADOW STRIKE +- Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that TARGET on your next turn + +ASSASSINATION +- You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON + +BEACON OF TRUTH +- Anyone you HIT with a FIGHT/STEALTH ATTACK cannot use DARKNESS magic or STEALTH attacks against YOU + +CROWN AND SCEPTER +- ONCE/TURN : Sacrifice 1 of your 2 TURN Actions to TARGET anyone; Ask them a question, and if they are WRONG, they cannot use any ATTACK actions on their next TURN +1) How many Spells have I cast since we started fighting? +2) Who did I hit two turns ago? +3) How much mana have I spent? + +FREIKUGEL (MP in multiples of 10) +- THRICE/FIGHT + ONCE/TURN : MAGIC attack using FIGHT roll vs ACADEMICS to dodge: Targets all characters in one ZONE; 1DMG per MANA spent \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Caelum-Starmaker.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Caelum-Starmaker.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e94607b --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Caelum-Starmaker.txt @@ -0,0 +1,54 @@ +CAELUM / STARMAKER (LV X) +120HP | 120MP | UNLIMITED MVMT ++5 ALL SKILLS + + IMMUNE STEALTH EFFECTS + RESIST ALL STATUS + WEAK NONE + +INVENTORY +Catsith (lizard) +Staff of Stars (3DMG) (Two-Handed) (Flexible) +- Naturally INFUSED with AXIOM (does not require payment) +- Scales to the user's size & need (Flexible does not increase DMG) +- Can be used with STEALTH regardless of limitations + +----- + +INDIGO SPELLS (AXIOM MAGIC) +- Your spells carry no STATUS and cannot CRIT, but cannot be CANCELLED & ignores immunities/resistances +- GOLD SHIELDS & SPELLS REDUCE THE DMG BY THE MP PAID, DOES NOT CANCEL + +EXTRAPLANAR (1MP) +- INDIGO Infusion spell + +STELLARRAYS (1MP) *Star shaped ray of INDIGO magic* +- Target 1 player; Deal 1DMG + +STELLARNIGHT (3MP) *Line of INDIGO star-shaped blasts* +- Deal 3DMG to all ENEMIES in a 1x4+1 L-shaped grid of ZONES + +STELLARNULL (5MP) *An INDIGO colored shooting star eats and reverses the effects of a spell* +- REACTION : COUNTER any cast SPELL, then re-cast it for free, as though it was your own + +MILKYWAY MADNESS (10MP) *An INDIGO star shower rains down across the entire BATTLEZONE* +- All other characters in all ZONES take 5DMG + +CONSTILAQUICE (15MP) *Your gaze compels an enemy to work with you to perform one ACTION in place of your own* +- TARGET must make a WILL roll vs your WILL roll: If they FAIL, that TARGET must attack an ENEMY with any ACADEMICS, FIGHT, SHOOT, or STEALTH ACTION + +----- + +STUNTS + +GAZE OF MESSIAH +- ONCE/TURN : See all enemy WEAKNESSES, then give one player one WEAKNESS + +STAR BODY +- FIVE/FIGHT : REACTION : Half DMG from any ATTACK + +RIVERS OF MAGATSUHI +- ONCE/TURN : Give up one entire set of TURN ACTIONS to increase your & all ALLIES' stats by +1 for 3 turns, but this duration increases by 1 for each subsequent use. This spell automatically ends & resets all bonuses if you take 15DMG + +STELLARNOVA +- If RIVERS OF MAGATSUHI increases all stats to +10 : Skip all remaining TURN ACTIONS for the round, including REACTION, and remove all PLUSSES to all abilities; all players are reduced to 1HP \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Aodaghan.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Aodaghan.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..392f2cf --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Aodaghan.txt @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ +Aodaghan Panthrandu +Species: Avian / Phoenix + +The personification of "pissed off", this six foot two bird man has a jet black beak that matches his waist-length tied-back black hair, as well as vibrant green eyes, and a dark red feathered physique that is well kept but still lithe to allow his gorgeous red, orange, and yellow wings to carry him through the air. His arms are separated from his wings, and at the end of his legs below his forward bending knees is a pair of deep yellow avian feet. + +He normally either wears a fireproof smithing apron & black pants or shorts, or a combat outfit of a knee-length red longcoat bound by small chains across the chest paired with heavy black combat boots. His weapon of choice is a six foot long two foot wide two-handed wavy sword, adorned with a phoenix on the hilt. While he is very much a fan of cutting his enemies down, he has a 'habit' of striking with the flat side more often than the blade. "Oops." + +He has a quick temper and is not afraid to fight anything or anyone that steps out of line. The only thing that quells that heated temperament seems to be working at the local forge, taking a trip to the sauna, or visiting any environment with a heat stronger than his own. + +LIKES: Physical training, Hot summer days, Working the forge +DISLIKES: Cold weather, YOU. + +HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 2 + ++5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE ++4 MANA ATHLETICS ++3 CRAFT WILL ++2 DRIVE ++1 RESOURCES + +SPELLS +- LV0 PYRO +- LV1 TORCH +- LV2 FLAMETHROWER +- LV3 FIREBALL +- LV4 TAVROS +- LV5 BASILISK + +IMMUNE : FIRE +RESIST : LIGHTNING WIND +WEAK : WATER + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED non-Reach FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon is treated as one-handed and gains DUAL-WIELD + +SECOND SWING +- Once/Turn : You can attack TWICE per turn with any one FIGHT weapon with HEFT, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV + +NICE TRY +- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY +- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again + +FLIGHT (Phoenix Wings) +- Pay 1 MVMT : You are hovering over one "ZONE" over the BATTLEZONE +- You move 1 ZONE per MVMT over the other characters, same as normal MVMT +- Cannot ATTACK with, or be ATTACKED by, FIGHT weapons that are not REACH or THROWING +- Any HIT will knock you to the ground until you reactivate FLIGHT + +NATURAL WEAPONS (Clawed feet) x2 (Dual Wield) +- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED + +MOLTEN METALWORKER +- +2 to any CRAFT roll involving working metal + +PHOENIX FLARE (once/fight) +At 0HP; +- Recover ALL HP +- All FIRE spells gain 1DMG +- All AFTERBURN dealt is doubled \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Arledge.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Arledge.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3436af5 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Arledge.txt @@ -0,0 +1,56 @@ +Arledge Tannifila +Species: Rabbit / English Lop + +An adorer of animals big and small, this effeminate cowboy bunny has strikingly vibrant blue (almost purple) eyes beneath a short head of light purple hair and an adorable black nose, which wiggles when he smells something he likes. Due to his long loopy ears hanging behind him, he finds hats difficult to wear, instead letting his cowboy hat rest against his back by his neck. + +He usually wears simple clothes, his favorite being form-fitting jeans and a dark purple shirt, and he prefers to not wear shoes if he can avoid it. He is a stalwart pacifist, preferring to not fight under any circumstances, but is not afraid to help those in need by giving a quick boost in energy or patching up a wound. + +This bun is a hard worker, helping to run any and all animal and plant farms he can volunteer for. Seeming to never run out of energy, he is known far and wide as one of the most generous, selfless, and helpful people anyone has ever known. + +Likes: Animals, forests, fruits & veggies +Dislikes: Large cities, wasteful people + +HP 35 | MP 30 | MVMT 2 + ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS PHYSIQUE ++4 MANA RAPPORT ++3 FIGHT WILL ++2 DRIVE ++1 CONTACTS + +SPELLS +- LV0 CURE +- LV1 HARMONIZE +- LV2 RESTORE +- LV3 MIRACLE +- LV4 HAZON'AINA +- LV5 NANABOZHO + +IMMUNE : LIFE +RESIST : LIGHT SPACE +WEAK : DEATH + +HELPING HAND x2 +- Once/Round : REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK, or a BLANK to a PLUS + +POWERFUL LEGS +- Once/Round, you can either: +1) Gain 1 MVMT +2) Add +1 to any Empty-Handed FIGHT roll + +STAND YOUR GROUND +- +2 to FIGHT Rolls when EMPTY HANDED if any ALLY is at half HP or lower + +FARMER'S PHYSIQUE +- You have ADVANTAGE on all PHYSIQUE rolls + +BOUNTY OF NATURE +- LV4 summons call 2 creatures per cast + +NOBLE SACRIFICE (once per round) +- REACTION: Can use SELF or SUMMON to intercept any HIT in place of another in the same or a nearby ZONE + +BOON OF PACIFISM (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less: +- Recover all HP and MP +- Cannot use any ATTACK action next turn \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Cassius.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Cassius.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4b59edb --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Cassius.txt @@ -0,0 +1,56 @@ +Cassius Summus +Species: Vulpes/ black fox +Cold and uncaring as can be, his midnight yellow eyes are surrounded by an ocean of black fur and hair that reaches to his waist, his fennec-like ears the only distinguishing feature against him. + +Ironically, his preferred manner of dress is the opposite, being a white dress shirt with thin billowing wrists and a pair of gray pants, likely to ensure his opponent has at least a small chance to prove their worth. His preferred weapon is a curvy long dagger, just as dark as he is in hue. + +Noone is entirely sure what his deal is, but he is most often seen alone. What little we DO know about him is he is as emotionally empty as the black magic he uses, showing no care or remorse for others in any context. The only thing he seems to enjoy is whittling away pieces of wood from his own forest. + +Likes: Woodworking? Striker? +Dislikes: Everything else? + +HP 25 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 + ++5 ACADEMICS BURGLARY STEALTH ++4 DRIVE MANA ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 CRAFTS ++1 NOTICE + +SPELLS +- LV0 STYGIAN +- LV1 SHADOW STRIKE +- LV2 NIGHT WAVE +- LV3 BLACKOUT +- LV4 PILINDIR +- LV5 ABADDON + +IMMUNE: DARKNESS +RESIST: DEATH ICE +WEAK: LIGHT + +NICE TRY x2 +- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; +- On HIT, cancel action & add it to inventory, OR immediately re-use it as a free ATTACK/ITEM action (If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again) +- *If you immediately attack with the weapon/item, use that CRAFT roll to determine the HIT/MATCH/MISS* + +DEFT THEFT x2 +- Twice/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE + +SHADOW STRIKE +- Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that target on YOUR next turn + +ASSASSINATION +- You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON + +SOLO JOINER +- +2 to CRAFTS rolls involving wood + +TENEBROSITY +- When an ENEMY MISSES a FIGHT roll against you, you immediately make a guaranteed counterattack, dealing 1DMG + +HEART OF DARKNESS (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less; +- For the rest of the fight, every HIT received will only do 1DMG +- For the rest of the fight, you get +1 on all STEALTH rolls \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Conroy.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Conroy.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf04a8c --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Conroy.txt @@ -0,0 +1,57 @@ +Conroy Kaksteist +Species : Feline / Sabertooth Tiger +A curious lover of all things knowledge, his wide merrigold tiger eyes are barely obscured by a pair of black rimmed glasses. His messy black hair is tied back in a loose ponytail, perfectly framing his little rounded tiger ears atop his head. + +He is usually seen wearing a long white coat, reminiscent of a doctor or lab worker, trimmed in some black knotworking all the way down the front, barely obscuring his black knitted shirt and deep red pants underneath. He also rarely wears shoes, preferring the cool floor under his feet. He has no weapon of choice, but when combat is required, he will often don a strange orange stone buckler shield. + +He is easily distracted by his innate curiosity, and prefers to read a good book or take a catnap over being violent. More than anything, he enjoys putting his massive knowledge to work whenever he can and help everyone who needs or asks for his aid. + +LIKES: Reading, organizing, teaching +DISLIKES: Outdoor weather, too much chaos + +HP 25 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 + ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS INVESTIGATE ++4 MANA DRIVE ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 NOTICE ++1 FIGHT + +SPELLS +- LV0 CHRONO +- LV1 TIME OUT +- LV2 TIME STREAM +- LV3 TIMEZONE +- LV4 SMILODON +- LV5 BAIHU + +IMMUNE: TIME +RESIST: DEATH WIND +WEAK: SPACE + +ADVANCED AWARENESS +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to PLUS + +NATURAL WEAPON (Tiger Claws) x2 (Dual Wield) +- You can make two 2DMG melee ATTACK without a weapon + +NOCTURNAL NIMROD +- Swap your FIGHT and INVESTIGATE scores during combat at NIGHT + +WISE TIGER EYES +- +2 to any INVESTIGATE roll regarding books + +SANDS OF TIME +- ITEM: Summons a sand clone of a character from the party at one level less than current +- *clone has all HP, MP, Skills, Stunts, and weapons from that period* + +REWIND +- REACTION: move to any ZONE touched on the prior turn +- Auto cancels incoming ATTACK action if it TARGETs or moves out of range + +HISTORY LESSON (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less: +- Heal back to 12HP + you no longer take DMG from enemy ATTACKS, ITEMS, or STUNTS +- Pose a question to your ENEMIES regarding their journey +- Anyone whom answers WRONG or does not answer takes 1DMG +- If anyone answers right, you take 1DMG each question \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Corentin.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Corentin.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f431db1 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Corentin.txt @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +Corentin Tasnyak +Species: Reptile / Winged Serpent + +A quiet and meditative person, he prefers the company of the open wind and silence to anyone or anything in particular. His emerald green serpent eyes are partly hidden behind a windswept head of green locks, barely distinct in hue against his forest green scale pattern. + +His preferred method of dress is either a japanese-style casual wear kimono with depictions of the overhead cloudy sky, or a more regal style of green leather armor etched in Aztec knotworking all across his arms and chest piece. His preferred weapon is an artistically gorgeous long bow designed for long range attacks and heavy impacts. + +This man is all about finding serenity in the world around him. He finds clean air soothing, and silent winds energizing, but has recently come to appreciate how certain melodies tickle the soundwaves pleasantly. Otherwise, you will often find him drinking cups of homemade tea, made of plants from his own garden. + +LIKES: Rhythmic music, Archery, Tea +DISLIKES: Smoking, White noise + +HP 25 | MP 40 | MVMT 2 ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS SHOOT ++4 MANA NOTICE ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 DRIVE ++1 CRAFT + +SPELLS +- LV0 AERO +- LV1 AIRBLAST +- LV2 DOWNBURST +- LV3 TORNADO +- LV4 MALFINI +- LV5 MIXCOATL + +IMMUNE : WIND +RESIST : TIME FIRE +WEAK : EARTH + +ADVANCED AWARENESS x2 +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to 2 MINUS to a PLUS + +FLIGHT (Reptilian wings) +- Pay 1 MVMT : You are hovering over one "ZONE" over the BATTLEZONE +- You move 1 ZONE per MVMT over the other characters, same as normal MVMT +- Cannot ATTACK with, or be ATTACKED by, FIGHT weapons that are not REACH or THROWING +- Any HIT will knock you to the ground until you reactivate FLIGHT + +NATURAL REACH WEAPON (Serpent tail) +- You can do a 2DMG melee FIGHT attack without a weapon +- This ATTACK has the REACH feature + +READ THE WIND +- +2 to any NOTICE roll when outdoors + +SUPERCELL SHOT +- Your SHOOT ATTACKS with a bow & arrow gain PIERCE equal to the number of PLUSSES rolled + +TLACOCHTLI BARRAGE (1MP) +- Make one SHOOT attack roll vs ALL TARGETS on the BATTLEZONE using self-generated magical air darts, each dealing 1DMG + LIFTOFF on a HIT + +MASK OF QUETZALCOATL (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less: +- Recover HP equal to MP +- Your NOTICE is also treated as FIGHT +- You now have two macuahuitl-style club weapons (2DMG | DUAL-WIELD) +- These weapons do NOT suffer from Dual Wield's DisAdvantage +- You may also make a third FIGHT attack with your NATURAL REACH WEAPON \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Dorrin.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Dorrin.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7eb03f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Dorrin.txt @@ -0,0 +1,57 @@ +Dorrin Dodici +Species: Fish / Bull Shark + +This hulking mass of stoic muscle stands at 6 foot 5 vertically, and not too differently horizontally. He has no hair to speak of, instead preferring to wear some form of hat, making his deep ocean blue eyes his most striking facial feature. + +His body is built with muscle on muscle, barely contained within one of his double breasted mafioso style Italian suits, usually tailored to match his hat. His weapon of choice is a massive fishing harpoon covered in notchwork to resemble the shark that holds it, and his precision with his throws is terrifying. + +This walking talking tank of stoicism is difficult to read emotionally. He spends his time fishing, swimming, or speaking highly of his adopted daughter, but otherwise is very quiet. However, when situations get serious, he is always first and foremost ready to either outsmart his opponent, or outfight them. + +LIKES: Big Game Fishing, Swimming, His Daughter +DISLIKES: Extreme Hot & Cold weather + +HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 1 + ++5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE ++4 ATHLETICS MANA ++3 EMPATHY WILL ++2 NOTICE ++1 INVESTIGATE + +SPELLS +- LV0 HYDRO +- LV1 AQUA JET +- LV2 TIDAL WAVE +- LV3 GEYSER +- LV4 IHLENGESI +- LV5 UKUPANIPO + +IMMUNE : WATER +RESIST : ICE EARTH +WEAK : FIRE + +ADVANCED AWARENESS +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn 1 MINUS to a PLUS + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED non-Reach FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon is treated as one-handed and gains DUAL-WIELD + +LATERAL LINE +- +2 to EMPATHY rolls during investigations + +SWIM SPEED +- You can move 2 spaces per MVMT while in water + +MINCOPIE MAGIC +- All WATER spells are treated as THROWN WEAPONS, shaped as water harpoons, and will all do 2DMG per HIT, regardless of SPELL LV + +CRASHING WAVE +- One FIGHT roll with a THROWN WEAPON hits all ZONES in a row, even diagonal + +HURLY BURLY OCEAN (once/fight) +At 0HP: +- Recover ALL HP +- For the rest of the fight, you gain NATURAL WEAPON (Fists) (2DMG) x2 +- *These do not suffer DUAL WEILD's DISADV* +- *These Fists are permanently INFUSED with HYDRO* \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Fulmo.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Fulmo.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cbb0f5b --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Fulmo.txt @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +Fulmo 'Burrasca' Uncial +Species: Procyon / Raccoon + +Calm and cool headed at all times, his blue eyes sit perfectly behind a pair of sunglasses against his grayed out face surrounded by interchanging rings of black and silver. His hair, an electric silver, is perfectly neat and trimmed between his long pointed ears. + +When he is not wearing his trademark judge's robe, his preferred manner of dress is a simple set of black clothes, mainly cargo pants and a tee shirt under a denim longcoat. His preferred weapon of style is a pair of revolvers. + +He always sees the world as black and white in terms of right and wrong. Blunt and honest to a fault, he is always charged up to deliver the clearest and most appropriate punishment to those on the wrong side of the law. The only thing more precise than his world views are his gunslinger skills. + +Likes: Stormy days, target practice, the law +Dislikes: Wishy-washy people + +HP 25 | MP 40 | MVMT 2 + ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS SHOOT ++4 EMPATHY MANA ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 DRIVE ++1 FIGHT + +SPELLS +- LV0 STATIC +- LV1 THUNDERCLAP +- LV2 LIGHTNINGBOLT +- LV3 PLASMA WALL +- LV4 BINESI +- LV5 AZEBAN + +IMMUNE : LIGHTNING +RESIST : FIRE LIGHT +WEAK : ICE + +NATURAL WEAPON (Raccoon Claws) x2 +- You can make a 2DMG melee FIGHT attack without a weapon + +SWIM SPEED +- You can move 2 spaces per MVMT while in water + +LIE DETECTOR +- +2 to EMPATHY rolls during questioning situations + +CIVIL RETURN +Before using ATTACK or ITEM, you can pull a RANDOM weapon/item and use it +- Anything used follows the same ATTACK/ITEM rules they normally follow +- Any item pulled from this can be THROWN, regardless of item specifics +- Anything used here is only usable for one turn, and will be dropped after + +BULLET STORM (1MP) +- You can shoot FOUR targets per SHOOT action if using DUAL-WEILD +- The first two ROLLS are made normal, and the last two are made at ADV/DISADV + +STATIC STEP +- Can move anywhere on BATTLEZONE each MVMT instead of one ZONE at a time +- Can use as REACTION (will cancel any TARGET ATTACK automatically) + +THUNDER FORCE (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less: +- Recover HP equal to current MP +- For the rest of the fight, all normal SHOOT rolls are at ADV +- For the rest of the fight, all SHOOT rolls at DISADV are NORMAL \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Miranda.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Miranda.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6d02107 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Miranda.txt @@ -0,0 +1,62 @@ +Miranda Baarah +Species: Chimera / Gryphon +An enthusiastic romantic, her brown eyes are framed perfectly from inside her trimmed neck-length deep brown hair (framed around her lengthy cat ears), her chocolate brown beak always in a playful smirk. + +Her preferred manner of dress is either none, or a brand new outfit she will handmake in preparation for each situation. Her ensemble also always comes with a place for her whip, of which earned her the title as a 'sadist,' among others. + +Her personality is a split between a flirty performer and a hungry predator, and it's hard to see where one ends and the other begins. She loves making eye-catching clothing for others to wear so they can catch the attention of the ones they deserve, but is also not afraid to seek out those people for her own fun. + +Likes: Making clothes, music, sex +Dislikes: being alone, quiet + +HP 25 | MP 40 | MVMT 1 + ++5 ACADEMICS CRAFTS FIGHT ++4 BURGLARY MANA ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 ATHLETICS ++1 CONTACTS + +SPELLS +- LV0 STELLAR +- LV1 METEOROID +- LV2 STAR SHOWER +- LV3 GRAVITY WELL +- LV4 CON SU TU +- LV5 GRYPHUS + +IMMUNE : SPACE +RESIST : LIFE EARTH +WEAK : TIME + +FLIGHT (Gryphon Wings) +- Pay 1 MVMT : You are hovering over one "ZONE" over the BATTLEZONE +- You move 1 ZONE per MVMT over the other characters, same as normal MVMT +- Cannot ATTACK with, or be ATTACKED by, FIGHT weapons that are not REACH or THROWING +- Any HIT will knock you to the ground until you reactivate FLIGHT + +NICE TRY x2 +- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; +- On HIT, cancel action & add it to inventory, OR immediately re-use it as a free ATTACK/ITEM action (If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again) +- *If you immediately attack with the weapon/item, use that CRAFT roll to determine the HIT/MATCH/MISS* + +DEFT THEFT x2 +- Twice/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE + +STELLAR SEAMSTRESS +- +2 to CRAFT rolls involving any article of clothing + +ASTEROID BELTING (Once/Turn) +- You can ATTACK all enemies with one ATTACK action using any 1DMG weapon, so long as they are all within that weapon's range + +SODOMASOCHISM +- Any HIT/MATCH you do with a weapon heals 1HP per instance of STARSTRUCK the opponent has (cannot exceed MAX HP) + +FATAL ATTRACTION (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less: +- Recover HP equal to current MP +- Choose one ZONE to create a gravastar (resembles a black hole) +- *Anyone starting their turn in that ZONE takes 1 SPACE DMG* +- *Every turn from there, that ZONE's range expands by 1 row of adjacent ZONES, and the center ZONE's DMG is increased by 1* +- *Anyone whom hits 0HP within its range is sucked into the gravastar until end of fight* \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Thanatos.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Thanatos.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c633607 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Thanatos.txt @@ -0,0 +1,58 @@ +Thanatos Ondogon +Species: Canine / Gray Wolf + +A quiet man usually deep in thought, he tends to stare into the distance and keep to himself. His jade green eyes offset his deep gray face perfectly and attract plenty of attention against his otherwise colorless fur, aside from his platinum silver head of hair. + +His normal manner of dress is something religiously designed such as a pastor's robe or simple black dress clothes, choosing to bleed the colorlessness into every aspect of his overall appearance. But in serious situations, he will don a gray cloak to obscure himself entirely, which leads to VERY obvious conclusions based on his choice of weapon, a massive scythe. + +He spends most of his time tending to the graveyard he lives in and around. Digging holes, cleaning headstones, passing out flowers, heading ceremonies for the dearly departed, and on occasion he will even be seen hosting more positive and fun parties. Combining his emphatic voice with any instrument sets a perfect tone for storytelling during ghost story nights. + +Likes: Full moons, repairing instruments, yoga +Dislikes: Daytime, vegetables + +HP 30 | MP 30 | MVMT 3 + ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS FIGHT ++4 DRIVE PHYSIQUE ++3 MANA WILL ++2 RAPPORT ++1 CONTACTS + +SPELLS +- LV0 NECRO +- LV1 WITHER +- LV2 TERRORIZE +- LV3 BLIGHT +- LV4 BUFNITA +- LV5 WEPWAWET + +IMMUNE : DEATH +RESIST : DARKNESS TIME +WEAK : LIFE + +HELPING HAND +- Once/Round : REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK + +NATURAL WEAPON (Wolf Claws) x2 +- You can make a 2DMG melee FIGHT attack without a weapon + +CEREMONIAL SPEAKER +- +2 to RAPPORT rolls when speaking during a ceremony or public event + +INDELIBLE HOWL +- Make a FIGHT attack roll against all ENEMIES in a PLUS shaped formation of ZONES, centered on yours +- Anyone HIT in the nearby four ZONES takes 1DMG +- Anyone HIT in the center ZONE takes 2DMG + has DISADV on all non-ACADEMICS rolls until PLAYER's next turn + +ABUNDANT HARVEST (Once/Turn) +- Upon CRIT HIT with a TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapon, move to a nearby ZONE & immediately make a FIGHT roll with the same weapon for free + +ORCUS' ORDER +- Make an ATTACK with a TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapon in a 5-ZONE C-shape sweep, attacking all characters in those 5 ZONES + +PALE RIDER (once/fight) +- At 0HP: +- Recover all HP +- You spawn a pale horse, which acts like a vehicle, and doubles your MVMT while riding +- You gain the stunt PESTILENCE +- *(After any HIT, you can remove all instances of DREAD from any/all ENEMIES, and deals 1DMG per instance)* \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Tlaloc.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Tlaloc.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c15eb4d --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Tlaloc.txt @@ -0,0 +1,59 @@ +Tlaloc Dhjetëra +Species: Manidae / Ground Pangolin + +Seemingly dimwitted, this behemoth is coated in deep brown rocky scales from around his face back and down, drawing attention to his deep stony brown eyes and goofy smile, topped with more brown scalesninstesd of hair. + +Clothing is difficult for him, so he mainly sticks to a loincloth, but he DOES have a preferred style of a gown-like toga. His weapon of choice is moreso his body, which swings slow but strikes hard, and the tree trunk attached to a rock he "affectionately" calls a warhammer. + +He appears dimwitted and unfocused, but many have taken note of his surprising artistic talent, his more than competent combat skills, AND his keen sense for digging up unique rocks and ores, leading many to think he is smarter than he lets on. + +Likes: drawing, exercising, geology +Dislikes: mean people + +HP 35 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 + ++5 ACADEMICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE ++4 MANA DRIVE ++3 RAPPORT WILL ++2 CONTACTS ++1 EMPATHY + +SPELLS +- LV0 STONE +- LV1 ROCK WAVE +- LV2 BOULDER ROLL +- LV3 TECTONIC SHIFT +- LV4 BERBEC +- LV5 HIAE MOZA + +IMMUNE: EARTH +RESIST: SPACE WATER +WEAK: WIND + +HELPING HAND +- REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED non-Reach FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon is treated as one-handed and gains DUAL-WIELD + +SECOND SWING +- Once/Turn : You can attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV + +DOPEY HOPE +- +2 to RAPPORT rolls with people you never met + +TERRA FIRMA +- Any HIT received is guaranteed, but DMG is halved (rounded down) +- Any FIGHT roll with a WEAPON gains -1, but DMG is doubled + +BOULDER BODY (once/turn) +- You curl into a ball and roll between ZONES when you move in combat +- Any ALLY or ENEMY in any ZONE takes 1DMG when you enter that ZONE + +SIDEARM LANDSLIDE (once/fight) +At 10HP or less: +- Recover HP equal to current MP +- Make a number of THROWN FIGHT ATTACKS equal to the number of HITS received +- *These are treated as 1DMG INFUSED projectiles (made of scales from your body)* +- *If any MAGIC attacks HIT, the STATUS of those spells is contained in the projectiles* \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Whittaker.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Whittaker.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..631c932 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Whittaker.txt @@ -0,0 +1,64 @@ +Whittaker Tormet'i +Species: Deer / Reindeer + +A very skiddish little guy, he is only six feet tall if you count his antlers. His light mocha colored eyes pair well against his light brown fur against his face, his short almost-white locks an almost perfect match against his boney antlers. + +His usual manner of dress is either a long black sweater with white trimming and matching ugg boots, or an outfit comprised of an all white sleeveless tee, jean shorts, and arm & leg warmers to obscure his hands and foothooves. Aside from tools he can generate on the fly made of ice, he also carries a white ninjato shortsword as his preferred weapon. + +He is an extremely timid person when it comes to people, and it comes from the end result of nearly every adult he's interacted with recently treating him horribly. The only people he is not afraid of at this point are children, and the one woman that treated him with kindness when he needed it most. + +Likes: Snowy days, ice skating, snowball fights +Dislikes: Summer heat, too much attention + +HP 25 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 + ++5 ACADEMICS CRAFT STEALTH ++4 DRIVE MANA ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 EMPATHY ++1 DECEIVE + +SPELLS +- LV0 FROST +- LV1 CHILL BURST +- LV2 ICE SPIKES +- LV3 HAILSTORM +- LV4 BELIY MEDVED +- LV5 FURFUR + +IMMUNE : ICE +RESIST : DARKNESS WATER +WEAK : LIGHTNING + +NICE TRY x2 +- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; +- On HIT, cancel action & add it to inventory, OR immediately re-use it as a free ATTACK/ITEM action (If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again) +- *If you immediately attack with the weapon/item, use that CRAFT roll to determine the HIT/MATCH/MISS* + +SHADOW STRIKE +- Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that TARGET on your next turn + +ASSASSINATION +- You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON + +SKIDDISH +- +2 to STEALTH rolls when avoiding conflict + +ICICLONE JUTSU (1MP) +- ITEM: CRAFT roll to create +- (1) An equal number of ICE STATUES on the BATTLEZONE (destroyed after one HIT) +- (2) Double that number of ICE KUNAI in your inventory (1DMG) (throwing) (dual-weild) + +SNOWBLIND SUBSTITUTION +- Can swap places with one ICE ITEM on the BATTLEZONE per point of MVMT +- Can be used as REACTION + +SNOW ANGEL (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less: +- Recover HP equal to your current MP +- You gain FLIGHT (Furfur Wings) +- All ICE STATUES you summon are now animated & controllable +- All ICE STATUES gain the 2 ICE KUNAI instead of you on summon +- THESE STATUES CANNOT USE FLIGHT +- You cannot use any ATTACK ACTION for rest of fight \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Zahir.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Zahir.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d922b78 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Demense Masters/Zahir.txt @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ +Zahir Onlarla +Species: Insect / Honeybee + +A sunspot of smiles and celebration, this sweet little bumblebee strives to spread joy in any way he can. His almond colored eyes draw attention to his messy golden blonde hair, billowing around his somewhat insectoid face and making his two small antennae atop his head even more obvious. + +He is usually seen wearing some form of black and yellow clothing, either a casual kilt-like ensemble looking like it was made of a giant flower, or a more formal soldier-style for serious occasions. Either way, his weapon of choice is his black and yellow gauntlets that flow right into the whole outfit. + +You rarely see him without a smile, as he believes joy to be its own religion that should be shared and spread openly to anyone who needs or wants it. If he is ever NOT smiling, people know the situation is serious, but it doesn't take much to bring it back. + +LIKES: Dancing, Music, Sunny days +DISLIKES: Quiet rooms, dark places + +HP 25 | MP 40 | MVMT 3 + ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS FIGHT ++4 DRIVE MANA ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 RAPPORT ++1 CONTACTS + +SPELLS +- LV0 HOLY +- LV1 SHINING RAY +- LV2 SOLARBEAM +- LV3 SHIMMERING BURST +- LV4 AILBHEAN +- LV5 AH-MUZEN-CAB + +IMMUNE : LIGHT +RESIST : LIGHTNING LIFE +WEAK : DARKNESS + +HELPING HAND +- REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED non-Reach FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon is treated as one-handed and gains DUAL-WIELD + +LIFE OF THE PARTY ++2 to any RAPPORT roll during any major event or festival + +AWKWARD AERODYNAMICS +- You naturally hover over the ground rather than truly fly, but otherwise do not gain the normal benefits of flight +- All HITS received from spells and THROWN potions do 1 less DMG + +OVERENTHUSIASM +- Every PLUS on your FIGHT ROLL with EMPTY HANDED strikes deals 1 extra DMG + +FLURRY OF STINGS (once per turn) +- Can FIGHT ATTACK a number of times equal to FIGHT score per ATTACK ACTION +- Can only use EMPTY HANDED or NATURAL WEAPON +- Cannot CRIT during this action + +AUDIENCE ALIGHT (once/fight) +- At 10HP or less: +- Create duplicates of himself equal to the number of party members -1, himself becoming one of those 'duplicates' +- Each duplicate is placed in the same zone as a player +- Same current HP, MP, and abilities each +- There is no 'real one,' last one standing is the 'real one' + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-ACE.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-ACE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..65a7564 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-ACE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +RANGER ACE + +30 HP | 30 MP | 3 MVMT ++5 ACADEMICS FIGHT SHOOT ++4 PHYSIQUE ++3 ATHLETICS MANA ++2 DRIVE INVESTIGATE ++1 WILL + +> RESIST BLACK +> WEAK EARTH + +SPELLS +- LV5 SILVER +- LV4 GREEN SILVER +- LV3 GOLD WHITE SILVER +- LV2 GOLD GREEN WHITE SILVER +- LV1 GOLD RED ORANGE BLUE SILVER + +INVENTORY +- ORANGE Ring +- YELLOW Ring +- PINK Ring +- GRAY Ring + +- GOLD Rifle +- Pistol x2 +- GOLD Dagger +- 10 3DMG Ammo +- 10 2DMG Ammo x2 + +- HP Potion LRG x2 +- MP Potion LRG x2 +- 250z + +NATURAL WEAPONS (Claws) x2 +- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK without a weapon + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapons + +SECOND SWING +- You can now attack TWICE per turn with any FIGHT weapon with HEFT, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV + +SOLDIER'S DEXTERITY +- You gain ADV on ATHLETICS rolls against SHOOT and THROWING attacks + +STATIC STEP (1MP) +- REACTION : You can move to any ZONE during your opponent's turn, and if you do this in response to an opponent's ATTACK, you can cancel it if it TARGETS you or half the DMG if it still hits + +TASER TALON +- On a HIT/MATCH with NATURAL WEAPON, if enemy is already affected by CONDUIT: +- +1 DMG & +1 CONDUIT before resolving \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-JACK.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-JACK.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4475e5a --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-JACK.txt @@ -0,0 +1,56 @@ +FIGHTER JACK + +35HP | 40 MANA | 2 MVMT ++5 FIGHT PHYSIQUE SHOOT ++4 MANA ++3 DRIVE WILL ++2 ATHLETICS ACADEMICS ++1 CONTACTS + +> IMMUNE GREEN +> RESIST BLACK PINK +> WEAK SHOOT/THROWING + +SPELLS +- LV2 BLUE +- LV1 ORANGE YELLOW + +INVENTORY +- RED Ring +- ORANGE Ring +- YELLOW Ring +- PURPLE Ring +- WHITE Ring +- SILVER Ring +- GRAY Ring +- BROWN Ring + +- Kanabo (5DMG) +- GOLD Longsword x2 (3DMG) +- Shield (15MP) + +- HP Potion LRG x3 +- MP Potion LRG x2 +- (Color) Potion LRG x1 +- 250z + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapons + +LOYALTY +- REACTION : If the team leader is being ATTACKED by a spell: Switch positions with them +- You will now roll in their place, as though YOU were attacked + +NATURAL WEAPONS (Claws) x2 +- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED + +SECOND SWING +- You can now attack TWICE per turn with any FIGHT weapon with HEFT, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV + +BLADE WHEEL +- When you use a FIGHT action with 2 DUAL WEILD weapons, you can ATTACK a number of times equal to your FIGHT score with one FIGHT roll in this or any adjacent ZONES +- Cannot CRIT with this ATTACK +- You lose the DUAL WEILD feature this ATTACK + +BRACE FOR IMPACT +- REACTION : You can reduce the DMG of any HIT against you, up to your DRIVE score, but you cannot use MVMT on your next turn \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-KING.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-KING.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2312021 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-KING.txt @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +SUPPORT KING +25 HP | 40 MP | 1 MVMT ++5 ATHLETICS FIGHT SHOOT ++4 MANA ++3 PHYSIQUE WILL ++2 RAPPORT RESOURCES ++1 ACADEMICS + +> IMMUNE ORANGE +> RESIST BLUE GREEN +> WEAK FIGHT/SHOOT + +INVENTORY +- YELLOW Ring +- PINK Ring +- BLACK Ring +- BROWN Ring + +- GOLD Sword CUTLASS (2DMG) +- GOLD Pistol MAGNUM (2DMG) +- GOLD Mace x2 (3DMG) +- 100 2DMG Ammo +- 100 3DMG Ammo +- Grenades x10 +- Plateholder +- Plate Armor x4 + +- HP Potion LRG x5 +- MP Potion LRG x4 +- ELE Potion LRG x3 +- War Banner x4 + +HELPING HAND +- REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon can only be used one-handed + +NATURAL WEAPON (Claws) x2 +- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK without a weapon + +TEAMWORK +- During your FIGHT or SHOOT rolls, you can do one of the following per ALLY that is not DOWN: +- 1) Change one MINUS to a BLANK +- 2) Change one BLANK to a PLUS + +BLADE MAGE (1MP) +- Anytime you are HIT with a LV3 or lower SPELL: Reduce DMG to 1 +- Cannot use REACTION ANTIMAGIC or ATHLETICS against spells + +BEAST HUNTER +- When you HIT a LV4 or LV5 summon with your GOLD GUN: for the rest of the fight, that creature will randomly ATTACK any & all players \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-QUEEN.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-QUEEN.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..217ec1d --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-QUEEN.txt @@ -0,0 +1,54 @@ +MAGE QUEEN +15 HP | 40MP | 2 MVMT ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS SHOOT ++4 MANA ++3 EMPATHY WILL ++2 DRIVE NOTICE ++1 PHYSIQUE + +> IMMUNE : ORANGE +> RESIST : GREEN BROWN +> WEAK : RED + +SPELLS +- LV5 ORANGE +- LV4 GREEN BROWN +- LV3 YELLOW GRAY GOLD +- LV2 SILVER BROWN BLUE GOLD +- LV1 RED BLACK WHITE GRAY GOLD + +INVENTORY +- PINK Ring +- WHITE Ring +- YELLOW Ring +- BROWN Ring + +- Machine Gun (2DMG) +- 100 2DMG Ammo +- Handaxes x4 + +- HP Potion LRG +- MP Potion LRG +- (Color) Potion LRG x6 +- 250z + +POWERFUL LEGS +- During your turn, you can either: +- Increase your MVMT by 1 +- Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a BLANK + +WOOLY DEFENSE +- You take -1 DMG from any HIT by a melee weapon + +360 DEGREE VISION +- During ATHLETICS rolls against incoming ATTACKS, you can turn one MINUS to a BLANK, or one BLANK to a PLUS + +LOYALTY +- REACTION : If the team leader is being ATTACKED by a spell: Switch positions with them +- You will now roll in their place, as though YOU were attacked + +MAGIC AMMO (1MP) +- If you INFUSE a spell into a SHOOT weapon: You do not need ammunition, as the spell will create its own bullets. + +PACK TACTICS +- If you cast a LV4 spell during your ATTACK action: You can spend double the MP; You may now apply the spell 3 times, but you cannot use other ACTIONS this round \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-RED-JOKER.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-RED-JOKER.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a49063 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/FACES/-RED-JOKER.txt @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ +ROGUE JOKER + +20 HP | 10 MP | 3 MVMT ++5 NOTICE STEALTH WILL ++4 DRIVE ++3 ACADEMICS BURGLARY ++2 CRAFT PHYSIQUE ++1 MANA + +> IMMUNE : BLACK +> RESIST : PINK GREEN BROWN ORANGE WHITE +> WEAK : BLUE + +SPELLS +> LV3 YELLOW +> LV2 BLACK GRAY +> LV1 YELLOW BLUE ORANGE + +INVENTORY +- YELLOW Ring +- WHITE Ring +- SILVER Ring + +- GOLD Sword +- GOLD Kunai & Chain +- Daggers x99 + +- HP Potion LRG x2 +- MP Potion MED x2 +- (Color) Potion x3 +- 250z + + ADVANCED AWARENESS x2 +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to 2 MINUS to PLUS + +DEFT THEFT +- Once/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE + +NICE TRY +ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY +- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again + +JUICED UP +While you are under the benefit of a drank (color) Potion: all rolls gain +1; when potion effect ends, all rolls gain -1 for 3 rounds + +RIP AND TEAR +- Once/Turn, If there are 2+ enemies in your ZONE: You can roll one STEALTH hit vs all of them, and any HIT made does DOUBLE DMG + +FATHER'S BLESSING +Once/Fight, you may change species to shark for rest of fight or until you choose to dismiss +- You gain +1 to PHYSIQUE +- Your NOTICE is now treated as FIGHT +- You gain 2 NATURAL WEAPON (Fists) 2DMG +> - These are treated as INFUSED with WATER \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Jensen.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Jensen.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eefeb10 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Jensen.txt @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ +Jensen (Human) (F) +THUNDER FORCE 1st Commander + +20 HP | 50 MP | 2 MVMT ++5 ATHLETICS MANA SHOOT ++4 ACADEMICS ++3 FIGHT WILL ++2 NOTICE PHYSIQUE ++1 EMPATHY + +> IMMUNE : LIGHT +> RESIST : LIGHTNING DARK +> WEAK : WATER + +SPELLS +- LV4 PURPLE +- LV3 GOLD SILVER +- LV2 GOLD GREEN BLUE +- LV1 GOLD BLACK WHITE PURPLE + +INVENTORY +- BLUE Ring +- RED Ring + +- Rifle (3DMG) +- Pistol x2 (2DMG) +- 2DMG ammo x30 +- 3DMG ammo x60 +- Plateholder +- Armor plate x2 + +- HP Potion LRG x2 +- MP Potion LRG x2 +- (Color) Potion LRG x2 +- 250z + +ADVANCED AWARENESS +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to PLUS + +UNNATURAL WEAPON x2 +- You can deal a 2DMG MELEE attack if holding a gun + +LIGHTEN THE LOAD +- When you or your ALLY is at half HP or lower: Switch positions + +MYSTIC SUPPRESSING FIRE (1MP) +- You can treat one non-AUTO-FIRE SHOOT weapon as AUTO-FIRE, up to the number of ammo it can hold +- Cannot INFUSE the weapon if you do this + +DAMAGE CONTROL +- Once per Round : If you WOULD take DMG from an opponent's spell; you can remove MP equal to the amount of HP you would have taken (does not mitigate STATUS) + +DESPERATION DEFENSE +- Twice/Fight, while you or your ALLY are at 10HP or less: +> REACTION : Discard one SHOOT weapon to CANCEL one enemy spell \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Nash-Zeroth.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Nash-Zeroth.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8450e21 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Nash-Zeroth.txt @@ -0,0 +1,45 @@ +CORRUPTED KING NASH-ZEROTH + +40HP | 60MP | 4 MVMT ++6 DRIVE MANA PHYSIQUE ++5 ACADEMICS ATHLETICS WILL ++4 FIGHT DECEIVE ++3 NOTICE SHOOT ++2 BURGLARY ++1 NOTICE + +> IMMUNE GOLD +> RESIST All Magic Colors +> WEAK GOLD Weapons + +SPELLS +- CALAMITY GOLD DEVASTATION +- LV5 GOLD CERAPTER +- LV4 GOLD ANSE-KU-RA +- LV3 GOLD RESPLENDENCE +- LV2 GOLD BRILLIANCE +- LV1 GOLD GLEAM + +ADVANCED AWARENESS +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS + +ENHANCED NATURAL WEAPON (Hooves) x2 +- You can make a 3DMG melee ATTACK without a weapon + +SCULPTED LEGS +- During your turn, you can either: +- 1) Increase your MVMT by 2 +- 2) Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a PLUS + +ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY +- Every HIT you take from MAGIC gives you RESISTANCE to that color +- Every HIT you take from MAGIC you RESIST turns to IMMUNITY + +OVERABUNDANT DISCHARGE (1MP) +- All LV1-LV3 SPELLS you cast have no range or zone restrictions, and hit all players in any zones of your choosing +- All LV4 SUMMONS you cast now maifest two of the same creature + +ULTIMATE RETALIATION +- You can sacrifice all IMMUNITY & RESISTANCE types: You gain 5HP per IMMUNITY and 1HP per RESISTANCE, then deal 1DMG per IMMUNITY sacrificed across all players +- *this is treated as a GOLD spell with no LEVEL* +- Your HP can exceed its maximum in this way, and if it does, all ATHLETICS rolls are at DISADV until your HP is at or below your original MAX \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Reggie.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Reggie.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7e6510a --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Reggie.txt @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +Reggie Kituma + +40 HP | 60 MP | 3 MVMT ++6 ATHLETICS MANA PHYSIQUE ++5 ACADEMICS FIGHT SHOOT ++4 DRIVE NOTICE ++3 CRAFTS INVESTIGATE ++2 RAPPORT ++1 EMPATHY + +SPELLS: +- CALAMITY GOLD DEVASTATION +- LV5 GOLD CERAPTER +- LV4 GOLD ANSE-KU-RA +- LV3 GOLD RESPLENDENCE +- LV2 GOLD BRILLIANCE +- LV1 GOLD GLEAM + +NICE TRY +- ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY +- If GRENADE, item is DISARMED & can be used again + +SECOND SWING +- You can now attack TWICE per turn with any FIGHT weapon with HEFT, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV + +ADVANCED AWARENESS x2 +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn up to two MINUS to PLUS + +BURLY BRALWER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon is treated as one-handed and gains DUAL-WIELD + +HELPING HAND +- REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK, or a BLANK to a PLUS + +STAMPEDING NATURAL WEAPON (Fox Claws x2 + Horse Hooves x2 + Omnivore Jaws) +- You can make multiple 3DMG melee FIGHT attacks, up to your FIGHT score +- - One FIGHT roll applies across all attacks, but each shot beyond the first gains a -1, then -2, then -3, then -4 (Just like AUTO-FIRE) + +SPELL SLASHER +- REACTION : If you are HIT by a SPELL while holding a GOLD SWORD; Reduce DMG to 1 + +ORION HUNTA +- When you HIT a non-mortal creature with your GOLD GUN: for the rest of the fight, that creature will randomly ATTACK any & all players + +MANIFESTATION (1MP) +- At the start of your turn, up to twice/turn : You can replicate one Regalia +- It is colored gold, it has no INVOCATION, and its status is changed to ANTI MAGIC +- You can dual-wield two of the same Regalia, no different than normal weapons, so long as your stunts permit their use + +COAT OF ARMS (1MP) +- At the start of your turn : You can replace yourself with any Demense Master +- You gain that character's skills, stunts, and spell list +- Your HP, MP, Inventory, immunities, weaknesses, and resistances does not change +- You cannot activate any of their STUNTS that activate after their HP is 10 or lower, or if their HP is 0 + +GRADUAL IMMUNITY +- Every HIT or MATCH from any magic gives you RESISTANCE to that magic type +- Every HIT or MATCH from any magic you have RESISTANCE to, you are also IMMUNE to that magic + +AURORA DISCHARGE (1MP) +- The next LV1-LV3 you cast are treated as all magic types at the same time, have no range or zone restrictions, and hit all players in any zones of your choosing +- The next LV4 summon you cast now calls an equal number of creatures as your number of opponents + +BEGUN ANEW +- Sacrifice all IMMUNITUES and RESISTANCES you currently have +- For a number of rounds equal to the number of IMMUNITIES sacrificed, your character is replaced with CROOKED KING (name treated as Nash) and FIRST KING ZEROTH +- Both characters have a total HP and MP equal to the number of RESISTANCES sacrificed x2 +- Neither character can use any STUNT(S) that require sacrificing RESISTANCE or IMMUNITY +- These characters leave and are replaced by REGGIE KITUMA when the number of rounds reaches 0, either have been reduced to 0HP, and/or this ability is dismissed \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Striker.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Striker.txt similarity index 100% rename from Characters/Striker.txt rename to Characters/Special Characters/Striker.txt diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Valeos.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Valeos.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ec4bffd --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Valeos.txt @@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ +Valeos (Gila Monster) (M) +THUNDER FORCE 2nd Commander + +35 HP | 20 MP | 3 MVMT ++5 ATHLETICS FIGHT PHYSIQUE ++4 DRIVE ++3 RAPPORT WILL ++2 MANA PROVOKE ++1 ACADEMICS + +> IMMUNE WHITE +> RESIST SILVER BROWN +> WEAK GREEN + +SPELLS +> LV1 PINK + +INVENTORY +- BLACK Ring +- PINK Ring + +- Mana Shield (15MP) +- Longsword x2 +- Tonfa x2 +- Plateholder +- Armor plate x2 + +- HP Potion LRG x1 +- MP Potion LRG x1 +- MP Potion MED x2 +- (Color) Potion LRG x3 +- 250z + +HELPING HAND +- Once per fight, you can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK (can be used as a REACTION) + +GOT YOUR BACK +- Once per fight, you can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a PLUS (can be used as a REACTION) + +TACTICAL TAUNT +- REACTION : If an ALLY is TARGETED by an ATTACK: that ENEMY must roll a WILL save VS your PROVOKE roll; if they FAIL, that enemy must ATTACK you instead at +2DMG on a HIT/MATCH (ONCE/ENEMY) + +BURLY BRAWLER +- Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED & FLEXIBLE FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon can only be used one-handed + +MYSTIC BLADESMITH +- You can INFUSE two FIGHT weapons with one spell + +CALAMITY STRIKE +- If you use FIGHT, you can ATTACK all players in a line, in a number of ZONES equal to the number of MVMT you do, but you cannot use MVMT this turn \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Characters/Special Characters/Zeroth.txt b/Characters/Special Characters/Zeroth.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6281330 --- /dev/null +++ b/Characters/Special Characters/Zeroth.txt @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ +FIRST KING ZEROTH + +35HP | 40MP | 2 MVMT ++5 ACADEMICS MANA PHYSIQUE ++4 ATHLETICS ++3 FIGHT NOTICE ++2 DRIVE RESOURCES ++1 DECEIVE + +> IMMUNE GOLD +> RESIST All Magic Colors +> WEAK All Weapons + +SPELLS +- CALAMITY GOLD DEVASTATION +- LV5 GOLD CERAPTER +- LV4 GOLD ANSE-KU-RA +- LV3 GOLD RESPLENDENCE +- LV2 GOLD BRILLIANCE +- LV1 GOLD GLEAM + +ADVANCED AWARENESS +- During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS + +NATURAL WEAPON (Hooves) x2 +- You can make a 2DMG melee ATTACK while EMPTY HANDED + +POWERFUL LEGS +During your turn, you can either: +- 1) Increase your MVMT by 1 +- 2) Turn one MINUS on a FIGHT roll to a BLANK + +MIDAS' MIGHT +- All FIGHT attacks are INFUSED fists with GOLD magic that do DMG equal to the difference between YOUR FIGHT roll & the opponent's ATHLETICS/STEALTH roll on a HIT + +HELIOS' HEALING +- Any HIT you make with GOLD magic restores 1HP & 1MP + +EQUALIZATION +- ONCE/FIGHT : At 10HP or less: Recover HP & MP equal to the colors across all spells you were HIT by this fight x2 +- If you were hit by all 12 colors, you instead gain x3 per color instead, even if it goes over your HP MAX \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Black.txt b/Demense/Demense-Black.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 628828c..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Black.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,132 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a black magic wall, looking eerily like an ever-falling veil of black paint or ink. - -In the forest: -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y6n-1XQSfE - -In the clearing: -https://youtu.be/7UMNHyM5PgQ?si=2G-DWkBGxEo8FYtC - -## As you exit the BLACK gate, -your eyes cannot seem to focus on the colorless world around you. You are surrounded by trees, but they are all a strange grayscale and borderline lifeless. The branches are barren of leaves, instead covered in hanging black objects. And the only light in the sky overhead is a very large and VERY red full moon. - -Welcome to the **Forest** demense! - -Your visuals are disrupted by a distinctly golden glow of magic appearing in front of you, in the shape of a golden ring about 50 feet wide. It completely surrounds your group AND the entrance to the gate. The circle appears to be warbling in an odd pattern and drifting back and forth between black and gold. - -*IF THEY WALK AROUND* -Your shoes make an odd SQUELCHING noise, and you realize the bottoms of them are coated in what looks like black ink. Not only that, ALL of your shoes are dipped in it, and that ink expands well beyond the range of the circle. - -*BEHIND* -The gate itself is bound to a massive dead tree, and around the backside of that gate looks to be an abandoned lumber yard filled with incomplete pallets of different types, shapes, and sizes of wood. It's difficult to see, but there seems to be no signs of life. - -(NOTICE/INVESTIGATE ROLL) -You spot a sloppy wooden sign on a nearby tree hastily drawn with what looks like fingerpaint lettering stating "ONE WAY TRIP." - -*TOUCH THE MAGIC WALL* -Anything you touch it with has no effect, but when you push THROUGH it, you slowly sink right into it and past it. But, whatever you put through it cannot be brought back in and is stuck partway through the wall. - -*IF THEY PASS THROUGH* -The magic wall lets you pass through with enough effort, but once you're on the other side, it will NOT let you go back in. - -*INTO THE LUMBERYARD* -The yard itself is full of incomplete pallets of wood, mostly oak and birch with a couple spruce and mahogany (as the sign racks indicate), but most of the wood looks old, warped, and cracked, most of it borderline unusable. And inside the building doesn't look much better, the walls covered with uniforms of varying shapes & sizes. The tables are covered with axes, ropes, chainsaws, solar panels, battery packs, and a couple rings in a black hue, but no people at all. Just more of that black ink all over the floor, and a little smeared on the walls. - -*INTO THE FOREST* -While the forest is borderline devoid of any signs of life, you spot more wooden signs deeper in with arrows pointing in a specific direction, some with messages like WELCOME TO DAMNATION and INK STAINS THE SKIN and NEVER TOUCH THE INK and THE INK ALWAYS WINS. The signs look like they were hastily drawn WITH the very ink off the ground the signs warned you about. - -(NOTICE ROLL) Around the backsides of some of the trees, you spot the most gorgeously woven spiderwebs you ever saw, but the beauty quickly wears off when you notice the webbing is about half an inch thick and the webs themselves stretch across multiple trees. - -It takes a few minutes, but eventually you see the trees begin to open and form a clearing, and you finally spot bodies strewn about in various forms of prone positions, most of them atop rocks or fallen trees. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -You see they are all pale, groaning, and weak, but definitely alive. Some of them are wearing uniforms matching the layout of the abandoned lumber yard, others are Thunder Force, and a few are wearing prison outfits. - -Behind them all is what was once a wooden cottage, now completely destroyed and the remains coated in the same thick black ink you see all around you. However, there are no large objects nearby that would signify they were used to destroy it, so whatever did the deed is not here. - -*IF THEY ASK* -One person weakly raises an arm, a male Boa constrictor wearing Thunder Force garb. "We can't escape.. the BATTLEZONE spell has us trapped.. and the ink sapped our strength when we touched it.." - -*HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN HERE* -They all begin by stating a few weeks, quickly escalating to months. One guy says he's been there three days and he ALREADY wants to kill himself, and everyone collectively shouts at him WE KNOW. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You recognize that voice as the Marauder LUCKY. - -*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -The one that had been here for months starts laughing maniacally and says "OH you wanna see inmate number one?! Cassius has been trapped here longer than anyone else!" And shakily points an arm in the direction of the largest dead tree by the house. - -*IF THEY LOOK* -Against the back side of the tree, you see a frail looking black fox man, slumped back against the tree with bandages wrapped around his eyes, chest, and right shoulder. His right arm is physically missing, and the bandages around his chest are loose enough to where you can see the gaping hole leading clear through his body. He is breathing, but otherwise makes no movement. - -*IF THEY GET HIS ATTENTION* -His head will slowly raise a few inches, and his ears flick once. You hear him mutter something, and upon closing in, you make out the word "RUN." - -And that is when you hear the breath of a very large animal directly behind you. - -Turning around, you spot what appears to be a colossal black fox made entirely of black ink. You cannot make out a face, but its obvious head will suddenly split open in six different directions, peeling back to reveal rows of teeth across each one as three tongues flick at you, screeching in three different voices at once. And it lurches forward. - -*ATHLETICS ROLL* -(Lowest Roll) is suddenly grabbed in its teeth, becoming swallowed whole. And the creature looks at the rest of your group with an identical hunger. - ------ - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -Once the creature has fallen, you see its stomach start to warble and bounce around, before (eaten player's weapon) suddenly pushes through it, the body opening up and revealing an ink-coated (eaten player) standing in the mess. Their clothes are stained black in various spots, and what ISN'T stained is going grayscale very quickly. -(THAT PLAYER IS AT 0HP AND CANNOT MOVE BEYOND BARE MINIMUM ARM MOVEMENTS AND WEAK SPEAKING) - -(NOTICE ROLL) You hear a soft groaning in the distance coming from the nearby tree. The fox man from before is visibly reaching for the creature with its one arm, but is VERY visibly unable to reach it. - -*IF SOMEONE HELPS* -He places a hand upon the creature's body, slowly sinking his hand into it. You watch the creature slowly deflate like a balloon, and you see the man's arm pulse visibly as it... drinks the creature, would be the best description. It takes a few moments, but eventually its body is completely gone, and you see the man's body physically pulse hard, like a heartbeat going off for the first time. - -He bellows out in agony and uses his one arm to yank off his bandages, fully revealing the massive hole in his chest. The hole is slowly filled with the same inky darkness as the creature he absorbed, strand by strand reforming into an odd ball that could easily resemble a heart, followed by the rest of his chest until it is completely sealed and looks good as new. He yanks the bandages off his eyes next, opening them and revealing pale yellow spheres, seeming to glow against the midnight black of his fur. - -He sighs after a moment, before turning to your group. "I despise the concept of owing anyone anything, but... you have made my sentence in this demense much shorter than the eternity I was promised. You have my gratitude, and my aid in solving our... shared dilemma." - -*ASK ABOUT THE INK* -He will shakily walk to the tree you found him at, leaning against it with a sigh. "That is my... essence. My corrupted summon drained it from me the longer it existed, and spilled it freely across the demense." He will pull out a small sphere of gold, roughly the size of a marble, sizzling in the palm of his hand. "This bullet was the culprit." - -*WHAT HAPPENED* -He turns away and replies, "A man in black and gold challenged me, called himself the Crooked King. He used these... strange golden weapons. He ate through my strongest spells, corrupted my own magic creatures." - -He will toss the bullet to your group. If anyone catches it bare handed, it will sizzle against their skin if it is bare, or will singe their fur or scales. "He was too dangerous to have my Regalia, so I animated a piece of myself to hold it and cast it out. He became enraged, corrupted the battlezone magic, pushed me through its walls. None of which should be possible for a mortal to do." - -"The creature ran rampant through the demense, spilling my essence as its continued existence demanded it from me. The CHALLENGE circle prevented escape for us, my strength refused to recover, and I was alone." - -"But when these... mortals entered and touched the ink, they became infected with my immortality. Unable to escape, unable to die." - -"In defeating my Kurogitsune, you have returned what is mine, and assured the freedom of everyone here. I only need to reclaim my Regalia to break the seal, and reclaim my essence to sever the connection." - -(EMPATHY ROLL) Something about what he said is bugging you. If they are all at no vitality, and likely haven't eaten or drank anything, then losing their connection to the immortality would possibly be fatal. - -*IF THEY ASK TO CONFIRM* -"Correct. Once I sever the connection, they will likely have minutes to live. If you care for these mortals, you will need to find a solution. They are of no consequence to me." - -He raises his hand, sending out a dark wave of magical energy. You hear a familiar chittering and see a creature appear from the shadows. Striker snickers as he steps forward, and waltzes over beside Cassius' stumped arm. "Hello my friends, did you miss me?" - -Cassius remarks, "Oh.. I see now... I have heard your exploits from my animated extension." - -*IF THEY ASK ABOUT THEIR CONNECTION* -"Striker hid my Regalia. He traveled by the Crooked King's shadow." Striker snickers a bit and returns the wavy vantablack dagger to his Master. "And as a piece of me, he knows he barely qualified AS me, and has used it to further his own ambitions." - -Striker turns to Cassius. "It was all part of my plan. Once I found some capable warriors, I just needed to point them in the right direction as Regalia Hunters! They would eventually find their way to your demense and discover you, thereby aiding your recovery on their journey to free the people of Diadem and claim their wish!" - -Cassius stares Striker down. "Is that the rumor you've been spreading?" Striker winces with a grumble, before Cassius continues, "I do not care. Your plan succeeded. I will be whole again soon. Once you all find a solution. And soon." He will leer at your group as he leans against the tree, waiting for you to decide the next step. - ------ - -*ONCE A SOLUTION HAS BEEN REACHED* -Cassius will stop leaning against a nearby dead tree. "The Challenge was corrupted, but the circle was mine. Therefore..." He extends his arm straight into the air, aiming the blade at the sky, before pointing it in the direction of the gate. "I DECLARE THIS CHALLENGE NULL AND VOID." In the distance you hear a strange high pitched noise before what sounds like glass shattering, sending out a pulse of energy through the entire forest. "The magic is gone. You may now leave." - -*IF THEY ASK HOW* -"It is a rule. A demense master with their Regalia in hand may change or cancel any Challenge they are in. It is not a rule we use lightly." You see his tail flick in irritation for a moment. "And HE made a mockery of our rules. I will make him pay." - ------ - -He will place his hand into the ink, his eyes glowing with an ethereal light. The ink suddenly pulses outward from his hand, across the entire body of it, before slowly draining into his hand, much like the creature from earlier. It takes a minute, but you do see the ink levels slowly lower all around you. Even the ink on the various bodies around you seeps off their skin and into his hand. - -Once all the black stains and ink have been recovered, the stub of where his missing arm is will suddenly vibrate a bit, before the bandages suddenly burst off and erupts with a series of nightmarish black tentacles, slowly wrapping themselves together into a spiral and morphing into a new arm. He will test and flex the fingers of for a moment, before turning to your group. - -"This ends my compensation. I advise you leave. The demense will soon return to its normal state, and I am hungry." He will pause to turn to your group, his eyes suddenly turning as red as the moon in the sky, and he gains what can only be described as 'resting murder face.' "For your own sake, take my advice." - -(NOTICE ROLL) You feel a sudden shadow cast over your heads in the clear night sky. When you look up to see what is causing it, a thought crosses your mind. "I could swear there was not a black circle on the surface of the blood red moon a moment ago, making it look like a giant red eye." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Blue.txt b/Demense/Demense-Blue.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c5dc312..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Blue.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,178 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a blue magic wall, looking like a slow running waterfall - -On the island: -https://youtu.be/XO1MC0BS3K4?si=ZZ4U42grIgWaw_Lv - -After meeting Dorrin: -https://youtu.be/9xeWvFntMcc?si=OgqCsCZTSwpMFxX0 - -## As you exit the BLUE gate, -Your nose is immediately bombarded by the stench of sea salt and your ears are greeted to the sound of seagulls. The wooden dock you are now standing on stretches around a small island in a large 2x2 block square, and the only thing beyond it is endless miles of water. - -Welcome to the **Ocean** demense! - -Despite the lack of overall land, the area is anything but lifeless. Dozens of people are walking about in either sailor uniforms, fishing outfits, or deep sea diving gear, all chatting each other up like it was the most normal thing in the world. - -The gate itself is bound to the side of one of the nearby buildings, and there is a signpost with guiding arrows and signs. - -*SOUTH SIDE SHOPS* - -*EAST SIDE DIVING* - -*WEST SIDE DOCKS* - -*NORTH SIDE FISHING* - -*CENTRAL STORAGE* - ------ - -*SOUTHSIDE SHOPS* -All ten shops are selling a massive amount of freshly caught seafood of course, but a couple are selling clothing designed for the waters, fishing rods, tackle & bait, fresh catches, magic rings in a blue hue, and even some boat & diving suit rentals. - -*APPROACH* -The shopkeep, an octopus in a white poet shirt with a velvet vest and a blue nametag reading KLEIN, currently using his six tentacle arms to handle multiple business transactions at once. "Hm? What can I do ya fer?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Yer lookin fer Dorrin? Haven't seen him in a while, but he's probably around here somewhere." - ------ - -*EASTSIDE DIVERS* -This stretch of wood seems to be for people to dive full-body in to the water without a vessel. All of them bare minimum have either a net, a spear, or a blade on hand before they dive in. - -*APPROACH* -One of the divers stops just before jumping in, and you can't tell what's inside the suit, but he DOES stop to talk to you. "Need something?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Dorrin's been kinda missing for a bit. He's here somewhere, just not sure where. I'll keep an eye out for him while I'm down there, he usually helps guide fish to us to make our catches better." - ------ - -*WESTSIDE BOATS* -Each boat varies greatly in size from a basic 2 man fishing boat to a massive crew-bearing multi-floor vessel, and each one carries out fish as small as simple trout, as large as massive swordfish, and as weird-looking as blue lobsters. - -*APPROACH* -An Osprey woman with her hair bound up under a fisherman's hat in grey waders and a black shirt, her blue nametag reading VICTORIA, hops off her vessel once the rest of her crew hauls off their half full net. "What's up?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Haven't seen him in a bit. Which is a shame, our catches usually work out alot better when he's around." - ------ - -*SHACKS* -The outermost shacks are essentially just ice boxes for the peoples' fish, and you spot a few people load one up as you walk by. However, you do see some of them get bigger as you get closer to the center. - -The shack in the center is surprisingly large, to the point you could swear it mimicked a two story building. It has an actual front door with stairs leading up to it, and the door appears to be partly open. - -*GO INSIDE* -Inside is a fairly decent looking living space. Tables and couches in the living room, burgundy colored painted walls, fully functional kitchen with an extra large fridge, and well maintained stairs leading to the next floor. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) The place is surprisingly organized, nothing appears damaged or out of the ordinary, but you DO notice everything seems to have several days worth of dust all over it. - -*UPSTAIRS* -You find a pair of fully furnished bedrooms, one of which CLEARLY is designed to house a girl with darker Gothic tastes, and the other furnished for more of a sharp dressed man. - ------ - -*NORTHSIDE FISHERS* -For the most part, it's just a bunch of guys in basic fishing gear casting their lines from the dock itself instead of a boat. Some kids are even fishing with their dads using string-on-a-stick fishing poles. There's even a pole sticking out of a huge pile of seaweed in the corner. - -Upon being asked, a few drunk men start slurring their words at you, but a sparrow in a captain's hat says something to the effect of 'if he ain't in his house, he's either out bulking, sulking, or skulking', and all the dtunks start laughing like it was the funniest joke they ever heard. - -(INVESTIGATE Roll) You suddenly realize that pile of seaweed in the corner is... moving a little? - -The seaweed begins to shift and fall as a massive finned tail swings out, revealing a massive bald person hiding within. He slowly rises to his feet, looming over your group by a few inches. - -The seaweed slowly slips off his body to reveal a buff shark clad in only ocean blue swim trunks, shredded and tattered below the knees. Aside from the occasional piece of seaweed, the only other thing on him is the string on a stick he is holding, revealed to be a large harpoon. - -*IF ANYONE SAYS ANYTHING* -He will abruptly cut them off. "I know why you're here. And my answer is no." - -*AFTER ANY RESPONSE* -"I dont care anymore. Whatever you want is not my concern. Not anymore." He will attempt to walk away, harpoon in hand. - -*IF THEY ASK WHY* -He sighs and looks to the group, his ocean blue eyes glowing lightly. "You are among the freshest newbies, I assume. Your country sent you here because you were among the best of the best, or something along those lines. The people of these lands are all either the same way or the descendants of those people. And that includes the marauders." - -"Those people, raised from such a 'noble and well educated background,' ambushed me in an attempt to take my Regalia by force. And when they didn't get what they wanted, they took something even more precious from me. They proved the quality of a person is irrelevant to their desperation when it comes to getting what they want." - -He smashes his tail through a nearby plank of wood, causing it to break immediately. "They don't deserve anything less than the suffering they inflict on others, including me." And he leaves, heading into the water and submerging himself in it, disappearing from sight. - -A fisherman nearby who heard the hold thing approaches, an old otter man in blue sailor garb and a blue nametag that says GALLON, grabs your group's attention with his thick West Country English accent. "Don't take it personally lads, he be grievin' somethin' fierce. Come with me, I'll explain everythin'." - -He takes you to a fairly good size fishing vessel docked on the east docks, complete with a second floor and enough standing room for a dozen people AND their catches, with a sign on the rear naming it 'The Barrel of Forty-Two.' - -*IF ASKED WHY* -He laughs heartily and replies, "Because a barrel can hold 42 gallons!" - -He takes you out a good mile from the docks, and hands each of you a fishing rod if you want, before flopping in the northernmost seat on the boat and casting out his own line. "Ah... nothin' like the deep blue sea, is thar? Just endless ocean, a gull here or there, and the catch of the day waitin' to be caught." - -*WHEN ASKED ABOUT DM* -Gallon sighs a bit before responding. "As I said, don't hate the lad. Dorrin is a prideful lad that had his greatest treasure stolen, something far more valuable than sunken gold or that fancy spear o' his. He lost his daughter, a local legend around these parts. Her name was Vivid." - -"He adopted her when she was a teen, no memory of her parents. Ye wouldn't think 'im the fatherin' type, but he raised 'er ta be a fine woman. Beautiful too, her Crimson eyes offset her gray fur so well, she had ta turn away many a suitor." He laughed a bit before he lets out a soft sigh. - -"Things changed about a month ago. The blasted marauders had just come by and tried to muck up the fishermen, but ol' Dorrin an' Vivid took care of 'em right quick. His power an' brutality was only matched by 'er speed and precision. Truly a tag team from Hell." - -"But after they were sent packin', new ones stepped in and challenged 'im. An' there was somethin' diff'rent about one of 'em, somethin'... wrong. There were only three, but they challenged 'im fer 'is Regalia, and he accepted the 3 on 1. And they fought dirty." - -"The two he fought first, a lad and a lass, put up a good fight. Zapped 'im, cooked 'im, froze 'im like a fishstick. And he took 'em down. But that last one, he did somethin' most foul.. while Dorrin was busy fightin' 'em, the last one told his men to take Vivid hostage. She fought as hard as she could, but they managed to take 'er away." - -"When Dorrin realized she was nabbed, it was all that last one needed to strike. He shot 'im with some form of magic gun, golden in hue. It hit Dorrin hard enough to take 'im down. But the thing they never realized was, Dorrin is too tough to die." - -"It was over in a flash, Dorrin had stood back up and had the leader's head an' helmet in his jaw, an' the other two in his hands by the throats. And right when 'e was about to eat the bastard's head clean through, 'e surrendered an' broke off the challenge, grabbed his men an' ran away." - -"We couldnt get a good look at 'em, but I saw that lad's bloodied face through the broken helmet, got a good look at 'is eye when 'is helmet got crushed against 'is skull. He saw death in those Jaws. An' 'e barely escaped it with his life." - -"Since then, Dorrin's waited every wakin' moment for them to return, hoping he can grab 'em an' squeeze 'em for any information. But they haven't returned even once, so he's just waited for 'em for an entire month." - ------ - -*WHY NOT GO AFTER HER* -He turns to the one who asked. "Yer genuinely askin' why a six foot four enraged and grievin' shark man with the powers of the ocean at 'is fingertips doesn't go gallavantin' through the Town of Diadem, bellowin' about his lost daughter?" - -"It only takes a single match to start a fire, (lad/lass). He knows if he does that an' even ONE person gets scared, he'll incite a riot. demense Master or not, people would fear 'im. It takes all 'is self control not to do just that." - ------ - -"I feel for th' lad, I do. All 'e wants is to know if his daughter is okay. He believes she is, but ev'ry day that passes without her is another day of misery fer 'im." - -(CONTACTS ROLL) Someone suddenly remembers they have a shadowy informant on standby. But to summon him, you need a bit of darkness, which the second floor will likely offer. - -*Striker appears in the second floor* -"I knew you couldn't stay away forever... to what do I owe the patronage?" - -*AFTER THEY EXPLAIN* -"Hm hm.. Very well, I'll find your Vivid of the Crimson Eye, but this time it will cost you. Head back to the mainland, I should have something for you by the time you arrive. We can discuss your payment then..." He fades into the shadows of the boat. - -When you return, Striker is sitting in the shade of one of the shacks, munching sloppily on a fresh fish carcass. "Mm, delicious.. Oh hello there, welcome back~" - -*IF THEY ASK* -"OH I found whom you were looking for, and she is very much alive..." An eerie moment of silence befalls the entire island, as Dorrin has appeared behind Striker. - -"...what? Is there something on my face?" A piece of seaweed falls onto his shoulder, causing him to slowly turn around and gasp strainedly seeing the shark. - -Dorrin is staring down at him with the intensity of a man ready to commit murder. "What... did you... just... say..?" - -Striker turns to him and indignantly replies. "Now see here, fish breath, I will not be intimidated by the likes of HYEARGH!!" He is grabbed by the neck and lifted clean off his feet, meeting eye to eye with Dorrin, while he grabs at Dorrin's arm to try and free himself. - -Dorrin leans in close and stares him in his bug eyes. "You stink of Cassius..." - -That makes Striker freeze in place for a moment, before Dorrin drops him onto his ass. He grumbles a bit, but freezes again when Dorrin aims his Spear at him. "Now speak, insect. What do you know?" - -Striker nervously gulps, and responds, "She's alive, she's alive! My informants spotted someone with Crimson eyes in Diadem a few days ago! I couldn't get an exact location but she's somewhere in the Essentials district!" When that spear backs away, he sighs deeply, but jumps in place when Dorrin flops on his ass, staring in the sky. - -"I knew it... I knew she was alive..." His entire demeanor shifts and softens significantly, and you could almost see a smile on his face and a tear in his eye. He turns to your group after a moment. "Thank you... you have done me a great service. I owe you a debt that will be repaid." - -Striker stands up and complains. "What about me?! I'm the one who got the information! Surely I deserve compensation as well!" - -Dorrin simply reaches over, grabs him by the head, and pulls him down. "You may live to see another day, vermin." He then accurately throws him backward, Striker screaming the whole time as he flies through the air and falls right through the portal. - -Dorrin finally stands back up, raises his Spear in the air, and speaks in a proud voice, "Today is a glorious day! Vivid of the Crimson Eye still lives!!!" And literally everyone on the wharf island cheers at this news. High fives are being exchanged, dancing lines are forming, bottles of booze are appearing out of nowhere. - -"And these are the people whom we have to thank for this information. As repayment, I will accept your challenge for any future day, any time. This information is more valuable than any Regalia." - -He pauses and turns away before continuing, "But for now, for the first time in a month, I am ready to rest." He slowly walks away, headed for the storage building. - -Everyone else, however, is shouting, dancing, and taking drinks of booze in celebration that their island legend is still very much alive. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Brown.txt b/Demense/Demense-Brown.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 57b1a2e..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Brown.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,162 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a brown magic wall, looking like a large cut of stone. - -On the mountain: -https://youtu.be/A-Er-HH1Od8?si=45j_cp0AGMy1tVb- - -After saving the life: -https://youtu.be/FPQwdQjA2zM?si=Vmv_1C-SISdNTfA_ - -## After exiting the BROWN gate, -Your visuals are immediately ensnared by the giant mountainous crags extending straight into the sky, some even with snowy peaks, all eventually wrapping around you in a valley-like formation. - -Welcome to the **Mountain** demense! - -You also see a fairly large open space in the valley before you, occupied by a few dozen trees, a small isolated lake, and a large concrete building with a pair of stone benches in front of it, both of which are completely unoccupied. - -*GO TO THE BUILDING* -When you look inside through the windows, it turns out to be a double purpose building. - -The left side is full of climbing gear for rent. Harnesses, ropes, hooks, helmets, pads, picks, etc. Theres also a kiosk in the back selling many of the same items, as well as trail mix, magic rings in a brown hue, and about six kinds of meat jerky, all of which is ran by a single koala man in a blue polo shirt, his nametag reading BUNJI. - -(NOTICE ROLL) There is also a sign on the far side advertising something called a "Shredder backpack" for 50z - -The right side is a large gym full of legitimately massive workout equipment, and bodybuilders of equal magnitude all working out together. There is one VERY muscular maned wolf woman walking around between them, spotting when necessary and handing out towels & water, her brown nametag reading Jekhyra. - -*IF THEY TALK TO EITHER ONE* -- He will see you walk in the door, suddenly smiling wide. "Welcome, how can I help you?" -- She will suddenly turn to your group hearing the door open, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "Hello strangers, can I help you?" - -The group will be told basic information about the demense being THE place to get rock solid muscle and consistent results -- The common ways would be either good old-fashioned working out, or doing some rigorous mountain climbing & hiking. - -*IF THEY ASK ABOUT THE BACKPACK* -The koala/maned wolf smiles a little, (dives down behind the counter/walks into the back for a sec), and pops back out with a 3 foot long 2 foot wide backpack that looks like it's made out of stone-like scales, but they feel like rough fingernails to the touch. Even stranger, in addition to the basic shoulder straps, there's a pair of thick woven strap sets that can be tightened with fabric-like ratchets, wide enough to stick an arm through it like a strapdown shield. - -*IF THEY ASK ABOUT THE DM/REGALIA* -"That it would be Tlaloc, he lives on the peak of the practice mountain. You can usually hear him when he's awake, but since noone has heard the glorious sounds of rocks against rocks, he's likely still asleep." - -- If they spoke to BUNJI, he will call for Jekhyra to come over -- If they spoke to Jekhyra, she will toss a towel around her neck and walk to Bunji - -BUNJI: Afternoon Jekhyra, (I overheard / not sure if you heard), we have some people to see Tlaloc? - -JEKHYRA: Yep, gonna be a fun day. Gonna need gear for (party size +1) looks like. - -BUNJI: Not a problem, and at 25z a head, that'll come out to... uh... before I do that, you all CAN afford the equipment rental, yes? - -JEKHYRA: Shiiit, forgot to mention that. You wanna head up, you gotta get equipment. Helmets, hooks, ropes, backpacks, all that shit. - -Anyone that can afford the climb comes with, the rest can stay at the building and shop around or work out - -The mountain in question already has an indicated entryway, at which she will connect a rope between each of those going up with her in-line before attaching it to herself. She grabs the rope and looks back to your group. "Everybody ready?" Once everyone confirms they are ready to begin, she will begin the climb with them all in tow. - -The climb will take place over the span of an hour, and a total of three times, there will be an ATHLETICS roll made to take DMG from stumbling or making mistakes, as unskilled climbers. - -At the top of the mountain is a relatively uneven and rocky circle of about 200 feet in width, with sparse boulders littering it. - -Jekhyra unhooks you individually when you each safely reach the top, letting you all walk around and enjoy the view. This practice mountain PALES in comparison to the other ones surrounding you, but the view over the trees, lake, and building is stellar. - -*WHERE IS DM* -"Oh right, forgot you came to see him. He's around here somewhere, pretty hard to miss." - -(INVESTIGATE roll) You find a massive rock that has a weird patterned texture, and even weirder, it appears to be... breathing? - -The thing you found suddenly begins to move, raising itself up out of its small divot in the ground, stretching a pair of massive arms wide and unfurling a colossal tail, groaning loudly. - -Everyone on top of the cliff watches this massive monster unfurl itself, stretch its arms out, and unfurling its tail, and realize immediately it was just yawning and stretching. - -But you all also witness, in a fraction of a second, its tail accidentally swings out and pushes every one of your team backwards a bit, and it unfortunately knocks (player that woke him up) off the cliff. - -Everyone rushes to the side of the cliff and tries to catch the fallen teammate, but noone can quite reach him in time. And you watch your teammate descend backward and down into the distance. - -Even at this shallower height, you know landing from a fall like that will likely be serious, if not fatal. But before any of your group can even grieve, that massive brown creature LEAPS right down in the same direction at breakneck speed. - -The falling character comes face to face with a large brown creature that grabs them in its massive arms, curls tightly around them to flip itself forward, and SLAMS into the ground full force, leaving a small crater upon landing. - -The creature slowly lets you down onto your own two feet, and is currently looking you over, which gives you a chance to look over your savior as well. - -The creature LOOMS over you with a body that is INSANELY beefy, every inch of it is covered in muscle from the front. His arms are huge & tipped with foot long nails, his entire back half is covered with what resembles brown dragon scales, his tail is almost as long as he is, and the only clothing he is wearing is a very minimal brown loincloth. - -You are being stared down by a seven foot tall AND wide pangolin, staring at you with bright brown eyes atop a long muzzle. He leans down and, in a halting and slow manner, manages to form a few simple words in a deep, toungue-heavy voice. "YOU? OKAY? HURT?" - -Once they confirm they are okay, the creature nods, turns around, and jams its claws into the rock face, suddenly climbing its way back up the mountain face like it's nothing. - ------ - -*IF ANYONE STAYED BEHIND* -You've either been getting hassled by the guys in the gym into joining them for a workout, or mulling around the equipment store looking over the gear. - -When that massive pangolin lands outside the building, everyone stops to watch him set your teammate down, and climb up the wall like some scaley spidermonkey. - ------ - -*AT THE TOP* - -Jekhyra has been doing her best to talk each and every one of you down from doing something stupid like going after your teammate unescorted or jumping down there. - -You all begin to hear rumbling from the side of the cliff. - -You spot a massive brown scaly creature climbing up the rock walls with its large talons, and it is approaching FAST. And yes, it is the thing that dove after your friend. - -Upon reaching the top, the creature helps itself up onto the flat surface and kinda just stands there for a second, before waving at you all and contorting its hands around as it speaks haltingly. "FRIEND. OKAY. RIDE? DOWN?" He then turns around and points to his back, offering to escort you down. - -*IF ANYONE ASKS OR OBJECTS* -Jekhyra will step forward and stand beside the creature. "You got nothing to worry about. Tlaloc here's an expert mountain climber." She will pat him on the shoulder before stepping away. "I'm going down the long way, so you can go with me, or with him." - -*EITHER WAY* -It only takes a few minutes before Tlaloc makes it to the ground, and when he touches down, he kneels down to let you all off his back. Once you are all off, he steps away and smiles in a goofy manner, showing his toothless gums. - -Once you all have a chance to reunite, he steps up to your group, raising his arms straight out at his sides. "SORRY.. NEW... FRIENDS..." He is offering a hug as an apology. - -*AFTER HUGGING* -He lets you all go and trots off toward the building, looking back to your group and waving one hand for you all to follow. - -Once inside, he takes you through the gym area to a room in the back, and pushes a wood crate full of metal water bottles and ice toward you all. - -He grabs one and holds it over his head, poking a hole with one talon in the bottom like it was nothing, and guzzling the water as it streams out in only a few seconds. - -After he finishes, he clears his throat as best he can and points at your group, then the floor, then the mountain. "YOU. VISIT. WHY?" - -*IF THEY MENTION DM / REGALIA* -Tlaloc suddenly stands up and begins laughing excitedly like a small child, in a deep unsettling tone. Everyone slowly puts down their equipment and starts asking what is going on and what has him so giddy. - -*IF THEY ANSWER* -All the guys working out start getting excited too, chanting and hollering like a group of rowdy frat boys at a party. - -Jekhyra finally shows back up, and rushes into the group, going right for the water bottles. "What's with all the noise, boys?" She opens the bottle and takes a quick drink. - -*IF THEY ANSWER* -Jekhyra will do a good old fashioned spit take hearing YOU want to fight HIM, coughing hard as Tlaloc suddenly runs out the door, accidentally catching some of the free weights on his scaled tail on the way out. - -Once she stops coughing, Jekhyra will stare at your group in disbelief. "Okay I'm going to assume you are all insane to actually WANT to take on THAT." She will pause to point at Tlaloc, whom is currently doing bicep curls with the stone benches from out front. - -Tlaloc will suddenly turn toward the gate, seeing a new group of people come into the demense. You watch him excitedly run toward them like an excited toddler, leaving footprints in the ground with every step. - -*GIVE THEM A MOMENT TO THINK IT OVER* -You hear a loud thud and see that Tlaloc is suddenly on the ground, bellowing out in pain. You see the group's attention is now turned toward the building. And even from here, you can see one of them is holding a golden sword. - -Every guy in the gym is VERY agitated, and you hear about twenty sets of knuckles and necks cracking as they all head out the door, led by Jekhyra. Her heckles are raised, her eyes are sharp, and she is practically snarling. - -*OUTSIDE* -As you exit the door, you immediately see dozens more Marauders pouring in from the gate, headed toward the people from the gym. And you get to subsequently watch as ten buff people easily lay the smackdown on about forty moderately-armed Marauders, very easily clearing a path for the rest of you to go for the leaders. - -When you reach them, you see Tlaloc lying on his back, bellowing deeply and holding on to his chest wound with both arms. And you see a bull standing over him, one foot on his stomach. "Well lookie who it is!" - -(CONTACTS ROLL) It's the same bull man from the first fight. - -*WHAT DOES HE WANT* -"Boss man sent me to take this lummox's Regalia, of course! And I think I'm gonna test it out on you lot!" He hops over Tlaloc and charges at your group with his own small group. - -*AFTER THE FIGHT* - -The Marauders are lying defeated in a heap before you, with the bull lying right on top. Behind you, the guys from the gym have ALSO finished, their own heap of Marauders significantly larger. - -Jekhyra heads over to Tlaloc and slowly helps him up, the big guy sniffling like a toddler that bruised his knee. The good news is he looks okay, the gash across his chest not particularly large, but you DO see some golden powder trickling from the wound. - -She walks Tlaloc over to the Marauders' leaders, holding his meaty hand like a mother with her massive child, and Tlaloc suddenly picks the half conscious bull up from the heap. When his eyes meets Tlaloc's, he suddenly becomes VERY scared. "OH FUCK! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" - -Tlaloc just gives him a goofy grin and pulls him into a bear hug, holding him tight. "ME! FORGIVE! FRIEND!" You see a wave of relief wash over the Bull's face, which disappears after three seconds as Tlaloc slowly but surely starts tightening his hug. And starts dancing around, slinging him in slow circles all the while. - -Jekhyrs watches beside your group, arms crossed and snickering. "Okay so... goes without saying, no challenge today. He's gonna be uh... 'playing' with his new friend for a while, plus that gash is gonna need time to heal..." - -All the guys from the gym are VERY disappointed to hear that, and make it VERY vocally known. "Buuut... give him a couple days for this to heal up and he'll likely be good to go." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Gray.txt b/Demense/Demense-Gray.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 55eae99..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Gray.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,166 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a gray magic wall, looking like a slowly moving gray fog - -In the graveyard: -https://youtu.be/fX07qD_782Y?si=DipdsPgRYBKiCadk - -In the cathedral: -https://youtu.be/6H2JbT4BRDU?si=lvecRpHQf5X5fU8H - -## Upon exiting the GRAY gate, -you feel a strange chill run up all your spines. Not from it being cold, but moreso because you find yourself face to face with several rows of tombstones that extend into an unending gray mist. - -Welcome to the **Graveyard** demense! - -(WILL ROLL) -(Lowest roller) suddenly has the strangest sensation that they don't want to go any further inside. You feel a sense of dread at the thought of what may happen in this massive graveyard. - -*IF THEY CONTINUE* -As far as the eye can see is just rows upon rows of graves on both sides. The ones closest to the path itself look brand new, and their dates reflect as such. But other than that and the gray mist, you only see the brick path ahead of you. - -(NOTICE roll) You hear a strange kind of noise, like wood on stone creaking and clacking, as well as a few footsteps. Moments later, you spot a body in the distance, obscured by the mist. - -The obscured figure is a wolf man with messy silver hair, pulling a wheeled wooden cart behind himself. He will put the cart down a moment later, roll up the sleeves on his black dress shirt, bearing a beat-up gray nametag reading AZRAEL. - -*IF THEY SAY ANYTHING OR APPROACH FURTHER* -The wolf man will suddenly turn to your group, his eyes a dull emerald green. He will speak with a soft Tamil accent, "Oh... Abologies, I was focusing on my work." - -He steps to the back side of his cart, grabbing an armload of fresh flowers. He walks to the graves beside the main path, kneeling to each one as he mutters a few words in a language NONE of you recognize, then places a few of them on the grave. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) -- His beat-up nametag has a sticker over it with the text AZRAEL written on it -- His fur hides it well, but he has hypertrophic scars on his forearms, and they wrap around his entire arm - ------ - -(The language is SUMERIAN) -(The oldest recorded language in history) - -(Tamil sounds similar to middle eastern) -(Replace T with D, P with B, roll the R, soft A) - ------ - -*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -"Abologies, I know id is rude of me, bud I have much work do do before dhe ceremony. Would you be willing do waid inside for me? I will nod be long." He points down the pathway, and the fog is ebbing just enough for the general outline of a much larger building to be seen in the distance. - ------ - -You eventually come to a large cathedral-like facility with a massive pair of wide open doors, a sign beside them stating the next FUNERAL SERVICE and what time it starts. There is also a building on either side, not as fancy as the huge cathedral in the middle, but built similarly. - -*LEFT BUILDING* -It's a storage facility filled with instruments. A piano, violin, harp, flute, ceremonial drums, and the tools to repair them all. You also spot a box with a couple dozen magic rings in a gray hue - -*RIGHT BUILDING* -It's a warehouse with several sets of nice dress clothes in multiple sizes, as well as "pine boxes" in identical sizes, plus shovels, large slabs of stone, chisels, choir gowns, a wooden podium, and a surprisingly large hair and makeup kit. - -*OPEN CATHEDRAL* -You enter the main congregation hall, with rows of pews like a church. The elevated stage in the back is holding a podium, an open casket, and a portrait of the deceased. - -There are dozens of people in the seats ahead of you, chattering, crying, and even laughing as they support each other. A few people are walking up to the casket every so often to say their goodbyes. - -(CONTACTS ROLL) It's a photo of Warton, the elderly bulldog man that ran the bookstore - -A younger bulldog man steps forth to the podium as that same grayscale wolf man you met earlier steps up to the piano, playing a soft tune as the bulldog speaks. "Hello, uh.. My name is Peyton, and I'm Warton's son. I want to thank you all for coming out to say your goodbyes and... I'm... I'm sorry, I'm gonna need a moment." He pauses to step away and take a stilling breath. - -"My father was a unique kind of guy. Always happy, well read, smartest man I ever met. He was always on the lookout for some new story or book he'd never heard of, loved meeting new people, and all he ever wanted was for others to love stories as much as he did." - -"He made sure to read to me every night, and I always felt like I never really told him how much it meant to me that he did..." He paused again, fighting back tears. - -"Back when I was a student at Diadem University, they had a class where they went over each known religion's interpretation of the afterlife. They were all different, but the trend showed if you were a decent person, then when you died, you went somewhere amazing or maybe got a better life the next time around." - -"I say that to say, this man was quite possibly the kindest, strongest, and most morally upright man I ever knew. And I may not be a religious man, but if any of them turns out to be true, he deserves the absolute best and has MORE than earned it." - -He turns to the casket, mic in hand. "Thank you for everything. I just hope that, wherever you are right now, you know that you are now, and always will be, loved." - -The audience erupts in applause and comments, a few stepping up on stage to hug him and compliment his bravery. The next person in line, a cardinal man, steps up to speak next. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You noticed the music stopped, and the wolf man from earlier is now standing/sitting a few feet from your group. - -"Abologies for my indrusion, I hope you do not mind. Bud afder hearing him, I needed do dake a moment for myself. Id is empowering do hear one speak with such passion. And id is clear as day his fadher is so full of pride knowing his son dhinks so highly of him." - -*IF THEY ASK HOW HE KNOWS* -"Id is my... gifd, in a sense. In a manner similar do how dhe magic of dhis world has a unique color, dhere is a madching color do dhe emotions of people." He extends his hand for you to touch. - -*TOUCH THE HAND* -Everything you can see shifts a bit, the room around you losing its color, and the people themselves now giving vivid colorful glows. - -You can see multiple sad people warble in a mix of blue & gray, including Peyton. There are a couple people to the side laughing and being supportive glowing a blend of yellow & violet with wisps of gray mixed in. You spot one person slumped in their seat, glowing an ominous black. - ------ - -(INVESTIGATE Roll) It turns out to be Nash, hunkered into a ball somewhat and staring at the floor. He has a blank expression, but his cheeks are stained with tears. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -He will look up to them, give a half-hearted "hey," and go back to staring at the floor. - -*IF THEY PRESS* -"I knew Mr. Warton growing up... he helped me learn stuff when I was going through college... I didn't want to believe he was gone, but... yeah..." - ------ - -(EMPATHY Roll) You see a person shrouded in gray that wasn't there before you touched his hand, patting Peyton's shoulder with a warm smile, but it looks like Peyton doesn't even notice. - -"In dhis life, loss comes from so many blaces, bud none so sdrong as dhe loss of life. Id is such a sdrong loss, dhe sensation can even be feld in dhe afderlife." - -(highest roller)'s eyes are acting a bit odd, and are glitching a bit back and forth between normal view and this new mood ring like view. - -"Dhad is why dhese ceremonies exisd, so dhose dhad feel dhe loss of dhemselves and dheir loved ones can grieve. Id allows dhad magic do gadher, calls do dhe one dhey all losd, and allows dhem do move on peacefully. Nod say goodbye, bud do come do derms widh whad happened, AND prepare for whad comes nexd, widh no regreds." - ------ - -That player has earned a new STUNT: -EYES OF ETERNITY -- +2 on EMPATHY rolls with people in distress -- EMPATHY ROLL to read emotions as a color aura - ------ - -His wolf ears will suddenly flick a bit, and he will stand up, staring atraight at the door. "I beliebe we have uninvided guesds.. excuse me." He will quietly walk out the door, making sure to close it behind him. - -Moments later, you hear several screams of men AND women just outside, while thankfully the people at the funeral have not heard a word. - -*WHEN THEY GO OUTSIDE* -You will see the thickest blanket of gray mist outside the doors, but you THINK you can also recognize the outline of seven or eight people, the closest one looking like the wolf man. - -His back is turned to your group, and he steps forward, causing all the people he is facing to jump backwards a bit. You even hear one of them scream STAY BACK!!! - -You see the faint outline of something extending from his hand, but it is obscured by the mist. "None of you are on dhe lisd... I advise you leave before dhad changes..." - -In a fashion identical to an old horror movie, you hear several of the people suddenly shriek and run in the opposite direction. - -He will turn to your group, the mist slowly evaporating and his hands empty. "Abologies, id was some eh... barty crashers, here do ruin dhe ceremony." - -"Now dhad we are oudside, I believe now is a good dime for indroductions..." He reaches to his nametag and yanks off the sticker, revealing an equally banged up series of letters spelling THANATOS. - -"My name is Thanatos, and I am dhe Masder and caredaker of dhis, dhe Deadh demense. Id is a bleasure do officially meed you." - -*IF ASKED ABOUT CHALLENGE* -He sighs a bit. "Drudhfully I would nod be able do do this right now, as I have many ceremonies to berform doday. Dhis one should be just aboud over, and a new one shall begin soon afder." - -Just as he says that, everyone at the funeral files out the front doors, casket at the very front in the arms of four men, the rest following with all the photos and flowers in hand. - -One of the grieving women, an elderly cardinal, walks over to Thanatos, sniffing and tearing up. "Thank you for such a lovely ceremony, sir. You did everything perfectly." He kneels down so he is at her eye level, taking her hands in his and smiling softly at her. - -"A gread man deserves nodhing less dhan do be surrounded by friends and family, no differend dhan in life. All I did was provide dhe venue. Your people... dhey made dhe ceremony come do life." - -She suddenly jumps up and hugs him tightly, bawling into his shoulder for a moment, and he eventually returns her embrace. And that is when she realizes your group standing right behind him. - -She quickly releases him and covers her mouth with both hands over a soft gasp, taking a step back, and straightens her outfit out a bit. "I-Im so sorry, I didn't see you there.. I'm Rowena. I'm here for the service.. obviously.." She pauses and looks to Thanatos. "Are these your friends, or..?" - -He replies hesitantly, "Dhey are nod friends ber se, dhey are.. a fudure abboindmend." - -She gasps a bit and walks up to you all, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "I'm so sorry for your loss. My husband just lost his closest friend and gambling buddy." - -Thanatos reaches down and holds her shoulder. "Acdually no, dhere is no loss. Dhey have a differend kind of abboindmend." - -She turns to him a bit confused. "You do other things than funerals here?" - -"Indeed. We host birdhday bardies, ghosd sdory nighds, and slam poedry readings on weekends." And she bursts out laughing, which catches the attention of the entire congregation as they set up the carry to the burial. He kindly ushers her to go back to her event, and she staggers off, laughing the whole way. - -"Dhad is dhe kind of momend I exisd for. Despide dhe endless flow of dears, she found a momend do share a smile. And now, dhad smile will become as infecdious as the woe dhad broughd dhem here. And she knows if she can smile ad a dime like dhis, dhen... she will be okay." By the time he stops talking, the entire group of people she was part of are all bellowing in laughter. - -(Whoever kept the eye ability can see her blue sadness fading into yellow joy, as does many others) - -"Id is dime for me do begin proceedings for dhe next ceremony... bud I meand whad I said when I referred to you as a fudure abboindmend. Come back on any fudure dade and we shall have your challenge. For now, I have much do do." - -He will step away from your group, heading back into the cathedral and slamming the doors behind him. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Green.txt b/Demense/Demense-Green.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f017d6b..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Green.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,219 +0,0 @@ -The warbling gate is a golden ring with a green magic wall, looking like a slow swirling tornado - -In the meadow: -https://youtu.be/TZSA5HbOIEA?si=LsifjOBxxEd7iTrq - -In the Archery range: -https://youtu.be/D9X-bE51G08?si=v7PRWVioJGvBxWTb - -## Upon exiting the GREEN gate, -you feel the gentlest of breezes grazing your faces, you hear the lightest rustling of leaves in nearby trees, and as far as the eye can see is almost all lush green grasses, only sparsely populated by the occasional tree. The sky is as blue as the ocean, only decorated by a few small clouds, and for the first time since you entered the island, you are greeted by almost pure silence. - -Welcome to the **Grasslands** demense! - -(ATHLETICS ROLL) -The silence is abruptly interrupted by a sputtering noise coming from right beside your group, a horse head leaning down and nibbling the shirt sleeve of (lowest roller). You notice the horse is inside a large wooden corral connected to a stable with a dozen different shape and size horses, all behind a sign on the front that reads "Villi's Fillies, Rentals 10z." - -*IF ANYONE COMMENTS ON IT* -A female voice from behind you speaks out. "Knock it off Rosa, they don't have food for you!" - -The gate is attached to a fairly large boulder, and lying atop said Boulder stretched out is a white kitsune, her arms under her head as she stares into the sky, one leg crossed over the other. "Dont worry about the horses, long as you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you too much." - -*ASKS ABOUT HER* -She doesn't really move, but her head turns a little toward you. "Name's Villi. You new here? Most people know this to be the place for some peace and quiet." - -*ASKING ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -She sits upright and perks her ears, listening for a moment before pointing out a rather large oak tree in the distance. "You want Corentin, he's that way. Either practicing or sleeping on some warm rock." At best, you're looking at an hour of foot travel. - -*IF ANYONE COMPLAINS* -She will roll her eyes a bit. "Follow me." She jumps down to the other side of the rock, stepping out from behind it and walking into the ranch's main entrance. - -*IF THEY FOLLOW* -She will lead you into a walkway outside of the main pen, a few of the horses within approaching your group curiously. "Walking would take a while, but if you were to ride THESE, you'd get there in a few minutes." - -*IF YES* -She will guide (1/2 the number of players rounded up) horses toward the entrance, and straps a double seated saddle on each. "Pick your pairs, I don't have enough single saddles for all of you right now." While you decide, she will also put on a simple set of reigns, holding them for your group. - -*REGARDLESS OF WHICH OPTION* -As you travel through the lush grasses, you see mostly open greenery all being pushed around by a light breeze, and you hear leaves rustling in the nearby trees. Other than that, it's a quiet calm journey to the largest tree you can see. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You detect a peculiar scent in the air, something delicate and sweet. And it gets stronger as you approach the tree. - -You arrive at your destination, and it sticks out alot more than you'd expect. The first thing you notice is the grass in front tof the tree is kept incredibly short, while the grass AROUND it almost acts like a tall natural fence line. - -The tree itself is huge and healthy, about 50 feet wide at its base and easily just as tall. There are also some ropes hanging from some of its higher branches to the ground. - -To the left is a fairly large wooden corral with a dozen horses inside, wearing similar saddle and bridle sets as Villie's. - -To the right is a fenced in garden with rows upon rows of bushes covered in flowers, which is where the scent appears to be coming from. - ------ - -*CORRAL* -All the horses inside are casually eating grass or drinking from a nearby trough of water, all of them wearing saddles, most of which are single seaters. The corral doorway has a large sign on it saying "hold your horses" and a latched gate that CAN be opened from the outside. - -(IF THEY BROUGHT HORSES) -The gate opens easily enough, and the horses walk inside with mo real complaint. Yours happen to be the only ones with double length saddles, so picking them out will be easy. And your horses seem pretty content in here, as the first thing they do is go for the nearby food trough. - ------ - -*GARDEN* -There are a dozen rows of bush that stretch out several yards back, all contained within a handcrafted wooden fence. The lattice archway at the entrance is about eight feet high and ten feet wide, with a wooden sign on the left stating "Camellia Sinensis" and an identical sign on the right stating "free to take." - -The bushes all look identical from beginning to end, some having flowers and some having tiny brown or green berries. The bushes that DO have flowers are either a brilliant white or with some small amounts of pink, seven or eight petals each, with yellow stamen in each of them. - -(ACADEMICS ROLL) Camellia Sinensis is the scientific name for the Tea Plant. You are looking at an acre-sized tea garden. - ------ - -*OAK TREE* -You couldn't see it from so far away, but there is a large treehouse hidden inside its higher branches. It is masterfully crafted, shaped right in and around the branches themselves, blending in seamlessly. There is also a rope ladder AND a climbing rope leading up to it. - -*IF THEY CALL UP* -You get no response except for some chirping of birds around you. - -*IF THEY CLIMB IN* -The treehouse has a front landing that stretches a good 5 feet out from the front, and there is no real front door. The inside is surprisingly well crafted and cozy, full of breezy open windows, and comprised of three main rooms: the living room, the kitchen to the left, and the bedroom to the right. - -- The central room has a wood and wicker double couch & single chair set with a coffee table in between them all, and a fireplace centered behind them. - -- The left doorway leads to the fully functional kitchen, including a wooden table & chairs, cabinets full of glass & wood dishware, shelves full of jars of dried leaves, an actual metal sink, and an old-fashioned ice box fridge. - -- The right doorway leads to the bedroom, which is fairly empty aside from a couple small tables around what LOOKS like it should be a bed, but it resembles a giant fabric sack full of... hay or straw? - ------ - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) From the higher-up window, you can see what looks like the backyard, and it is FILLED with people of all ages and types doing all sorts of activities. Which you completely missed because the giant tree itself completely blocked your line of sight. - -*BEHIND THE TREE* -You spot not only a couple dozen people, but also a group of tables & chairs with people crafting things in the middle, yoga practicers on the left, kite flyers on the right, and archers in the back shooting targets FAR into the distance. - -This explains why you couldn't hear them, everyone is doing quiet activities. - ------ - -*YOGA* -You see one instructor, a swan woman in a black leotard, leading a group of nine other men and women in stretching exercises. They bend in a myriad of directions that you... never really expected a person to be flexible enough to bend in, honestly. - -The teacher advises everyone to take a ten minute break, then approaches your group with a smile and a towel slung over her neck. "Hello, can I help you?" - -*SENT BY SISTER SCHOOL* -"Oh you met my twin sister, lovely. This is where we host our classes, as this grassland is so open and free for everyone to bond with nature. But some people prefer a more... rigid facility, so we co-opted the gym building. Were you interested in signing up for one of our schools?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Oh you're here to see Corentin? I believe he is practicing his Archery today a bit farther down." - ------ - -*TABLES* -The eight or so people relaxing at the table seem to be doing arts and crafts projects with the twigs, berries, and leaves of nearby trees. Some of them appear to be makeshift arrow shafts, others look like they're stripping the leaves and petals of the flowers from the front yard. - -*IF THEY ASK* -A young boy in an indigo hoodie and white shorts turns to your group, his green nametag reading CAELUM. He hops down from his seat at the table, hands in pockets, and approaches you. "Can I help you?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -He points toward the archers. "Corentin should be that way. Just ask the other archers." - ------ - -*KITES* -The four people flying kites are all lying in the grass, each one's kites string tied to their ankle or wrist and actively being guided in the soft wind. One is flying a diamond kite, one is flying a square box kite, and one is flying a mini hot air balloon. - -*APPROACH* -The four people in the grass are actually a group of identical looking geckos, and they all look up to you at the same time. "Yes?"(x4) - -*DM/REGALIA* -They all pointed their respective kite-holding appendages toward the archers. "That way." (x4) - ------ - -You spot five different people in all manner of dress, aiming what looks like homemade arrows in professional grade old fashioned wood bows and firing them. Most of them actually make their mark, aside from one or two that break on release, but that doesn't seem to deter anyone. - -*APPROACH* -A moth woman with black hair tied in a ponytail turns to you, lowering her bow. She's wearing an old fashioned white kyudogi training shirt, and a bright red hakama long skirt, and a green nametag reading BELL. Her eyes carry a tired expression, but she approaches with an odd amount of grace. "Good afternoon, can I help you?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -She nods quietly. "Follow me, please." She walks a bit farther into the grassy distance to another cut down clearing, where there sits a solitary green snake man in a loose fitting white Japanese Yukata with blue sky sleeve ends. The right arm is completely slid off, revealing the black shirt with red trim underneath, only barely obscured by the quiver of arrows on his back. - -"Lord Corentin, you have visitors." Instead of responding, he pulls out a fresh arrow and pulls it back in his bow, aiming it directly at the sky in complete silence, holding perfectly still. - -*AFTER ANY RESPONSE* -His eyes slowly open and reveal the serpent slits within, before turning and launching the arrow in a seemingly random direction, staying in the air for several seconds before finally coming down and disappearing in the taller grass. And the moment it disappears, you hear a young voice in the far distance shout "OW! SON OF A BITCH!" - -A far off head suddenly stands up, looking like a human woman under a bandana, rubbing her forehead and holding the arrow in her hand, which you now see is tipped with a green rubber ball. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" - -*IF ANYONE ASKS ABOUT HER SAYING 'WE'* -*OR IF NOONE NOTICES, (NOTICE ROLL)* -Several more people pop up form the grass, one of whom smacks her upside the back of the head. They will suddenly charge your group and the archers, revealing themselves to be Marauders. - -But right when they get close, the blue rubber ball on the arrow will suddenly POP, causing them all to scream that their ears are now either hurting immensely, or they can't hear. - -*ALL ENEMIES WILL HAVE DISADV UNTIL THE START OF THEIR SECOND TURNS* - -*CORENTIN WILL BE JOINING THE FIGHT AND PROVIDING COVER FIRE* - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -The Marauders lie in a heap, many of them with ears bleeding. Corentin slithers closer, his bowstring broken. "You have disturbed the peace of my demense. I would like to know why." - -The one out of the group that can actually hear him will reply, "That's what we were sent here to do! It's literally our job!" - -The archer will close his eyes and shake his head in disappointment, before pulling down the other sleeve of his yukata and unfurling a large pair of reptilian scaled wings, an array of deep emerald green scales glittering in the sun. - -"Please take your occupational hazards elsewhere." He then flaps his wings once, twice, three times, each one blasting a larger and larger gust of air until it begins to circle the Marauders on the ground, picking each one up into a windy cyclone, all of them suddenly ascending into the sky in a dizzying spiral and headed straight for the gate. - -*IF THEY ASK* -All but one are unanimously flung through the gate by the air current, the last one flopping on the ground in front of it. And when he raises his head, his eyes are greeted by the sight of Villi, cracking her knuckles. - -*BACK AT YOUR GROUP* -The archer collapses his wings with a soft sigh, resleeving his yukata over his left arm only as before, then finally turns to you. "I appreciate your assistance in removing the troublemakers. I do not have much to offer in compensation, but would you like to join me for a cup of tea?" - -*BACK AT THE TREEHOUSE* -He hangs his broken bow and arrows by the door on wooden hooks, slithering to his kitchen, coming out with three kettles, all of which are placed in the fireplace. He lights a match to start a fire in it, the smoke rolling out the top and out a fairly well hidden chimney. "While the kettles warm, why don't we discuss what brings you here today?" - -As you chat, he will grab a jar of honey and (number of players +1) cups out of his cupboard, placing them on a nearby table, each with a saucer and a spoon. - -*HE WILL POUR TEA FOR EVERYONE AS THEY TALK* -The first kettle will pour white tea for anyone wanting something sweet and fruity. -The second kettle will pour green tea for anyone wanting something flowery and earthy. -The third kettle will pour black tea for anyone wanting something malty and spiced. - -*WHEN DM/REGALIA IS MENTIONED* -"My Regalia is no longer in my possession. It was stolen from me some months ago." He oddly doesn't seem to care that much about it, treating it no differently than losing a sock he would never use. - -*IF THEY ASK WHY HE DOESNT SEEM TO CARE* -"Well it wouldn't do for a demense master of the most Serene paradise in all of Diadem to stress over such things, would it? The living embodiment of peace in the most peaceful demense showing stress would be... counterintuitive." - -"All the demense and their respective masters are direct reflections of each other. Tell me, which ones have you visited thus far?" - -(READ OFF THE FOLLOWING BASED ON WHICH ONES THEY SAY THEY HAVE VISITED SO FAR) - -- Aodaghan has a location with a fiery attitude no different than his own, with an endless task he could labor over forever. - -- Conroy has a knowledge base to potentially sate his endless curiosity for new information. - -- Zahir has a place of whimsy and smiles, somewhere he could celebrate endlessly. - -- Dorrin has a vast and unending depth he could work out his frustrations without breaking his vow of stoicism. - -- Arledge has a bountiful paradise, where the land would always yield an endless supply of goods for everyone to enjoy together. - -- Miranda has the unyielding vastness of space to look upon all the ahem... potential friends she could one day meet. - -- Whitaker has a hiding place of slowly growing isolation, where it is as cold to others as others have been toward him. - -- Fulmo has a stormy land that reflects his powerful and steadfast view of the law and its refined absolutism. - -- Thanatos has a proper ceremonial grounds and final resting place for those whom have passed. - -- Cassius has the most dangerous and solitary place imaginable, somewhere as empty physically as he is emotionally. - -- Tlaloc has a land of endless challenge, a kind of playground for him to constantly climb to greater heights. - -"As for mine, it is a peaceful home, somewhere where stress and aggravation can be left behind, and one could embrace the true sensation of serenity. Not just in the gentle sound of the winds, but also in sight of the rustling leaves from the vine, the smell of the inviting flowers, the taste of the cleanest & purest air, and the feel of the softest grass pressing against one's skin. This place is a delight to all five senses, and embodies the purest aspect of peace." - -He looks down at his cup of tea, noticing a small twig of a tea leaf floating upright. "Speaking of... I don't fancy myself a therapist, but I can see some of you are very stressed for a multitude of reasons, and I doubt it has much to do with the Marauders either. Perhaps while you are here, we could discuss what ails you?" - -HE WILL ATTEMPT TO LISTEN AND REASON THROUGH THEIR ISSUES, PROVIDED THEY WISH TO SHARE ABOUT THEM - -After the conversation, he will stretch his arms high over his head. "Today has been a rather exciting day... I believe it is my turn to relax... If you happen to come across my bow, please do return it to me, and we can discuss a potential challenge then. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy my demense anytime you like." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Indigo.txt b/Demense/Demense-Indigo.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 2eb5174..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Indigo.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,105 +0,0 @@ -Upon walking through the "forbidden door", your group sees an infinite expanse of nothingness. There are no buildings, no trees, no signs of life of any kind. - -Overhead you can see an infinite starry night sky with no moon in sight, and beneath you the floor seems to move and shimmer like a massive pool of water. Your feet stand upon it no differently than any other floor, and from where your feet stand and step, ripples expand out and make those little lights dance beautifully. - ------ - -*IF INTRUDING* -Caelum will appear behind the individual/group, clear irritation in his eyes. "You people really don't know how to read, do you?" He glares at them a bit as they respons, but will sigh and push his way through the doorway. "Whatever, not like it really matters... might as well come in." - ------ - -Caelum will walk in and turn to your group, raising his hands in a half-hearted attempt at being entertaining. "Well here it is, my... 'demense' I guess, following this place's stupid rules. I call it the Seeker demense." He heads in a bit deeper, and waves your group to come kn half heartedly. You didn't quite spot it at first, but there are SOME small objects in the room. - -You see a decent sized bed, a few sturdy wood & leather chairs, a lit fireplace with the smoke rising into the infinite above, a series of black candles lit atop the mantle, and a small table with some open books & papers on it near the chairs. - -(NOTICE ROLL) -- You notice the bedspread, the leather of the chairs, and the backs of all the books are almost all the same shade of indigo -- You notice the flame inside the fireplace, as well as the flame on the candles themselves, are all a radiant green. Moreso, the candles are all in groups of 1, 2, 3, and 4 in their holders, but in the middle is an old fashioned menorah holding the last 5 -- The books on the table are surprisingly high class readings. Psychology books, conceptual understanding & reasoning dissertations, an interstellar Bible, and some strange scribbles discussing the values of mind & body, as well as logic & reason being correlated to emotion - -*IF THEY ASK WHAT HE IS* -He eill shrug a little. "There's no real definition for 'what' I am here, but the closest I can find would be... demon, I guess?" He will pull back his hood, revealing a small lizard sitting atop his head. He will pick the little creature up, hold it in his hands, and pet it lightly. "Suffice it to say I'm not mortal, I just chose this look to separate myself from... where I came from." He will set his lizard down on another nearby chair. - -*WHERE DID HE COME FROM* -His eyes suddenly sink a little as he thinks about that one, looking a bit sad. "I came here from another reality... one where everything was in a perpetual cycle, and no matter how hard anyone tried, it always ended up the same. Everything turned out well there... But, something else came up. So I left. Ended up here on accident, probably because it had... elements of my home I didn't want to leave behind." - -*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -"If you are looking to fight me as you would a demense Master, I can fill the part. I am only able to do so on a technicality, because of this island's... rules." He will stand up and approach your group, looking at all of you with a serious glint in his eye. - -"I should warn you, my magic is vastly different from the Masters. I would severely limit myself, but it will not be an easy fight, I have to stress this above all else. And just like in their CHALLENGES, you can surrender anytime you want. You could come back and try again." - -"There wouldn't be a Regalia at risk, for either of us. But, should you win, I would be inclined to give you another prize. I could give you an all-new ability, you could learn one of my spells, I could craft you a I could answer any question-- ALMOST any question. Some knowledge I hold would jeopardize my stay here." - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -He will step away from your group into the center of the void, his body radiating with indigo colored energy. When he turns back around, his appearance has changed somewhat, dawning pale yellow fur, resembling a cat-like imp. He will slowly begin levitating into the air, and a strange staff will materialize in his hand, glowing the same indigo energy. - -"I hope you are all ready for this. Should you defeat me, there would be nothing in this Universe that could stop you." - ------ - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -Caelum will slowly lower himself to the ground, dismiss the cat-like form & staff, and walk toward your group. "I commend you for your efforts." - -IF THEY LOSE & CAELUM IS AT 3/4 HEALTH -"You did better than most would this early in your journey, you should take pride in this. Feel free to try again anytime." The door to the demense will open for your group. - -IF THEY LOSE & CAELUM IS AT 1/2 HEALTH -"You were truly impressive. But I know you can all do better." He will then comment on areas where your team could improve. The door to the demense will open for your group. - -IF THEY LOSE & CAELUM IS AT 1/4 HEALTH -"You were close, very close. (I can see why people would call you Kings.) Though this might be your limit, unless you try a little harder." The door to the demense will open for your group. - -IF THEY WIN -"You defeated me fair and square, fantastic job. Your last attack almost hurt. I had my doubts if your tactics would work, but you surprised me. And I will keep my promise. What would each of you request for your prize?" - ------ - -They can ask for any reasonable ability -They can ask for any of his spells -They can ask ALMOST any question - -- They can NOT ask about the identity of the FACES, the CROOKED KING, the GOLD WEAPONS, what the demense MASTERS & REGALIA are, etc -(ANYTHING STORY RELEVANT) - ------ - -WHERE DID YOU COME FROM -"A place called Da'at. It's infinitly far from here." - -WHAT ARE YOU REALLY -"It would take too long to explain fully, just a cat-like demon." - -WHY NOT FIGHT AND COLLECT REGALIA -"It's not my place to fight. Even if I have every right." - -HOW MUCH WERE YOU LIMITING YOURSELF -"If I had to put a number to it, it was roughly 0.000001% of my full potential." - -WHAT IS WITH THE CANDLE -"It's a menorah. It's bound to me about as much as a Regalia is to demense Master." - -WILL YOU FIGHT US AT FULL POWER -"No. Not unless you want a fight you cannot win." - ------ - -WANTING A SPELL -He will walk to a nearby chest, reach in, and pull out another black candle, setting it on the table. "This is my Menorah, it's akin to how Regalia work here, so far as the rules permit. Touch it, and it will give you any one of my spells." - ------ - -WEAPON -He will raise his hands and ask them for a description of what they want from the weapon, slowly constructing it before them. Any weapon he constructs will be always treated as INFUSED, and can still be INFUSED with other magic, depending on what they want it to do. - -If they request his staff instead, he will simply manifest it and give it to them. - ------ - -ABILITY/STUNT -He will openly discuss with the player exactly what they are looking to do with this ability. Once it has been established, he will levitate up to them, hold their face in his small hands, and gaze into their eyes for a moment, his retina glowing a deep violet. After a few moments, he will lower himself back down and confirm they now have exactly what they wish. - ------ - -Once everyone has been given what they desire, the door will open to his demense. He will follow your group out and mention, "If you ever want your um.. abilities adjusted.. I think you've earned the right to have that done for free now." He will wave your group off as he reassumes his place behind the counter. "Good luck out there, Kings of Kings." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Orange.txt b/Demense/Demense-Orange.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 071c734..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Orange.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,142 +0,0 @@ -This gate is a golden ring with an orange magic wall, looking like an hourglass but significantly slower - -ORANGE demense - -In the Library: -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT_Ql8kwm4M - -In the back lab: -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y-PFMU_NiM - -## Upon exiting the ORANGE gate, -you stumble on your way out of it and land on all fours one after the other in a pile of sand. You also notice a distinct dryness in the air, like it is devoid of moisture. - -Looking up, your gaze is immediately captured by two triangular (lime)stone structures, easily hundreds of feet tall. But beyond that, all you see is endless miles of sand. - -Welcome to the DESERT demense! - -*BEHIND YOU* -The gate itself is angled backward at about 45 degrees, as it is physically built into the angled wall of a third pyramid. You DO spot a pair of staircases going right around the Gate and up the stone incline to an opening about six feet high and six feet wide. - -The other pyramids have identical stairways leading up to identical doorways, but each only has one set of stairs. - -*IF THEY GO IN* -The pathway inside is about 50 feet deep, and slowly expands out wider and taller as you go deeper. It ends at a pair of ten foot tall iron doors, both of which have iron handles covered in hieroglyphics, and one has a sign with raised letters stating PULL. - -*IF THEY GO IN* -You feel an immediate wave of coolness break the heat as you peer into what might be the largest library you have ever seen. - -The floors are sandstone in hue with orange carpets trimmed in black, and you see decorative hieroglyphics all along the higher parts of the walls casting a glowing light that illuminates the whole building. - -Before you are rows of bookshelves reaching heights well exceeding a second story building's, the columns easily double digit, and the depth too far to immediately spot with the naked eye. - -To the far right is a series of tables, chairs, and couches being sparsely occupied by people reading, barring one tiger man taking a nap with a book over his face. There is also a card catalogue off in the corner with a sign saying USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. - -To the left is a check-in / check-out station that also doubles as a merchandise space selling bookmarks, colorful book covers, comfy bookbags, magic rings in an orange hue, and several other bits and bobbles. But at the moment there is noone behind the counter and a sign on it saying BACK SHORTLY - ------ - -*CARD CATALOGUE* -The catalogue drawer itself looks relatively normal, aside from there only being one drawer. - -*OPEN IT* -You pull it open, and it reveals name card after name card in an organized rack, so many so that you could step backwards and it would just keep on coming. - -The sleeping tiger man will walk over to you, eyes closed and barely awake. "Oi mate... you know this is a MAGICAL library, right? You opened the drawer without an inquiry and now it's showing lit'rally every book it can think of." - -He pushes the drawer shut with one swift motion, pulling you with it. "Just ask the drawer for something specific and it'll shrink the options." He will suddenly flop back onto the couch, curling up and resuming his cat nap in peace. - ------ - -*THE BOOKSHELVES* -While exploring the seemingly endless shelves of books, you will randomly spot a quick trace of a person waltzing by just out of sight. - -(NOTICE Roll) (Results highest to lowest) -- You see a furred and clawed hand placing a book on a shelf, but the person is suddenly gone -- You hear rumbling and just BARELY dodge someone in a white coat whizzing by on a wheeled ladder -- You see someone's wobbly legs as they round a corner with a pile of books ten feet tall -- You jump in place when a book falls off the shelf amd lands at your feet. - -The title reads "the Diadem Magical Manuscript," an almost ancient hardback book with bent golden corners. - -*OPEN IT* -The inside is filled to the brim with multiple languages of scribbles of information you barely make out as magical in nature. - -(INVESTIGATE roll) You make out a legible section almost at the end of the book, and it's about the twelve unique elements of magic. You see a 12 color pie chart with no indicators, but below it is some worn out text - -*The twelve fonts of magic...* -(ILLEGIBLE) -*...defining concepts of the universe* - -- Destruction and Restoration -- Strength and Flexibility -- Beginning and End -- Quickness and Slowness -- Where and When -- All and Nothing - -(ILLEGIBLE) -*...balance is key...* -(ILLEGIBLE) -*...thirteenth force that counters...* -(ILLEGIBLE) - -*IF THEY GO TO THE COUNTER* -When you approach the counter, the sign has SOMEHOW changed to now read RING BELL FOR SERVICE, and there is a bell you swear was not there before. - -*RING THE BELL* -A tiger man suddenly stands up from behind the library counter, as if he was always there just out of sight. - -He flips his dark brown ponytail behind his shoulder, straightens his spectacles, adjusts his white flowing longcoat trimmed in black over his black tee shirt, and adds an orange nametag reading CONROY. "Ello ello! 'ow can I help you?" - -*IF THEY ASK* -The tiger man that was asleep on the couch is, indeed, gone. - ------ - -Upon being asked any question he cannot readily answer, he will duck down out of sight before what appears to be his hand slams the book down before your group from behind you all, and slides back behind the counter nonchalantly before opening the book up to the appropriate page for the information you need. - ------ - -*ISLAND HISTORY / DM / REGALIA* -He will do a doubletake and suddenly reach down, yanking out a hundred-years-old golden tome with bent corners, slamming it before your group on the table with a plume of dust. - -He will open it, showing the pages are very much singed and genuinely ancient paper, before landing on a page. "Ah, here we are! The island was constructed... according to this, 547 years ago, but the purpose behind it has been worn and damaged..." - -Ah! It mentions finding the twelve champions and earning their treasures, they will be your keys to... freedom.. wish... it's a bit hard to read, but there is SOME form of a prize at the end of it all. Can't really gleam much else, these pages are badly damaged..." - -He flips through the rest of the pages, looking for anything else of use, one of the pages crumbling against his fingertips, causing him to whimper a little. "Well... that's upsetting... I'll need to see about restoring this book somewhow, I suppose... but that's for another day." He puts the book down under the counter out of the way. "Anything else I can help you with?" - -*IF THEY ARE DONE* -"Wait a tic! Since I 'elped you, perhaps you can 'elp me in return? See, we have a small ritual here where, when a new person arrives, we 'ave them contribute to the library. I would only need a moment of your time, if that's alright?" - -*IF YES* -"Wonderful! Follow me please!" He takes you entirely out of the pyramid, and into the entrance of the pyramid to its immediate right. Inside you see a massive laboratory filled with a few sectioned off areas, each one full of beakers & test tubes, burners & freezers, microscopes & petri dishes, and all manners of bright lights & VERY old machinery anyone would recognize from any old horror movie. - -He guides you to the back-right corner of the room, to a strange circular metal chamber with an orange magic circle drawn on the ground, and a panel containing an orange slab of stone with odd writing on it. - -"The process is quite simple, this magic circle simply reads your mind and body for anything knowledge-based, checks it against any pre-existing books, and either fills in the blanks or writes whole new ones. Now if you would be so kind?" - -He guides you inside the metal tube and has you stand as close to the center as you can manage. "Now just stand right there, keep your eyes closed, and..." - -He slams his hand onto the orange stone tablet and causes it to jump to life, causing a small swirling sandstorm to surround you all. Each pellet glows with a soft orange light before taking off into the entryway, causing the cat to giggle with glee as he stares at the orange stone panel. "Fantastic! 17 books finished, 83 furthered along, 9 sequels, and (player number) all new ones just for you!" - -An explosion occurs just outside the doorway to the lab, a small body careening across the room in a high overhead arc, headed straight for the nearby wall. - -*IF THEY DO NOTHING* -The body slams into the wall with a dull thud before slooowly sliding down to the floor. Conroy dashes over to the body, picking it up and dusting it off to reveal a young boy, barely double digit age in a singed indigo hoodie, his orange nametag reading CAELUM. - -"Caelum?! What have I told you about doing your dangerous experiments inside the lab?! You do that OUT IN THE DESERT or the third Pyramid so the property damage is minimized!" He sets the boy down on his own two feet, and the boy responds by coughing up a bit of soot. - -"Sorry, I just had this idea for that gold potion and I had to work on... it..." He slowly turns to your group, eyes wide and just now realizing you were there. "Uh... hello..?" - -Conroy sighs and hangs his head. "Remember your manners, Caelum." He will look back at your group, guiding Caelum toward you all. "This is Caelum, my protégé. When he's not spending his free time here, he runs the pet shop in Diadem. He also fancies himself an alchemist. Mostly potions and such, but he loves to dabble in 'humanimal transmutation.'" - -Caelum gets a bit huffy and extends his hand to your group, speaking with a bit of embarrassed irritation. "It's nice to meet you all.. if you need anything animal related, or.. maybe wanna.. experiment with my alchemical concoctions, you know where to find me.." - -THE PLAYERS HAVE UNLOCKED THE ABILITY -TO RESET AND RESPEC THEIR SKILL POINTS - -Conroy smiles seeing him genuinely try. "There's a lad, your mother would be so proud. Anyhoo, I should be returning to work, plenty of people here need a good book. But if you need any help with information, feel free to stop by anytime you'd like! I assume you can see yourselves out?" - -Conroy and Caelum both head out the door of the lab together, and you can very clearly hear him talking Caelum up for attempting to be social with someone for the first time in a while. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Pink.txt b/Demense/Demense-Pink.txt deleted file mode 100644 index a17175c..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Pink.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,195 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a pink magic wall, looking perfectly plain aside from some faint sparkles of white appearing randomly - -On the satellite: -https://youtu.be/Sf4oFaelTr4?si=p631VDqPUIAulWLE - -During the fashion show: -https://youtu.be/GTrs4QNzGPc?si=NppldyIjVhngVdA4 - -## Upon exiting the PINK gate, -you feel the strangest sensation of physical unbalance, as though everything is moving beneath you, not unlike the unsteady sensation of riding a boat that never goes down. - -(Do NOT tell them this until they figure it out for themselves) -(Welcome to the **Satellite** demense!) -(Be coy with the reveal, it is unique for a reason) - -Once you get your bearings, you realize that (for the first time) the gate took you inside a building, but it's very plain and metallic. The leftmost and rightmost walls are wall-to-wall semi-reflective black, with several onlookers staring at them in amazement. - -The wall straightahead is just gray metal with an array of doors with lines of people in front of them. The gate behind you is bound to an identical metal wall, minus the doors. Even the floor beneath you has an odd hollow thud to it despite the carpet paneling. - -The center of the room is occupied by a large elevated stage with an extended walkway path, surrounded by about 50 chairs in an oval shape. A few chairs are occupied by well dressed attendees, writers, and photographers, all chatting with each other in excitement. - ------ - -*STAGE / SEATS* -A binturong woman with shoulder-length brown hair in a stunning blue dress & matching high heels with a gold nametag reading CELINA notices you, pulls out a pen & notepad, and approaches. "Hi there, Celina from Diadem Daily, care to stop for an interview?" - -She will mostly ask generic questions regarding who you are, if you're native or immigrated, and how they're enjoying Diadem so far. Also, every answer you give, she writes down flawlessly without even looking at her notepad. - -*ONCE THEY ANSWER* -She scribbles the last question's information down the fastest. "Oookay, thank you for indulging me, but I get the feeling you have some questions for me as well?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Oh she'll be out here soon, she always 'graces her audiences with her presence' toward the tail end of her shows." She pauses and leans in a little. "Personally I think it's a little obnoxious, but..." She leans back out. "...she mostly does it to drum up applause for the models. Which they deserve." - ------ - -*BLACK WALLS* -The people standing around these half-reflective walls are either chatting with each other quietly or staring at them with a weird look of quiet amazement. - -*APPROACH SOMEONE* -A young gopher man aims an old-fashioned camera in your direction, but pauses and lowers it. "Wait a sec, I recognize you... you're from the Marauder incident some time ago, right? Okay now I HAVE to take a photo!" Your group will be momentarily blinded from the bulb flash, and he will squee in excitement. "AWESOME! Once I get it printed, I'm gonna bring it to you guys to autograph!" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"She's here getting ready in the back, I got her photo when I came in. Gonna add that one to my personal collection, she is a stunning view." He pauses to turn to the wall before continuing. "Though gotta say... this view is a close second. - -(INVESTIGATE Roll) -- The walls are covered in glass panels, which is why they are reflective. -- You spot several very tiny white dots in the distance, and they are faintly glittering. -- Looking down, you spot one object in the distance, a rather large sphere. Msotly blue, but with some smaller spots of white, green, and brown. And it is MASSIVE. - ------ - -*DOORS* - -The farthest left door is guarded by a pair of suit wearing gentlemen, clearly bodyguards. - -The middle-left door has a large sign on it saying ZERO G ROOM, and has a small line of people in front of it, mostly children. - -The middle-right door has a sign over it saying CRAFT ROOM, with a shorter line of mostly adults. - -The farthest right door is an open doorway leading to another segment of the station, specifically some kind of on-site store. - ------ *GUARDED ROOM* -The two well dressed Doberman guards standing at about six foot seven with sunglasses on (because of course they do) stare at your group, arms crossed. They tell you straight out that noone is allowed in Miranda's private quarters without permission or an invitation, and they know you all have neither. - ------ *ZERO G ROOM* -Once you wait in the line, which takes all of fifteen minutes, you are met at the door by a teenage boy in an indigo hoodie, the hood drawn up and his pink nametag reading CAELUM. He tells you that entry into the room is only 10z for 5 minutes, and that covers your group of no more than six people. - -*IF THEY GO IN* -The room is about 50 feet long, tall, and wide, the walls and ceiling lined with thin padding in a square grid formation. Once the door shuts behind you, you suddenly feel completely weightless. - -The next five minutes are available to do whatever you like while behind these doors in a true zero gravity environment. - -Once those five minutes are over, the gravity will slowly re-engage and lower your group to the ground, and the doors will open for you all to leave. - ------ *CRAFT ROOM* -Once you wait in the line, which takes all of fifteen minutes, you see it is literally just a massive crafting studio with a dozen tables worth of sewing machines and clothing racks all across the room, each one well maintained and with a unique clothing pattern schematic. - -A bat in a black vest over a button front white shirt and black slacks, his pink nametag reading JAMIR, steps forward, acting like a tour guide. - -He quickly explains (in a showy fashion) that THIS is the room where the magic happens, where all her clothes are hand crafted by herself and the volunteer students from Diadem College and Diadem Trade School. - -He even shows a few mannequins with some incomplete design ideas, and says everyone is free to use any of the bolts of cloth and sewing machines if they want to try their hand at making something of their own. And, if Miranda sees it and likes it, she may either wear it herself or have it made for her stores, guaranteeing credit AND compensation for the idea and hard work. - ------ *STORE* -The store is more of a boutique loaded with what can only be YEARS worth of designer clothing, filled to the brim with every manner of shirt, skirt, top, one two & three piece outfit, multiple matching sets of shoes for each, magic rings in a pink hue, and tons of other accessories. - -*BUYING* -The register is ran by a seven foot antelope man in a black vest over a button front white shirt and black slacks with a pink nametag reading LEO. - ------ - -*LATER* -Several more people have shown up since you started walking around, mostly curious onlookers like you but in decent dressy clothing, but a few of them being fashionista types that you'd expect to see at a place like this. - -The lights begin to dim around the room, except for over the stage in the center, which cuases everyone to scramble for a decent seat. A very young boy in an indigo hoodie with the hood pulled back, white shorts, short white hair, and a pink nametag reading CAELUM steps out on stage, microphone in hand. - -He looks a little nervous speaking in front of an audience, but he steels himself after a moment and speaks very bravely into the mic. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending Madam Miranda's fashion show! We are here to show off the latest and greatest omni-seasonal line of clothing for year-round function AND fashion!" - -The 15 minute show, although awkward to anyone who has never attended one, goes off completely flawlessly. In sequence, you see models wearing: -- Sporty summer clothing in muted colors being shown off by athletic students -- Fall clothing in earthly toned colors shown off by theater students -- Winter clothing being a split between straight black or solid white ensembles worn by poetry students -- The spring line being all about weather resistant and vibrant ponchos & umbrellas with Easter color sweaters thrown in worn by cheerleaders -- And, each piece individually has at least a tiny amount of pink somewhere in either the stitching, the trim, or at least the brand tag. - -At the end of the fashion show, Caelum steps back on stage, looking much more confident now that he's been talking for so long. "Every item you saw will be available in the seasonal stores of Diadem Mall in two weeks! All of these pieces are handcrafted by the local students, based on designs made by the demense mistress and the hostess of the evening, Madam Miranda!" - -From the curtains steps a caramel brown feline in a black flowing gown trimmed in pink highlights with split sides, showing off her long stiletto boots. Her generous chest draws attention to her unusual neck plumage and well maintained dark brown wings upon her back, but that visual is immediately distracted by her predatory smile cloaked behind her dark brown beak and slitted amber eyes, her face perfectly framed by her elongated ears and rounded brown haircut, topped with a single pink flower. Miranda is a gryphoness, and a well endowed one at that. - -Caelum hands her the microphone. "Thank you all for coming out to see tonight's new line, my team put tremendous work into everything you see here, and the models did a marvelous job making it look DAMN good. As Caelum said, these pieces will be available in the Diadem Mall for purchase in 2 weeks, and anyone wanting early access can buy them in the on-ship store!" - -She tosses Caelum the microphone as everyone applauds, and she spreads her wings, hopping off the stage and gliding out beyond the audience. - -Most of the audience stood up and made a MAD rush for the boutique to get their hands on the clothing early, and the rest are either trying to talk to Miranda (especially the local paper) or are heading home (likely to prepare a budget for the clothes). - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -Her attention will immediately shift to your group, as she drops the conversation with her current interviewer to strut up to your group. eyes glowing a light pink around the dark browns. "Well hello there, new faces~ I hope you all enjoyed the show as much as I did~" - -She offers to shake hands with each of your group one at a time, and makes playfully flirtatious comments toward each of you. (She will literally flirt with anyone) - -She will slowly strut around your group, eyeing each of you like pieces of meat for her next meal. "So... what can I do for you today?~" - -*IF ASK ABOUT REGALIA/CHALLENGE* -"Oh you're a group of Regalia Hunters, even better than I had hoped~ I could use a little... stress relief~" - -She extends a hand toward your group, smiling predatorily. "Normally I'd volunteer to take you all on at the same time, but I'm more in the mood for a little... one-on-one action, if anyone wants to volunteer?~" - -*IF NOONE VOLUNTEERS* -(RAPPORT Roll) Her eyes will drift toward (highest roller) and she will lean in close, purring lightly in their ear. "How about you?~" - ------ - -*IF DECLINED* -"Hm.. that's a shame, I would've loved to get to know you... intimately~" She will step away and turn to face you all. "All playfulness aside, I can see you're all more interested in earning my Regalia, amd I'm obliged to accept, but this is neither the time nor the place." She waves her hand at the messy end result of the recent show. - -"Not to mention I am FAR from dressed for the occasion." She pauses for a moment looking all of you over, and a smile creeps across her face. "Tell you what. Give me some time to clear the mess and make an appropriate stage? We can make a spectacle out of it for everyone to enjoy~" - -*IF THEY AGREE* -"Fantastic, be sure to bring your absolute best, you hear me? This will be seen between all corners of Diadem!" - -She will laugh uproariously before walking away, grabbing both the security guards in front of the guarded doorway, and yank them into the room with her, slamming the door loudly enough for even YOU to hear. - ------ - -*IF ACCEPTED* -Once (player) places their hand in her palm, she will grab their hand tight, pull them away from your group, and hold them to her tightly so THEIR face is half in her chest but she can still look them in the eyes. - -"This is gonna be fun~" She will then stomp her heel, and a bright pink flash will blind all of you for a moment, only to dissipate and leave Caelum in both their place. - -Several people are freaking out as they claim they just moved a solid 50 feet from where they were, but Caelum steps up, microphone in hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the confusion, but if you have been displaced, you will be perfectly fine! That is just the side effect of one of Madame Miranda's special powers! Just relocate back to your original groups and you will be fine!" - -The audience calms down rather quickly hearing that, and Caelum turns to your group with a mildly irritated look. "Let me guess... Regalia Hunters, right?" - -After they confirm, he will sigh and continue. "So Miranda has an... unusual hobby. She enjoys challenging people to a um... 'one on one match,' if you catch my drift. She should be in her private quarters right now, so..." He gestures toward the door where the security guards are standing outside of, and you can see a golden glow from the door. - -Upon approaching the door, you see you can't even physically touch the door itself as it is just behind a golden magic barrier. Meaning that, whatever is happening in there, your teammate is on their own. - -*INSIDE THE ROOM* -Miranda and that player will each be making various FIGHT, PHYSIQUE, and ATHLETICS rolls (over the span of fifteen in game minutes) until a best two out of three result is determined - -Eventually, the barrier finally dissipates and the door clicks unlocked. Miranda opens the door, grinning ear to ear, and VERY obviously only wearing a long fluffy pink robe. "Come in, come in~" - -Your teammate is lying on a large king size bed, completely naked but only barely covered by a blanket and several VERY telling bite marks all over their body. - -The room itself is something straight out of an adult film. The bed is completely surrounded on all sides by wall mirrors on the top half revealing JUST how thorough she was with your teammate, and beyond that are ordinary looking cabinets and dressers, but partly open to reveal an IMMENSE wardrobe of clothing. - -She closes the door behind you all, smiling knowingly and remarks, "Before you ask, it's not what it looks like... *it's so much better~*" - -She laughs proudly and offers them seats on the nearby couch before she genuinely talks to your group. "Well now that I got my cardio in, let's discuss the results, shall we?~" - -*When they ask what happened,* -"Well to put it simply, my CHALLENGE was for them to.. satisfy me~" She licks her beak, giggling to herself. - ------ - -*If they lost 2 out of 3,* -"Sad to say, they tried their best, but I'm not easy to please, and I own it~ - -"Now since I'm a bit 'understandably exhausted' after the show and my workout, I don't think an actual fight today will work for me..." - -"Tell you what. Give me a few days to clean up the mess, and I'll build us a true arena, a battleground worthy of a fight between all of us~ Does that sound good?~" - -*IF YES* -"Fantastic, then check your mail for a letter coming soon. And um.. you might want to get your friend some water, he's a little dehydrated~" - ------ - -*If they won 2 out of 3,* -"And satisfy they did! I should apologize though, I exercise daily in zero gravity AND ten times gravity, so I may have been a little... rough?~" - -She laughs proudly before reaching into the front of her robe and pulling out a long coiled up whip lightly radiating pink energy, handing it to your group. "This is your prize, the Regalia known as Star Scourge. Take it with my blessing, treat it like the treasure it is~" - -*THEY TAKE IT* -"Feel free to come back anytime, I do private shows on request~" \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Red.txt b/Demense/Demense-Red.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ca79461..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Red.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,173 +0,0 @@ -This gate is a golden ring with a red magic wall, looking like a slowly dancing image of flames - -RED demense - -# In the main area: -https://youtu.be/Ava45CrcDPQ?si=fDugZT4a8JKcZ1bv - -# In the cavern: -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXYnUvln9So - -## Upon exiting the RED gate, -You feel an immense heat hit you right in the face and your nose is bombarded by the stench of fresh sulfur. Once the sensation of your eyes being soft boiled wears off, you see a simple tropical town, like it was right out of a movie. - -Welcome to the **Volcano** demense! - -*BEHIND YOU* -The Gate is firmly attached to the side of a mountain's rocky baseline. And when you look up, you see a plume of smoke reaching into the sky from the top of said mountain. It's a volcano. - -*TO THE LEFT* -A dozen buildings of different colors stretches down a spacious dirt path, all of them hosting a storefront with wooden racks and tables. - -*TO THE RIGHT* -There are several good sized plantation fields behind wood fences, each one hosting a different kind of food or crop, each one with a person actively managing the plants. - -*STRAIGHT AHEAD* -You see a group of people all sitting around a fire, and it looks like they are having a good time. In fact, it sounds like some of them are playing music - ------ - -*SHOPS* - -Each storefront has a display rack showing an individual food item or a bundle of a crop, and the spread is diverse. You see coconuts and palm leaf based products, wheat, bananas, lemons, coffee beans, magic rings in a red hue, and even sugarcane. - -The shop you approach is ran by an Asp woman in a white flower pattern shirt and a sun hat, her red nametag reading LANA. "Hello, what can I get for you today?" - -*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -"Oh you want to see Aodaghan? He's working the forge right now. Wouldn't recommend bugging him, but if you really need to see him, just go in right there." She will point toward a cavern farther down the side of the volcano. - ------ - -*PLANTATIONS* - -Each individual plantation has its own active gardening attendant. Trimming excess leaves, watering the plants, pulling nasty weeds, all of them are hard at work. - -One of the workers notices you, a yellowjacket in brown pants and a white shirt with a red nametag reading CULVER, stops to wipe his face with a rag. "Ya need some help?" - -*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -"Oh you wanna see the man in charge? He's riiight up there." He points to a cave in the side of the volcano. "Good luck to ya, he's not an easy guy to talk to. - ------ - -*PARTY PEOPLE* - -You see a circle of about ten people sitting around a nice little controlled fire on the far edge of the drive where the buildings and plantations end. All of them are either relaxing on top of some rocks or fallen trees, enjoying some plates of freshly cooked meat, or playing music on their ukuleles. - -One of the ukulele players, a bearded dragon in blue trunks & a white shirt with a red nametag reading KYONG, puts down his instrument and waves your group over. "How can we help ya, friend?" - -*IF DM/REGALIA* -"You want to talk to the bird man? Better have a good reason, he don't like to be bothered when he works. But if it's important, try your luck up there." He points to a cave built into the side of the volcano. - ------ ----- ----- - -INSIDE THE VOLCANO CAVE - -The entrance to the cave is nothing special, clearly dug out by hand and tool, but goes in deep enough to where you can't see where it ends immediately. - -*IF THEY GO IN* -As you walk deeper in, the heat becomes far more intense by the second. A minute in, your ears fill with the strange sounds of metal on metal and metal on stone in the distance. - -You eventually come to an opening in the path, which leads you to a full-on mining and smithing operation. - -On the left is a group of massively muscled men and women swinging pickaxes into the rocky volcano walls, yanking out chunks of colorful or unique looking rocks, and tossing them into a crate. - -At one point you hear one of their pickaxes SNAP right under the head, but this is apparently such a common occurrence they have a literal crate full of brand new ones, which the worker simply pulls a new one out of and resumes like it was nothing. - -Opposite them on the right is a row of six large iron anvils, with just as many muscled people pounding away on chunks of metal, except for one anvil which is split in half, long ways. - -Between them is a ten foot wide plume of hot smoke rising out and going straight up through a hole in the rock above. The smoke is coming from an indented hole full of fresh molten rock, and it is SWELTERING to be this close to it. - ------ - -*ASK ABOUT THE ANVIL* -A boar with a red namtag that reads GARSEN pauses at the anvil and laughs. "Oh THAT? Some asshat came through here a couple years ago with a fancy slab of metal and made a blade out of it, broke the anvil by accident. We were gonna replace it, but it's like... how many times you see an anvil split long ways, ya know? Fucking hysterical!" - -A gruff voice in the direction of the Lava pool speaks out. "Damn straight, it was 'see it to believe it' type shit." - ------ - -*NOTICE ROLL IF THEY DIDN'T ASK* -You couldn't see it at first because of the immense heat and smoke, but you see a very tone and very red bird man in a black smithing apron, his nametag reading AODAGHAN. - -You watch as he grabs a nearby heavy metal tray or mold of some sort, placing it on the lip of the lava pool's rock wall. He then reaches into two nearby crates, one of which is the crate the miners were tossing chunks of rock into. - -From one he pulls an oddly colored bronze rock, and a chunk of charcoal from the other. He crushes both in his hands together slowly, causing them to grind together and mix into a chunky powder. - -He then dips both hands into the lava pool for several seconds, and when he pulls them back out, you can see the glowing chunk of rock and metal in his palms glowing brightly. - -He then breathes a steady stream of fire frlm his beak onto the mix, and you can see molten liquid slowly begin to drip from between his fingers, which he then guides into the large metal tray. - -Once his hands are empty, he hands the tray off to the anvil workers, then grabs a fresh tray and places it on the lip of the lava pool, intending to start the process over again. - -AN ALARM GOES OFF - -Garsen suddenly stops what he's doing and turns to the others, giving a loud WAHOO before yelling QUITTING TIME! Every worker suddenly puts down their equipment and starts to pile out, avoiding your group as best they can, going out the tunnel you came in. - -The red bird man by the lava pool is the only one that didn't leave, and you watch him continue to crush, heat, and drip metal into his tray. - -*IF THEY TALK TO HIM* -He cuts you off. "We'll talk when I'm done, I got an order to fill. Either make yourself useful or cop a squat in the corner, I don't give a shit which." Despite his Boston-ish accent, his irritation causes his words to come out in a snarl. - -*IF THEY HELP* -He finally looks up to your group, revealing surprisingly bright green eyes. "Grab those trays and line 'em up like dis one." He points to (number of players) trays, all of which look like VERY heavy metal. - -(FIGHT or PHYSIQUE Roll) -You each pick up one of those trays and place it beside the one he's currently filling. But in the process, (LOWEST ROLLER) struggled quite a bit to pick it up, and took 1 point of damage when it slipped out of your hands and clipped your foot. - -When finally finished, he comes from around the back, chucking his apron, now in only a basic pair of black shorts. He stretches his arms over his head, and you hear SEVERAL cracks and pops. "Aight, I'm done. Now what the fuck do you want from me?" - -*MENTION APPRENTICE* -"That ol' jackal sent you my way, did he? Ain't seen 'im in 30 years." - -*MENTION REGALIA/DM* -"OH fuck me, you ain't one of them hero types, is ya?" He groans exagerratedly before continuing. "Aight, here's the deal--" And an explosion occurs that rumbles through the volcano cave. "--and this chat is on hold. We got assholes." - -*WHEN THEY TURN AWAY* -Apdaghan flies right over you at surprising speed, wings spread wide and shooting fire from his feet like jet engines. - -By the time you make it out, he is hovering in the sky and staring down at the issue with a murderous glare, a group of Marauders. - -You watch from afar as they break all the wood storefronts, smash the crops, break the ukuleles, and start burning the houses. - -He divebombs them at mach speed, only turning up at the last possible second and creating an explosive air current that knocks everyone on the ground back, including a couple innocent bystanders. - -He then lands, walks over to each Marauder, grabs them by whatever limb is closest, and throws them into a pile in the middle of the street. Once they are all in one heap, he collapses his wings and cracks his knuckles, stepping closer to them. - -The Marauders aim their weapons at him, but he shakes his head in disappointment. "You fuckwits made a huge mistake comin' here and startin' shit. You ain't leavin' without a harsh lesson." - -He raises his right arm and reaches behind him, pulling out a massive six foot long two foot wide multicolor wavy long-sword, looking like a solid strip of fire in steel form. He aims its tip at their feet, causing them all to flinch, and states with malicious intent, "I CHALLENGE THEE." - -From Aodaghan's feet expands a magical golden energy that spreads to a width of about 50 feet, surrounding himself and all of the Marauders. Once it finishes expanding, you see a golden energy arise from it, producing a magic wall. - -You get to watch all the Marauders begin to panic and punch, kick, spellcast, & sling weapons at the magic wall, but nothing and noone is getting through. They are all trapped in there with him. - -Aodaghan slams his blade into the ground, getting everyone's attention. "Here's your challenge: SURVIVE!" - -What you witness is the most brutal, bloody, one-sided beatdown you have ever seen. Every swing of a weapon gets deflected, every spell gets tanked, every attempt to defend gets punished. More flames than a house fire, more screams than a haunted house, and more bodies flying through the air than a paratrooper squadron. - -(NOTICE or INVESTIGATE roll) And you pay particular attention to the fact that he only ever used the flat side of his massive sword. - -By the end of those 38 seconds, the charred, battered, and bruised bodies of eight Marauders are lying in a smoking heap. Several of these bodies now have wavy blademarks bruised and seared into their skin, permanent reminders of everything that just happened. - -Aodaghan proudly declares, "Well whaddya know... I WIN." - -The gold circle fades away, and Aodaghan walks away, toward a pile of broken wood. He reaches behind it and picks up the Asp woman running one of the stands by the back of her white flower shirt, causing her to scream in fear. - -She immediately shuts up when she is face to face with Aodaghan, whimpering a bit nervously. He states as quietly as he can, "Go... get... th' Thunda Force." - -The woman quickly nods, eyes wide as dinner plates, before she is suddenly released. Her ass lands on the ground first, but she quickly picks herself up and darts for the gate. - -He walks back to your group, and cracks his neck VERY loudly. "Well I feel better.. now where were we?" - -*REGALIA* -"Fucking seriously?! URGH... Okay, I'm gonna go nice an' slow. See this sword? This is a Regalia. It's my symbol of rule in this demense. Ev'ry Demense Masta's got one, an' ev'ry fucker wants it. But you gotta earn it by CHALLENGIN' th' current Holder." - -*GOLDEN CIRCLE* -"THAT was a CHALLENGE ring. Anyone holdin' a Regalia makes or receive a CHALLENGE, any legit Holder will make one o' those circle. Rules are, once it goes up, you either win, lose, surrender, or DIE. Otherwise, Noone goes in, Noone goes out." - -*IF THEY WANT TO FIGHT* -"Well tough titties, I ain't doin' that shit today. I just worked through my break. Besides, you pissants almost melted unda th' heat o' the lava pool. Come back when you got actual muscle on yer bones an' MAYBE I'll give you a shot." - -He will unfurl his wings and take off, heading right back for the volcano cave, leaving you all in the partially destroyed town. - -LEARNED: REGALIA, CHALLENGE, GOLD CIRCLE diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Silver.txt b/Demense/Demense-Silver.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c8d84d3..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Silver.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,99 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a silver magic wall, looking like a disc with a slow moving static charge going across it - -In the Academy: -https://youtu.be/VSWF1SUcmpk?si=5W8vwTvaa9sB7Stt - -In the courtroom: -https://youtu.be/RPkHu8M_U4c?si=OclLJb7Cj4lhX8d2 - -## Upon exiting the SILVER gate, -you are immediately greeted by the smell of ozone, sounds of orders being barked, and the faint rumble of marching. Before you is MULTIPLE large buildings, completely surrounding you on all sides, but the one in front of you is a larger version of the Thunder Force branch office in Diadem. - -Welcome to the **TEMPLE** demense! - -To the distant left but connected by a fenced in gate is what might be the largest and most terrifying obstacle course you have ever seen, filled to the brim with barbed wire, jagged climbing rope walls, smoke from very recent explosions & gunfire, and plenty of young men & women appearing to fight for their lives to make their way through it. - -To the right is a plain grayscale brick building with very large and high fences all around, each one having routine guards walking around it and keeping a close eye on the people inside, all of whom look very disgruntled and pissed off, likely because of those really awful looking orange uniforms. - -Behind you is a marble fronted building with a staircase of no less than thirty steps leading up to a series of doors, and what looks like a statue of a scale on a pedestal. The gate itself is actually bound to the middle staircase support column that leads directly up to said statue. And you could swear, for a brief moment, you heard the muffled rumbling of thunder behind those doors. - -*THUNDER FORCE OFFICE* -Inside looks quite literally like the prior Thunder Force base, except significantly larger. The immediate entrance is just a pair of prep rooms, as well as a service desk with a clerk (a leopard in TF gear and a silver namtag stating LIZ). - -The left hall is dedicated to the locker rooms and bathrooms, as well as the break room and training hall. The right hall is dedicated to the three Commanders' offices, as well as the training room and interview office. And right in the middle is an isolated evidence room, surrounded on all sides by the hallways. - -*TRAINING GROUNDS* -The fenced in area appears to be inaccessible from the outside, suggesting you need to go in THROUGH the Thunder Force office to access it. But even with that, the inside looks a bit more terrifying when you take a closer look, and it is split in two segments. - -The closer segment is an Assault Course, filled with climbing walls with both ropes & window holes, barbed wire & pipes to crawl through, wood beams & planks to balance on, and apparently explosive charges buried for bomb simulations, based on the smoke. The farther segment has a SEVERELY worn out brick building used for simulated combat entry, several scorch marks and bullet holes sticking out like sore thumbs against its beige paint. - -*PRISON BUILDING* -The three TF guards at the front entrance are a bit confused by the presence of random people at the front gate, but they are a little happy to see people taking an active interest in the facility. They make a quick call on their personal radios, before having Second Commander Valeos meet you at the gate with a look of surprise in his reptilian. "At Ease, officers, they are most definitely welcome here." - -Inside is a pretty drab and boring facility, mostly long hallways of locked doors they won't allow you into. The sparse Thunder Force agents salute your group as they pass by, but otherwise pay you no mind. You eventually come to the biggest part of the facility, the jail house. A four floor building of nothing but barred cells on the three topmost floors and a cafeteria on the first floor. - -*COURTHOUSE* -Inside the courthouse is a mix of white marble walls, bright red carpets, massive & thick brown doors, and silver colored flag patterns scattered throughout, mimicking the colors and overall theme of the Thunder Force itself. You also see several people walking through the halls, most of which are either judges, attorneys, Thunder Force, or citizens being guided and spoken to by one of the three. - -You are suddenly approached by a curious onlooker, a garter snake woman in an all pink suit with matching skirt and a white dress shirt, her silver nametag reading PAMELA. "May I help you?" - -*IF COURT SESSION* -"Oh you're here to testify on Marauder crimes? Excellent, come with me please." She will walk over to a nearby desk and pull out a clipboard with various names and dates on it. "Now when did this crime happen, and do you recall the aggressors' name or species?" - -*MENTION THE BULL* -She will pause and stare at your group. "You're here about LUCKY? He's been in and out of here so often, some of us are debating giving him a coffee mug with his name on it." She scrawls their names on the paper and heads over to an intercom, pressing the button. "Excuse me ma'am, we have another group for the Marauder court case today. And they're here for Lucky." - -In a matter of seconds, a set of doors burst open, and a frantic human woman marches her way to the desk. It only takes a moment to recognize her as First Commander Jensen, who calms down immediately recognizing your group. "You know... I should've expected it to be you. Welcome to the Temple of Justice." - -*AFTER QUESTIONS* -Jensen will eventually say, "So since you're also Regalia Hunters, you're gonna be VERY interested in whom is handling the court proceedings today. On that note, we should probably head in." She brings you all the way to the back into the last set of doors, opening wide to the back room of a court proceeding just about to start. You are guided to the front row of seats, alongside a group of other seemingly normal citizens and other Thunder Force agents. - -(NOTICE ROLL) There doesn't appear to be anything particularly out of the ordinary, the walls and floor are made of solid wood. However, if any of you have knowledge of court proceedings, you will see there is no juror box. - -Jensen salutes your group and marches to the front of the courtroom, as Second Commander Valeos steps in beside her, turns toward the audience, and states "All Rise! The Honorable Judge Fulmo presiding." In steps a raccoon man with a black and silver fur pattern in banded rings, his fluffy tail occasionally zapping the open air with electrical discharge, as he sits down at the podium and looks out to everyone with his bright electric blue eyes against the black mask like fur surrounding them. - -His voice is surprisingly emotionless and lacks any accent. "Thank you, Commander. Thank you everyone for attending, I am judge Fulmo Uncial, the head judge of the Diadem Temple of Justice. You may be seated. Please call the first case." - -What comes next is about 90 minutes of very quick and simple proceedings of people stepping forth in handcuffs, others in the audience stating they were witness to their attacks, and Judge Fulmo immediately rendering verdicts based on the testimony given rather than letting it go to any form of deliberation. After their guilt was declared, he will hand out strange but fair punishments. Most of them are fines, jail time, public service to work off the debt from their destruction, and in one instance with a minor, being ordered to talk out their rebellious issues with their parents. - -But the last case comes forth and presents the big Marauder you yourselves fought off on the first day you were here. When the Judge calls out for witnesses to this man's activities, the entire courtroom is dead silent this time. -*Give them a chance* - -*If noone speaks out,* -"As noone can attest to his involvement in the crime, we will therefore have to default on this charge. You are free to go." His handcuffs are undone and he walks away like nothing happened. - -*If someone speaks out,* -"Thank you for your testimony/evidence in this matter, it is duly appreciated. This man has been accused and disciplined for multiple violent crimes in the past, but has been shown leniency. However, he has proven he either cannot change or refuses to, so leniency is no longer available to you. Your sentence is one year in the Diadem Prison, with a possibility of parole based on good behavior. Take him away." - -The Marauder is then hauled off by Valeos and Jensen, glaring at those that spoke out with white hot intensity. "The boss will have your heads!" His head is pushed down as two more officers grab and shove him out, almost running into Officer Harken, whom is VERY surprised to see the Marauder being taken away. - -"That was the last case for the day, thank you for your time. Court is dismissed." Fulmo stands from the podium and steps down, but pauses as he speaks to a very confused Harken. You can barely make out the muttering of shock that he is truly being put in jail for once. Fulmo nods a bit and turns to your group, slipping on a pair of thin sunglasses as he approaches, arms behind his back. - -"I understand we have you to thank for putting that repeat offender away this time. Truth be told, it was becoming frustrating seeing him walk in and out of my courtroom so often. Shall we... walk and talk?" He will guide your group out into the hall to speak. - -*ASKS ABOUT JURY* -"My courtroom is the only one without a jury box, because it is not required for me." He will pause and pull down his glasses, showing those electric blues and how they are slowly warbling with magic silver energy. "I can see the electricity the mortal body runs on, and have learned over time exactly what parts of their bodies light up when lies are told." - -*IF ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -"I see... as pedestrian as it seems, I am not free to accept such a challenge today. I am very serious about my duties as a judge here, and still need to file my documentation for all of those court cases. However, should you come by another time, I will graciously accept your challenge then." - -He will offer to shake each of your hands to prove he is on the level, and each hand he shakes, all of your hair will suddenly fill with static and start to levitate. "And THAT... is why we use wooden gavels and tables here." He will then turn and walk down a different hallway, leaving you at the front door of the courthouse. - -On your way out, you are approached by Jensen and Valeos, both of whom clearly were waiting for you by the door. Valeos starts by asking, "Care to talk for a moment?" - -They both walk toward the gate with your group. Jensen asks the first question. "Are you planning on fighting Fulmo?" - -*IF YES* -Valeos chimes in. "We obviously voice caution when it comes to him, he is the reason the Thunder Force exist. We emulate him to a great extent in our magic AND fighting prowess." - -Jensen cuts back in. "Which is why, if you're really serious, we might be able to help." - -Valeos responds. "Since everything we are and do is based on him and what he does, we could offer combat training, if you're interested." - -*IF YES* -Jensen is clearly excited. "Well good, we promise not to go TOO hard on you. Obviously this won't be TODAY, but at some point when you think you're ready, stop by the Thunder Force branch office and ask for the two of us." - -Valeos snickers a bit. "And just because we are nice people, if you manage to beat us, we might be able to offer a small... incentive bonus." - -*EITHER WAY* -They both stop at the gate and give your group a salute. "We must return to our duties now, but it was an honor to see you all again. Good luck against the Marauder threat." They turn away and march back to their building. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Violet.txt b/Demense/Demense-Violet.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 2cfd4c6..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Violet.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,169 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a violet magic wall, displaying a field of flowers - -Out on the farm: -https://youtu.be/nDbE6Z5b8TM?si=RH_6wMk5Gi6zQMpV - -Doing farm work -https://youtu.be/6LI-yCnA2UM?si=7jXv4WZIHlOjA2t0 - -## Upon exiting the VIOLET gate, -you are immediately surrounded hy the sounds of animals & acoustic guitars, the smell of fresh cut grass & hay, and the sight of endless ranches surrounding a dusty dirt road that stretches for miles. - -Welcome to the **Countryside** demense! - -The left side of the road looks to be all animal farms, each one filled with dozens of a single species of animal, like each one is a specialty ranch. - -The right side of the road is filled with multitudes of crops in their own dedicated fields, mimicking the ranches opposite them, in a sense. - -*BEHIND* -The gate itself is attached to the side of a red and white barn, and right next door, you spot a trio of burly cow men sitting back in rocking chairs, each one smiling and playing tunes from old fashioned acoustic guitars. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -The yellow one puts his guitar down, stands up, and approaches your group. He tips his brown cowboy hat in greetings, his purple nametag on his blue shirt reading "MONTANA." "Howdy, ya'll new to these parts?" - -*ASK ABOUT REGALIA/DM* -"Ah, yer lookin' fer Arledge. Ain't seen 'im today, but we got a shipment to deliver to the market. Why don't ya'll come with, see if anyone spotted 'im?" He gestures to his horsedrawn wagon sitting in the barn the Gate is attached to. - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -He will help each of you one at a time into the back of the cart, then pick up two large sacks and throwing them in the back between you. The other two cow boys (a Holstein named Kid and a Blue steer named Dakota) attach a pair of horses to the front of the cart, which Montana will thank them for. - -*If there are any women in the group, Kid the Holstein will try to flirt with them and show off. (Make a Grade A Beef joke.) Afterwards, the blue steer that stands several inches taller will pick Kid up by the back of his shirt, tilt his hat & say 'ma'am,' and walk away with Kid in tow.* - -He will then climb into the front and hop into the driver's seat, grab the reigns, and get the horse moving down the dirt road. - ------ - -*ON THE FARMS* -Each one has both an actively slow spinning windmill, the animals within mulling around to eat their grass or food from a trough, and a few farmhands tending & feeding their individual livestock. Most of them pay you no mind, aside from the occasional friendly wave. - -*IN THE CROP FIELDS* -Several farmhands have paired up and are carrying large wheeled baskets back and forth between the tree or crop of choice, each pair pulling them together to & from, and then working as a chain to load it from said plant onto the cart, and unload it from the cart to a nearby storage shed. - -*IN THE FLOWER FIELDS* -There are a few farmhands out picking different varieties of flower, each one with a sizeable crop that would make any florist you've ever met jealous. - -Montana turns to the group a little, still eyeing the road. "Forgive me fer bein' nosy, but it ain't ev'ryday someone asks ta see Arledge. Ya'll got business with 'im?" - -*MENTIONS DM/REGALIA* -"Oh, ya'll's a bunch o' then Regalya hunters, are ya? We don't get too many o' yer types around 'ere, most people that come around are lookin' fer work." - -*ASKS ABOUT ARLEDGE* -"Ah, well Arledge is a bit of an oddball. He may not look it, but he's a heck of a farmhand. I'd say at least half the work around here's done cuz o' him." - ------ - -In the distance, you spot a large farmer's market sign, advertising fresh produce and meats for everyone. And there are just as many stalls inside selling meats as there are farms, plus a few extras for fruits, veggies, milk, eggs, magic rings in a purple hue, and fresh bouquets. - -Every seller is smiling and chatting with each other, trading and selling between different amounts of Z, different jarred & preserved ingredients, or fully made foods. You could swear one person was haggling a fresh slice of blueberry pie for a plate of fresh cooked bacon. - -*IF ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -The sable running the (food) stand, wearing blue jeans and a red tee shirt with a straw hat and a violet nametag reading MARTY, thinks for a moment. "Huh... ya know, I did see him a couple hours ago when I opened, haven't seen him since." - -(PLAYER) suddenly feels a tug on their shirt from below, and you see a short elderly sheep lady, her purple nametag reading JUDITH. "I couldn't help but overhear, are you looking for Arledge?" - -*IF THEY CONFIRM* -"Oh I know where he is, sweetheart is brushing down the horses in the stables right behind the market." - -*STABLES* -Behind the market looks to be the only non-produce related farm, and there are well over a dozen freshly groomed horses. Deeper inside, you see one that has a wet mane, but is currently being brushed down by a light purple rabbit in tight jeans and a deep purple tee, with a white cowboy hat nestled between a pair of loppy waist-long bunny ears, barely obscuring a fuzzy mop of violet hair. - -The horse reacts to you first with a whinny, then the bunny boy turns with a warm smile, and a pair of wide blue -almost purple- eyes greet you, as does his distinctly southern accent. "Howdy! I'd greet ya proper, but I'm finishin' up here. Ya'll mind givin' me a sec?" - -It only takes him 2 minutes to finish brushing down the mare's side before he steps away. She decides to thank him by shaking her mane free and dry of any moisture, getting daffodil scented water all over everyone. "Alright, ya showoff, get goin'." - -The horse trots away as the bunny walks to a nearby hose, kneeling down to rinse off his hands and brush. "Sorry bout that, she was th' last one, wanted to give ya'll my undivided attention. How can I help ya'll?" - -*IF REGALIA/CHALLENGE* -"Aw shoot, I'd love to help ya, but I can't. Someone already won m' Regalia a while back, and it ain't found its way back t' me yet." - -*IF THEY ASK WHO* -"Hm.. th' name escapes me, one a' them fancy foreign names, but he was a purple bird man, kinda short, big into regal stuff an' lookin' like some kinda royalty. If ya'll find HIM, ya'll can either challenge HIM an' win it off a' him, or have 'im give it back t' me." - -(CONTACTS ROLL) If you haven't figured it out, he's referring to King Akarui himself. - -*IF THEY ASK WHY* -"It's all fancy pants magic rules, we hold the items until someone wins 'em off us. Don't mean dirt if they just take 'em, gotta be won in some kinda competition, usually a fight o' some sort. Otherwise, they're just unbreakable geegaws, nothin' more. But whoever legit owns it gets all its 'magic benefits.'" He makes sure to wiggle his fingers on the last two words. - -"Now I'd love to keep jawin' off with ya, but I gots a busy day today. I gotta help milk the cows, then help sheer the sheep, then help feed the baby animals..." He thinks for a moment. "Wait a sec... ya'll got anywhere ya need t' be? I'd get done FAR quicker if'n I had some extra hands?" - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -"Now that is what I was hopin' t'hear! C'mon, let's get started!" He runs into the stables and grabs two horses, walks them both out front, and hooks both up to a cart identical to the one you came here in. He helps each of you into the cart same as last time, takes the driver's position, and takes off. - -Your group rides down the beaten path you came up for about a minute before you stop at the nearby dairy ranch. Arledge "parks" the cart in a nearby horse stall and ties it to a hook, before helping each of you down. He guides all of you straight into the nearby barn on the property, guiding you to a series of miling stalls. - -The next several minutes is all of you taking up a stall and milking one cow at a time. There are no pumps, so all the milking is done by hand. He demonstrates by giving slow squeezes to each udder, and explicitly points out to NOT pull them. - -(RESOURCES Roll) Each milking only takes about five minutes. -(Each player milks an average of ten cows, but add one for each PLUS on the roll and subtract one for each MINUS) - -At the tail end of it, Arledge playfully squirts (lowest roller) with a stream of fresh milk, but whistles innocently qith a shit eating grin he is trying his HARDEST to hold back. - -After they're all taken care of, the ranch owner (an older terrier and his wife) both thank Arledge AND all of you, and hand him a bag of Z for his trouble. He drops it into his hat on the back of his neck and excuses himself & your group to move to the next task. As before, he helps you in the cart, takes driver, heads down the road a solid minute, and parks in a different farm. - -This time, you're all taken to a wool farm attached to a sheep field. This time they have electric trimmers ready for you, so the shearing part will be much quicker. Arledge demonstrates how to do it and starts with the top, trims around the sides, then lifts each leg and rolls them onto the belly to finish, all in about 2 minutes. - -(CRAFT Roll) It takes the rest of you a few tries, but the sheep wool comes off for each of you clean as butter. -(Each player shears an average of five sheep, but add one for each PLUS on the roll and subtract one for each MINUS) - -But in the middle of your shearing, (LOWEST ROLLER) is suddenly surrounded by a group of your freshly cleaned sheep, and start taking bites at your clothing. - -You struggle to try and get away, but they chase you clear across the ranch and back. By the time you get out, your clothes have fairly large holes in them. - -The ranch owners (a middle-aged pair of bluejays) are laughing a little, and offer you some fresh clothing to replace them as payment for all your hard work. - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -Unfortunately, the only clothing they have that fit you perfectly is a basic white long-sleve shirt and a pair of blue jean overalls. - - -You all climb back into the cart, Arledge reclaims the reigns, and you all head back toward the market, this time pulling off to the side somewhat to a petting zoo. Arledge hops out first and sheepishly rubs the back of his neck with a grin. "Okay so, I might've fibbed a bit with this'n. It's not so much that I need to feed th' babies as it is just makin' sure they all get fed." - -He walks over to the rail of the corral, peering in to all the individual pins full of animals. There are ponies, baby goats, piglets, chicks, and many more, all separated by size of the species so they don't hurt each other. And, the spaces inside are elevated just enough so the animals can each be fed by hand without risk of them escaping. - -Right on cue, the petting zoo starts filling in with families and their children from the farm itself, all of them excitedly wanting to pet and play with the animals. You see the kids all immediately run over to a table full of food pellets, an odd color mix of brown, green, and orange. And when they feed the animals, those cubes disappear in a blink, and the animals all start nibbling or licking the hands that fed them. - -*ASK ABOUT THE FOOD* -He smiles and replies "Not an issue, each corral has them special all natural-y pellets full of vitamins, minerals, and plenty of roughage. It's no different than grazin' grass n' such, just in a pellet form. But fer th' more discernin' taste, we also got fresh fruit n' veggies we can give 'em." - -He points out the long table of fresh produce and fruit juices in cups before continuing, "It's just as much fer us as it is them." He pauses to take a carrot stick off the table and takes a nice resounding crunch off it, munching on it happily. "Been needin' t' eat anyways. Help yerselves, ya'll!" - -After a few minutes of munching and making sure all the animals in the zoo are getting an equal amount of food each, you all finally get a chance to relax. "Thanks a ton fer th' help. I'm sure ya'll're probably keen on that challenge thang, so I won't take up anymore of ya'll's time--" - -He is interrupted by a loud bellowing roar in the distance, making all the animals hide and the children rush back to their parents. "... oh shoot, that's a problem." - -He bolts for the market, runs back out with two burlap sacks, and calls to you. "C'mon, I need yer help fer one last thang!" He runs over to the cart, loads up both sacks, and ties them down. Once everyone is aboard, you all head in a fast gallop back out beyond the market for a solid five minutes. - -Arledge has a look of concern in his eyes as you all travel. "Okay so, there's one other baby I gotta feed, an' I was gonna do it after ya'll took off, but I might need ya'll's help with--" - -He pauses when you come within eyesight of a small mountain in the distance with a rather large cavern surrounded by large chunks of rock. He stops the cart, looks around for a moment, then looks upwards, and spots a massive body flying around in the distance. "Sheeeiiit... Azar is not happy." - -The large body descends and lands before you with a massive THUD, revealing itself to be a large red dragon with golden underscales, whom then proceeds to screech at you. "Oh he's gonna go after th' market if'n we don't calm 'im down..!" - -He will hop out and try to call the dragon's attention, but AZAR will simply thwack him with his tail and send him into the cart. - -He will sit upright and groan a bit, noticing his arm is severely red. He will look to your group reluctantly. "Fellas, I know it's alot t' ask, but I need ya'll to wear Azar out. I hate violence, but I don't see much of an option." - -He will slowly climb his feet, his free hand holding his injured arm and surrounding it in a violet magical energy, causing it to slowly heal itself. "I'll keep ya'll in fightin' shape!" - -*The fight will begin with your team facing Azar in front of you with Arledge behind you. The dragon is treated as a LV5 25HP creature that interchanges between a 2DMG CLAW-CLAW ATK, a 3DMG BITE ATK, and a 2DMG FIRE BREATH ATK that hits 4 ZONES like a LV2 LINE spell* -- FIGHT & ACADEMICS +5 -- ATLL OTHERS +1 -- Immune to FIRE -- Resistant to MELEE -- Weak to WATER - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -Azar bellows out and flops over against the grass with a dull thud, exhausted and unable to continue. Arledge walks over to Azar and places a hand on his side, releasing more of the violet healing magic you saw him use on himself and during the fight. - -"There now, ya big baby. Now what's got yer scales in a snarl?" He starts to do a once-over around Azar, then pauses near his underbelly and tilts his head a bit. "Huh... that's weird... ya'll might wanna see this!" - -Arledge points out a spot on Azar's left side, where there is a large cut and a series of scales missing. "Sumthin' done attacked 'im, cut clean through his scales. That prob'ly spooked the li'l guy and got 'im all flustered." - -He looks closer and tries to heal it specifically, but when he does, it suddenly leaks out golden dust from the cut. Arledge looks visibly disturbed, taking a step back. "That... that ain't right... whatever did this ain't normal... I mean it ain't a deep cut, but it's keepin' healin' magic from workin' on it... ya'll seen anythin' like this?" - -*EITHER WAY* -"Well, I'll keep an eye on 'im, come back later and make sure he's okay. Meantime, it's gettin' late, I'll give ya'll a lift back to the gate." He leaves the two sacks beside Azar's head, which he slowly sniffs for a moment in his post-combat haze, and begins chewing on. - -"Well at least it ain't affectin' his appetite.." He reluctantly leads your group back to the cart and heads to the gate, looking back at Azar back and forth the whole ride. - -Once you all arrive at the market, he keeps up a brave face and lets everyone know everything is okay. Montana steps up to your group with a smile. "I'm assumin' yer business is done, so how's about a lift home?" diff --git a/Demense/Demense-White.txt b/Demense/Demense-White.txt deleted file mode 100644 index cfa8aa9..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-White.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,192 +0,0 @@ -This gate is a golden ring with a white magic wall, looking like a slow falling of snowflakes - -In the snow: -https://youtu.be/Tkn3YVh4wu8?si=8Ackzr_TD9qwpX49 - -On the snowball field: -https://youtu.be/qD2ahwiPRBk?si=sMQ2yPCv_X6BI5tr - -## Upon exiting the WHITE gate, -You are immediately struck with a wave of cold and the sound of crunching as you step into ankle-deep snow, and the sight of a pure field of white stretches as far as the eye can see. - -Welcome to the **Tundra** demense! - -(Dont penalize the players for not having warm clothes, just make them experience cold-like symptoms. The second time they step out, THEN start penalizing them with either HP damage or the FROZEN status effect, or anything else you deem appropriate) - -You're not alone though, there are dozens of other people here enjoying the winter time as well. - -- There are several adults and kids alike sledding down the long inclines to the left -- A small group of adults are slowly building a MASSIVE igloo on the right -- Several children have grouped off in the center and set up base walls for a surprisingly well coordinated snowball fight -- In the distance you see a few couples wearing ice skates, dancing across a frozen river of ice like it was nothing - -(Everyone they talk to is bundled up so thickly in winter clothing that you can't tell who or what they are, but everyone you ask questions to will give basic generic answers) -(If they ask about the DM/REGALIA, the response will be "The Demense Master tends to keep away from public eye, not really sure why.") - -(NOTICE ROLL) -You hear whip cracking noises, followed by the sound of a man with a thick accent yelling MUSH! MUSH! coming from your immediate right. Pulling in and stopping right behind your group is a good old fashioned dozen-dog snowdog sled, which is pulling a second sled with multiple smaller seats behind it. - -The sled driver steps off, a rather large man under a thick tan winter coat with the hood pulled up,his white nametag reading EXILE. He pulls back the hood to reveal his face so he can speak, and he is a blue and white husky man who speaks with a thick Russian accent. "Hello comrades! You are new of the faces in this demense! Are you in need of guide dog perhaps? Ha ha!" - -*ASKS ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -He will shake his head. "I am sorry, I have not seen ice Master in some time, tends to be secluded. But I know where house is! Come, Exile escort you to cabin. Get you warm, get you dry, then get you to ice Master house, yes? All for small cost of 5z each!" - -You only now notice he is piloting a snow taxi service with his double sled. (And if you're concerned about the weight, the average snow dog can pull 100 pounds each, so six bodies is right at its comfort threshold) - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -He collects his payment, gets everyone seated, re-grabs the reigns, and all the dogs start pulling & running along the side of the frozen River at a brisk pace. - -A few minutes later, you see a thick pillar of smoke in the distance coming from a VERY large wooden cabin, big enough to easily hold a hundred people comfortably. - -Exile's sled pulls in front of the building, and he detaches the dogs from the sled, guiding them to a nearby corral with a fenced in fire pit. "Okay, halfway there! We take break, warm up, get snacks, 'maybe get better clothing?'" He's jabbing you for coming here so underdressed. - -He walks with you to the entrance, opens the tall oak door to a second set kf doors just inside with a sign saying "CLOSE DOOR BEHIND YOU BEFORE OPENING." The doors behind you have the same sign. - -Upon opening the second door, you are immediately struck by the warmth of the inside, the soft sounds of winter style jazz, and the warm scents of burning hickory wood & hot cocoa. - -The massive one room building is mostly centered around a colossal roaring fire, contained inside a black metal cage leading up to a metal pipe leading through the ceiling. Surrounding it are several rounded rows of seats, and in the back corners farthest from the door is a pair of kiosks, the left one having a longer line than the right. Right between them is a slightly elevated stage with a live jazz band of four people. - ------ - -*SEATING* -The seats are all thickly woven cushions built into a wooden rounded frame surrounding the giant pitfire in the middle, designed to act like massive warm couches. The seats AND the wood are all warm to the touch, and some have spaces in between large enough to place your drinks. - ------ - -*LEFT KIOSK* -A white fox man with silver hair tied back in a clean ponytail in a white dress shirt, black vest, and white nametag reading OUJA is running the kiosk expertly, casually strolling between two different hot drink machines. - -He quickly hands off two cups of cocoa and a plate of fresh cookies to those in front of you, and smiles to your group when your turn comes up. The overhead menu shows he is selling multiple varieties of hot chocolate, coffee, fresh baked goods, and even meat treats like jerky. "What can I get for you?" - ------ - -*RIGHT KIOSK* -An eight foot creature you can only describe as a white-haired ape-bear with slicked back black hair in a white shirt, black vest, and a white nametag reading BODHI is running this kiosk, trading coin for heavy snow equipment singlehandedly. - -He trades a small bag of coin for a snowboard to those in front of you, and flashes you a toothy grin when your turn comes up. The menu in front of the stand shows he is selling coats, hats, small sleds, gloves, magic rings in a white hue, and rentals for winter sports gear like snowboards and family size sleds. "HOW ME HELP YOU?" - ------ - -*JAZZ BAND* -The group between the kiosks don't look entirely like professionals, but they clearly enjoy what they do and really bring the atmosphere. All of them ARE wearing identical outfits of deep blue pants & sports coats over white button front shirts and sunglasses. -- On Baritone Sax is a pretty young Harp Seal woman with brown baided hair, her white nametag reading PIPER -- On Trumpet is a heavy Saint Bernard man in a deep blue fedora, his white nametag reading RAMONE -- On Bass Guitar is a surprisingly slim Musk Ox man in a deep blue fedora, his white nametag reading ZIMRI -- On Piano is a young human boy with visible white hair under an Indigo fedora, his white nametag reading CAELUM. - -*APPROACH* -You can't really tell if anyone pays attention to you behind the sunglasses, until the song ends and everyone in the building gives the jazz band some well-earned applause. The Saint Bernard on bass guitar announces in a gravely voice they're going on a five minute break. Caelum on piano picks up a small lizard and puts it on the top of his fedora, turning to walk away before he notices your group. "Uh.. what're you guys doing here..?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Uhm.. haven't seen the Demense Master today, but I haven't been looking. I came here cuz I.. kinda.. like playing piano." He excuses himself to go wait in the food line, petting his little lizard on top of its head the whole way. - ------ - -Exile approaches and sighs happily, patting his stomach. "Ahh... Nothing like warm cocoa on cold winter day, yes?" - -He pauses and walks closer to one of the massive windows, and his demeanor becomes a bit more serious. "Is time to go, Ice Master is home today." - -*IF THEY ASK HOW HE KNOWS* -He will point out the window, and you will see a clear view to one particular spot in the distance where the snow is falling VERY hard in this otherwise barely flurrying area. "Where ice Master goes, surely it snows. Is a uh.. bad habit, keeps people away." - -He will lead your group back outside and re-hitch the dogs to the sled, before cracking the reigns and taking everyone to the thick pillar of snowfall. It takes a few minutes, but he eventually stops at the top of a snow embankment at about a 45 degree angle leading into a small flat valley from a good 50 foot drop, the perfect height and angle for a quick sled ride. - -"This is far as I go comrades, Ice Master house is on opposite end of valley. This path only way in or out. Thank you for patronage!" He rides off, leaving your group in front of the inclined embankment as the snowfall in front of you thickens. - -WHOEVER SLIDES DOWN THE EMBANKMENT, they land right in front of a group of a dozen snowmen. And they are all facing the same direction: the center. - -*APPROACH THE CENTER* -(ATHLETICS Roll) (Lowest roller) is suddenly STRUCK in the back of the head by a solid impact of cold before a shrill voice pops out from an angle you aren't looking at, screaming ATTAAAAACK!!! Suddenly every snowman head explodes open, and all party members are struck by ten attacks each, to which there is unfortunately NO save, and will all do a collective of... zero damage each. -*Because they were pelted with snowballs. Thrown by a gang of small children.* - -After the initial excitement, all the children suddenly become dejected and a little upset. One little brown bear girl in a pink coat approaches, pouting a little. "I'm sowwy, we tawt you was someone else.." - -*IF THEY ASK* -She will point to a house in the distance, surrounded by the thickest blanket of snowfall compared to the surrounding area. "The nice people pway with us aww the time, so we wanted to do a supwise." She sniffles a bit as she heads back over to the snowmen and her friends. - -After a few minutes of walking, you spot a pair of people in the distance, chatting away as if everything was right with the world. One is a tall dark cat woman whom looks SURPRISINGLY underdressed to be in the snow, covered in a spacious and open red robe-like dress trimmed in thick white. The other is a deer about a foot shorter than her if you don't include the antlers, in warmer clothing of a black sweater stopping above the knee and thick black boots stopping just below the knee. - -They spot you approaching, the deer hiding behind the taller cat woman while she smiles warmly, arms crossed. "Well hello there, new faces! How can we help you?" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Well if it's the Demense Master you're after, them look no further!" She giggles to herself before continuing, "My name is Morana, and this is..." She turns behind herself to see the deer has disappeared, replaced by a rather large chunk of snow. "..the best disappearing act you never saw!" - -She looks around for a moment, then points to a nearby tree and launches an ice spike at one of the high branches, causing a pile of snow to fall from it, as well as the very deer that disappeared a moment later. "There's the little darling~" She waltzes over and grabs the deer, carrying him over her shoulder, before looking back at your group. "Let's get out of the cold and chat, shall we?" - -Morana sits back in a chair inside their shared home, smiling quietly as she pets the deer between the antlers, no differently than if he were a pet. "Now, let's try again... My name is Morana, and this is Whitaker, the Demense Master~" - -*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* -Whitaker whimpers a little, hanging his head in shame, as Morana reaches down to pet him again. "Please forgive him, he's very upset with himself. He had his Regalia stolen a few weeks ago by the Marauders. He was overseeing a snowball fight, the Marauders started harassing the children." - -"He tried to stand up for them, but the Marauders did a whole hostage thing. Tod him to trade his Regalia for their safety, and he agreed. So whoever has it has what amounts to an unbreakable white shortsword." - -(CONTACTS ROLL) You remember seeing a sword matching that description in the hands of a Marauder when you came here on your first day. - -"After the exchange, they DID let the kids go, but then they ganged up on him when he couldn't properly defend himself. This is just the latest in a long line of targeted abuse, and it started LONG before I came around. It's basically what caused us to meet." - -"I found him sneaking into my home one night, beat up and hungry... I sat him down and made him a warm meal, and the rest is history. Took a while before he learned to trust me. You can imagine my surprise when I found out this adorable little man ruled the demense of Ice." He actually hides his face in his sleeved hands. - -"It's hard to explain, but when people are abused near constantly by everyone they meet, it can lead to PTSD and Anthrophobia. So, given his disposition, when social things come up, I work on his behalf unless some--" - -She is suddenly interrupted by the same little bear girl from before, barging into the house, making excited noises and grabbing Whitaker's hand, pulling him toward the door and outside. You could swear you saw a smile cross his face when the kid grabbed his hand. - -The door shuts, and Morana continues, "...unless something like that happens." She waltzes over to the window and invites your group in to watch as he gets boobytrapped by the same children hidden in the snowmen, but he bursts into laughter when it happens, before playfully starting a snowball fight with all of them. - -"The little darling is afraid of everyone and everything... except for children. It's the one time he lets his guard down, because before he met me, the local children helped him by bringing him food, toys, and warm clothes. It might be the only reason he will ever be a good demense Master." She sighed a bit before continuing, "Sadly it didn't do much for him when he was King..." - -*IF THEY ASK ABOUT KING* -She smiles at your group knowingly. "Oh, you were never told, were you? All the demense Masters were Kings, in a sense.. a fun little bit of trivia about Diadem's history I picked up while moonlighting as a college teacher. Tell me, which of the demense Masters have you met so far?" - ------ - -Aodaghan the King of Rage, believing in hard work. He helped construct the whole town, and expects commitment to labor. - -Conroy the Curious King, believing in knowledge. He maintained the town's history, as best he can & could. - -Zahir the King of Joy, believing in happiness. He believed the peoples' smiles was paramount above all. - -Corentin the Calm King, believing in serenity. He was devout in the stillness of mind and flexibility of form. - -Dorrin the King of Sorrow, believing in patience. He encouraged unwavering stoicism, even behind an ocean of tears. - -Arledge the Kindest King, believing in generosity. He desired a bountiful harvest and longevity of life for all. - -Miranda the Intimate Queen, believing in relationships. Physical or emotional, she wished for everyone to find closeness. - -Fulmo the King of Judgment, believing in the Law. He was adamant about enforcing strict yet fair policy for basic society. - -Thanatos the King of Despair, believing in ceremony. He valued the life and memory of everyone that ever came. - -Cassius the Silent King, believing in solidarity. He... just wanted to be left alone. - -Tlaloc the King of Hope, believing in strength. Dopey as he may seem, he embodies the idea that a rock-solid mind and body always wins. He just has issues articulating it. (She circles her mouth with her finger) - ------ - -"And Whitaker the... Timid King. He tried so hard to be a king that advocated for those that couldn't speak for themselves. Even after they treated him horribly. Tormented him. Hurt him. Destroyed his confidence in himself." - -"The only ones that didn't were the children. They adored him so much, partly because he's cute as a button, partly because he actually cared about them. So he plays with them, cares for them, does whatever he can for them." She sighed a bit and watched him from behind the window with a smile. - -*IF THEY WANNA HELP* -"If you mean his Regalia, there won't be much you can do, unless you can find it and return it. But if you mean helping HIM..." She muses for a moment as she watches the children build more snowmen with his help. "..are any of you good at building things? Because I bet if you were to go out and make things in the snow for the kids..." - ------ - -The players can earn his trust by playing in the snow with Whitaker and the children -- FIGHT/STEALTH for snowball fights -- CRAFT/RESOURCES for snowmen and igloos -- EMPATHY/RAPPORT after each activity to earn trust - ------ - -AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS - -All the children are called out to by their parents, and all of them give a resounding AWWWW. Each one of them comes up and gives Whitaker a massive group hug, and you see him give them the most heartwarming smile you ever saw. All the children then start shuffling their way off to their parents in the distance, climbing that incline with relative ease despite one or two stumbling a bit. - ------ - -*IF THEY ROLL POORLY* -Whitaker will maintain that warm smile until he turns to your group, rubbing his arm nervously. He will give you a small timid wave before heading back to Morana, whom is waiting for him at the front door. - -*IF THEY ROLL WELL* -Whitaker will maintain that warm smile until he turns to your group, rubbing his arm nervously as he trots up to your group. He will open his mouth to try and convey words, but finds he can't get them out, so he instead gives (highest overall roller) a sudden tight hug for a few seconds, before walking away. He will pause a few steps in, turn back to your group, and give you a soft wave, before walking into Morana's awaiting arms for a hug of his own. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Demense/Demense-Yellow.txt b/Demense/Demense-Yellow.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 8a177eb..0000000 --- a/Demense/Demense-Yellow.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,162 +0,0 @@ -This warbling gate is a golden ring with a yellow magic wall, and it doesn't look like anything specific, but it IS unusually bright - -On the beach: -https://youtu.be/yy0701OyeRo?si=H_9WEeAvScDcXAJ0 - -Inside the festival: -https://youtu.be/75q8Krpw-R0?si=isT0RYZ1oQVxQAHz - -## Upon exiting the YELLOW gate, -You feel warmth beaming down on your heads, you hear a few seagulls chirping in the distance, and you see the rolling waves of the ocean washing on the sandy shore of the beach right beneath your feet. - -Welcome to the **Beach** demense! - -In front of you is a pure golden yellow sandy beach stretching for miles - -On the right is a rolling ocean as endless as the sandy beach - -On your left, elevated by a few wooden steps, is a massive stretch of walkable boardwalk full of shops and stands - ------ - -*BEACH* -The sands of this beach are a surprisingly clean & clear golden yellow, and it almost seems unending. But within the few miles you can see, you spot dozens of beach bodies young & old lying back on towels & soaking in rays, making sandcastles or sandscultures of impressive design, and you can clearly smell burgers & hot dogs being grilled on charcoal barbecues. - -A plastic disk flies low through the air and lightly bonks (player) in the knee. You see a group of six or seven beachgoers waving at your group and asking you to throw the frisbee back. - -(FIGHT/SHOOT/PHYSIQUE Roll) You toss the disk as best you can and... -(high roll) it lands right in the hands of one of the nearest beachgoers -(low roll) it lands just short of them in the sand at their feet -...which makes everyone in their group cheer, and one of them asks if you AND your friends wanna join in! - ------ - -*OCEAN* -Before you set foot in the water, you are called out to by a trio of people riding by the edge of the water on short skimboards like they're skating on the wet sand. - -You haven't seen water as clean & clear as this in a long time, and just watching & listening to the water crash against the shore is surprisingly pleasant. The water ungulates and carries you up & down slowly, and you see other people swimming through the ungulations. - -Your group is approached by an Orangutan man in green shorts with long red hair and a massive grin, pedaling through the water on a longboard surfboard. He looks behind himself and starts pedaling forward, until you ee the water rising high over your head as a giant wave and CRASHES into your faces, but that man rides it all the way back to the beach like it was NOTHING. - ------ - -*BOARDWALK* -It takes a few steps to get up there, but you see dozens of people in beach attire traveling across it on foot, skates, scooters, bikes, and skateboards. Scattered along the distance is several miniature stores, shacks, and pop-up stands selling swimsuits, inflatables, sunscreen, towels, sunglasses, magic rings in a yellow hue, and even surf board rentals. There's also a few stands selling cold snacks including ice cream, shaved ice, frozen yogurt, and a few iced drinks. - -*IF FOOD* -As you read the menu, you spot a little caricature of a bee holding up a sign saying all sugary foods are sweetened with all natural honey instead of sugar. -A portly pelican man in a baseball cap and a blue tank top with a yellow nametag reading HORACE happily meets you at the counter. "Hey there! What can get I get for ya?" - -*IF SHOP* -A fashionable flamingo woman smiles and waves to your group, her light brown hair tied back and draped over her shoulder across a white polo tee, her yellow nametag reading JANICE. "Welcome in! Can I help you find anything?" - ------ - -(IF DM/REGALIA) -"Oh, you wanna talk to Zahir. You won't have to search far, he tends to make himself known. He's hosting an event later today, so if you just wanna hang out you'll figure out where he is." - ------ - -Later on in the evening, -(NOTICE Roll) You spot a sudden influx of people walking in from the gate. And unlike the normal beachgoers up to now, they are all dressed a little strangely. Alot of the guys are shirtless and alot of the girls are in bikini tops, but many of them are wearing bright neon mesh clothing and their pants or shorts are either black or matching neons. - -You ALSO begin to hear a deep repetitive thumping in the distance, like someone is banging on a very large drum. And it looks like all these oddly dressed people are heading for that noise. - -*FOLLOW THE NOISE* -You spot a large building in the distance, what looks like a repurposed warehouse. The people you spotted heading toward that beat are going inside, and that beat doubles in volume the second the doors are open, but you're a bit too far to see what is inside. - -*OPEN DOOR* -Your ears are met with a thunderous BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM, a repetitive thud so deep and powerful it makes your whole body rumble - -*STEP INSIDE* -There is a MASSIVE hexagonal plate glass panel floorspace, lit up and flashing multiple different colors and filled with people bumping, jumping, grinding and vibing to that powerful beat, their neon clothes glowing intensely in this low light. -You have entered a beach rave. - -Sitting around the doors on the left and right are tables of clothing and accessories. -Dozens of people are walking around in the audience, talking as best they can over the music, dancing to the beat in a myriad of styles, and overall just being friendly. -You can also see a VERY vibrantly dressed person manning the DJ table in the back of the room, and he is having the time of his yellow little life. - -*MERCH TABLES* -- The table on the left has glowsticks galore, neon shirts & wristbands, and beaded accessories of many different styles, ran by portly pelican man in a baseball cap and a blue tank top, his yellow nametag reading HORACE -- The table on the right has few bowls of yellow punch right beside the changing rooms with a distinct aroma of honey, as well as tall paper cups full of the same stuff or just plain water, ran by a flamingo woman with light brown hair tied back and draped over her shoulder across a white polo tee, her nametag reading JANICE - -*IN THE AUDIENCE* -(NOTICE Roll)(Lowest to Highest) -- A white tiger woman bumps hips with someone, wearing baggy black pants with reflective orange stripes and a black crop top -- A ferret dances backwards right in front of your group, only wearing some cutoff jean shorts and glowsticks around his wrists, and just waves at you before booty shaking his way back into the audience. -- A hand FIRMLY grabs a handful of SOMEONE's ass, and you have no clue who did it -- You spot SOMEONE in the distance just eyeing your group up before heading out the door - -*DJ STATION* -You approach the massive speakers thumping and rumbling around a LARGE wooden DJ stand as a yellow butterfly man operates the turntable, fnishing out the current track. He picks up a nearby microphone, speaking with a firm tone toward the audience with a slight echo. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND MAKING THIS SHOW COME TO LIFE!" - -The people around you cheer excitedly and applaud, before the butterfly man continues, "NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE MAN YOU ARE ALL HERE TO SEE, THE DEMENSE MASTER HIMSELF, DJ ZAHIR!!!" The lights around you AND in the floor all dim as you hear a deep low thumping beat begin to sound out around you, the only light in the room from the glowsticks those around you are holding. - -Over the stage, you see a swirling yellow light hovering over head, slowly expanding in swirling waves into a massive yellow flower. The flower petals open wide and reveal a glowing neon yellow honeybee man inside, lying upside down in the petals and stretching his four arms over his head. - -When you hear the beat drop, the four arms suddenly CLAP in front of it, causing the flower to explode into millions of particles of light, floating outward in every direction. The bee man zips downward and waves happily at everyone from above,, laughing happily as everyone reaches back up to him. - -His hair is a frazzled dirty blonde around his two antennae, he easily hands out a flurry of high fives with his four arms, and his glowing outfit of a black tee, jerkin, tight pants, boots, and detached elbow-to-wrist bell sleeves is all outlined and laced with neon yellow along the belt, zipper, laces, and inner & outer edges. - -As he hovers over the audience, he rights himself and begins to spin around, pulling all the light particles back around himself and resembling a slow-spinning galaxy, before sending them to the ceiling, decorating it like a starry sky. He flies back over toward the DJ station, taking the microphone from the butterfly man, speaking loudly into it with a youthfully energetic tone. - -"FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I WELCOME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, NEW AND RETURNING, TO SHIIINEDOOOOOWN!!!" Applause ERUPTS from the people around you. - -"I INVITE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, FOR ONE NIGHT, TO LET YOURSELVES GO, SHARE IN THE JOY OF THOSE AROUND YOU, AND LET YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOULS SHINE LIKE THE FUCKING SUN!!!" - -And that is when the doors to the building get kicked open, causing the music to suddenly cut out. The Marauders march their happy asses inside, all grinning ear to ear. This time, they brought dozens of footsoldiers carrying baseball bats and swinging chains. They immediately surround everyone and start smashing lights, cutting cables, attacking speakers, and flipping tables. - -A smaller group of better dressed individuals stays near the doors, the leader pulling out a golden pistol and aiming it at the partygoers in the middle. "Aight you bunch of hippies, we're here to 'repossess the property.' Everyone cooperates, noone ends up with a hole in their heads." - -*IF THEY STEP FORTH* -Music suddenly starts up with an IMMEDIATE hard flourish of sound, and several of the Marauders on stage go FLYING over everyone's heads, one landing in front of your group on their back. Zahir is standing behind the DJ station, grinning ear to ear as you hear an energetic thumping beat begins to play. - -The people in the audience begin to clap in time with the music, every single one of them suddenly feeling the beat, and it is ENERGIZING them. Once that beat drops, you see a hundred eager party people jump the surrounding Marauders and fight back against them, leaving the more powerful group in the middle... to you and yours. - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -Around the time you finish your fight, all the partygoers are laughing and high fiving each other, having finished around the same time as you. You see all the other Marauders tied up with various pieces of cabling, clothing, and even their own chains. - -Zahir approaches the center of the room, eyes wide and one set of hands over his mouth, the other crossed over his stomach. The speakers were destroyed, cables were cut, and several light fixtures were destroyed. - -The leader of the captured Marauders starts laughing at you and everyone else in the room. "Mission accomplished! The party's over!" - -Zahir's head suddenly turns to a creepy degree to look at him dead in the eyes, smiling wide, before responding, "What makes you say that?" - -... "we downed your lights, broke your speakers, and killed your vibe. Sure looks over to me!" - -All four of Zahir's hands begin to glow a soft yellow light as he slowly and methodically walks toward the Marauder, touching the shoulders and hands of people he walks by, leaving stains of pure light magic on their bodies. - -His smile just widens. "Let me shed some light on this for you. If the vibe is dead, would they all still be here?" The leader realizes not a single person has left yet. - -Zahir continues, dramatically cupping two of his hands around his ears. "If the speakers are dead, why do I hear music?" The people whom are glowing have started singing, in a gospel choir type of way where it's all vocalizing, but its a beautiful harmonious note. And you also see that more and more people are starting to glow as they touch each other's hands and shoulders. - -Zahir stops walking and crouches down in front of the Marauder. "And if the lights are dead, why is it so bright in here?" By this point, everyone in the room is glowing like night lights, and more than half of them are vocalizing. - -The Marauder scoffs at him. "You're the one doing that, you idiot!" - -"Oh, all I did was open the blinds. Most people can't see it through their fleshy bodies, but I see it in them, and these people here... they all learned to see it in each other." - -He slowly steps around behind the Marauder before continuing, placing his hands on his shoulders. "I see it in you too. It's dim, but it's there. It's the kind of light you can't turn off. It's their beautiful souls!" He suddenly pauses to snap his fingers. - -Back at the podium, you see a line of sparks fly up in a zigzag pattern across the front of the table, slowly opening to reveal a set of hidden internal hexagonal speakers, folding out and open to fully cover and obscure the busted ones, even starting to glow with RGB style lighting. - - -Zahir rests his chin atop the Marauder's head. "Lights and speakers are just things, break them all you like. The people ARE the party. They can sing. They can dance. And they can shine. Like the fucking. Sun." - -The marauder is just confused at this point, but you can see the gears in his head turn as the message is starting to sink in. In the middle of that thought, Zahir steps back and rears back all four arms. "Now it's your turn!" - -Zahir slams all four hands into the Marauder's back, flooding his body with magical light. The Marauder's shirt is blown completely off, and when Zahir removes his hands, the Marauder's back now has four handprints on it, each with three digits but the palms lined up in a circle, looking like a 12 point sun. The Marauder's eyes are glowing with light and he is enamored by the sight of colors, dumbfounded by the sight of it all. - -"That light is stronger than any weapon, than the strongest metal, the deadliest virus! So long as their souls shine bright, THIS PARTY WILL NEVER DIE!!!" Everyone in the audience NOT humming that tune cheers at the same time, lighting the warehouse with magnificent light AND noise. - -The Marauder is in awe, everything looking like a kaleidoscope through his eyes as that magic takes hold of his senses, and he breaks out into hysterical laughter. From the outside, he looks like he is tripping balls. - -Zahir picks him up bridal style, and flies him up into a dance cage near the center of the ceiling. Thanks to that light magic coursing through him, he is illuminating the whole place as well as any light fixture ever could. - -The music starts coming from the new speakers, harmozing with the vocalization at first until it completely overtakes it. The second that beat drops, the audience is dancing like the party never stopped. - -Zahir flutters overhead in a wide circle as he sees the party has picked back up, giving everyone a fly by high five. Or high three in his case. He eventually comes to your group and lands in front of you, offering each of you high fives and handshakes. "Crazy night, right?! Not every day I gotta break out the special gear!" - -*DM/REGALIA* -"Indeedily I am! Guessing you're here to try and grab my gear, right?" He laughs a bit. "I'd love to, but I think you all deserve a fun night after laying the THmackdown on those guys earlier. What say we enjoy the party tonight, and you come by another day? Then we can do this fight right!" \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/01 - Start.txt b/Mainline-Story/01 - Start.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1da9bd2..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/01 - Start.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,311 +0,0 @@ -OPENING SCENE - -You open on a military base in a private meeting room. The table in the center takes up half the space of the room, but is large enough to accommodate 12 chairs, even though only (players #) are currently occupied. The room is otherwise decently lit, and the silence speaks volumes, only interrupted by the visual loudness of the (country) flag against the front wall before you. - -After several minutes, the door directly to the right of the flag opens and in steps (players #) high ranking officers armed with the latest and greatest two handed military combat rifles, full thickly plated chest armor, and a surprisingly large backpack CLEARLY filled to the brim with supplies. - -The officers step back, take a saluting pose, and the farthest left one announces in a boisterous voice "ROOM CLEARED. SEND IN THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF." - -In steps a man everyone in this room recognizes as the president of the goddamn US of A himself, carrying a confident smile and a stack of file folders under his arm. He politely turns to the officers and says "thank you gentlemen, at ease." - -The soldiers step back and assume a more laxed position, but no less threatening with those guns in hand. He turns to all of you and clears his throat before dropping his folders onto the table, them opening to reveal every personal record and document to ever have your (player #) names on them. - -"I thank you for stepping forth to participate in what is now known as the single most dangerous recon mission in history. I know you've been briefed on it multiple times, but I'd like to take the jargon out and shoot straight so there's no misinterpretation, and when I'm done, I want each and every one of you to decide once and for all if this is really a task you are prepared for." - -He grabs a remote from his pocket, presses a button, and lowers a projector screen in front of the flag. He taps another button, and images of a giant circular chunk of rock jutting up from the ocean are displayed. "For as long as we have documented it, we have been aware of a mysterious unknown land mass in the middle of the Pacific." - -"This mass is approximately 10 miles wide, nearly perfectly circular, and has an unscaleable rock wall all around its border. We believe this land mass is occupied with people who, bare minimum, have the tools and numbers needed to shape it as such." - -"Now I'm sure you've heard of us using... less than friendly means of gaining entrance, and it is true, but it has failed at every turn. Either the weapons we use never make contact or have no effect if they do." - -And true to his word, you see several clips of missiles, bombs, and massive artillery that would eventually evaporate a continent essentially either bounce off the rock walls, or explode on impact and leave none. - -"We are, of course, curious to see if such an amazing material has military applications, but samples show that whatever is making the rock so resilient is not the rock itself. In comes the Program." - -"Twice a year for over a century now, we've sent soldiers, scientists, engineers, the best of the best men and women we had to offer inside through this one entrance, a small cavern near the water's edge. Despite that, every single one of them has never returned, and we never receive communication from them again." - -"As such, the military has opted to start taking in people of a more... unique background this time around, which is where you all come in. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be the same as those before you. Infiltrate this island, gather any and all intel you can about this place and its inhabitants, and (for once) return alive." - -"Now I know ya'll have lives, assets, and dependents of varying degrees, but we always ask for people to be prepared to never return to them. But in exchange, they will also have the most to look forward to." - -"There is a dedicated monthly budget for this project, and all the excess proceeds went into essentially a "reward" for anyone that came back. That is well over a century's worth of amassed funds, and if any or all of you (players #) return with anything of value, you get the whole sum." - -He then slides a folder toward your group with a single sheet of paper inside, listing a sum of money that would take a chunk out of the national debt. "In addition, we would even be willing to discuss your personal records and how to make certain... red flags and highlighted marks disappear." - -"In the meantime, your personal possessions, homes, assets, and everything else would be funded by this budget and cared for either by your pre-selected caregivers or ones we select if needed. We do this for 25 years, and if you do not return, any remaining assets are liquidated and added right back into the budget." - -"And that is about the nitty gritty of it. If you are still interested, we will leave immediately to get you geared up in the finest weapons, armor, tactical equipment, and... essentially everything these gentlemen behind me are wearing and then some." - -"If you have questions, feel free to ask now. And if you are having second thoughts, the exit is right there. And trust me when I say, no hard feelings, braver men and women have walked away from this offer. Myself included." - -He waits for anyone to ask questions or walk out of the room before finishing, "Very well then, welcome to Project Evermore. Gear up, your chopper leaves in an hour." - -You are then escorted to an armory full of whatever weapons, ammunition, and special gear you think you may need. Everything is packed as cleanly as possible into backpacks for you, including a few days worth of military food rations, a flashlight, a first aid kit, and other basic survival accessories. - -They also give you the opportunity to eat, and they offer to make you whatever your favorite dishes are, as a kind of "last meal" situation in case you go without quality food for a while. - -Once you are done, the president escorts you to a nearby helicopter and salutes you all as you take off to your next destination. "Good luck! I look forward to your return!" - -SEVERAL HOURS LATER - -The helicopter carries you to an aircraft carrier, where they will escort you off one by one. They double check your gear and weapon stock, making sure everything functions and is strapped down. All the while, you can see the colossal rock wall of an island, and it is IMPOSING. - -They give each of you an envelope of money worth $100,000 they refer to as a "signing bonus." But, the money is broken up into 100 different types of currency worth about $1,000 each. They say it is "just in case there IS civilization, this will help you survive among the most likely related countries." - -You are then escorted to a speedboat, and once everyone boards, it quickly jets off through the water to the island entrance in a matter of minutes, a rounded cave opening about 20 feet in width and height. It pulls up close enough to where you can hop up to the entrance with relative ease. - -Before he takes off, the driver turns back and hands one of you a signal flare gun, to let them know if and when you are ready for your return trip. You are now faced with the ocean at your backs and the cave before you, and it only gets darker as you look deeper in. - -*IF YOU ENTER* -While the rock is overall rough, it is definitely NOT a natural cave. The walls have something of a carved and scraped pattern in them, like chisels were taken to it, but not with a rhythm in mind. Even the floor itself shows some smoothness. - -About 20 minutes walking into the cave, your flashlight shows the floor and walls not only getting smoother as you go deeper in, you could almost recognize a pattern in the ground. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You hear a soft rumbling noise in the distance, slow and repetitive, like a growl on a repeat pattern. - -*IF THEY CONTINUE* -The noise only grows louder as you continue, and the path before you slowly but surely grows even cleaner and more uniform all across the walls and floor. - -You finally spot a light in the distance, coming from a lantern hanging off the front of an old blue and white wooden shack, tall as the cave itself and about half as wide. You also notice the cave is a dead end directly behind the box. - -There are no obvious markings on it, but there IS a large square opening on the front, which looks like an open window, and that repetitive rumbling noise is as loud as it could possibly be AND is coming from inside. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) Approaching the opening, you see a man sprawled out on a chair, and he isn't moving much. His legs are loosely flopped, his arms are hanging freely beside him, and his head is flopped almost all the way back and to the side. - -*SAY OR DO ANYTHING* -You hear the most ungodly painful snoring noise you have EVER heard another person make. - -*INTERACT WITH HIM* -The man suddenly shouts "OH FUCK" as his body flails and falls backward onto the ground, chair and all. "Owww...." - -After a minute, he stands up and dusts himself off, revealing himself to be a golden blonde Stallion of just over 6 feet, in a tan button front shirt and black slacks. "Sorry about that, these shifts're so freaking boring... it's hard to stay awake." - -He squints at all of you. "Wait... I don't... are you all new people?" - -*IF THEY CONFIRM* -He becomes excited. "Fantastic, I love greeting new arrivals! Okay, ahem.. Hello, my name's Reiji, I'm here to give you one last warning that if you go in, there is a definite possibility you might not leave. Are you sure you want to do this?" - -*IF YES* -He pops out of a door on the left side of the box, walking to the far left wall and placing his hand on it. "And the password is... OPEN SAYS ME." - -Bright golden lines suddenly start growing from his hand into the wall for a few moments, before the rock wall behind him opens to reveal another stretch of path into the distance. But it is slightly obscured by a strange gold membrane of energy. - -(MANA Roll) And it is definitely magical in nature, but for the life of you, you can not identify exactly WHAT or HOW. "Alright, just follow the path ahead until you come out of the cave. Best of luck to you all!" - -*IS HE COMING* -He laughs a little and shakes his head. "No, I still have a few hours on my shift, go on ahead." - -*IF THEY CONTINUE* -Walking through the strange energy is no real issue, it just feels like walking through a wall made of cool wind. - -*ANYONE WITH MANA* -You DO notice your magic feels a little... off, since you walked through the membrane. It's not a BAD feeling either, it just feels a little more "energetic." - -CAVE EXIT - -After another 20 minutes or so of walking, you finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you think you hear voices in the distance. - -*IF THEY CONTINUE* -It blinds you for a moment as you walk out, but you find yourself completely surrounded by trees. You smell fresh fruit, you hear chirping & scratching, and you definitely hear voices. - -(NOTICE Roll) (INVESTIGATE Roll) -- The trees are filled with fresh wild fruit. Apples, bananas, peaches, cherries, figs, all different kinds. And, some of these trees have metal & wooden benches underneath. -- The branches are also full of small birds and squirrels, you spot a raccoon climbing around the trunk with a fresh pear in its mouth, and the occasional rabbit hops by. -- You see a pair of well dressed humans relaxing on one of those wood and steel benches, each one eating an apple. - -*IF THEY USE COMMS* -The second you attempt to use it, your device SCREECHES and SQUELCHES with static, getting the attention of a walking by family of parakeets. The mother and father stare angrily at your group before covering their two childrens' ears and walking away with a huff. - -*IF THEY CONTINUE* -You didn't notice it at first, but the rocky cave path you were walking on is now a concrete slab path cutting through the massive grove of trees. - -The path eventually leads to a large white concrete building covered in a brick red tile roof, and while you can't immediately see inside, there are a pair of glass double doors with brass square handles. - -*IF THEY GO INSIDE* -The inside is fairly nice and well maintained, resembling a tourist rest stop. - -- Right beside the door is a crate of cold plastic-like bottles of clear liquid, and each one has a RECYCLE symbol pressed into them. -- On the left, there are racks of pamphlets, brochures, and maps in a myriad of different languages, with most of the prints in English. -- On the right, there are walls of corkboard covered in fliers about upcoming events, job openings, and other ads with phone numbers. -- In the middle is a six foot tall and twenty foot wide circular corkboard with a round map of the planet, covered in thousands of pushpins, with several unused ones in a box below. -- On the far wall behind the map is a series of bathrooms, one on either side of the glass exit door leading to the outside path. - -*AFTER THEY LEAVE* -The path out the door leads you directly into another massive patch of trees, and there are FAR more people walking around, as well as small bodies of water resembling fish ponds. - -Past the trees, you see an almost metropolitan city. There are people walking, biking, driving, or riding a trolley on the paved roads. And all along those roads are simplistic power line structures, all connecting to the buildings. - -Among them, you see a few people using low grade magic to douse each other in water playfully, or to heal a kid's scraped knee, or to ignite some clubs and do a flaming juggling routine. - -There is a fairly large sized road sign at the end of your pathway pointing in five directions. RESIDENTIAL, BUSINESS, CAPITOL, GATED, and ESSENTIAL are all pointed out individually. - -- On your left is a massive neighborhood filled to the brim with houses, most of them two stories tall -- On your right is a bustling group of stores and businesses, each with a simple sign to represent what they are for -- In the middle is a group of five gold and white buildings, multiple people in dressier clothes carrying suitcases walking between them. -- You can't quite see the other two areas the sign point out for you - -*Every place they visit, have them make NOTICE rolls to detect if they are being followed* - -You are approached (if not straight surrounded) by a group of average looking thugs carrying baseball bats, chains, rocks, and other random items. Most of them look young college age, but their faces are obscured by their bandanas or helmets. - -A six foot white ram man steps forward, wearing a black leather jacket, sunglasses, and wielding a white shortsword that is CLEARLY too small for him. "Well hey there strangers, we're the welcome wagon, here to greet-- sorry, I mean BEAT you at the door of our home, the city of Diadem." - -He aims his little white sword at your group with a very excited grin. "I CHALLENGE THEE!" - -Several seconds pass and nothing happens. - -"Ahem... I CHALLENGE THEE!" Nothing happens. And his cohorts start snickering a bit. - -"Okay WHAT THE FUCK?!" He slams his fist with the sword into the pavement, leaving a sizeable crack in the ground. - -"You know what, fuck it. I'm kicking your ass the old fashioned way!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY WIN* -The attackers lie on the ground, groaning in agony at their defeat. The ram is in shock, holding his head to keep a bleeding injury from pouring out. "Ugh, my aching head..." - -(NOTICE ROLL) -You suddenly detect the stench of ozone. -- Quick as a flash, both your group and your assailants are surrounded by a series of oddly dressed soldiers, their bodies lightly cloaked in silver trails of electricity. - -Each one is geared up with a thin knee-length black jacket trimmed in inch-wide silver all along the body and at the ends of the sleeves, the letters T.F. emblazoned on the back in identical silver. These coats somewhat hide a silver chestplate & matching bracers, black tact pants leading down into black boots with silver laces, chrome half-masks covering the bottom halves of their faces, and sunglasses that perfectly hide their eyes. - -The ram man is terrified. "SHIT! Thunder Force!" - -He tries to scramble away, but two agents step up and each grab an arm, stopping that right quick. Their outfits' silver stripes begin to glow and crackle with energy, and all three appear to be teleported away, as do all the other knocked out thugs and costumed people in pairs. - -The ground is scorched in several straight lines, implying they were really just moving so insanely fast that they left marks in the ground. - -One of the costumed men stays behind, a Panther man standing at just over six feet with a very short black hair buzzcut and a scar under his left eye, his coat bearing a silver nametag that reads HARKEN. - -He approaches your group, removing his sunglasses and looking you all in the eye. "I don't know who you are, but you have helped us contain a significant threat today, and we appreciate your assistance." - -Your group is suddenly approached by dozens of passerbys, all of whom are really curious and start bombarding you with questions. - -Harken will lean down and mumble to your group "Now it is MY turn to save YOU." - -You hear him speak loudly and proudly. "People of Diadem!" That declaration alone was loud enough to cause everyone to back away a good couple feet, before he continues, "I apologize sincerely for the commotion, the Marauders paid us yet another visit! But with the help of these valiant heroes, they were soundly defeated AND in record time!" - -The random people around you slowly but surely start to applaud and cheer for your group, giving you a few moments of (honestly well deserved) glory. You get offered handshakes, a couple people want autographs, the whole ordeal you'd expect. - -Once the excitement dies down, the people start breaking away, trying to clean some of the debris up. HARKEN will approach your group again. "I must return to my duties. Head to Capitol Quartz in the city center and ask to see the King. If nothing else, he will also want to thank you for your service." - -His body will begin to crackle with identical electrical energy before he takes a single step away and is GONE in a flash, only leaving another scorch mark. - -*CAPITOL QUARTZ* -The capitol itself is actually five different buildings, four of which are surrounding the larger one in the center. Each one has several floors and you can spot businessmen walking around inside them through the windows or between each building with suitcases and loads of papers. - ------ - -*ASK FOR HELP* -A brown deer man stops and approaches your group, sipping a cup of coffee. His suit is black, his tie is red, and his gold nametag reads YAOTL. "You uh.. need some help?" - -*THE KING* -"Oh you're here for him? He should be working today, uh.. Head to the main complex, the big one in the middle, walk in the front door and speak to the clerk. They'll be way more helpful than me." - ------ - -The main complex building is almost physically identical to the buildings around it, but is a bit wider with more prominent doors on the front and a large staircase leading up to it. The staircase is loaded with more people all talking, trading papers, and seeming to enjoy the day. - -*INSIDE* -The inside is just as massive inside as it is out. Several people are walking about in suits, carrying stacks of papers across a spacious marble-lined floor covered with deep red carpets. You only see a few desks and tables out here, hardly anything that would be royalty related, but there are several doors all over the place with gold colored nameplates. - -A fox man with shoulder length black hair in a black & red suit approaches your group curiously, his gold nametag reading NASH. "Hello? Can I help you?" - -*HARKEN SENT THEM* -*ASKING FOR KING* -*SAY THEY ARE NEW* -"Oh! Well my name is NASH, I'm the King's Aide. Gimme one sec and I'll see if he can squeeze you in." He trots over to a nearby desk with stacks of paper, pencils, and an old fashioned intercom box. He will push the speaker button before speaking, "Your Majesty, we have some new people in Diadem that want to speak with you?" - -The voice on the other end is a bit garbled, but you do hear someone say SEND THEM IN PLEASE. He picks up a clipboard and guides you through a pair of double-doors marked KING'S CHAMBERS, down a looong carpeted hallway deep into the building. - -He turns and starts walking backwards down the hall as he talks to you. "I'm assuming you have questions, but I'm gonna ask you to hold onto those until you meet the man in charge, if that's okay." - -He takes you to a massive pair of golden colored doors, one of which is open, and guides you inside before closing them behind you. The office is nothing spectacular, a few file cabinets, a couple couches on the left and right surrounding a decent sized coffee table, one large wooden desk, one chair behind it, and one man sitting in it. - -Behind the desk sits a deep purple robin man, draped in the finest golden laced draperies you've seen anyone manage to pull off, and whom sticks out a bit compared to the rest of the room and people. - -He stands and walks around the desk, revealing himself to be just under 5 feet tall, offering to shake each of your hands. "Hello, my name is Akarui, and I am King of the city of Diadem." - -*IF THEY DONT EXPLAIN* -"I'm gonna take a wild guess. You were sent here by your country's government, strapped for war, got confronted by the Marauders, kicked their asses in short order, and were sent here to meet me by... I'm guessing someone from the Thunder Force?" - -*AFTER THEY RETORT* -"Basically the same as how I ended up here." He will hop onto the desk and sit on it like a chair in front of you all, guiding you to sit on the couches. "I'm sure you have endless questions and I will be happy to answer all of them for you here and now." - -ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS HONESTLY AS YOU CAN - -*WHAT IS THIS PLACE* -"A long time ago, this land mass just spawned in the middle of the ocean, and every country wanted to be the first to find out what happened. Every one of them sent in soldiers, scientists, and volunteers of the highest caliber to the land, but none of them ever came back." - -"The reason is because of the special magic of this land. I'm sure you saw the golden membrane that surrounds our city as you came in. It's difficult to put into words, but its a type of protective magic, prevented our ancestors from leaving without going through some OBNOXIOUS bullshit prophecy type thing." - -"So, instead of just dying here, they cultivated the land and make it liveable. Since the first wave didn't come back, they kept sending new ones to find out what happened. Rinse and repeat a few dozen generations, and we became a thriving city with a current population of about... what was it, 10,000 last census?" - -*WHAT ABOUT THE ATTACKERS* -"THAT would be the Marauders. Or at least that's what they're calling themselves. They're just a huge collection of troublemakers that hate not being able to leave. Their logic is since they are stuck here, they may as well make everyone else as miserable as they are." - -*THUNDER FORCE* -"Ah yes, our soldiers in silver. They are the peacekeeping force in this town, our version of the police and military all rolled up into one. Someone found out harnessing lightning magic in our bodies in just the right way gave people a massive speed and strength boost, so those that were gifted for it usually ended up joining them. And thanks to the Marauders, they do recruitment drives every week it seems.." - -*POWER IN TOWN* -"Funny story, THAT was a happy accident. About 20 years ago, we had our scientists try and devise a way out of here by drilling our way out. We managed to make a hole straight down through the island, with some severe casualties, but we couldn't exactly escape through it." - -"Being on an island in the middle of the ocean with our limited resources meant it wasn't a feasible or safe escape plan, so our remaining engineers converted it into an access point for a hydroelectric generator. Took a few years, and it's a bit buggy at times, but it makes living here so much more pleasant." - -*LEGEND/PROPHECY* -"Well... I hesitate to tell you and get your hopes up, but there is an old island legend, predates all of us. Supposedly, you can earn your way out by challenging some 'island guardians' and earning their treasures as keys. But the legend is old, the rules are unclear, and I'd rather not have my citizens jumping headfirst into some hokey magic legend. Which, by the way, includes you. We're already working on another way out, we just... aren't there yet." - -*NO OTHER QUESTIONS* -"Okay well, before before you go, I'd like to offer you a token of my gratitude for your selfless service." He will reach back and hit a button on his desk on his own intercom. "Nash, please bring me Anais and Garamond." It takes a moment, but the double doors open again, and Nash steps in with a pair of people, a man and woman both dressed in suits. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You notice Nash is walking with a bit of a limp, his hair is ruffled some, and his shirt is wrinkled in the front. The guy is shaking his head a little, and the lady has a kind of "superiority" judgment in her eyes. - -Akarui walks back around to his seat. "This is Garamond of the local Bank, and this is Anais of the Homeowners' Association. We're gonna transition you from your currency to ours, AND get you a decent place to live so you don't have to worry about either. And since you helped us, I'm footing the bill for the first month AND paying for the transaction fees out of pocket." - -Garamond, a portly Dachsund in a deep blue suit, steps forward first. "Ello there, I would like to ask you to hand me any currency or valuables you have that we can exchange for our own currency, which we call Z." - -When he sees you literally have a hundred different types of cash, he is a bit ecstatic, and trades each of you a bag of coins. They come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100, and are all fairly lightweight. When you count it out, you received a bag of 1,000z. - -"These are very special, each coin is filled with magically infused sea salt using a special type of INFUSION technique that is a trade secret even on the island, so every coin is ever so slightly special and practically impossible to fake." - -Anais, a well groomed Sheep woman in a red suit with a bit of a grumpy disposition, steps forward after and pulls out a clipboard, speaking in a VERY monotone and irritated tone. "Hello, I represent the HOA and need a few simple questions answered for your new home here in Diadem." - -- What are your names, ages, and species? -- Have any of you sought gainful employment since you arrived and/or plan to in the near future? -- Since your first month is being paid in advance by his Majesty, we do not need a down payment at this time. We collect payment on the first of the month, and if payment is not received by then, we reserve the right to remove you from your home. Do you understand these terms? - -"Okay so, our housing options at the moment for your party would consist of either:" - -- (number) 2 bed 1 bath apartments -- (number) 4 bed 2 bath residential home(s) -- An upgraded gated community home with as many beds and baths as you would like - ------ - -*IF THEY SELECT GATED* -Anais will perk RIGHT the fuck up, her demeanor doing a complete 180. "Well fantastic, I should let you know that there are some special... let's call them 'guidelines' we follow there. Nothing too special, just that you keep your yards trimmed to a certain height, you choose specific colors for your fence & house to be, no noise after a certain time of night--" - -She is interrupted by Akarui with a bit of irritation. "ANAIS... We've been over this. The people can do whatever they want with the houses, the lawns, the parties, I do not care. So long as they don't blow them up or set the yard on fire or anything, it is theirs to do with as they wish." Anais suddenly returns to her prior demeanor of irritation, and simply hands you a fancy looking piece of folded paper before walking away. - -*IF ANYWHERE ELSE* -Anais will sigh a little. "Are you sure? Given the size of the group, you might be comfortable in a larger home, in our more upright living area?" Akarui will clear his throat, causing her to shut right up, and hand your group a document before stepping away with a scowl. - ------ - -Akarui claps his bird hands together. "And you are officially all set. Feel free to stop by any time if you have questions, concerns, change in circumstances, anything like that. I'm usually busy running the town, so you might have to set up appointments with Nash first, but I'm here to help. Have a fantastic day, and Welcome to Diadem!" - -Nash will guide your group back outside and ask to see your map & approval letter. Once he sees both, he points out exactly where your new home(s) can be found, and a VIVID description of how to get there on foot. He shakes each of your hands one last time before waltzing himself back inside the building and closing the doors behind him, leaving you to your own decisions from here. - -OUTSIDE TOWN HALL -(NOTICE ROLL) You hear a rustling noise and a hissing voice from behind (lowest roller). "Ooooh~ Fresh meeeaaat~" - -*IF ANYONE REACTS* -The voice is coming from a large black tarantula man, but his appearance is somewhat obscured by a long brown trenchcoat. He raises all six arms at varying degrees and angles. "Don't be alarmed, I'm just here to offer my... special services~" - -He laughs a sinister chuckle before giving a generous bow and continuing, "Call me Striker~ I'm a travelling merchant, here to offer information and wares to you and yours, for a small fee of course~ Tell me, you all seem a bit out of sorts... I could give you a bit of guidance as a one-time courtesy for free?~" - -AFTER HELPING THEM - -"That's all I have for now, but if you require my assistance for anything else, just find a shady little spot and call for me with coin at the ready~ I'll be seeing you soon~" He then slithers up into a nearby tree and vanishes as quietly as he came. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/03 - Interactions.txt b/Mainline-Story/03 - Interactions.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 516d37b..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/03 - Interactions.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,425 +0,0 @@ -*BLACKSMITH* - -The red brick building is of a small yet sturdy design, with a hammer & anvil sign over the door. Upon opening it, you are greeted by the metallic THUD of hammers on metal and the stench of coal fire. - -- The left wall is full of hammers, chisels, punches, tongs, and files -- The back wall has a few built-in-the-wall forges, each with its own anvil, vise, metal table, and steel drum full of water nearby -- The right wall is covered in racks of aprons, goggles, thick gloves, and other safety garments -- The center is occupied by a square counter, ran by an older Jackal man with short brown hair behind a pair of goggles on his forehead and red flannel with a gold nametag reading MARVIN. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -Marvin is in the process of smoothing out a large tube of metal with some old fashioned sandpaper. When he spots you, he puts it down and smiles wide. "Hey there! How can I help ya?" - -*WHAT HE'S WORKING ON* -"Oh this? Someone ordered, and I quote, 'the biggest and heaviest hammer you can make.' Been working on it all week." - -*ASKING ABOUT IMPROVING WEAPONS* -"I might be able to improve the ones you have, depends on what you're working with." - -*IF SIMPLE WEAPON* -"Oh yeah, this is right up my alley. Problem is, I gotta finish this project first. The earliest I can have it done is tomorrow evening." - -*IF NOT SATISFIED WITH WAITING* -*OR IF MORE COMPLICATED* -"I'm sorry, I got my limits. Doing a weapon that complicated/fast just ain't in me anymore." - -He thinks for a moment. "But ya know, there IS someone who could help you out better than me, if you're interested?" - -He leans in a little. "I was taught how to do metalworking by a hot-headed piece of work named Aodaghan. Pretty sure he's still around. You take that to him, he can do things with it I never could." - -*IF INTERESTED* -"Well good, keep that energy high cuz you're gonna need it. Got a map?" He points it out as a spot on the northernmost part of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------=====-----=====----- - -*BOOKSTORE* -This old-fashioned tan brick building has a sign showing an open book with a quill over the door, and a glass storefront window with a metal pipe sticking out of it. There are already people sweeping up & picking up debris, and it LOOKS like the store is still open for business. - -The inside also has some damage here and there, but nothing a simple wipedown couldn't fix. You see racks of fiction, nonfiction, romance, sci-fi, comics, children's books, all the normal stuff you'd expect to see. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) You can't seem to spot the book you're looking for immediately, but you DO recognize alot of these titles on the shelves. In fact, some of these books you know were released maybe a year ago on the outside, if not less. - -"Hello younguns, can I help ya find anything??" The voice comes from an older bulldog gentleman with inch thick glasses, a wooden cane, and a blue apron, his gold nametag reading WARTON. - -ASK ABOUT THE HOSTORY BOOK -He will laugh a bit and reply "Oh, you'd want the OLD history book then. The schools get to those quick, but I think we have one or two copies left." He guides you to walk through one of the aisles toward the farther back part of the store. - -"So if ye don't mind me asking, what do ya need it fer? Old book like that, gotta be something special." - -*AFTER ANY RESPONSE* -"Then this book'll give you some insight fer sure. You'll hafta excuse the mess though, those rassafrassin' Marauders have been makin' a mess outta everything lately. 'Speaking fer the unhappy people of Diadem' my patoot." - ------ - -He reaches the shelf where the book SHOULD be, but the book and several others on the shelf have been burned to ash. "Oh dear, those were my last copies, and my next shipment isn't for another week..." He seems downright downtrodden. - -He perks up suddenly, turning to your group with renewed vigor. "I can do you one better! There's a place not too far from here with books about everything, The Grand Library!" - -He laughs heartily as he walks back back to the front of the store. "It's a magical place I went to when I was a kid, an amazing library of infinite knowledge and wisdom! The librarian there was so nice too, he inspired me to open my bookstore." - -He points to a larger version of the map you are all carrying plastered on the wall of the store, currently singed in one corner, and points out an orange spot on the westernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------ - -"Er, wait! Before you head there, could you do an old man a kindness?" He steps behind the counter to start digging around for something. - -He pops back up holding an old children's book titled The Phantom Tollbooth. "Here it is! Could you please return this to the library? I borrowed it as a tot, but I think it's time for the next generation to be inspired by it." - ------=====-----=====----- - -*GYM* - -The two story brick building itself seems pretty basic. Concrete pathways, wooden double doors, large sign with both an arm flexing and a body in a yoga pose. But you DO spot a pool off to the side. - -Inside gives you a school building feeling, aside from the sounds of grunting and metal clanking in the distance. There is one long hallway leading to multiple doors and one big staircase leading upstairs. You see the same yoga pose sign in the distance at the staircase, pointing up. - ------ - -*IF THEY STAY DOWNSTAIRS* -You see a door open beside you, and out steps a seven foot tall rhino man with a blond buzzcut held up behind an orange sweatband, wearing black and blue spandex-like workout clothing, his gold nametag reading CLINT. - -"Spotted you through the door, you looking for a workout?" - -*EXPLANATION* -He smiles and claps his hands, making a loud thud of a noise. "Fantastic, let's get started. First day is free so we can do a kind of... evaluation, see where you need work." - -He guides anyone interested into one of the workout rooms, loaded wall to wall with workout machinery. There are maybe ten other people all doing their own thing, and they all look about the same sizes as your group. - -Clint sets you up with your choice of a rowing machine, barbell, leg press, or treadmill to start, and puts you at the lowest setting. - -You spend the next 30 minutes training under a slowly increasing workload guided by him watching over all of you simultaneously. - -(PHYSIQUE Roll) -- (Highest roller) receives a bit of praise for handling himself so well and pushing their limits -- But (lowest roller) tried a little too hard and took a point of damage as a result. - -He gets a solid read on what exactly it is you need to improve on, and its all fairly basic stuff. He hands each of you a written workout routine for longer better physical health. - -"I recommend you do this regimen three times a week for 30 minutes, and you'll start seeing some solid results pretty quick. Were ya interested in signing up for a gym membership?" - -*AFTER RESPONSE* -"Now hang on, I'm not saying you gotta do it, I'm just giving you options." -- You could buy your own gym and set yourself back a few thousand Z -- You could get a membership here, since we're the only gym in Diadem -- And I don't like telling first timers, but if you're really hard up for coin, there IS a free option if you wanna do a little traveling. - -"You uh... you ever been to the Brown demense? They got a sweet ass gym, super top notch gear and trainers. Most people go there to get RIPPED, but they like helping new guys too." - -*FREE OPTION* -"Cool cool, gimme yer map." He points out a brown spot on the southeast side of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------ - -IF THEY GO UPSTAIRS* -You spot a sign at the top of the stairs with a flexing arm pointing down, defining a separation between the floors. The second floor is mostly just one giant room, partly padded and partly wood paneled. - -"Can I help you find your way?" As silently as can be, you are approached by a swan woman with blond hair tied into a long braid to her waist in a black leotard, her gold nametag reading JADA. - -*EXPLANATION* -She will smile and take a step backward into the room, extending her arm in an inviting manner. "Then let's give you a free day to see what you can do." - -She will them spend the next 30 minutes giving each of you basic instructions of flexibility exercises, including a few yoga poses. - -(ATHLETICS Roll) -- (Highest roller) receives her applause and a moment of admiration for being so flexible. -- But (lowest roller) most definitely pulled something and took a point of damage as a result. - -Once you all finish and she gets a good idea of what you can do, her recommendations are all fairly mundane stuff you could do as a morning warmup routine. - -"Now these are all for basic flexibility and conditioning, and you should see results very soon. Curious though, were any of you considering working your way up to an intermediate aerobics schedule?" - -*AFTER RESPONSE* -"I see... well I feel obligated to tell you that you could always have a membership here, or you could do it at home without the professional aid of myself or my co-owners." - -She thinks for a moment. "There is also a third option if you're interested. We have a sort of 'sister school' operating in the Green demense, much more zen and atmospheric than inside a building. That one's free, but requires travel. We send any potential students to each other and find their preferred space." - -*INTERESTED* -"Fantastic, if you have a map, I can point it out for you." She points out a green spot on the northwest side of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------=====-----=====----- - -*HARDWARE STORE* -The concrete building itself is LARGE, easily two stories in height, and the parking lot is partly taken up by a frontside loading & unloading bay for the customers. - -Inside, the aisles are floor to ceiling, and every inch is covered in every kind of building material, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, hand & power tool, and lawn & garden accessory you could imagine. - -You are immediately approached by a TALL bull man with tied back brown hair in a black apron, his gold nametag reading ULRICH. "Welcome in, can I help ya find anything?" - ------ - -*ANYTHING BUT WOOD* -"Oh we got that in spades, right over here." He guides you all to a nearby aisle, and points out exactly what you are looking for. And the price is cheap, even for hardware store standards. - -(NOTICE Roll) On your way to the registers, you spot the building supply aisle, and notice that nearly every type of wood rack is completely empty, save for some small scraps. - -*IF THEY ASK* -"Hm? Oh. THAT." - ------ - -*IF WOOD* -He inhales sharply through his teeth and carefully asks, "What KIND of wood exactly..?" - -*AFTER THEIR RESPONSE* -"Well uh... hm... I doubt we have any, but let's go take a look." He guides you to the building supply aisle, and nearly every type of wood rack is completely empty, save for some small scraps. - ------ - -"We can't exactly get more right now, the uh... supply chain is interrupted, and..." He sighs and rubs the back of his neck in frustration. - -"Alright, I'm gonna level with you guys, we can't get into the Black demense to get more. Something fucked up happened over there, something NASTY. Everyone is too afraid to go in, and those that did, didn't come back out. Been a year since we got new supply, and whatever we can get from the other demenses usually gets earmarked for housing needs." - -*IF THEY WANT TO GO* -He seems genuinely shocked. "Well... it's your funeral. Let me show you where you gotta go." He walks over to a nearby endcap, grabs a fresh map, and points out a black spot on the southwestern side of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------=====-----=====----- - -*HOSPITAL* - -The facility is an impressively tall three story brick building with multiple separate wings and sub-buildings. You see several doctors and nurses walking in and out at random intervals, with a parking lot full of civilian vehicles on one side and oddly designed ambulance vehicles on the other. - -Inside is even more impressive than outside. The building is immaculate, the lines are short, the floors are all marble squares, and the smell of cafeteria food fills the air. - -This floor of the facility is mostly comprised of a line of check-in windows, a large seating area with about two dozen chairs, and a series of glass doorways leading to catwalks to other nearby buildings. - ------ - -(NOTICE Roll) You hear a siren from outside, and it is approaching rapidly. Moments later, a team is wheeling a gurney with into the main lobby, carrying a parakeet man holding his side tightly. - -"What's the emergency here?" -"Patient received a nasty cut across his ribs and side." -"Okay, not a life threatening injury, we can get him some healing magic and-- -"Healing magic doesn't work on this." -"WHAT?" -"Every healing spell we cast just... doesn't work on it. And there's something else, he's bleeding gold." -"Oh God, another one? Okay, get him to a room, we'll do what we can." -You watch the squad wheel the gurney away, the doctor writing something down on a clipboard. - -*IF THEY ASK* -The doctor turns to you, a dolphin man with glasses and an ear length head of brown hair, wearing a white labcoat with a stethoscope around his neck, his gold nametag reading DR TOHRU BEIFONG. "Hm? Did you need something?" - -*IF THEY ASK* -"I'm surprised you don't know. There's something of an epidemic going on in Diadem. People are coming in with injuries that can't be healed by magical means." - -"Mostly cuts or gunshot wounds, all of which medicine and surgery can still treat, but there's the issue of the golden... whatever it is in their blood we can't identify." - -*INVESTIGATE* -"We've done investigations and found the blood deeper inside doesn't seem to be affected. It's exclusively what is nearest to the wound." - -"Whatever this is isn't fatal in and of itself for the moment, but healing magic is our fast acting option for critical care. If someone were to lose something valuable to this, it could be permanent. Possibly fatal." - -"We've had one fatality from this so far, but we get better at managing the issue every day." - -*CAN THEY SEE* -"... aside from that being completely unethical and a bit morbid, the body is no longer here. He's already been processed and is being sent to the gray demense." - -*WHERE IS IT* -"I... you... this is very awkward for me, but if you have a map..." He points out a GRAY spot on the westernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem - ------=====-----=====----- - -*MALL* - -The outside looks fairly standardized, large concrete building sun bleached into a bland pale gray over time. But the facility looks well maintained, the streets are paved with no visible cracks, and the doors are ten foot high glass panel with brass handles. - -Inside the two story building is a different matter. The walls are all painted a startling white, the staircases are immaculate, every storefront looks trendy & clean, and there are old-fashioned elevators with liftmen. - -*EXPLORE* -Every store is a specialty store selling all manner of fashionable AND functional clothes. There are stores for sportswear, swimwear, shoes, accessories, heavy duty workout wear, even winter wear. - -*ANY STORE THEY GO TO* -You will see a solid array of color and style options, in sizes ranging from toddler to giant. - -*AFTER THEY SHOP AROUND* -Once the merchandise is brought to the counter, paid for, and put in a brown paper bag, the clerk will slip a bright pink piece of paper with the clothes. - -It's a flier for an upcoming once-a-month fashion show this afternoon, taking place in the PINK demense, and hosted by "The One And Only demense Mistress, Madam Miranda." - -*IF THEY ASK* -The clerk smiles and points out the small pink flower pin on their uniform, on the opposite side of their chest from the nametag. - -"Madam Miranda is the one who designed all the clothes everyone in Diadem wears, and every piece has her insignia on them somewhere." - -(NOTICE Roll) You didnt notice this before but: -- Every store sign has that little symbol -- Several people are walking around with that pinned on their clothes, bags, or hats -- Every article of clothing you bought has that symbol embroidered on their tags -- Why is there a winter wear store in the summer? - -*WHERE IS IT* -The clerk turns to a giant map behind the counter on the wall, and points out a pink spot on the southeast side of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------ - -*WINTER WEAR STORE* -The store is overall no different than any other store, it has a myriad of thick clothing & gloves and stylized weatherproof coats to handle any blizzard. - -*IF THEY ASK* -The clerk will smile a little with a knowing grin. "You aren't from around here, are you?" - -"Okay there's three reasons. One, alot of people are cold blooded and need a little more thermal layering to get by." - -"Two, we do get winter weather here when the season aligns for it, and people prep for it year round." - -"Three, alot of people like to go to the white demense, and it tends to get a little chilly. It's better to be prepared for the worst, ya know?" - -*WHITE demense* -"You've never been? It's a nice place to beat the summer heat. You got a map? I'll show you where it is." They point out a WHITE spot on the southwestern side of the rock wall around Diadem - ------=====-----=====----- - -*RESTAURANT(S)* - -*MALL FOOD COURT* -The food court itself is fairly basic, dark green square metal tables with matching chairs, four seats each. There are several food vendors to pick from, and while most of them are more fast food related, there are also options for more specific tastes. - ------ - -*ACTUAL RESTAURANT* -There are multiple restaurant style buildings right beside each other, all of them looking mostly identical inside AND out, except for the signs on the front. - -Inside, the walls are all a basic white with paintings & photos of their meals. The chairs are all lightweight black metal, the seats & tables are all treated wood, and the counterspace is some form of stylized corful stone. - ------ - -*REGARDLESS OF THE FOOD* -Everything on this table is rich in the purest and most savory flavors you could've asked for. The ingredients are top notch, the beverages are fresh, even the salt & pepper are more flavorful than you expected. - -*IF THEY ASK OR COMPLIMENT* -The clerk will laugh proudly, already in progress of making more food for the next people. "We get our ingredients fresh from the demenses! Mostly the VIOLET one, but our seafood comes from BLUE!" - -*WHERE IS IT* -The clerk checks out the next person in line, trots over to your table, and asks to see your map, pointing out a: -- BLUE spot on the southernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. -- VIOLET spot on the easternmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------=====-----=====----- - -*MUSIC STORE* - -This brick building is alot more stylized than the others. The front of the store is covered in a black iron mesh meant to resemble speakers, covering and slightly obscuring the glass open front display. - -Inside is wall to wall aisles of musical instruments and supplies, but the aisles shorten in length closer to the store's center. Instead, there are four black leather couches, a small coffee table, and a few people sitting to either enjoy the atmosphere or test the instruments. - -Behind the couches and beside the door is the register, manned by an Ibis woman with braided black hair and a loose tiedye tank top, working a modernized record player connected to the store's sound system, her gold nametag reading ELLEN. - -- Drums and percussion instruments - -- Fretted instruments (guitars, ukuleles, etc) - -- Brass and woodwind instruments - -- Violin family instruments - -- Metronomes, music stands, and sheet music - -- Consumables (strings, reeds, drumsticks) - -- Microphones, cables, audio tech, & amplifiers - -- Racks upon racks of records, with record players nearby - -(NOTICE Roll) You spot a yellow flier on the wall for a beach party, hosted by DJ ZAHIR in the yellow demense. - -*IF THEY ASK* -Ellen puts down her headphones and lets the record play for a bit. "Hell yeah, love his parties. Guy throws one about every week and everyone is invited. Hell of a shindig too, last one had at least a hundred people. You going?" - -*IF THEY GO* -"Sweeeet, gimme your map." She points out a yellow spot on the northeast side of the rock wall around Diadem. - ------=====-----=====----- - -*THUNDER FORCE* - -The two story precinct building looks relatively basic, the bottom half made of stylized brick and the top half more concrete. There's no obvious sign like the other buildings, but you see a few Thunder Force agents walking in and out of the main doors, as well as normal people whom all seem a bit excited. - -Inside, there are several more officers with clipboards in hand, all talking to a large group of normally dressed people in the middle. - -A group of three agents in the back spot your group, all of whom approach you rather quickly. - -- The first is a human woman with tightly bound brown hair in a bun, her silver nametag reading JENSEN -- The second is a Gila monster man about her height, his hair jet black and cut tight to his skin, his silver nametag reading VALEOS -- The third you immediately recognize from the Marauder incident, the tall Panther man with the scar under his eye, his silver nametag reading HARKEN - -Harken crosses his arms, eyeing you all up from behind his tight shades. "Wait, I recognize you lot, you're from the Marauder incident the other day. Good to see you all in our office. Do you plan to try out? Or were you just here to watch?" - -*EITHER WAY* -"(Good to hear / That's too bad), we are always looking for promising new recruits." He pauses and looks at his two associates. - -"It occurs to me none of us have been introduced formally. I am Third commander Harken, this is Second commander Valeos, and this is First commander Jensen." All three of them extend a hand to shake yours. - -*IF THEY WANT TO TRY OUT* -Harken will hold out a slip of paper. "You will be number 29 (add more per person). When your number is called, just step out into the center and we will get started." - -The tryouts begin, and half of the participants are less than impressive. They mostly fumble with their guns full of blanks, fizzle out on their electric speed demonstrations, and jumble their words on the quick Q&A segments. - -(NOTICE Roll) Poor Harken looks so disappointed, he eventually turns around and walks out of the building entirely, leaving Jensen and Valeos to finish evaluations. - ------ - -*IF PARTICIPATING* -Number 29 is called out. Once you step on the floor, a Thunder Force agent steps up with a clipboard (A shorter cat woman with a silver nametag reading BINX) looks up to you. - -"Just like the others before you, we will be judging you on several specific attributes of being a Thunder Force officer. Are you ready?" - -- FIGHT/SHOOT/STEALTH roll for weapon finesse -- ACADEMICS/MANA roll for magical prowess -- EMPATHY/DECEIVE roll for verbal skills - -Each time, Binx will scribble something on her clipboard, as do a few other officers randomly. Once you finish, she offers to shake your hand. "Thank you, we will have your results once all testing is complete." - -*REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS NECESSARY FOR EACH ADDITIONAL NUMBER* - ------ - -*FIVE MINUTES LATER, OR* -*AFTER LAST EVALUATION* -You hear an explosion outside, and Harken runs back in a moment later, coughing up smoke and covered in debris. "The Marauders are attacking the Residential district! I pursued but they outnumbered me!" - -He winces in pain, but Jensen steps up beside him and casts a violet healing spell on him to take the edge off. "I'll get you fixed up in a sec.." - -Valeos turns to everyone in the office. "Attention Thunder Force, current and potential! The time to truly test your merit has come! All non-agents are temporarily deputized until this threat is neutralized! I am deploying you all to the Residential District immediately!" - -He pauses to look at your group. "That includes you! Get down and help however you can! If there were enough to outnumber Harken, we need all the help we can get!" - -*RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT* -You see a group of about thirty Marauders, all laughing and swinging their weapons into whatever they can find. Car windows, mailboxes, light posts, everything breaks and they enjoy every second of it. - -The other non-agents approach the Marauders, and immediately start breaking up into street brawls with them. There is about as many on both sides, barring the one group in the middle that you would assume to be the ringleaders. - -*WHEN THEY APPROACH* -You hear a familiar laugh, and see the same ram man waltz out into the open, waving that fancy little white sword of his around. "I was hoping I'd get to see you fuckheads again. Ready for round two? Cuz I know I am!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -The ram lies in a heap with not only the group HE fought you with, but also every other Marauder in the area. The non-agents are all fairly battered and banged up, but you all did win today. - -"THUNDER FORCE!!!" You hear Harken's voice bellow out behind you. The agents all turn and form a lineup, saluting Harken immediately, holding his stomach with one hand. - -"TODAY YOU HAVE DONE WELL. RETURN TO THE OFFICE TO RECUPERATE. NON-AGENTS, STANDBY." All the Thunder Force agents suddenly take off with electrically charged leaps, leaving you all behind in the lineup. - -"As for the rest of you... what I witnessed out there was sloppy, uncoordinated, and barely qualified as a victory." Everyone around you looks dejected. - -"So when you don that uniform, I expect each and every one of you to be better than you were today." The entire group suddenly seem surprised. - -"We will be using today's fight to evaluate each and every one of you, so pay attention to your mail. You will each receive a letter within the week with your results. BUT, regardless if you pass or fail, remember that on this day, you all fought to make Diadem better. DISMISSED." - -All the people start cheering for themselves and each other, before dispersing and walking away. Harken turns and looks at your group. "NOT. YOU." He ushers you all to come toward him. By this time, Jensen and Valeos join his sides. - -"We saw what you all did. Out of all the people in this fight, we recognize coordination and effort when we see it. You definitely have what it takes. I think I speak for all of us when I say, we want you to be Thunder Force." - -"You would start at entry level of course, but this will immediately qualify you for all employment perks. Uniforms, income, and status, including a publicly wearable trainee badge with a hit or miss chance at bonuses with the people." - -*REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY PICK* -Jensen and Valeos walk away to grab some of the defeated Marauders, and Harken takes notice of the ram. "Wait, I know him. Didn't we just book him a few days ago?" - -*THE PARTY RECOGNIZES HIM* -"Well this expedites things a bit. Since both our groups have dealt with him more than once, he is officially a repeat offender, and will likely receive an expedited trial." - -"In fact... if you three would be willing to go to the courthouse in the silver demense and speak as witnesses, we might be able to put him behind bars permanently." - -*IF THEY AGREE* -He will pull out his own map and point out a silver spot on the northeastern side of the rock wall around Diadem. - --------------------------- - diff --git a/Mainline-Story/04 - Returns.txt b/Mainline-Story/04 - Returns.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0c2c0e9..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/04 - Returns.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1124 +0,0 @@ -RED - -Upon returning to the RED demense, you see that everything has been returned back to normal after the Marauders' attack. The broken storefronts are rebuilt, the destroyed crops were replanted & replaced, and all the injured people seem to be okay now. There IS still a circular scorchmark in the middle of the road though. - -*DEPENDING ON WHO THEY SPOKE TO* -- Garsen the boar stops rotating a pig on a spit, handing it off to someone else, and approaches your group, arms crossed. "Well if it ain't the Kings of Kings." -- Culver the yellowjacket puts down his hedge clippers, hopping over the fence line and staring at you in awe. "I hoped you'd come back someday!" -- Lana the Asp steps out from behind her shop display, cautiously looking your group over. "I am... SO shocked you're still alive after last time..." -- Kyong the bearded dragon steps up to you, ukulele in hand. "I bet you came back to hear me play some more, didn't ya?" He starts strumming lightly on his instrument as he laughs. - -*ASK FOR AODAGHAN* -Their faces drop in shock, they look toward each other, and point toward the Volcano. Before you walk away, Garsen grabs your attention. "Aodaghan took the day off, so be REAL careful dealing with him. He won't have his work to distract his anger." - -*VOLCANO* -(NOTICE ROLL) You hear someone whistling in the distance, a tune you can't quite place but you could swear sounds very war song like in nature. - -When you reach the main chamber, you see Aodaghan is whistling casually, as he lounges in the Lava pool up to his chest like it's a hot tub, looking genuinely relaxed for once. You also see he is the only person here today. - -"Well look who it is, the li'l shits from before. Excuse me if I don' stand an'shake ya hands, I'm free ballin' in 'ere." - -*IF CHALLENGE* -His eye suddenly turns sharp. "You fuckers know today's my day off, right?" He will pause to sit upright, pulling his wings up and out of the lava, the fierce glowing red and orange now dripping with molten rock. "That means I got no reason to hold back." - -*IF THEY CONFIRM* -He will suddenly stand up in the pool, the lava stopping just below his waist. "Then step out and gimme five ta get ready." - -*OUTSIDE* -(NOTICE Roll) -- You hear drumming back down in the little village at the base of the volcano. -- And you smell a LOT of cooked meat. - ------ - -*IF THEY STAY AND WAIT* -After about five minutes, but Aodaghan finally steps out in his full combat attire. His hair is tied back and draped behind his deep red long coat, lined in black with black shoulders, the front held together with gold chains. His chest is exposed and leads down to a black pair of slacks, but no shoes, exposing his bird feet. - -"Aight, let's get th' show on th--" He pauses, looking around. "The fuck is that noise?" He starts sniffing the open air, his eyes getting sharp. "Fuuuck, who did you assholes tell???" - -He will throw his wings open and suddenly rocket off into the sky, flame erupting from his feet like small jet engines, headed straight for the village. - ------ - -*IN THE VILLAGE* -You see a group of people on the far end of the street all circled around a large fire. Two of them are banging away on pahu drums, two are chopping vegetables, two are tending to two different spits of meat (one with a pig and one with different segments of beef), and one sitting back & supervising. - -They have made this a ceremonial event, all of them wearing more festive attire. Feather cloaks on the males, long dresses on the females, both wearing strings of flowers, and colorful stripe banners are hung all around. - -Aodaghan stares down the group of people, arms crossed and physically putting off an immense amount of heat, which gets the attention of the people. He is perfectly encapsulating 'resting murder face.' - -"Only reason I'm not settin' ev'ry one of you assholes on fire... is cuz that shit smells edible." - -The overseer (Garsen the boar) approaches with a knowing smile and a plate of both meats and grilled & stewed veggies with a bit of rice. Aodaghan yanks it away and takes a bite. - -"...mm. Not bad." - -He immediately flops down in front of everyone, and starts munching down on the food like he hasn't eaten in a week. Everyone at the party starts cheering and handing out food, including to YOUR group if you want it. - -Aodaghan spends the next several minutes eating all the food he can get his hands on. Anyone who tries to talk to him gets short choppy responses while he eats. - -By the time everyone has finished, there are ten empty plates at his feet. He suddenly shoots his head upward and belches VERBOSELY, a massive fireball shooting into the open air. - -"Aight... enough stallin'." He hops up and walks over to the previous scorched circle in the ground, standing in the center. He pulls his blade out and jams the tip into the ground. "Aodaghan Panthrandu officially accepts yer challenge fer my Regalia. Now get yer asses in here an' say the words." - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -He will stand before you all, spitting a glob of blood to the side, his sword jammed into the ground to help him stay upright. "Well fuck me runnin', you little shits ain't half bad." - -He will pause to grab his shoulder, jerking it upright and cracking it into place, before continuing. "Come back when you got a little more to offer." He will then extend his wings and attempt to fly off, wobbling a little in the air at first as he leaves. - -*IF THEY WIN* -He grumbles as he lies facedown in the dirt, slowly picking himself up. "Shit... been a while since I lost a fight.." He extends his arm and jams his sword into the ground. "Here's my Regalia, the Flint Flamberge. It's yer prize fer beatin' me, Kings o' Kings." - -He extends his wings, one not extending the full way. "Guess I'm walkin'." He'll retract them both and limp past your group toward the cavern, leaving you with only your prize in the scorchmark of a battlezone. - ------=====-----=====----- - -ORANGE - -Upon returning to the Orange demense, you will see that everything is more or less the same, still the infinite expanse of sand and the three pyramids around you. - -*INSIDE* -You see Conroy pushing a cart around the corner of one shelf, putting books away. He will see you and immediately pause, smiling wide. "Welcome back, friends! What can I do for you today?" - -*As they walk, he will continue to put the books away* - -*ASK ABOUT DM* -"Is that the title now? Bit pretentious if you ask me, Guardian has a much nicer ring." - -*ASK IF HE IS DM* -"You caught me! Not that I was hiding it or anything. But yes, I am the Master of this demense." - -*WHY DIDNT HE TELL THEM* -"Well I can't answer a question you never ask!" - ------ - -*WHY DIDNT YOU DO MORE TO HELP* -He suddenly shoves the book cart down the seemingly infinite aisle until it is no longer in view. "Well THAT is a bit more complicated... I kind of... Couldn't. It'd be easier if I simply showed you." - -He asks you to follow him into the front of the library, goes behind the counter, and opens up a secret floor panel, leading down into a VERY dark abyss. "Onward and downward, as it were?" - -The pathway leads you down several yards underground, and it gets darker as you go. But once you reach the bottom, you see a rack with several unlit wooden torch sticks on the wall. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You also spot hanging nearby -- A brown fedora -- A blue & white baseball cap -- A brown leather whip - -He grabs a torch, lights it with a match from his coat pocket, and walks through another pathway, but only another 50 feet or so. You open up to an internal chamber with a completely separate set of bookshelves made of stone lined with old cloth. - -The books themselves however are covered in various cuts and scorch marks, most of them physically unable to be useful just at a glance. You DO see the book he brought to you the first time he asked sitting by its lonesome. - -"Now you see what I mean... someone destroyed almost everything about Diadem's history, and that one book was all I had left, damaged as it was." - -*CAN THEY REPAIR IT* -Conroy shakes his head a bit. "I'm afraid you can't, nor can I. Everything here is based on contribution, we would need someone with intimate knowledge of Diadem to contribute again. And most of those people are gone." - -*WHY NOT HIM* -"The type of chronomancy that ritual performs doesn't work on demense Masters. I've tried. It needs to be a normal mortal person." - -(CONTACTS ROLL) You suddenly recall SOMEONE in the ice demense that was well versed in Diadem history, someone who moonlit as a teacher. *MORANA.* - ------ - -IF MORANA IS WITH - -After stepping through the ORANGE gate once again, Morana smiles and lets her bare feet sink into the sand for a moment, eyes closing slowly. "Mm.. feels like heaven.." She looks down at Whitaker with a playful smile. "Sorry, but a girl can only handle cold toes for so long~" - -*INSIDE* -She walks into the library with your group, and smiles in amazement. "It's been a long time since I came here.. I wonder if that old sabertooth pain in the butt still remembers me?" Morana laughs a bit to herself, before a pair of striped orange hands suddenly slide over her eyes. - -"Guess whooo?~" - -She gasps playfully. "Conroy you absolute ass!~" - -He laughs mirthfully and steps in front of her before giving her a big bear hug, the two nuzzling cheeks like you'd expect cats to. This goes on for a few moments until Conroy spots Whitaker standing nervously by his lonesome, letting her go and kneeling down in front of him. "Hello.. old friend. You're looking better." - -Whitaker just stands there, staring at him with wide eyes, arms crossed against his chest defensively. Conroy waits patiently before extending his arms wide, and continuing, "Got one for you right here.." - -Whitaker runs into his arms and hugs him tightly, burying his face into Conroy's shoulder, sniffling softly. Conroy holds him tight and runs a hand through his hair slowly. - -You see faint glows of orange in his hair, small particles of sand falling from them, as you see a single tear streak down Conroy's cheek. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... you didn't deserve ANY of that..." - -He glances over at your group with a knowing look. "Being borderline immortal doesn't mean we're immune to pain and suffering..." - -He stands up, holding Whitaker's hand in his own, and guides you all back to the laboratory pyramid, humming an excited tune. - -He holds the door open for Morana first, guides you all back to the chamber, and walks to the panel. "Alright, just step onto the platform for me and--" - -Morana interrupts him, stepping up before he can finish. "I remember from last time, just close my eyes and wait." He smiles and nods, taking the hand holding Whitaker's and placing both on the panel. - -The orange sand from before swirls around her for a few moments (a sight YOU never saw from the outside) and shoots off into the library. Conroy runs off after it, and you can hear his ecstatic squee from inside the deepest part of the library. He comes running back in with a book titled 'The Diadem Anthology.' - -"A brand new mint condition reprint! And you're the first to see it! I'm so excited!" He places it on the table and backs away, reclaiming Whitaker's hand as Morana picks it up and begins reading aloud to your group. - ------ - -In the beginning, the universe itself was nothingness within nothing, existence without existing. It was only in the instance that that miraculous first event occurred that created the very first thing within it: The Word. - -But it did not stay as such for long. The Word became complicated, unfolded, expanded, evolved one could say. One word became many, became sentences, explanations, definitions, and then concepts. The first concept created in this emptiness was the pinnacle of all balance, EQUILIBRIUM.. - -From that moment, that simple power bore witness to the birth of the concept of the NOTHING all around it, but recognized the potential of ALL to keep that balance. And from that, more concepts came to be. -- That which had a BEGINNING, surely had an END. -- Those that ended were DESTROYED, and those that came back were RESTORED. -- Bearing witness beget ALL, and turning away bore NOTHING. -- Resistance beget STRENGTH, yielding bore FEXIBILITY. -- Activeness beget SWIFTNESS, passiveness beget SLOWNESS. -- Recognition of surroundings beget WHEN and WHERE. - -Twelve of the simplest concepts were formed, the basis of everything that was to come to pass for the foreseeable eternity. Despite these humble beginnings, all these concepts assumed themselves the predominant force, even with a direct counterpart, and wished to see itself be the deciding factor for this new demense they found themselves in. - -As such, a mediator was needed, one with an identity beyond itself, with an understanding of the concepts, and with the potential for genuine intelligence and learning for the sake of ensuring current and future struggles. - -As the EQUILIBRIUM was their source part, and was naturally as influencial as the twelve concepts COMBINED, it took that role to be a neutral mediator. With this rule defined, the thirteen in one concepts learned to balance themselves with each other and the core within them. - -And, once the balance was established within them, they took on a collective identity: ZEROTH, that which exists before any other. - -Thus the concepts worked together to create everything in this universe in a harmonious manner from that point forward for many MANY eons. Until the most recent one, when ZEROTH spotted a most curious planet. A speck created by natural influence around it like any other, harboring the dredges of early life like many others. - -But unlike the rest, THIS one's life was progressing, becoming more complicated, evolving, much like itself in a microscopic manner. It was fascinated in witnessing something that acted so similar to how it itself had begun, and decided to bring itself to that planet to see. - -But that was ultimately a mistake. The existence of this concept of equilibrium caused a shift in development. Had the planet remained untouched, the species within would've developed separately, humans as a primary species fighting for its independence and superiority. - -Instead, it caused the multiple species to form an unexpected alliance in its presence. These creatures began to adopt each other's minor traits and mannerisms to become more at ease with each other, work together easier, evolve alongside each other until the two were almost indistinguishable from each other in only a few dozen generations. As the eon stretched forward, the animalistic humanoids became the norm! - -ZEROTH, meanwhile, had been mortified with its tampering of the natural flow of events, and had removed itself from the equation immediately. Thanks to that, circumstances were otherwise unharmed. Cave dwellers grew and developed homes, societies, ecosystems, not dissimilar to that initial timeline. - -ZEROTH spent that time during that eon exploring the rest of the universe for any sign of existence with even a REMOTELY similar circumstance. Despite its attempts to leave it behind, it could not detach from the memory of that one little speck of space dust, ever so fascinated by its unique results. During the tail end of the most recent Eon, ZEROTH felt it had learned from its mistake, and felt confident enough to chance a second appearance, with a small twist. - -First, it chose to take what it knew about the people at that time, and separated the twelve concepts from itself, intending to make itself weaker so the chances of its immense power and presence influencing events would be minimized as much as it could allow, but still maintain its status as the equilibrium force amongst the other twelve. - -Second, to ensure the newly separated entities of power were not running rampant across the planet (or anywhere else for that matter), it created a consciousness for each of the twelve concepts. Each one was similar to its own, BUT specifically using single emotions and sensations from the mortals it encountered the first time as a basis for each one. They were instructed to disguise themselves so they may walk amongst the people together, still within close proximity of itself but not suffocatingly so. - -Even with all of Zeroth's preparation and hard work, this was ultimately a failure as well. Since these were concepts given consciousness and only knew of their own nature up to that moment, AND they all lacked his comprehensive learning ability (instead being given a fraction of that potential), they revealed themselves as being far more than just mortal, to the point many of them were feared, revered, and recognized as beyond mortal entities. - -Throughout the following centuries, as recorded history became the norm, they were all noticed and added to the analogues of history. Some had been given names and descriptions of people YOU recognized. Zeroth became King Midas, Miranda became Queen Cleopatra and inspired the Sphinx, Whitaker became many cryptids of lore, Fulmo & Tlaloc became Zeus & Hercules, all thirteen of them were the guests of honor at the Last Supper, just to name a few! - -If that was all that changed, the story may have progressed perfectly fine like their first visit, but this time, their interaction resulted in another unintended consequence. In addition to exposing themselves as entities that existed beyond that of the average mortal, they also exposed the people to their uniquely godly power of manipulation toward the concepts themselves, and after only a few generations exposure, many of the mortals began to learn to replicate these abilities themselves in their own unique ways! - -The mortals had learned how to manipulate the elements through the use of what they would refer to as magic, and eventually, the utility of magic ended up side by side with the development of technology, rather than abandoning the former to pursue the latter as history should have been. - -Eventually, Zeroth realized that he simply did not understand enough about how the world and its inhabitants worked. He was an entity of untold ability, designed to be a neutralizing force among the dozen other (now free) forces. And neither he, nor the other concepts, could be anything less than they were. - -So he decided that, instead of putting himself and the others down to the MORTAL level, perhaps the mortals could be elevated to HIS level? - ------ - -Morana would pause and turn to Conroy and Whittaker, staring at them in bewilderment. "I read over that passage so many times and never put it together it was referring to you two.. that would imply the two of you are... what, fragments of the Creator of this universe?" - -Conroy and Whittaker hold each other's hands tightly, nodding solemnly. Conroy speaks first. "Something to that effect.. we wanted to say something, but we were forbidden.. part of his rules are you must learn and understand who and what we all are on your own, as well as Zeroth himself." - -Morana placed the book down. "And the regalia are... what, fragments of YOUR power, but not animated in the way he did with you?" - -Conroy replies "Correct. He wished to slowly test and increment your access to his power in slow doses, as it were. But he demanded you earn it in challenges of wit and strength, outsmarted and outfitting each of us in our own unique ways." - -Morana steps closer, arms crossed. "You could've said something, done anything to help them-- help US." - -Conroy sighed a bit and ran his free hand on the panel of the book creator. "Truth be told, I simply did what I could to make things better. Few of us wished to participate, but we are an extension of him. He still overrides us as a whole." - -Morana steps up to Conroy, determination in her eyes. "So if he ordered you to kill us all..?" Conroy stares into her eyes, paused perfectly still. But Whittaker reaches up and takes a hand of each, shaking his head slowly. - -Conroy sighs softly. "The short answer is no.. When he gave us wills of our own, he gave us freedom of choice.. everything we do is our own decision, even if we are still connected to him and this place.. He simply prevents us from rebelling, not living out our own versions of existence." Whitaker stares up at her with big doe eyes, beginning to tear up. She drops to her knees and hugs him tight to her, sighing in relief. - -"That's all I needed to hear." She smiled up at Conroy, before taking Whitaker's hand in her own. "Well I... think that's enough reality shattering news for one day. I think its time for us to go home." She waves at your group with a smile and heads back out the door. Conroy smiled a bit and leans against the machine, arms crossed. - -"You know... he paid a hefty price, but at the end of the day, Whitaker really is quite lucky to have her. She might be the one person to help keep him in one piece." - ------ - -*IF REGALIA* -"Well I'm not one for violence, but truth be told, I'm curious to see how far you have all come." - -*IF THEY DIDNT GO THERE ALREADY, HE WILL GUIDE THEM TO THE BOOK MAKER* - -He reaches down, grabs the orange panel on the front of the machine, and attempt to yank it off. "You see I've-- oh, um.." - -He attempts to yank it again and again, speaking all the while. "I've been USING... the POWER... of my REGALIA..." - -He turns and grabs it at a different angle. "To SPEED UP... the DE-VE-LOP-MENT... of new BOOKS!" - -The panel suddenly pops off the front of the machine, and Conroy flops onto his back in the middle of the floor. In only a few seconds, that same chunk of stone comes flying down and lands right on his stomach. "OEUF!" - -He will jump back up with the panel in hand, resembling an orange chunk of rock attached to a handle grip and an arm strap. "I can still do this without the Regalia of course, but it takes a bit longer." - -"Now we can't rightly have our fight in the lab. Follow me please." He will walk back out of the lab and toward the third pyramid, leading you all in much the same. - -Inside this one, it is pretty much empty. You see a giant square in the center roughly 100 feet wide, and beyond that resembles rows of stone bleacher seating. This pyramid is a coliseum of sorts. - -He will stand in the center, slip on the stone buckler looking item, and take an odd fighting stance, left arm out with hand raised. "Conroy Kaksteist versus the Kings of Kings, a fight for the history books... En Garde!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -IF THEY LOSE -Conroy will stand before them, wobbling heavily. "That... was a fight for the ages, my friends. I'm not even a true fighter, but I know strength when I see it. And if it becomes even slightly more refined, you will be a force to be reckoned with." He wobbles forward out of the pyramid, hopping along tenderly on one foot, muttering Ow Ow Ow every time he steps with the other. - -IF THEY WIN -Conroy will stumble back a bit, panting as his glasses fall off his face and clack onto the floor, revealing his full yellow feline slitted eyes. "Well done... Kings of Kings... If you fight the others with this much ferocity, I'm sure that prize will be yours." - -He will suddenly lean backwards and flop onto the floor, panting heatedly. He will shakily raise his arms, remove his magical buckler, and place it on his chest. "Your prize is the Sanskrit Chronicle.. Good luck on your journey, Kings of Kings.." - ------=====-----=====----- - -YELLOW - -Upon returning to the YELLOW demense, you see there are far fewer people out and about, and the few that ARE there are all heading in the same direction: To the far end of the demense, in the direction of the warehouse building. - -The stores and shops are still open as well, but they appear to be closing up very shortly. The attendee will tell them Zahir is having another dance party and they wanna get there as soon as they can. - -*IF THEY FOLLOW* -The people are definitely going inside that same building, and there are lights and music as well, but it doesn't seem as loud and powerful this time around. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You could almost swear you hear a song playing out loud, and it sounds like "Sweet Little Bumblebee" - -*IF THEY ENTER* -You come in right when a song playing out loud is ending, everyone cheering excitedly and chanting ZA HIR ZA HIR ZA HIR! - -As you wade through the crowd one person at a time, you eventually see Zahir, panting and dancing rhythmically as he waves all four arms in the air. There is also a second person flopped on the ground beside him in exhaustion. - -"WOO! That was fun! We should do DDR more often!" If you look on the floor, six of the hexagonal tiles are lit up bright yellow in a circle with arrows pointing out in all six directions, and the DJ station has what looks like a VERY old wood-frame TV sitting atop the table with a Dance Dance Revolution display on the screen. - -Zahir turns around and cheers in excitement, then suddenly spots your group in the crowd. "Oh hey, it's you guys!" - -He runs over and hugs your entire group with his four arms excitedly. "Didja come back to visit li'l ol' me?" He giggles a bit excitedly. - -*IF REGALIA* -"Ohhh, you're here for the THMACKDOWN, are ya? Well fine by me, I'm all warmed up!" He will suddenly launch into the sky with a line of yellow light trailing him Tron style, spinning in circles around the station where the TV is, and in a matter of moments, it is gone AND the station is set up to play music, just like the party before. - -He grabs the mic and flutters in the air for a moment before loudly speaking, "ATTENTION PARTYGOERS, WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY THE KINGS OF KINGS! AND THEY ARE HERE TO CHALLENGE YOURS TRULY, DJ ZAHIR ONLARLAAAAAAA!!!" - -Everyone in the audience suddenly backs up while cheering, giving your group plenty of space for your upcoming event. Zahir floats down and pitches the microphone into the audience, being caught by a small child in an indigo hoodie. - -He will suddenly clang his topmost two fists together, and you see he has dawned a pair of metal gauntlets made of black and yellow rings. "The stage is set! The lights are just right! It's time to show you how we fight!!!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -Zahir is panting up a storm, but is also laughing heartily, very much enjoying this whole encounter. He cups all four hands around his mouth and shouts "EVERYONE GIVE IT UP FOR THE KINGS OF KINGS!" - -The audience actually help you get back onto your feet slowly and carefully. Zahir continues, "LET IT BE KNOWN THEY HAVE A VIP PASS TO EVERY PARTY FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF TIME!!!" - -Everyone cheers their heads off and suddenly goes full mosh pit, lifting your group into the air and parading you out across the beach. Zahir flutters nearby and lands beside your group at the entrance to the gate. - -"You guys did amazing, and next time, I know you'll do even better!" - -*IF THEY WIN* -Zahir flops onto his knees, legs splaying wide anime schoolgirl style, and throws his head back, flinging beads of sweat back at the audience. - -"THAT.. WAS.. AMAZING!" He throws his hands up in pride. "I HAVENT HAD A CHALLENGE THAT GOOD IN AGES!" - -He slowly stands up, pulling off his gauntlets with slow pained difficulty, and offers them to your group. "You've earned my Nova Knuckles, AND my respect!" - -He turns to the people before announcing, "GIVE IT UP FOR THE KINGS OF KIIIIINGS!!!" Applause erupts from the audience for several seconds, before Zahir flops back onto the ground in exhaustion. "I think for the first time in a long time, I need a break..." - -He will then proceed to flop onto the ground, smiling wide as he rests. The other partygoers fall silent, slowly gathering around him to carry him off outside the facility. - -*IF THEY ASK* -One of the partygoers, a human woman in neon green and black clothing, states they're taking him home. - -*IF THEY FOLLOW* -You see in the distance what looks like a very normal wooden beach house, the walls painted an amber yellow and the roof a brick red. All the partygoers are carrying him together, taking turns handing him off to different people all he while. - -They even manage to coordinate opening the front door for him and carrying him all the way to his bedroom. In passing, you see what looks like a giant wood box in the back of the house, fenced in and surrounded by signs. - ------ - -*LIVING ROOM* -The building itself is surprisingly normal. Basic yellow walls and brown furniture all around, with some bee shaped knickknacks all around, nothing too out of the ordinary. - -(NOTICE Roll) You see an entire shelf of framed photographs, each one showing a different party. But each photo appears to be focusing on him and a different person, but one in particular catches your eye. This one is a close-up group photo of Zahir with the three commanders of the Thunder Force and King Akarui. - -(INVESTIGATE Roll) -- You notice the photo is old, at least 20 years -- You notice they are all wearing the same military style outfit -- You notice the scar under Harken's eye is missing - ------ - -*BEDROOM* - -The light is low, but you can see a king size bed in the far corner, a few encouraging posters on the walls making various bee puns, and a desk covered in tools, scraps of metal, various wires, and other pieces of electronics. - -(INVESTIGATE roll) -- You can see familiar hexagonal glass panels with circuitry and lights attached -- You can see fetters of mana running through some of the wiring - ------ - -*BACKYARD* - -The entire yard is full of fresh produce, bright flowers, and SO MANY GODDAMN BEES SWARMING AROUND A MASSIVE WOODEN HIVE - -(NOTICE Roll) You see a sign that says WARNING: Melipona beecheii - -(CONTACTS Roll) -- You recall this as a type of bee without stingers but they bite STUPID hard -- Their honey is smooth and a little sour, but has medicinal AND psychedelic proerties -- The Mayans had a male god associated with this species of bee called AH-MUZEN-CAB - ------=====-----=====----- - -Upon returning to the GREEN demense, you immediately feel a heavy breeze pressing against your faces, something you wouldn't expect from such a calming place. - -(INVESTIGATE Roll) You see something large and green swirling around in the air, and you could almost swear it looks like a bird with a REALLY long tail. - -*IF THEY GO SEE VILLI* -Villi is watching the whole thing from a pair of binoculars on top of the rock. When she hears you, she lowers the binoculars. "Oh hey, you again. Came back to see Corentin? Cuz he's a little preoccupied." - -*IF ASK ABOUT COMMOTION* -She gives a soft nasal laugh. "Target practice took a weird turn today, all the kids are taking shots at Corentin." She hands you the binoculars and you can see clear as day that Corentin is flying in circles, being shot at by colorful arrows in rapid succession. And you piece together that HE is the source of the sudden wind, from all the way over there. - -*IF HAS REGALIA* -She will be taken aback a little. "Oh... shit... you actually found it." - -She hops off the rock and immediately takes your group to the stables. "I'm gonna put these on your tab. You should probably go over there NOW." - -When you arrive at the tree house and put away the horses, you will see a group of adults all watching behind their own sets of binoculars while the children all take toy arrows and shoot straight up at Corentin. All the kids are laughing and having a fun time, the parents are enjoying themselves, and you'd assume Corentin is making a day of it as well. - -After a minute, a teenage boy in an indigo hoodie stands up and waves his arms around. "Aaand time!" All the kids stop firing their arrows, giggling amongst themselves as Corentin slowly swoops down and lands between them with a flourish of his scaled emerald colored wings. - -He looks a bit different this time, wearing stylish deep greeen armor. He bears an oval-shaped leather piece draping down just over his pecs and across his shoulders, a strap underneath each side to connect to the thick belt at where his waist WOULD be, with drapery on the front. You also see a matching pair of quivers on his hips, a matching pair of bracers on each forearm, and a surprisingly brilliant headdress with stripes of black & gold, all topped with gorgeous green quetzal feathers. - -Corentin raises his arms, his voice bearing insane volume despite being softly. "You all did well at aiming at an overhead moving target." He holds out a hand full of multicolored suction cup arrows, which makes ALL the kids cheer and high five each other happily. - -Corentin turns to see your group, then returns to the children. "But I'm afraid that is all the time we have today, I have another appointment to keep. Back to school for all of you" The children all pout and grumble, slowly shuffling over to their parents as they head toward the gate as a sparse group. - -Corentin will slither his way over to your group, waving at the children on his way over. "It is good to see you again, Kings of Kings. To what do I owe the pleasure of your return?" - -*IF THEY ASK* -"The elementary school discussed a field trip to my demense, if you'll pardon the pun, and they were becoming a bit bored... I offered them some activity to pass the time." - -*HOW WAS HE SO LOUD* -"The air is a... magical compound. I am no scientist, but I know that sound is carried through some particles in the air that vibrate and carry the sound. It is simple to amplify such vibrations in my element." - -*IF RETURN REGALIA* -He will graciously take back the bow, smiling a little at the sight of it. "I thank you for returning my Zeph Arcus... truth be told, if it were my decision, I would simply hand it to you now, but every Regalia must be earned through combat." - -He will suddenly spread his wings and take a quick liftoff to a far more dense grassy area several yards away before turning back to your group. He will suddenly pull back the string on the bow, and you see a magical green arrow manifest itself within the bow before launching it straight into the air. - -You watch as it rockets into the sky, exploding in a burst of wind and green energy, slowly lowering and swirling around all of you in a slow vortex. His gaze turns a bit more serious, his eyes glowing a warm green. "Let us do this right. I, Corentin Tasnyak, hereby challenge you to armed combat, with the Zeph Arcus as the prize." - -*IF THEY AGREE* -"I believe you know how these kinds of events are started." - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -Corentin will pant raggedly, his scales glistening with sweat in the sunlight as he puts his reclaimed bow upon his back. "Kings of Kings, you have put up a valiant fight, and I applaud your efforts. I know full well that I am not your traditional enemy, but take it to heart when I say, your potential has nowhere to go but up. When you are ready to try again, you need only to seek me out. I will be waiting." - -He will attempt to extend his wings, flapping a few times. "Hm.. cannot glide on the wind... Oh well." He will slither past you back to his treehouse, disappearing from sight within the taller grass. - -*IF THEY WIN* -Corentin will suddenly slump over, using the bow itself to keep himself upright as he groans in pain from all the hits he took. "A magnificent show, Kings of Kings... you have more than earned my Zeph Arcus for such a display of power." He will slither closer and place the bow in the hands of anyone whom accepts it. - -"Now, if you will... excuse me..." He will slowly slither his way over to the tallest part of the grass, easily three feet high, and simply spreads his arms wide before flopping back into it. "Mm... the grass in this demense is as comfortable as any bed I've ever rested in..." It only takes a few moments before his eyes are closed and he simply falls asleep. - ------=====-----=====----- - -Upon returning to the BLUE demense, everything seems about the same as before. Same shops at the south, same boats docked on the east, same diver rentals on the west, and same fishermen on the north. But this time, when the people see you, they all one-at-a-time stop to look you over, recognizing you after maybe two seconds, and all start to smile. And it's more than a little concerning. - -*IF ANYONE SAYS ANYTHING* -You hear someone in the background start saying "DOR RIN! DOR RIN!" And slowly more people join in on the chanting, only taking about a minute before the entire island is chanting his name. And in the distance, you see a very familiar tall figure approaching. Dorrin marches his way across the dock like a champion, harpoon carried across his shoulder in his left hand. - -This time, his body is SIGNIFICANTLY better filled out, turning into the walking hulk of muscle you KNOW a shark to look like. And it's barely being contained under a double breasted deep blue suit, complimented with a red pocket square to match the red tie against his bright white dress shirt, and a matching fedora with a red hat band. - -Everyone IMMEDIATELY makes way for him to approach your group, the chanting slowly dying down as he looks down over you all with a look of stoic judgment in his eyes. "I owe you all something, something I should've given you when you first came here... My name is Dorrin Dodici. And I welcome you to my demense, Kings of Kings." He extends his beefy right hand down, palm open and turned to the side. He has extended a gentlemanly handshake. - -The second someone shakes his hand, everyone there starts cheering their hearts out. Dorrin will nod and offer to shake EACH of your hands one at a time, before taking his harpoon and slamming it butt first into the pier, the noise getting everyone's attention. "I assume you have come to challenge me for my Regalia, correct?" - -*IF THEY CONFIRM* -"Then let today be the day that the Kings of Kings challenge Dorrin Dodici, and may the tides of victory be ever in your favor!" Everyone starts cheering again, but this time, he raises a hand to silence everyone. - -"BUT FIRST! I still owe you a debt of gratitude for finding out my daughter is still alive. Before our fight, please join us in a meal of the finest seafood our demense has to offer!" - -*IF THEY AGREE* -Everyone cheers louder than before, the entire south side of the demense suddenly in a frenzy. In a matter of moments, a long table and several chairs have been produced, white tablecloth and everything, as well as plates and silverware, even glasses of wine are being poured for everyone. - -You start to hear sizzling and smell the distinct scent of fish cooking, the entire east and west piers full of people grilling a different type of fish for anyone's selective appetite. From groupers to flounders, from tuna to trout, the entire wharf is engulfed in the biggest fish grill imaginable. And Dorrin is ordering one of everything. - -You see Gallon suddenly waltz up with a violin in hand, starting to 9lay slow soft music in the fkrm of a half-italian half-sea shanty tune to accent the music, while someone else brings in a basket of bread for everyone. - -After everyone has had their fill, Dorrin approaches your group, looking visually no different despite eating twice as much as your whole group combined. He slams the flat end on the ground, getting everyone's attention. "Our stomachs are full, our spirits are high! The time for upcoming battle is NIGH!" - -Everyone backs away and cheers them on as the table and chairs are suddenly pulled away. The shops are slowly but surely all picked up and pulled back & to the sides several yards. There is now an appropriately sized fighting space, mostly on the solid ground and partly on the dock. - -Dorrin removes his coat and tosses it to the audience, revealing his INCREDIBLY firm physique under his white shirt. He yanks his tie off and tosses it just as unceremoniously, followed by his hat and cufflinks. He takes his fighting position, spear gripped in both hands, and declares, "After you!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -Dorrin stands tall, battered and bruised with his suit in shreds, but gripping his harpoon tightly. The position he stands in blocks out the sun from overhead so you cannot see his face clearly. - -"You all fought valiantly. Learn from this experience, grow stronger from it, and fight me again. Whenever you feel you are ready." He will slowly walk away, using the harpoon as a cane. One of the nearby fisherman will carry his tossed clothes alongside him. - -*IF THEY WIN* -Dorrin sits on his knees, panting hard, both hands gripping his harpoon tightly to keep himself upright. "You are all little monsters, you know that?" He slowly climbs up to his two feet, almost falling over. "And I know a thing or two about raising a little Hellian." - -He cracks his neck in both directions, wiping blood from his mouth. "I fully admit and acknowledge my defeat. You have earned the Tide Turner." He turns the spear around and jams the sharp tip into the ground, leaving it embedded and free standing in the wood of the dock. - -He tries to take a step and stumbles a bit, the people from the audience suddenly rushing to help lift him up, needing about eight to do so. Gallon steps forth, arms behind his back with a grin a mile wide. "Yer Daughter'd be proud of ye, Dorrin." He then presents a brand new bottle of wine to him and a bucket of ice. - -You could swear you saw Dorrin smile a bit as he grabbed the bottle, drinking the whole thing down in a solid second. You watch the two walk away, Gallon spouting fisherman-isms the whole way, followed by a good dozen other people fascinated by the conversation. - ------=====-----=====----- - -THERE IS NO REASON TO RETURN TO THE PURPLE demense, SO INSTEAD THIS WILL BE WHEN THEY CHALLENGE AKARUI FOR THE PURPLE REGALIA - -Upon entering the office, Akarui will be furiously scribbling down some information on a series of papers, barely even looking in your direction. It takes a few moments, but he eventually stops, and you could almost swear you see steam rolling off the tip of his pen. He sighs and flops back in his chair a bit. - -"I'm very sorry Kings of Kings, I am quite literally buried under paperwork. New project budgeting, noise complaints, property damage repair orders, I have alot to do. I'm afraid I don't have alot of time to talk, but what can I do for you today?" - -*MENTION REGALIA* -His eyes will suddenly widen, before reaching to his intercom button. "Nash? Please hold all my calls, paperwork, and meetings until further notice. Something urgent just came up." - -He them shuts off the intercom, leaning forward on the desk. "So... you are after HIS Regalia. I could not have asked for a better opportunity for this." - -He will open his drawer, pulling out a metal cross in gold and purple, and place it on his desk. "Did I mention to you that I was a Regalia Hunter?" - -"Decades ago when I first arrived, I tried my hand at playing by their rules, thought I would see about beating all the demense Masters one by one with my team." - -He will pick up the Regalia and hang it from his neck, the Regalia glowing softly and his eyes emanating a faint violet glow. "Sadly, Arledge was my first and ONLY victory." - -"I found out how difficult these treasures were to earn. Arledge may be a pacifist by nature, but he's also a surprisingly adept endurance fighter. It took me AN HOUR to finally defeat him, and even then, only barely." - -He walks over to your group, sitting on top of the desk to meet you more at eye level. "When he handed me the Regalia, he said he was happy he was the first I fought, because the rest will be far worse. And he was very much right. Every demense I tried for after that one, I lost. These demense Masters are MONSTERS." - -The look in his eye changes to ferocity. "But I also learned that someday, someone would want to take this from ME. And I have been training for that day, every day, to guarantee I can be JUST as monstrous as them, for the sake of something this important." - -"Kings of Kings, I will accept your challenge for this Regalia. Meet me in the Sports Zone in one hour, at the Combat Arena. I need to gather my supplies and prepare for what I can only assume to be war." - -He thinks for a moment before continuing, "Plus, it... could be an interesting way to boost morale among the people, maybe get your faces out there even more." He walks toward the door and holds it open. "I promise you will not be disappointed." As you leave, the door will slowly and quietly close. - ------ - -The Sports Zone is almost completely empty at this moment, the only people on the particular arenas being the maintainers keeping them clean. King Akarui will be standing in the very back, in the middle of a fairly large stone square, fifty feet across if not more. - -And he is dressed for WAR, now wearing high quality (if not a bit old fashioned) military garb. All black, just as a scout is supposed to wear. The second he sees you, he tugs down his black gloves and straps them on tightly. - -"Kings of Kings! I hope you brought your A Game today, because I know I brought mine!" Just as he says this, at least a hundred people suddenly start pouring in from all corners, surrounding the arena and cheering for their amazing King Akarui to win in what they hope is a landslide victory. - -Which is made even more apparent by the purple and gold banners, signs, and cardboard cutout faces on sticks being swung around. And every second that ticks by, more and more are showing up to join them. - -Akarui appears surprised. "This is... a bit more than I was expecting, but I'm certainly not complaining." He turns to the audience and switched to a more 'entertainer' style of speaking. - -"The bigger audience we have, the more people get to see the most spectacular show in Diadem's history, AM I RIGHT?!" And everyone responds with an ABSURD amount of cheering. - -Nash runs on stage, microphone in hand, and speaks through a pair of large speakers projecting from BEHIND the growing audience. You can see the end of his mic has a small green magic orb, indicating it is using wind magic. - -"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Today is a once in a lifetime kind of show! Our King Akarui is going to be challenged by the scrappy newcomers, the Kings of Kings!" Everyone starts cheering again, but this time, there is actually a small group of people chanting on YOUR side of the audience. - -Akarui smiles a bit wider. "I was so hoping you would have at least SOME adoring fans that weren't that spider friend of yours. It makes it so much more fun when we both have a favored audience, doesn't it?" - -He laughs uproariously, already enjoying himself, before clearing his throat. He reaches up and grabs his Regalia, looking to your group and raising an arm, causing Nash to literally dive out of the arena in a hurry. " On behalf of Arledge Tannifila, I CHALLENGE THEE!" - -The magical golden circle will appear from his feet (as well as anyone else's with a Regalia in hand), circling the group and lightly glowing purple. "The challenge is a fight, your entire group against me! If I take all of you down, I Win! And if you cause me to kneel, you win!" - -The circle solidifies in gold and reaches is full physical range, signifying the stage is set. He will bend down a bit, right leg forward and arm-wings expanded, taking a swift style battle stance. "May the best Regalia Hunters win!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -Akarui will (stand if win, kneel if lose) before your group, panting heavily, wiping the blood from his beak. "Well... I guess that means I (win/lose)." The magic circle will dissipate, and the entire audience will rush in to congratulate the victor. - -But before anyone can reach them, the Thunder Force will step in and force everyone back to a safe distance. Jensen with her rifle, Valeos with his twin swords, and Harken cracking his knucles will all be at the forefront, backs facing your group as they keep the crowd back. Akarui will stare at them all in confusion. "Thunder Force? I don't recall asking for any protection." - -All three will turn their heads to him with a smile, and Harken will respond, "Actually your highness, we are not here for you this time." - -From behind them, someone will step in from seemingly nowhere and place his hands on two of your group's shoulders, casting a healing spell large enough to get everyone in the arena back on their feet in moments. - -Akarui is a bit stunned. "Arledge?! What are you doing here?!" - -Arledge just grins a bit. "Now come on, ya'll know th' gossip in this town spreads like wildfire, and I ain't about to miss a fight over my own Regalia! Specially when a certain someone did such a good job keepin'it safe fer me all this time!" - ------ - -*IF THE PLAYERS LOST* -King Akarui will walk over to their group, and extend a hand toward them. "All of you fought valiantly and bravely, and you gave that fight everything you had to offer. I thank you, not for just showing us what you can do, but for reminding me of the kind of person I was before I was a king. I haven't had this much fun in YEARS!" - -Akarui laughs a little, sighing before wiping. a tear from his eye. "We will definitely have to do this again sometime, especially if you plan to collect all twelve. But for now... I have alot of paperwork to get back to." - -*IF THE PLAYERS WON* -King Akarui will walk over to their group, and slowly remove the Regalia from around his neck, extending it in his wings. "I have safeguarded this treasure, what I consider to be one of the lost important relics I have ever owned, for twenty-five years." - -"And now, as your King, I proudly present it to you Kings of Kings to continue it in my place." He hands it to whomever accepts it, and turns away. "Now as much as it begrudge me to acknowledge it... I do have my duties to return to." - -Arledge will suddenly step in front of him, placing a hand on top of his head. "Now hang on ya'll, I know fer a fact yer prob'ly STARVIN' after all that fun! What say you an' yers come back to my place fer some food, eh? Ya'll know I can grill up a meeeaaan tofu burger!" - -Akarui sighs a little in defeat. "Do I get a choice in the matter?" - -Arledge grins cheekily. "Nope!" - -Akarui retorts. "Then it's a date!" - -Both of them burst out laughing as they walk off, leaving the audience to disperse themselves at the "suggestion" of the Thunder Force. - -Arledge will turn to your group. "Ya'll're welcome too, ya know. We got plenty ta spare." - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -Your group receives a literal police escort by all three Thunder Force commanders, all the way to the Violet demense. You also get to see a rare treat, all three of them AND King Akarui talking and enjoying each other's company like old friends. - -Inside, you see that Montana's little ranch near the gate entrance is filled with picnic tables, as well as a couple grills (one of which HE is operating), and your noses are IMMEDIATELY bombarded with the fresh scent of grilled meat and veggies. - -Harken only stays for a few minutes, but the rest of the morning/afternoon/evening is filled with fantastic cooked foods, laughter from all sides, and a surprisingly positive atmosphere despite the circumstances where you literally just beat the snot out of the King Akarui. - ------=====-----=====----- - -Upon returning to the PINK demense, you will see things have definitely changed. Where there was once a well crafted runway for the fashion show, there is now a professionally crafted boxing ring approximately 50 feet across, and several rows of chairs surrounding it on all sides. A large portion of those chairs are filled with people, all excitedly chattering about the upcoming fight. - -There are concession stands selling popcorn, drinks, hot dogs, burgers, and every kind of snack food you can imagine, all ran and sponsored by local Diadem restaurants. And the lines forming from them are surprisingly short, but you can immediately see why when the people only wait aboseca minute before their food is done. - -"Welcome back, Kings of Kings." You see Caelum standing at a podium with a stepping stool, meeting you at eye level easily, but this time with his hood up. - -"Miranda is in the craft room, preparing her outfit for the night. Just go around the back of the audience, second door on the left." - -Once you reach the craft room, you see the door is partly open. Inside is indeed Miranda, as well as about ten different spools of thread hanging about in the air, as well as several patches of fabric, all faintly glowing pink. - -Miranda, on the other hand, is standing in the middle of it all, wearing a black denim crafting apron, but not much else underneath. She waves her hand and fingers around, causing the pieces to come together and the threads to weave between them, creating a brand new top right before your eyes in a matter of moments. - -She sees you peeking into the room, and smiles. "You can come in if you like, I promise not to bite~ This time~" She laughs a sultry laugh and puts the remaining pieces on a nearby table, folding the top and placing it on a clothing rack with an identical set of boots and pants. - -"I certainly hope you're all ready for this, we have quite an audience out there~ I made sure to sell this as an event for the ages~" - -*IF YES* -Caelum will step inside and shut the door behind him, walking up to Miranda, whom will happily ruffle his hair with her hand. "I assume it's time?" - -He will squirm and make cute huffy little noises before nodding. "Yes Mom." - -"Lead our guests outside and introduce them first. I only need a minute to change." Caelum nods again and leads your group outside, and in only these few minutes, almost all the seats have completely filled. - -You see tons of people you recognize, including King Akarui, several members of the Thunder Force, and even Striker. Although HE just seems to be taking bets and exchanging tickets. - -Caelum walks out onto the stage, microphone in hand and hoodie pulled back. "Ahem... LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I GIVE YOU TODAY'S MAIN EVENT, A REGALIA BATTLE BETWEEN MADAM MIRANDA AND THE KINGS OF KIIIIINGS!" The audience immediately starts roaring with applause. "FIRST, WE WILL INTRODUCE OUR CHALLENGERS!" - -He will then give a slightly corny introduction for anyone participating in this event, and let each one step up on the arena one behind the other. - -Once everyone is introduced, he will guide them to a far corner to make room. "AND NOW FOR THE CHAMPION YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! THE FASIONISTA QUEEN OF DIADEM, THE STELLAR MAGE AND MISTRESS OF THE SATELLITE demense, MADAM MIRANDA BAARAH!!!" - -From the distant corner of the room, aspotlight shines down and an explosion of bright pink smoke and confetti erupts. Once it slowly ebbs away, Miranda stands proudly in the very outfit she was building. - -She struts out in a black leather outfit comprised of a halter top, a tight miniskirt, and knee length boots, ending in three inch black stilettos. Her lips and nails are painted black, her neck carries a thin black collar you can barely see under the plumage, her forearms are covered by black bracers, her right hip carries a whip on a buckle holster, and her left has a brown satchel. - -She makes her descent down the pathway, wings spread wide, and everyone starts losing their goddman minds. Even Striker is reaching out toward her with a photo and a marker, asking for an autograph, which she gladly signs AND punctuates with a lipstick stained kiss. - -She reaches the arena and steps up, bending down VERY slowly as she steps between the ropes, knowing EXACTLY what she is doing to the audience. - -Once she finally stands back up, Caelum will hand off the mic to her and pull up his hoodie, trotting off the stage, as she speaks to the audience. "Thank you all for coming out! I know it's a rare occasion to see me fight, so I wanted this one to be as special as possible!" - -Everyone cheers in excitement as she steps toward your group for a moment, pulling her whip off the clasp. "Let's give these people a show they will never forget!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -Miranda will proudly raise an arm in the air as the audience cheers their hearts out that their idol has rightly (in their eyes) won the fight, and will step forward, her outfit tattered in several places. - -"Kings of Kings, I thank you for giving this fight everything you had! This was a fantastic event, and even though you did not win, you impressed each and every one of these people who came out tonight!" And just to prove the point, everyone starts cheering hysterically again. - -"I extend an open invitation to you and your group to challenge me again! Any day, any time, name it and we can do this all over again!" The idea of another chance to watch this kind of spectacle excites the audience all over again, as she simply hands the microphone to Caelum and steps off, doing her whole walk up routine in reverse. - -*IF THEY WIN* -Miranda will fall back onto the stage and lie there, arms over her head and wings sprawled beneath her. The entire audience goes completely silent, many people staring in sheer disbelief, eyes wide and jaws hanging. - -Caelum will run out and give her a concerned look, but will do his job and count slowly from one to ten, but she does not get up. Caelum looks out to the audience and states as loudly as he can into the mic, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION, THE KINGS OF KIIIIINGS!!!" - -It takes a moment before the disbelief wears off, but everyone starts screaming and applauding, and you can hear comments in the audience of that being a fantastic show and they were insanely impressed. Miranda sits up slowly with Caelum's help, and she spits out a gob of blood to the side, but smiles wide at your group. - -"Well done, Kings of Kings. You brought everything you had and it paid off magnificently. You have more than earned my Regalia, the Star Scourge. Take it with my blessing!" She extends an arm with the whip she used in battle toward your group. - -After you take it, she stands up with Caelum's aid and grabs the microphone. "Thank you everyone for coming out and making this show just as special to me as I hope it was for you! Drive Safely and Good Night!!!" - -She drops the mic on the stage and shakily walks away with Caelum's help, leaving you all to your adoring audience, all of whom now want your autographs and to interview you. - ------=====-----=====----- - -(ATHLETICS Roll) Right before you enter the gate, a snowball launches at you from within, slamming right into the lowest roller's face. - -Upon returning to the WHITE demense, you see dozens of snowballs whizzing by in every direction imaginable, screaming ringing out from every corner, and children lying in the snow. You didn't just enter a snowball fight, you entered an active snow war zone. - -(NOTICE Roll) -- You can see dozens of children AND a few adults flinging snowballs on the left -- You can't seem to make out whom is throwing them on the right, but you DO see a consistent flurry of them flying out from the trees. -- You notice a boy in an Indigo hoodie leading the charge, directing the children to aim at the trees - -*IF THEY APPROACH OR CALL TO HIM* -Caelum will give a quick order, turn to you for a quick second, then do a doubletake. Not even a moment later, he is struck in the side of the head, knocking him off balance and causing him to flop face first into the snow. - -He will stand up after a moment, shouting OUT toward the battlefield, before turning back to your group. "Cone with me to the safe zone." - -He guides your group to a nearby snow wall, partly dug into the ground like a baseball dugout, and lined with blankets. Hot chocolate is being made at a nearby pitfire for everyone to drink, and despite what looked like a kid friendly war zone, noone seems too hurt or upset at getting taken out. - -Ouja, the snow fox from the cabin, steps forth with a fresh tray of hot cocoa for anyone that wants it. "Oh hey, the Kings of Kings are here!" He sets his tray down once everyone has taken a cup, making sure to save one for himself. - -*WHAT IS GOING ON* -Ouja sits down on a blanketed seat, nursing his cocoa. "So the short version is, the kids wanted to do a snowball fight and invited Whitaker & his girlfriend to join in. Problem is, it's the two of them against a hundred enthusiastic children. A bit uneven." - -*UNEVEN FOR WHITAKER* -He laughs softly. "I meant for the children." - -You suddenly see a familiar little lizard poke his head up from Ouja's tied back white hair. Caelum immediately picks up his lizard and puts him under his own hood. "Thank you for watching him." - -Ouja smiles and nods, taking a sip from his cocoa. His ears perk a moment later. "Sounds like they're making their final push." - -*IF THEY LOOK* -The battlefield looks surprisingly sparse compared to two minutes ago. There are only six children left, all looking around with snowballs in hand ready to go, standing back to back in a circle. All of them are looking around for their target, giggling playfully like they have the greatest strategy of all time. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You spot something moving in the snow, around the base of a nearby tree. Oneonta the snow covered branches is slowly lowering itself to the ground, and handfuls of the snow is quickly disappearing. - -Before the children can react, five snowballs fly through the air at perfect arcs and smash right into the top of their heads, each one flopping over in a giggle fit. - -The last one, a finch boy in a blue igloo coat, realizes he is the last one, before frantically throwing snowballs in random directions and making more as fast as he can. - -At some point, he accidentally throws one so hard in the air that he stumbles and flops into the snow, that same snowball falling and smacking him in the back of the head. - -Whitaker finally steps out and kneels down in front of the last little boy, simply touching a snowball to his head with a soft smile. - -He is also wearing a much different outfit of a tight white vest with a ring of black around the midriff & a matching black choker, white jean shorts with a black belt, long white boots with fur between the ankle & knee, and white arm warmers. You also see what looks like some kind of backpack composed of snow white feathers. - -You hear a soft sigh from beside you, and Morana steps forward, sipping on her own cocoa. "Guess the snowball fight is over, for today." - -She smiles as the children pick themselves up and run to Whitaker, pointing out how he is so cool and fast and awesome, which causes him to rub the back of his head with a nervous laugh. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -His ears will flick a bit, hearing you coming and immediately stepping in front of the children defensively, his mirthful appearance being replaced with a mix of fear and determination. - -*PRESENT REGALIA* -He will flinch initially, but upon recognizing his Regalia, he will reach out slowly and take it back, hugging it to his chest as he stares up at you all, clearing his throat softly. "Th-thank you.. Kings of Kings.." - -Morana will step out from behind your group, and stops beside Whitaker. "Sorry kiddos, it's time to go home, the adults have things to talk about." Every child goes "aaawww" at the same time, but they all hug Whitaker's legs happily before trotting off through the snow. - -Morana smiles and steps behind Whitaker, rubbing his hair playfully with one hand. "Thank you for returning his Regalia, Kings of Kings. I think I speak for both of us when I say we owe you a significant debt." - -*ASK ABOUT REGALIA/DM* -Whitaker's eyes will flare open, staring at you in fear at the possibility of having to actually fight someone. Morana will step out from behind him and walk between him & your group. smiling wide. - -"Well I think that is more than fair honestly, that's why you came here in the first place afterall. What do you think, Whi--" She will pause, realizing he is gone again, a pile of snow left in his place. "..I should have seen that one coming." - -She will turn to your group, grinning a bit. "You know.. catching that little ninja of mine would be quite a CHALLENGE, if you catch my drift..~" She gives your group a playful wink. - -She turns and launches an ice spike at a tree, causing him to fall out of it all over again into the soft snow. She looks back to your group and nudges toward him as she runs to get behind him. - -*IF THEY FOLLOW ALONG* -She will walk up to Whitaker and pick him up from behind, setting him on his two feet. "Sweetie, I know you're scared, but this is part of your responsibility as the demense Master. Now go and do your absolute best." She will look to your group and nod, kissing the top of his head and jumping far out of the way. - -*IF CHALLENGE IS MADE* -Whitaker will frantically look around, realizing she is gone, gripping his weapon tightly. And he will sudddenly remember he HAS it, staring down at it. He will pull it out of its sheath slowly, looking at his own reflection for a second, deep in thought. - -You can see his eyes glowing a soft white, even from this distance, as a flurry of snowflakes begins to dance around him in a tight circle. He clacks the sword back into its scabbard, causing the snow to blast outward in all directions. He slips it onto the back of his waist, resting a hand on the handle. - -He takes a deep breath and tries his absolute HARDEST to look serious. "M-my name.. Is Whitaker Tormet'i, a-and I accept your challenge!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* - -Panting tiredly, legs shaking, Whitaker sheaths his sword and flops onto his knees in the snow, staring at your group silently, deep in thought. - -Morana will step in behind him and just pick him up like he weighs nothing, carrying him bridal style, much to his blushing surprise. She will literally walk him over to your group and set him down with a playful smile. "Go on dear, tell them.." - -He will bashfully nod a bit and turn to your group, clinging to Morana tightly. "Th-that was.. I-I mean um.. mnh.." Getting frustrated with himself, he will force himself to take a calming breath and actually talk to you with his full volume voice. - -"Thank you for being n-nice to me and bringing back my Regalia and if you want to try again you can!" - -Morana will just grin down at him and reply "What he said~" She will stand back up and walk away, carrying him all the way home. - -*IF THEY WIN* - -Whitaker will crumple into the snow onto his back, his blade jammed straight down into the powder. Exhausted, battered and bruised, he stares into the sky, smiling a little. - -Morana will walk over him and stare down at him with a Cheshire grin. "Well? Did you have fun?" - -Whitaker will sit upright after a moment, nodding a bit. "I-I did.. it was scary and tough, but.. it was alot of fun.." - -He will slowly get to his feet, wobbling a bit as he does. Morana will reach down to help him up, but for once, he will hold up a hand and stop her, much to her surprise. - -He will slowly walk over, pick up his weapon, clean it on his vest, and slide it into the scabbard on the back of his waist. - -He will them hobble to your group, taking the weapon off his waist entirely, and plant it into the snow, scabbard first. "I-I don't wanna let this go, but.. I feel better knowing its in.. ya know.. YOUR hands than stolen, so.. take the Mokha Verglas..~" - -He lets go of the weapon with both hands at the same time, slowly standing back up and walking over to Morana. And she is absolutely delighted to see this change in him. - -Morana will reach out and take his hand in hers, Whitaker smiling up at her, then your group as they turn to leave. "I think I speak for both of us when I say, you are welcome back anytime~" - -He will nod happily and wave at your group with his free hand, both of them walking toward the house together, before Whitaker trips on a thick pile of snow and flops over, pulling them both down. And they will both laugh uproariously all the way back to the house. - ------=====-----=====----- - -THIS WILL BE SET UP BY APPOINTMENT - -Upon returning to the SILVER demense, the air is thick with the scent of ozone and rich in the sound of thunder. - -Moreover, you see dozens of Thunder Force agents standing around, dumbfoundedly staring up at the sky. As are several people on the steps to the courthouse. And pretty much every prisoner in the yard. - -(NOTICE Roll) -- You see one MASSIVE dark storm cloud looming overhead, not a drop of rain coming from it -- You see flashes of lightning every second accompanied with an immediate clap of thunder -- You could swear you see someone's shadow appearing randomly in those clouds with every clap & bolt - -While you stare at the sky, Second Commander Valeos approaches with a smile. "Good to see you again, Kings of Kings, it's been some time." - -*WHAT IS THAT* -Valeos laughs a little and casually points into the sky. "THAT would be Fulmo. He advised us this morning he would be doing some... warm-ups before his fight with your group today. Speaking of which, I'm under orders to alert him when you arrive, so if you'll excuse me..." - -He steps away and kneels down, his legs begin crackling with electricity, and he LEAPS into the air. He lands on top of the Thunder Force office, then takes another grand leap to the top of the courthouse's highest flagpole, and makes a mighty third leap straight into the sky. - -You're pretty positive he actually made it into the cloud, and in a matter of moments, you see the claps & bolts have completely stopped. - -A few moments later, a bolt of lightning suddenly strikes the ground, only a few yards from you, with a brilliant FLASH. As the bolt disappears, you see Valeos standing beside Fulmo, in a much more combat-ready outfit. - -He's wearing a high-collar silver shirt, nicely contrasting against the black denim longcoat and black cargo pants. His boots are polished black & bound by vibrant silver bootstraps, and his sunglasses wrap around his face perfectly, but do little to hide the charged blue eyes behind them. His hair, while mostly slicked back, is spiked in a uniform pattern, and each hair is crackling with energy. - -You can easily guess the Thunder Force uniform was based on THIS look. - -Everyone turns to stare at him in stunned silence, before all the Thunder Force agents salute him at the same time. He dismisses all of them with a wave, then approaches your group, his tail discharging small amounts of electricity. - -"Kings of Kings, let it be known that I do not normally engage in combat myself. It would not do for Judge Fulmo Uncial, the face of the law, to run around fighting criminals himself. But I know full well my duties as a demense Master include accepting challenges from Regalia Hunters." - -The inmates suddenly start hooting and hollering at your group AND Fulmo, all making comments about which one would be the biggest loser. - -Fulmo suddenly becomes engulfed in electricity and disappears from view, reappearing inside the inmates' fence, directly behind them, causing them all to freeze in place. - -"I would advise you pay close attention to this. For if I win, then my status as Lawbringer will be unquestionable. But if I lose, then that means THESE PEOPLE are more powerful than your JAILER." - -And every single criminal suddenly shuts up right quick. Although you DO hear one in the back yell 'may the best man win!' The Thunder Force agents are trying their hardest to not laugh. - -Fulmo simply leaps over the twelve foot razor wire fence, his legs charged with electricity for a moment as he does so, and lands beside your group. "On that note, I believe we are ready to begin, yes?" - -*IF YES* -He raises his hand over his face, and quick as a flash, his head becomes engulfed in electricity, himself now sporting a helmet of black and silver, molded after an old fashioned 8-point police cap with an over-the-eye visor built right in. He then attaches a bottom half face covering mask. "Then let this battle be the finest these brave soldiers have ever witnessed." - -He will pull out a pair of pure silver revolvers from behind his coat, his body crackling with energy as it channels into his guns. "Say the words." - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -Fulmo will stand proudly, his outfit in tatters, both guns aimed at your group in shaky hands. Panting heavily with a trail of blood drooling from behind his mask, he will slide both guns into his holsters on his backside, and winces from the pain after. - -"Mmf.. Kings of Kings, you are an incredible force. I genuinely believe my victory was nothing short of luck today. I know you will all likely wish to challenge me again sometime, and I openly invite and welcome the opportunity." - -He will slowly limp away from the battlefield, as the Thunder Force agents all around you cheer him on, helping him inside the Thunder Force main office as the door shuts behind them. - -Valeos stays behind, kneeling in front of your group. "That was a hell of a show you put on. You should be proud." - -*IF THEY WIN* -He will collapse onto his knees, dropping both guns as he falls onto his hands, his helmet & mask falling onto the ground to fully reveal his face again. - -He will look up to your group, electricity seeping out from around his eyes like a flow of energy, almost looking... angry? But he will close his eyes and sigh deeply, reopening them as they return to the original cool blue orbs you've seen. - -"I have no excuse, you have defeated me in combat. And it was a magnificent fight. As per the rules, you have won your prize." He will pick up both guns and stand up, swaying a bit as he does. - -He will place them before you, looking to your group and aiming a finger gun at you. "Aim true, Kings of Kings. You have many battles ahead of you, and you will need to make every shot count." - -He will slowly turn and limp his way to the Thunder Force agents before tripping, Second Commander Valeos catching him. Fulmo will stare at him in surprise, but will let him be carried over Valeos' shoulder as the two walk up the stairs together. - ------=====-----=====----- - -Upon returning to the GRAY demense, it appears relatively the same. Graves as far as the eye can see, everything beyond in a graying mist, one solid brick path leading ahead. - -But you can't help but feel like something is a different, and you can't quite put your finger on it. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) You see the gravestones closest to the front are all dated within the last few days, meaning the ones closest to the path are NEW graves. - -As you look through the next row, you see the time between their dates is only about a week apart from the front row. - -The graveyard is expanding from the path you are walking on outward. - -(NOTICE ROLL) As you start walking down the path, you hear a male voice singing in the distance, accompanied by a slow drum beat, and it's coming from the path ahead into the mist. - -(PLAYER WITH GIFT) You hear a beautiful female voice joining into the harmony - -(CONTACTS ROLL) You recognize the song as The Wayfaring Stranger, a sad and mournful tune from the 1850s about a soul's journey home - -When you reach the cathedral, the door is shut, and you NOW hear a young boy singing with a soft Creole accent. The music is definitely coming from inside. - -*IF THEY OPEN THE DOOR* -The singing stops as soon as you open the door. The inside of the cathedral is a little different. The pews and stage are the same, but the stage is occupied by rows of risers for a choir to stand on. - -You see Thanatos behind a nearby podium, in the same dressy clothes as before but this time sporting a dark gray cloak. "Now dhis is a surbrise, dhe Kings of Kings have graced us widh dheir bresence once more." - -On the choir steps is (Caelum) a young boy with very pale blond hair, sporting a deep gray choir gown with indigo piping along the edges as well as an indigo undershirt showing around the chest area. He is accompanied by his little pet lizard, resting atop his head like it was a bed. - -When he sees your group coming, the boy (Caelum) looks a little flustered, clearly not expecting company. - -(PLAYER WITH GIFT) You didn't spot her behind the boy at first, but you notice the red robin woman (Rowena) from the funeral you attended, in a similar garb as the boy (Caelum). She looks tired, and her feathers look more gray than you remember, but she seems very happy. - -*IF GIFTED PLAYER MENTIONS ROWENA* -Thanatos will turn to you all. "Now dhad is quide dhe coincidence, we were jusd discussing a song dhad Rowena is a fan of, a haunding melody of a wayward soul redurning home. Quide abbrobriade for my demense, wouldn'd you agree?" - -He will turn back to the risers and sigh softly. "Abologies my brecious choir, bud I believe dhad is all dhe dime we have. I have a new abboindmend do addend do." - -(Caelum) The boy will nod quietly and start quickly scampering for the door, and you notice a sad look in his eye. - -*IF THEY ASK* -Thanatos will step down next, standing before your group. "Caelum is a unique child, blessed much like us demense Masders do never exberience death. Bud in his eyes, he sees id as a curse. He yearns do know and undersdand how id feels do age, grow, and exberience dhe end of life." - -(PLAYER WITH GIFT) Out of the corner of your eye, you see Rowena quietly shuffle her way out behind your group, CLEARLY trying her hardest to not make a sound, and stands beside Caelum in the doorway, looking outside with him. - -He will pause and sigh softly. "Id does nod helb dhad he wadched someone he liked bass away very recendly, bud he feld id was his dudy do come and sing, for dhe ceremony." - -*WHEN WAS THE CEREMONY* -"Abologies, bud I'm afraid you jusd missed id." - -*WHO WAS IT FOR* -Thanatos will wipe a tear from his eye, looking to (PLAYER WITH GIFT) with a solemn glance. "Do you wish do say it, or should I?" - -*IF THEY SAY ROWENA, OR* -*IF THEY TURN TO THE DOORWAY* -Caelum will be standing there on his own, facing out the doorway & away from your group, and you could swear you hear him sniffling a little as he wipes his face with his arm. - -(PLAYER WITH GIFT) Rowena is gone, but you can see a small cloud of gray mist where she once stood, and you can faintly hear her voice singing a few melodic words. - -Caelum will slowly begin to walk forward, pulling the door behind himself with a soft click. - -*IF REGALIA/CHALLENGE* -He will nod solemnly, reaching for his hood. "Dhen led us begin dhe ceremony of combad, and bray do whadever God you believe in dhad you are vicdorious againsd Thanatos Ondogon." - -He will completely obscure his face under the hood and his body under the cloak, except for his arms. He will reach behind himself and pull out an old style scythe, three foot blade on a five foot gray pole with a golden wolf skull across the top. - -The room slowly begins to fill with that gray mist you kept seeing outside, obscuring your view a little. You suddenly hear the pughs around you creaking, lifting off the ground slightly as they are pushed to the far wall. - -(PLAYER WITH GIFT) You see that, within the mist, there are several men and women in varying shades of grayscale quickly working together to move the pughs away. - -He reaches under his cloak and pulls out a mask in the shape of a wolf skull, placing it upon his face, now the only thing you can see from under the hood. "May dhe odds be ever in your favor." - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -He slams the bottom of his scythe into the ground, using it to hold himself upright. "Id has been some dime since I have exberienced such a challenge.. you are all indeed wordhy fighders." - -He hobbles past you, hefting the scythe over his shoulder as he heads out the door. "Should you desire a remadch, I will be waiding." The door will slam shut behind him, leaving you in a room of only silence. - -*IF THEY WIN* -He kneels on the ground, staring at the floor. "Magnificend... an honorable loss, do be sure... If I could die, I would be sadisfied if my lasd acd was do lose do you all in combad." - -He grabs his scythe and slams it into the ground, the blade jammed into the floor and the handle sticking up at an angle. "You have more dhan earned my Grimm Requiem, dake it widh my blessing." - -You see the pews around you begin to rumble a bit, suddenly launching into the air as they rearrange back the way they were when you arrived, the doors to the building quietly swinging open. - -(PLAYER WITH GIFT) Inside the mist, you see people of all ages and sizes helping Thanatos back to his feet, dusting him off and straightening his outfit for him. - -"I will dake my leave now and,... lick my wounds, as dhe saying goes... Bud I wish you luck on your journey. And do remember dhis place if you ever need a venue for your... ceremonies." He slowly turns and walks away with a limp, stepping out the back door of the building. - ------=====-----=====----- - -Upon returning to the BLACK demense, there has been a significant change. The trees have regained their color and foliage since the last time you were here. You can now see it in its full splendor as a lush green nighttime forest, sounds and all. And, the trees & ground are literally crawling with animals and insects once more. - -However, you ALSO see a FAR more clear cut path through this dense forest, where it appears several dozen trees have been cut down and removed, in the exact same direction of where your encounter with Cassius occurred. - -*BEHIND THEM* -The lumberyard has also changed, as you see the pallots of rotten wood are now gone, many of them replaced with brand new wood. You also see the uniforms inside are clean, the tools are all recharged, and there are some paper punch cards lying on a rack on the wall saying people have come in and out almost every day since you fixed the issue. - -*TOWARD CASSIUS' HOME* -For the most part, the creatures around you (that you know are watching you) seem to leave you alone as you travel down the "beaten path." You will see an occasional bat or snake cross your path going from one part of the forest to the other, but they overall pay you no mind. - -It takes significantly less time this time to make it to the clearing, where you now see a brand new 2-story cabin, complete with a full front porch, open wood windowsills, and candles inside. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) You look in through the window, and the inside of the building looks surprisingly normal. Everything is made of hand carved wood, professionally so. Tables, chairs, couches, shelves, cabinets, stairs & guardrails, counterspaces, even wicker baskets. - -However, the back side of the house directly connects to a thickly interlaced wall of trees, practically acting like a natural fence. And the tops of these trees are so thick, getting in over them doesn't seem like a viable option. - -*CHECK THE DOOR* -The door doesn't have an actual factual lock, and is in fact easy to push open. But past the door is pitch black nothingness, a complete contrast from the view in the window. - -*ONCE THEY GO INSIDE* -The door slowly closes behind you all, and you can no longer see it in the pitch black. You can see nothing, you can hear nothing. - -After a few moments, you see a small flickering light in the distance, the tiniest of flames, and it is approaching slowly. - -It is revealed to be a candle on a handheld candle stand, being held by Striker. And he is dressed VERY much differently than normal, wearing a blue and white vertical striped night shirt with a matching nightcap. You can also smell the strong aroma of coffee coming from a cup you just noticed was in his other hand. - -He rubs his eyes and mumbles a bit. "Oh, if it isn't the Kings of Kings, gracing my Master's brand new home in the dead of night, completely uninvited and unannounced... you missed the housewarming party~" - -*DM/REGALIA/CHALLENGE* -"Oh, then your time couldn't be better~ He awoke when the sun went down, and is out back working on... something or other." He will step past your group, revealing a single wooden door in the distance of the seemingly infinite darkness. - -He will call your attention again. "A bit of free advice, tread VERY carefully from here. My master's home is not so kind to tresspassers..~" The candle he is carrying will suddenly pitter out, and he will give his trademark sinister chuckle as you are left in the darkness, your only company the door that you can SOMEHOW see. - -*OPEN THE DOOR* -You find yourselves surrounded by forest once again, but this time feels a bit different. The trees are much closer together out here, some of them mere inches apart, seeming to form walls. And in this manner, you can sort of see there is a pathway leading through the trees, one straight ahead, one to the left, and one to the right. - -*ALL PLAYERS MAKE A WILL ROLL* -*LOWEST WILL BE FIRST AFFECTED* -*MANIFEST THEIR TROUBLE BEFORE THEM* -*WHOLE TEAM FIGHTS IT TOGETHER IF POSSIBLE* -*REPEAT FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST ROLL* - -*AFTER CONQUERING* -You finally find a large wooden door surrounded by trees, the first sign of any kind of change you have seen in the area since you came outside. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -(NOTICE Roll) You hear a familiar demonoc snarling noise in the distance. - -Around the edges of the trees, you see a slowly creeping forward puddle of inky blackness. It moves like tar, slowly coating everything in its touch, and you see the familiar sight of the trees losing their color. - -Upon reaching the door, anyone looking behind you also sees a very large ink covered limb coming around the corner, stepping into the goo and spreading it further. - -*PUSHING ONE AT A TIME* -The door is straining but will not budge, and the creature has rounded the corner. It seems to know where you are, and splits its head open, screeching demonically with its six mouth flaps full of teeth and three tongues. - -*ALL PUSH ON THE DOOR TOGETHER* -The door suddenly pops open, and your group falls into a field of grass, the door slamming behind you all right in front of the creature. - -*BEHIND THEM* -You watch the wooden door bow out form a sudden slam, clearly the creature running into it. You also recognize the general pattern of the house attached to it as Cassius' cabin, which means you finally made it into his backyard. - -*ALL AROUND* -The yard itself is surprisingly well maintained. The grass is lush but clearly kept cut, the trees in the yard are formed up in such a way that resembles a natural fence, and the tops of the trees have a clear and open pathway to the nighttime sky. - -(NOTICE ROLL) -- You hear and smell the distinct sound and scent of a fire, and finally take notice of the large campfire in the direct center of the yard, its smoky trail leading straight up and out of the opening at the top of the trees. And there is plenty of open space to sit around it. -- You hear loud scraping noises from the opposite side of the large campfire, and see Cassius sitting behind it, a large chunk of wood leaning against him and a draw knife in hand, scraping away at the wood & letting the scraps fall into the flame. -- There is a pile of carved wood just a couple yards behind him. implying he has been working at this for some time. - -*IF THEY APPROACH / CALL OUT* -He doesn't even seem to notice you, too busy carving away at that piece of wood. - -From within the light of the flame, you see his shadow suddenly extend and pull itself off the ground in a blob-like fashion, reaching behind him to pick up each piece of wood and pull it all together in moments, taking rhe piece in his lap and assembling it together. - -He stands and steps away from the flame for a moment, sitting in a brand new masterfully crafted wooden throne, the backrest and seat made from handcrafted wicker. - -He sits down and lies back, immediately propping his head on one fist while its elbow rests on the chair arm. Now that he's finally in the proper light of the flame, you can see he looks far better than he did when you last saw him. - -New black pants, new black shoes, and a spotless white Victorian dress shirt, puffed sleeves and all. And there is not a scrap of wood on any of it. - -He finally acknowledges your group. "State your business." - -*REGALIA* - -He will stand from his throne. "You dare to tresspass on the property of Cassius Summus, disturb my work, and take away the modicum of peace I only JUST reclaimed... to challenge me for my Regalia." - -His shadow will stretch out from behind him again, envelops his new throne, and pulls it straight down into the darkness until it disappears. He pulls his black dagger out, taking a loose combat stance. "Consider your impending loss at my hand... MY compensation." - ------ - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -He will stand before you, both arms hanging in front of himself loosely, his hand barely holding his blade. "You are... stronger than you appear." - -His body will begin to crack and crunch in a terrifying way, his shoulders popping into place and his joints crunching loudly, until he resumes a normal stance. "I had intended to end you all tonight... but... you have piqued my curiosity." - -He will walk past your group, heading toward his home. "You may see yourselves in OR out of my home safely... for now." - ------ - -*IF THEY WIN* -Cassius will suddenly kneel, dropping his weapon at his feet, doubled over in pain. "This... is unexpected..." - -His eyes will suddenly glow bright red, staring you all down. "I intended to remove each of your heads upon your defeat." - -He will pause, his eyes slowly going back to their normal yellow hue. "But... you have bested me. I am honor and duty bound to follow the rules I have been tasked with." - -His body will begin to crack and crunch in a terrifying way, his shoulders popping into place and his joints crunching loudly, until he resumes a normal stance. He will pick up his weapon and pitch it directly at your group, causing it to land between (PLAYER)'s feet. - -"The price to keep this Dusk Kris safe form the Crooked King was a year of endless pain and blind solitude. Do not waste either mine or Striker's efforts." - -He walks past your group, opening the door of his home. "You may exit the way you came. Safely. For now." He steps away from the door, walking toward a pile of logs just out of sight. - ------ - -*EITHER WAY* -*IF THEY USE THE BACK DOOR* -This time, you actually see the inside of a relatively normal log cabin. All the furniture inside is there, there are candles every so often to light the way, and there is a fairly clear path leading to the door. - -(NOTICE Roll) -- You spot the throne-like chair Cassius made in the living room, framing the rest of the room surprisingly well -- You spot a massive spider web hanging from the ceiling, and Striker lying within it, smiling wide to a creepy degree. -- His web is horribly off pattern, his mug is lying on the floor bone dry, and his breath reeks of coffee. - -"Oh ho ho, you made it out alive, that's so greeeaaat~" He will hiccup a bit, shaking his head quickly to clear his thoughts. - -"I thought for sure Master Cassius wouldn't let you walk out of here alive, or at least would throw you to his guard dog~" - -*WHAT WAS THAT* -Striker will awkwardly turn so he is hanging from the web, slurring his words a little. "Mm.. when you went in, you were confronted by the evil manifestations of your own deepest darkest nightmares, were you not?" - -*IF YES* -"That is exactly what it was. A manifestation of a nightmare, tamed and turned into a guard dog~" - -*CASSIUS' NIGHTMARE* -Striker suddenly bursts out into laughter, rolling around in his web for a moment before it breaks and he flops into the couch with a heavy THUD. "OEUF... that's one way to sober up..." - -He sits upright and looks up to your group, sighing softly. "Master Cassius has no nightmares to speak of. He is incapable of experiencing fear. Or sadness, or joy, or... anything at all. His body, mind, and soul are as barren and empty as the dark magic he commands." - -*WHOS NIGHTMARE* -"Is it not so obvious?" - -*STRIKER'S NIGHTMARE* -"I am the closest thing Master Cassius has to a friend. As such, I feel it is my responsibility as a piece of him to... experience such things for him. And he made use of my nightmares as a result." - -*THAT IS HORRIBLE* -"You wouldn't understand. I am not a being like him or you, I am a magical construct given consciousness that has outlived his purpose. I am simply enjoying every moment of my life while I have it. And I choose to spend it here, so I may bring him... whatever his empty existence desires." - ------=====-----=====----- - -Upon returning to the BROWN demense, everything appears the same at first glance. Same valley, same trees, same lake, same gym & store combo. But, you see a large gathering of people in the middle of the valley, chattering with each other. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -You see all the people from the gym laughing and enjoying each other's company. You also see Tlaloc in the Lindley of them all, laughing like a kid at Christmas as he gives a child in an indigo hoodie a VERY enthusiastic piggyback ride, imitating a bucking bronco. - -This time, Tlaloc is wearing a light brown toga, modified to fit around his unusual stature by being mostly open on the back, with a deep brown sash accompanied by a gold circle plate on the side. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -When he sees all of you, he immediately turns to your group and waves both arms while laughing even louder, shouting FRIENDS!!! - -Caelum will jump off his back when he runs over to your group through the ring of people and scoops all of you up into one colossal bear hug. And he is... VERY enthusiastic with it. - -"Well look who it is, the guests of honor." Jekhyra stands before you all, arms crossed. "We were wondering when you'd come back. Tlaloc's been excited to see you all again." - -*IF THEY ASK WHY* -Tlaloc will immediately shout "MADE! FRIENDS! GIFT!" And he will giggle in a deep voice like an excited oversized child. - -*IF THEY ASK WHERE* -He will point toward the mountain the gate itself is mounted to, and over top of it, someone has perfectly sculpted into it a complex message in the most elegantly flowing script you have ever seen carved into a mountain. - -I, -TLALOC -DJETERA - -THANK YOU FOR -BEING MY FRIENDS - -WILL YOU CHALLENGE -ME FOR MY REGALIA TODAY? - -*WHO WROTE THIS* -Everyone will point to Tlaloc, who resumes giggling like an idiot, his excessively long tongue peeking out of the corner of his mouth. - -Jekhyra steps up. "We've been watching him carve that for days. He started working on it after he got attacked by that one Marauder with the gold sword." - -*IF CHALLENGE* -Tlaloc's eyes will widen with excitement, and he will throw his clawed arms up in the air, yelling CHALLENGE at the top of his lungs, catching the attention of everyone around you. - -Everyone starts cheering, except for Jekhyra, who approaches your group. "Are you insane?! You want to fight against THAT???" She points at Tlaloc, who is doing warmup stretches, flexing his arms over his head, the muscles bulging under the stony scales that cover his body. - -*IF YES* -Jekhyra will sigh dramatically and cross her arms, shaking her head. "Well then, for your sake, I sure hope you brought your best. Tlaloc isn't your normal fighter. He fights with his head. In every sense of the word." She steps away and joins the audience, staring your group down, arms never uncrossing. - -Tlaloc will finish stretching, before reaching behind himself and pulling out a massive long and narrow rock, slamming it into the ground long ways and revealing it to be attached to what looks like a tree limb. - -He picks it up with one hand, revealing the rock on the end has runes carved into its side, and while you can't make out the words, you inherently realize this is actually a VERY rudimentary Warhammer he is carrying. And he is hefting this thing with one hand onto his shoulder. "READY! FIGHT!" - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -*IF THEY LOSE* -Tlaloc will raise his arms in triumph over his head, bellowing out in joy as the audience around you all does much the same. Once the circle dissipates, they all rush in and cheer with Tlaloc, but he suddenly steps forward and kneels down with his stubby legs, poking each of you. "FRIENDS? OKAY?" - -After he sees you are all alive, he puts on the best dopey smile he can and pats each of you on the back with a dull thud of those heavy arms. - -"TRY. AGAIN." He will then stand and rejoin the others, who all chant their way back to the building, letting the doors shut behind them. - -*IF THEY WIN* -Tlaloc will stand before your group, clearly beaten to a pulp under all that armor, panting heavily. But he doesn't seem upset at all, in fact he seems kinda excited. - -The same could NOT be said of your audience, whom are staring in horror at Tlaloc in such bad shape. Once the gold circle dissipates, Tlaloc raises his head slowly and bellows out "ME. LOST." - -He turns his hanner around, places the head on the ground, and lets the handle fall toward your group. "TAKE. CLIFF. BREAKER." - -He gives a dopey smile, much to the complaint of the audience, but he turns to them and shouts as loud as he can, "LOSING! OKAY! THEY! STRONGER!" - -This makes ALL of them stop, and stare at your group in confusion. You could almost swear their pride was hurt hearing that admission. - -Tlaloc turns away, takes a few steps in a seemingly random direction, and suddenly flops flat on his face with a heavy thud. Before anyone can say or do anything, you hear the most ungodly snoring noise coming from his direction. - -The audience suddenly bursts into laughter, the mood lightening almost immediately around you. Everyone walks over to your group and starts talking you up. They want your names, they wanna shake your hands, they wanna work out with you sometime at the gym, they all seem like genuinely decent people when they aren't pissed you beat their friend up. - -Jekhyra is the only one that hasn't joined them, instead choosing to sit down next to the sleeping Tlaloc, leaning against his massive body. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/05A - The Mole.txt b/Mainline-Story/05A - The Mole.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6e4cee7..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/05A - The Mole.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,96 +0,0 @@ -THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE SIX demenseS HAVE BEEN VISITED - -The scene opens early one morning with a phone call. (player) answers, and it is Nash. He cheerily asks for your group to come see King Akarui at your earliest convenience, as there is an urgent matter he wishes to speak with you about. - ------ - -Upon arriving, you see a perky Nash flagging you down to his desk. "There is our new town heroes! King Akarui is waiting for you, I just need to buzz you in." Right before he hits the button, you see King Akarui's doors burst open, an angry stout Doberman marching out, followed by a Panther man in Thunder Force attire. - -You recognize Third Commander Harken, but the other one... - -(IF THEY VISITED THE WEAPONS STORE) -The stout Doberman is Jerras, owner of the Weapons store. - -He quickly turns to Harken, growling lowly. "That son of a bitch tried to lowball me on that deal and you know it..." - -Harken maintains his composure, removing his sunglasses and revealing his deep brown soulful panther eyes. "Jerras, you have to understand, he is not made of coin. He has only so much to spare for this kind of thing. Not to mention the morality issue--" - -Jerras groans in annoyance, rolling his eyes. "Dont give me that crap Harken, the man wears gold draperies like some... what do they call them out there, Arabian princesses?" - -He puts his hands around his muzzle and yells muffledly in frustration, then takes a deep breath, sighing a bit. "I refuse to be taken advantage of. This could have been the deal of a lifetime for me. - -He punches the doorway,, and you are about 80% certain he broke something g that time. "I owe you one for talking him up to where it landed, but FUCK." - -Harken extends his hand toward Jerras with a stern look in his eye. "Friends don't hold debts over each other, you know that. But... you spot me for lunch and we will call it even." Jerras immediately calms down hearing that, and accepts the handshake with a soft smile, then finally nltices your group at the doorway. - ------ - -- *IF THEY DID NOT MEET YET* -"Hey wait a sec, I recognize you... aren't you the latest batch of newbies turned heroes?" - -*IF THEY CONFIRM* -"Well this day just became better. Name's Jerras, I own the weapons store in the Business District. If you're ever looking for something bigger and better, look me up." He then slips you a business card with black lettering that mirrors everything he just told you, before heading out the door and looking significantly happier. - -- *IF THEY MET* -"Well look who it is, my favorite customers. You hear to see King birdface too, huh?" - -*IF THEY CONFIRM* -"Well he ain't in a charitable mood, so good luck to ya. Yer gonna need it." He chuckles a bit and heads out the door, looking significantly happier. - ------ - -Harken steps toward your group. "I understand you have a meeting with the King? I'll be attending with you." - -*ASK ABOUT JERRAS* -"He came to broker a deal to outfit the Thunder Force with weapons. King Akarui lowballed him when he realized Jerras resells weapons pawned off to him, sometimes FROM the Marauders. I vouched for Jerras to get the profit up enough to make it financially beneficial to him." - -*IF THEY AGREE WITH JERRAS* -"The bigger issue was moreso the morality of the circumstances. To hand our forces weapons that were once used against them, and sold to Jerras by those same Marauders beforehand, is... what did that book call it... An Unfortunate Series of Events, against Jerras." - -"In any case, we have a meeting to attend. Shall we?" Harken will escort you to the meeting this time, holding open the door for all of you, then following you in and pulling it shut. - -Akarui will be closing the door on a nearby file cabinet, turning to your group with a smile on his beak. "Welcome back, heroes! And thank you for coming to see me so soon." - -*WHAT IS THIS ABOUT* -He will sit behind his desk again, holding up two digits. "Well this is a dual purpose meeting. Firstly, I wanted to see how you were all faring so far. Normally after the welcoming in, I would just leave you to your own devices, but unlike the others that came the last few times, you've been more... 'active' in public." - -*AFTER THEIR RETORT* -"Well keep up the good work, I appreciate you dealing with those Marauders so efficiently. And cleanly, according to Harken here. The expense to repairing all their property damage was REALLY starting to hurt, so now our budget is starting to normalize again." - -"Which brings me to our second and, admittedly, more distressing topic. We think there may be a mole in the Thunder Force." - -*AFTER THEY COMMENT* -Harken steps up. "We've noticed some unusual things happening within our organization for some time, long before you arrived. Calls coming in and sending us to the wrong locations, reports having information fudged, evidence disappearing entirely from our inventory. It's happening too consistently to be a coincidence." - -Akarui will chime back in. "Which is where your group comes in." - -*DOES HE WANT THEM TO SEEK OUT THE MOLE* -"Personally I would be thrilled to see the bad element rooted out, but I cannot be the one to authorize such a mission. Nor Harken. You CAN keep an eye out for suspicious behavior if you are so inclined, but I'm not going to ask you. Quite the contrary actually." - ------ - -IF THEY APPLIED -"I understand you have recently applied to join the Thunder Force. I have your application paperwork in a file on hand, and I'm willing to approve it immediately. But I need to know that, even with the knowledge of a corrupt agent somewhere in this, you are still interested in making a difference." - -*IF THEY HAVENT APPLIED YET* -"The Thunder Force has open tryouts coming up soon to join their ranks. Given your dedication to the city this far, it would be a disservice of me to not forewarn you of this, provided any of you were interested in applying to join their ranks." - ------ - -*IF THEY WANT TO JOIN STILL* -"I admire your dedication. I will get your paperwork filed as soon as possible and we will likely see you on the field within the week." - -*IF THEY DONT WANT TO JOIN* -"I completely understand. (I will have the paperwork removed from the active personnel file.) Despite this, I hope it will not dissuade you from doing what you've been doing up until now. You don't necessarily NEED to be Thunder Force to fight for what is right, afterall." - ------ - -*EITHER WAY* -"It should also be noted that this information is strictly confidential. Until now, the only ones who knew about the potential mole were myself and Harken. Thank you for your time, heroes. Harken will see you out." Harken will nod and open the door for you, leading you out the front door of the building. - -(NOTICE ROLL) Nash is no longer at his desk, a small sign sitting on it saying "back in an hour" with a drawn picture of a cheeseburger attached. - -Once outside, Harken will turn to your group. "I will see you around, I'm sure." Harken will slide his sunglasses back on, the silver parts of his uniform glowing with electric energy before he disappears from view, the only remnants being a scorchmark in the ground and the stench of ozone. - -(NOTICE ROLL) -You spot Jerras in the distance, leaning on a nearby shady tree, and he is chatting with Striker of all people very casually, almost like old friends. Jerras hands Striker a bag of coin, then Striker steps out of view. Jerras sighs a little and heads out, mumbling under his breath a bit. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/05B - Meeting The First Face.txt b/Mainline-Story/05B - Meeting The First Face.txt deleted file mode 100644 index dec0f57..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/05B - Meeting The First Face.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,301 +0,0 @@ -THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE ALL TWELVE demenseS HAVE BEEN VISITED - ------ ----- ----- ----- ----- - -The scene opens early in the morning with a phone call. (Player) answers, and it is Nash. He tells your group King Akarui is requesting you come down to the Town Hall for a special meeting. And he sounds a bit more serious this time. - ------ - -Upon arrival, Nash will flag your group down to his desk again, his demeanor seeming a bit more rushed. "Right on time! Let's get you inside." He grabs a nearby clipboard, guides you to the meeting room, and opens the door for you. - -You see King Akarui and Anais already in the middle of a heated discussion. Nash will turn around and freeze in place, looking like he just saw a ghost. But before he has a chance to go back out the door, Akarui will point at him. - -"You. Wait right there. I'll be with you in a moment." He will visibly gulp and move a little more inward into the room, standing almost militantly at attention, partially hiding behind his clipboard. - -King Akarui sighs and returns to his prior conversation. "Anais, you can't expect people to follow these nitpicky rules. Fence color restrictions, hedge height requirements, heavy volume level regulations... I don't care how many complaints you've received, this is nonsense and I won't enforce it." - -Anais will reply with a whiny tone. "But think of how much it'll beautify the Gated community! It'll be so much more pleasant for the seniors to see, plus you'll get to see a much cleaner and quieter neighborhood!" - -Akarui will just stare at her deadpan in the eyes. "Okay one, the seniors face the opposite way. Two, I practically live HERE. And three, the people who own those properties can do what they want as long as they don't set them on fire. " - -Anais will slam her hands into the desk. "Sir, I respect your authority, but I need you to at least take this seriously. The noise complaints and slow self destruction of these properties are going to drive down the value of the district! We'll start losing money when noone wants to live somewhere so ugly!" - -Akarui will continue to just... stare at her. "You've been reading too many of the books about outside property values. The only places to live are the Gated homes, Residential houses, and apartments. We set those values and you know damn well they won't fluctuate." - -Anais will try to respond, but Akarui will raise a hand. "That being said... I will have the noise complaints investigated and the general condition of the neighborhood therein given a thorough look. We can discuss the rest on another day. Will that suffice?" - -Anais will pause for a moment. "... I suppose. But if I get one more noise complaint--" - -"--I'll be the first to hear about it, yes. Just like the last seven. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to with our local heroes. Or should I call them... 'Kings of Kings?'" - -She will turn away, and glare at your group on the way out the door, giving an indignant HMPH. She will slam the door behind her, leaving Akarui alone with your group. Akarui sighs in frustration, rubbing the bridge of his beak. "My apologies for that one, she is always in some kind of mood when it comes to the Gated community. Thinks it should be some pristine living community." - -His gaze will immediately turn to Nash. "Now Nash, we've had this conversation before. You know you're supposed to announce anyone coming my way, even if it's just you, specifically for situations like this." - -You see Nash's ears droop a bit before Akarui continues, "However, your inadvertent interruption gave me the perfect excuse to get out of THAT meeting, so I'm going to let it go. This time." - -He will smirk a bit before continuing, "Just... don't let it happen again." - -Nash will smile a bit before heading out the door and closing it behind him with a sigh of relief. You hear a sharp YELP from behind the door, then silence. - -Akarui grabs your attention. "On to business..." - ------ - -(IF THEY JOINED TF) -"I understand you signed up to be Thunder Force. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your acceptance. After all the contributions you and your team have made to this town already, it makes me proud to see you dedicate yourselves to the protection of the people. In fact, Commander Harken and I had a discussion regarding your first assignment." - -(IF THEY HAVE NOT) -"I understand you are technically an unaligned team of 'vigilantes' for lack of a better term, but you've proven to the public that you are here to help. The fact you haven't joined the Thunder Force is a curiosity to many, but I'm sure you have your reasons. Either way, I would like to ask you to work with them on a special assignment." - ------ - -"A business in the ESSENTIALS district has requested extra security for an upcoming delivery. There is an important shipment coming in for a special project we need to keep safe." - -"Harken will brief you on the mission at TFHQ." He will reach over and push the intercom button, asking Nash to escort your group out. A minute later, a disheveled Nash opens the door to let you out. - -His hair is a mess, his shirt is crumpled, and his pants pockets are inside out. He walks down the hall with you, fixing his outfit as you all walk, laughing nervously and apologizing the whole way. - -IF THEY ASK WHAT IS WRONG -He stammers some before sighing with frustration. "Anais is very... easy to frustrate. She uh... demanded my assistance in cooling down." - -IF THEY RETORT -He realizes what he said. "She just kinda... used me as a punching bag. I'll be fine, she doesn't hit THAT hard, but I might need to visit the tailor on my way out." - -His eyes widen and he suddenly hides behind you all as you head out of the lobby, passing by a brown wolf girl in a right lighter brown postal worker outfit. She is wearing sunglasses indoors, she is blowing a bubblegum bubble, and she is wearing a gold nametag that says COCO. - -(CONTACTS ROLL) You don't really RECOGNIZE her, but you spotted her delivering mail in the past. - -He doesn't try to stop, he just ushers you all forward to get out of the building before she sees him. Once he is out of sight range, he will breathe a heavy sigh. "And SHE just scares me." Once you are out by the doors, you see him scurry to his car and take off out of the parking lot. - -AT THUNDER FORCE HEADQUARTERS - -Harken meets your group at the door and guides you directly into his office, locking the door once you go in. "I appreciate you showing up so promptly for this job. Ordinarily I would prefer to leave protection assignments to fully trained officers, but we are a bit shorthanded at the moment. Plus..." - ------ - -*IF THEY ARE TF* -"As you have prominent combat experience before even joining, I felt this would be a suitable assignment for your group." - -*IF THEY ARE NOT* -"The people know you now, and as such, you have earned a modicum of trust on our end. As such, I wish to deputize you for the day regarding an important assignment, if you are interested." - ------ - -"Your assignment will be to go to the Research and Development Lab in the Essentials district. We have a rather large shipment of steel, copper, aluminum, and brass coming in from the Red and Brown demenses, for a special construction project. You simply need to guard it until the end of the day to ensure it is kept safe." - ------ - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -"You are expected to arrive in one hour, work an eight hour shift of hourly building inspections one at a time, and otherwise are to stay inside with the containers until the end of your shift. They will be picked up and transported after. Afterwards, report back to me here. That is your mission for the day." - -*IF THEY ASK ABOUT PAY* -He will reach into his desk and pull out several small bags full of coins. "I had a small budget approved by King Akarui before we set this up, you will be paid the same as any Thunder Force agent starting out. 25z an hour, 8 hours of work, that entitles each of you to 200z, all paid upfront. AND, since you are with us, you have access to our special uniform selection. Pick some up on the way out, free of charge." - -"Dismissed!" - -*IF THEY PARTAKE* -You are met by agent Binx the Cat, whom escorts you to the wardrobe area, with multiple tables full of gear to match all shapes and sizes. - -(IF THEY ASK) They don't really provide armor, since the magic everyone tends to use bypasses it anyways. It more is just a basic uniform. - -- The first table is full of chrome colored bracers and chest covers -- The second table is full of black slacks, boots, and short & long-sleeved shirts -- The third table is full of chrome bottom-half masks, black sunglasses, and folded black & silver long coats - ------ - -AT THE SITE - -A chameleon man in a red dress shirt greets you at the door, his eyes flicking back and forth between all of you, his gold nametag reading ELEAZAR. "Oh good good, you made it! Appreciate your time, Officers." - -"Your station is this desk, the fenced in area is your patrol circle, and I assume you brought your own food, but there is free coffee & doughnuts in the break room." - -Right on cue, a vehicle suddenly backs in to the facility, and a group of four muscled oxen men unload ten wooden crates, each one emblazoned with a burn mark in the shape of a hand. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You spot Nash with a clipboard on site, scribbling down information with a smile on his face. And he hasn't seemed to notice you. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -When he sees you, he LITERALLY jumps three feet in the air screaming "OH FUCK" and flops on his back. "Owww..." - -*HELPING HIM UP* -"Jeez, didn't expect YOU guys to be here... wait, are you the security detail for the shipment?" - -*IF THEY CONFIRM* -"AWESOME! This is so perfect! I don't care what anyone says, Akarui is AWESOME!!!" - -He realizes he is acting a fool and straightens himself out. "Sorry, I uh... may or may not have overheard about that 'mole' situation, and since you didn't show up until AFTER that started, I gotta assume it's not you guys." - -*HOW DOES HE KNOW* -He is a little taken aback by the third degree. "Those intercoms we use are kinda junky, so I hear alot of those private meetings without meaning to. Among other things..." - -He will lean in and whisper to your group, "...Apparently the King is trying to supplement his height with platform shoes on the sly..." - -*ASK WHAT HE IS DOING THERE* -"Oh, uh, right... so this is kind of a secret, but you know how we got those hydroelectric generators giving Diadem power, right? Well, my dad was an engineer here. He helped create the hole through the Diadem floor like 20 years ago, and he had a dream we MIGHT be able to use that to escape from this place." - -"But since we're on an island in the middle of the ocean, going out through the hole is a bit of a suicide mission. So, we need a safety vessel. Some scientists and I proposed this idea about two years ago to King Akarui that we could build like... a test submarine and see if it could descend far enough to get out, make it to some nearby land, and then get some actual help!" - -"And he finally approved it a month ago! Full ride budget and everything! This here is the last of the shipments of raw material we need to make a test sub. We're thinking a fifty man vessel would be enough to get ourselves into the outside world. Can you believe it???" - -"All I gotta do is get this to the secure location this evening, and we can finally finish building it. We might just be making history." - -He looks up to a clock on the wall. "Anyways, we can talk about it later. King Akarui only gave me an hour to come check on stuff. I'll see you guys later!" He pauses and turns around with a cheeky grin. "...or if this works, maybe not?" ;D - ------ - -The shift goes pretty much without issue, and around 5:30pm, you see an all new flatbed truck pull in to the same entrance. This time you see a dozen much more normal sized men approach, each one wearing different degrees of clothing. "We're uh.. we're here for the shipment?" - -(EMPATHY ROLL VS DECEIVE ROLL) -*IF PLAYERS PASS* These guys are not dressed right, are fidgeting like hell, and the one in front can't even look you in the eye properly. - -One of them will suddenly pull out a gun, aiming it right at (Player who beat roll)'s forehead. All eleven of the others will run in, going for the boxes. - -*IF CHALLENGE* -They will hear a familiar voice shout DONT EVEN TRY IT! They will turn to see LUCKY the ram with the chameleon in his arms, a gold dagger against his throat. YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP, YOUR FRIEND IS DEAD. - -*IF THEY RESIST* -A familiar scent of burning ozone will appear behind (player), a gun pressed against (PLAYER's) back. "Braver than I expected. Unfortunate." - -The rest of the party sees someone new behind you, a man of authority and stature inside of what looks like a modified motorcycle outfit. The shoulders, arms from elbow down, and legs from knee down are layered in thick blue padding ridges. The rest is standard black, including the elongated motorcycle helmet with a white letter A on the front above the shaded eye visor. - -*IF THAT PLAYER PLAYER RESISTS* -The person will counter, pinning that player to the ground with lightning speed. He will quickly turn to the others and shout "HURRY UP!" - -*IF ANYONE ATTACKS HIM* -He will manage to dodge, but not completely. The attack will catch the front of his helmet, cracking it open to reveal part of his face for a quick moment. - -(NOTICE ROLL) You see dark fur, possibly brown or black, and you see a deep brown eye with a small rounded scar under it. - -He will cover his face quickly, then speed to the truck, the Marauders finished getting the crates inside before taking off in a hurry. However, they have left LUCKY behind, still holding the chameleon hostage. - -"... they just left me..." He suddenly lowers himself onto his knees, staring at the place the truck used to be. - -"I did everything they asked... I escaped prison three times... and they STILL left me behind..." He finally releases the chameleon and the knife, just staring at the floor. - -*IF THEY SAY ANYTHING* -"He promised he... he was gonna get me out... and he just left me behind... again..." - -*THE GUY IN THE OUTFIT* -"NOT ACE, HIS BOSS! OUR BOSS! EVERYONE'S BOSS!" He slams his fists in the ground in frustration. "HE PROMISED ME MY FREEDOM!!!" - -*WHO IS HE* -He will look up to your group, a tear in his eye. "The Crooked King." - ------ - -THAT EVENING -THUNDER FORCE HEADQUARTERS - -Back at Harken's office, Harken is pacing in front of your group. "This task was supposed to be simple, a guard position of no real strategic import. Instead, tomorrow's headline will read that a hostage situation resulted in the theft of the entire shipment of research and building materials under our watch." He slams one hand into the desk in frustration, rubbing his eyes with the other. - -IF THEY OBJECT -"I know what happened. Fact is, you followed your orders perfectly to a tee, you defended an innocent from harm in a hostage situation, and you proved you value lives over cold hard metal. You even re-captured LUCKY, AND got him to cooperate for the first time ever. We finally have solid intel on their organization." - -He will pull out a folder, slap it on the table, and pull out a document with information scrawled all over. "We now know there is a genuine hierarchical structure in the Marauders. What we thought were random acts of thuggery were coordinated and strategic from the start." - -"Add to that we now have confirmation of an active general, the man with the A on the helmet. ACE, as Lucky calls him. We have dealt with him in the past. He uses lightning magic to move same as we do, so it is safe to assume he is also the mole. Which would explain how he knew about the shipment. But the issue comes in with this... Crooked King." - -"Noone within their organization knows who he is, but he is the mastermind behind the Marauders. He picks whom to recruit & when, supplies the coin for their weapons, coordinates every attack, and supplies them with THESE." He places the gold dagger LUCKY had on the table inside a plastic bag. - -"This is career defining evidence. If it were anyone else, you would have a fucking parade in your honor. But due to these... unfortunate circumstances, the public will choose to ignore those positives, as will the media. They will expect some form of punishment for your 'failure' to protect the shipment." - -IF THEY ARE NOT TF -"Worst of all, given you were wearing our uniforms, they will assume you are with us, which doubly complicates the matter." - -"As third commander, I have to take some form of action. 'Firing' you would be too harsh, and a slap on the wrist would be too easy." - -He grabs a handful of papers, quickly scribbles some information down, turns them around, and passes them to your group. "This is a form stating you are being taken off active duty and placed on two weeks paid leave, effective immediately." - -*IF THEY INTERRUPT* -"During this time, all activities, including but not limited to any & all criminal syndicate altercations, cannot and will not be associated directly with the Thunder Force. They will instead be seen as the activities of a group of rogue REGALIA HUNTERS working to save the people of Diadem from their imprisoned fate, no different than those that attempted before." - -"And if, within those fourteen days, you manage to gather them all and free the people, well... I doubt anyone would care about this debacle anymore, and you may even become... heroes again. But THAT is information I, and the Thunder Force, cannot and will not be responsible for OR associated with during your two week paid leave." He gives you something of a sly smile. - -IF THEY ARE TF -"Now this does mean I will require your badges for the next two weeks." - -He will walk behind you and open the door for you. "You are all dismissed." - -As you leave the Thunder Force office, everyone around you slowly begins to applaud you. The Thunder Force does in fact know what happened, and even if they can't really do anything about it, they are showing their support in whatever way they can. Once you leave the doors, they will slam behind you, leaving you as free agents with a convenient paycheck. - ------ ----- ----- ----- ----- - -You are met with a phone call the next morning. - -*IF THEY ANSWER* -It is a female voice you don't recognize, asking you to come to the Capitol and meet with the King. He has a favor to ask of you, and requests your presence ASAP. Before you get more than two words out, she will hang up. - -Upon arrival, you are greeted by a Parakeet woman sitting at Nash's desk, and she does not look happy. "I assume you to be the Kings of Kings, yes? Please follow me." She marches you quickly through the office area and right to King Akarui's door. No kindness, no nonsense, just professionalism. - -Once inside, you see a concerned Akarui stamping documents. He pauses for a moment and drops the stamp, looking up to your group. "Kings of Kings, I know this is a bit pedestrian of me to ask of you, but I'd like you to do a wellness check on Nash." - -"When he came in this morning, I let him know the metal for his project was stolen, and... well, he looked like the sound of glass hitting the floor. I gave him the rest of the week off, but based on what I saw... I'd love some peace of mind." - -"And as long as you're out there, for the sake of my sanity, could you also ask around and check on the supposed 'noise complaints' coming from that area? Killing two birds with one stone and all that. Plus it might keep Anais out of my office for longer than five minutes." - -*IF THEY ACCEPT* -He hands you a folded document made of a strangely textured light brown paper, with a stamp on the top reading FROM THE DESK OF KING AKARUI. "The guards there are likely to be an issue. This will get you in. Please don't lose it." - ------ - -Upon arriving at the Gated community, you are confronted by a pair of Doberman guards, one brown and one black, but both wearing identical silver Thunder Force outfits. They both see your group coming and the brown one asks in a German accent, "How may ve help you today?" - -*ASKS ABOUT ENTRY* -The black one will chime in. "Sorry, ve vere not informed about any visitors, ve cannot permit entry." -The brown one will respond. "Da, now please vacate ze premises. Danke, nice day." - -*IF PRESENTING PAPER* -The brown one will open it so they can both read over it and start sniffing over it excitedly. The black one will wince a bit and shake his head. "Vell, ze scent matches ze king bird, so zis is legit. Danke for ze papers, you may pass." They manually open the striped bar of wood up and out of the way. - -The brown one will nod. "Please pick up all ze trash you drop und have ein nice visit. Ve vill be expecting you on ze vay out." - -Before you go more than ten feet inside, the black one calls out "VAIT! Ve almost forgot to tell you. Ze Mr. Nash is at ze family home due to renovations!" He waves a slip of paper at you with a different address than the one you were given. - -The brown one adds "Please do not tell anyone else, he has asked us only to tell ze delivery people." - -They both chuckle at each other with big shit eating grins, before the black one responds. "Ja ja, especially ze pretty little wolf girl~" - -They chuckle again before clearing their throats. "Uh but.. given your credentials, I am sure ze Mr. Nash vill understand." - ------ - -The neighborhoods are considerably fewer in numbers per house, but every property has a full acre MINIMUM of land and the houses are minimum TWICE the size of the ones in the Residential district. The lawns are trimmed, the fences are painted, there are several with animal-shaped ornamental bushes being maintained by landscapers right this very second. But when you reach the property you are looking for, all those homes are put to shame. - -The house is easily three floors, has a colossal front yard, a massive bird bath, perfectly trimmed bushes along the immaculately painted fences, a multiple car garage with Nash's car parked in front of it, and even a chandelier style light hanging from the porch. - -*IF THEY KNOCK* -It takes a few seconds, but you eventually see Nash greet you at the door, and he looks exactly like how King Akarui described. - -His ears that were always perked are slumped against his head, his chipper smile looks like it was manually pulled downward, and you could even swear his fur looks less colorful. But at least his hair looks brushed, sorta. When he sees your group, he looks a little perkier. "Oh.. hey guys.. you wanna come in?" - -*INSIDE* -His home looks almost too immaculate, the cushions on the furniture all look borderline unused, and there is zero dust on anything that you can see. But the lights are on, even if it is just the living room. - -(Notice roll) There are no pictures on the walls either, even though there is clear evidence there used to be. The only real furniture is the roaring fireplace and a couple pillows & large couches in front of it. - -"Sorry about the mess, I uh... kinda just... didn't feel like going upstairs to any of the bedrooms." - -*MENTION KING WAS WORRIED* -"He was.. worried about me? I just thought he didn't wanna deal with me being upset, but.. huh. That makes me feel better knowing he cares." - -*ASK ABOUT HOUSE* -"Well technically it's not MY house, it was my parents'. I inherited it when they died. It's a bit much for me, so I stay at my own place down the street. But I come here once in a while to keep the place clean and... ya know... remember." - -*WHY SO UPSET* -"Well.. my dad was an immigrant here, and when he found out he was trapped, he made it his life's mission to get out. Spent his whole adult life doing that, right until he met my mom. They got together and had me, and between the two of them, they made the first drill to get out of Diadem. - -But during their first actual test, the drill exploded. And they both died. I made it my life's goal to resume his plan, if for no other reason than in his memory. And after the theft, well... the entire project is on hold for a bit until they get a replacement shipment. - -I just... I waited so long, ya know? To get the approval, then when the supplies started coming in, I was so happy, and then finding out they got stolen... It was crushing. I fully planned to work through the pain too, just like before, but... I guess King thought I needed a break instead. And he might've been right." - -*MENTION NOISE COMPLAINTS* -"Ugh... Anais... those noise complaints are my fault. I was having my home renovated, wanted one of those underground car garages put in. I'm afraid my car might get stolen, even in here. That's the other reason I'm over here, thought it'd be a good idea to get away from the noise. They should be done soon." - -*NO MORE QUESTIONS* -"Well listen.. thanks alot for stopping by guys, I honestly feel alot better getting all of that out of my system. You can tell King Akarui I'll be back in tomorrow morning if you want, or I could make it a nice surprise. But for right now, I think I just need to... ya know... sleep this all off." He will stand up and walk you guys to the door, closing it behind you. - -(NOTICE ROLL) Through the nearby window, you can see him slowly shuffle his way back to the pile of pillows and flop into them face first. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) -On the way to the gate, you can see a house in the distance vaguely matching the direction Nash pointed out with several stacks of metal sitting in front of the hole. Each one is covered by a fabric tarp of some kind, and the hole in the ground is easily twice as big as the vehicle he drives. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/05C - The Crooked King.txt b/Mainline-Story/05C - The Crooked King.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b6a857e..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/05C - The Crooked King.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,151 +0,0 @@ -THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE THEY HAVE EARNED THEIR SIXTH REGALIA - ------ ----- ----- ----- ----- - -For the first time, there will be actual mail waiting for you. There is a letter addressed "Kings of Kings, 722 (Fave DM last name) Avenue." - -*OPEN IT* -There is a small snippet of a map pointing out a specific location in the Essentials district stating "today, 5pm, burn this" in some scrawl of red ink. - ------ - -AT THE LOCATION -The place indicated on the map turns out to be the local post office, but everything appears to be shutting down for the evening. Workers are starting to pour out in droves, all of them laughing and groaning in varying degrees. The OPEN sign on the front of the building will flip to CLOSED right before you show up. - -THE SECOND ANYONE COMPLAINS -An explosion will occur right behind your group. The post office warehouse right across the street from the building is now a pile of rubble, a literal fleet of Marauders pouring out and carrying what looks like wooden shipping crates. - -Out of the smoke comes a new individual, wearing an outfit of mostly black with gold sleeves from the elbows and knees down, and a mid length gold cape accented by gold shoulderplates holding it in place, wearing an elongated motorcycle helmet with a crown emblem on the front. He tightens his gloves a bit, turning to see your group. "Well this is a surprise, the Kings of Kings came to greet us at our latest acquisition." - -AT ANY REMARK -"Riiight... so I literally have anything better to do than play with you, so I'm just going to... yeah..." He will attempt to walk away. - ------ - -WHEN CHALLENGED -A golden circle radiates out from under the feet of the challenger AND the man before you, overlapping to form one. He just shakes his head slowly, pulling out a gold sword from his waist, aiming the tip at your group. "Your CHALLENGE is... DENIED." - -He then turns around, swings his arm downward, and cuts through the circle's boundary with a swooping slash, causing it to pause in place, flickering and flashing for a moment before completely shattering around you like glass. He finishes his wide swing and faces your group again, aiming the tip in your direction again. - -"Niiice, right? I call it the Crooked Cutlass. See, this little beauty fucks with those fancy gold magic circles made by your Regalia. I just have to get REALLY REALLY pissed off. And right now, standing before the ASSHOLES that are interfering with my plans makes that so goddamn easy." - ------ - -SHOOT ATTACK -As the projectile approaches, it is suddenly caught inches before it lands in his helmet, resting in the hand of an identically dressed man, except his outfit is black with BLUE accents, and his helmet bears the letter A. The same man from the incident with the metal theft. - -K: Allow me to introduce you to my speed demon of an assistant, Ace. He handles all the things I dont care to dodge. - -A: We've met, sir. - -K: Is that right? Were they the ones that busted your helmet the other day? Damn... I'm gonna have to take that expense out of your paycheck. - -A: ... Unfortunate. - ------ - -MAGIC ATTACK -As the spell approaches, you see the familiar sight of a wave of gold magic absorbing, eating, and canceling the spell, as a new person steps out from directly behind King, this time VERY much obvious it is a woman, but her suit is black with WHITE trimming, and her helmet bears a smaller, more petite crown. - -K: Oh where are my manners? A king is nothing without his Queen afterall, and she just HAPPENS to be one of the most powerful mages in the land. - -Q: You flatter me, my King.. But no, I refuse to let anyone damage what I consider my property. Or my paycheck for that matter. - -K: Your dedication to your craft is just so... so appreciated. - ------ - -MELEE ATTACK -You rush in to strike one of them down, when a massive hammer swings down and smashes the ground right in front of your toes. Standing before you is another man, this time in a black outfit trimmed in yellow, and bearing a simple letter J on his helmet. - -K: Now no self respecting leader would ever go anywhere without some hired muscle, isn't that right Jack? - -J: Got that right. Gave me a chance to test out my latest acquisition as well. - -K: And a fine addition it is. - ------ - -THROWN ATTACK - -As the projectile heads toward him, a hand reaches out and catches the object. A woman in the same outfit but in black with RED trimming and a helmet bearing a clown face casually strides forward, thumbing with the thrown item. "And that... was... close." - -K: Impeccable timing, Joker. - -JK: Shove it, asshole. I never agreed to go by that name. - -K: Your attitude and wit simply brightens my day every time I hear it. - ------ - -WHAT IS YOUR GOAL -King steps forward. "It's simple. I'm leaving." He pulls out a golden revolver in his left hand and pulls back the hammer. "I found out this place's grand secret. I know all about the Diadem, the purpose of the demense Masters, and the pot of gold supposedly at the end of the rainbow. And surprise surprise, it just might be a crock of shit." - -"So I plan to take myself and my most loyal employees here off this island first chance I get. And just because I can, I'm gonna make a pitstop to every demense Master, plant a round between their eyes, and tell them to 'kiss my ass' on the way out the door." You all hear a sudden click, before everyone turns to see Joker holding an elemental potion grenade. - -"Alright... that's all I needed to hear. Deal's off, chump." She suddenly drops the grenade in front of the enemy group, before disappearing right before everyone's eyes. - -King suddenly screams KILL THEM!!! before the potion hits the ground, coating everyone on his team in a splash of black magic, acting as a smokescreen. In that one brief moment, you see Joker reappear in front of your group, tells you to follow her, and takes off down the nearest alley. - -*IF THEY FOLLOW* -She runs down a few alleyways until you reach the Residential district, grabbing the door on a seemingly random house, and opening it for you. She urges you to follow her downstairs into the basement, slamming the door and barring it shut. - -The room is very minimal, furnished with couches, beds, a table covered in coin & small bladed weapons, a coat rack with a green bow hanging from it, a small fridge, and a very minimal bathroom, but not much else. - -She sighs heavily and flops onto the couch, looking up to you. "Not gonna lie, thought you might not even show." - -She quickly removes her helmet, revealing a matting down of dark hair and fur. She quickly shakes the sweat out and reveals her hair fully, revealing herself to be the same dark furred wolf girl that delivered your mail AND that package to the Capitol. - -But when she opens her eyes, you see they are a blatantly pure red. Crimson, one might say. "Alright... let's talk." - ------ - -*WHAT HAPPENED* -"The Marauders hit me with ether or something, I don't remember. But when I woke up, I was in some underground building. Surrounded by fuckheads. Made them regret that decision. Lasted about six days with no food or water, until HE finally paid me a visit." - -"He made me a deal. I work for him, he leaves my dad's demense alone. I agreed, with the condition if he made even the SLIGHTEST hint of a push against Dorrin, his ass would be grass. Been working with him ever since." - -"Had to start wearing this nasty ass fur dye to walk around, but it doesn't last very long. Added bonus, disguises my scent, and cheap shades hide the eyes. Sun's Always Shining In Diadem or some shit." - ------ - -*ASKS ABOUT IDENTITIES* -She cracks open an energy drink and slurps it, shaking a bit in her seat as it hits near immediately. "HOO yeah, that's the shit. Ahh... So the bad news is, the crooked king knows who we all are in his little upper circle, but none of us have a clue who he is, and we're not SUPPOSED to know who each other are. Made it easier to work with each other when we actively couldn't point each other out in a crowd." - -"He calls us the FACES, and let us each kinda sorta have shadow control of each of the four Districts. I got the Essentials district, let him look at any changes or developments happening that he could find useful for his master plan." - -"Queen was given the Gated District. Let him have an in-depth look as to where everyone of "higher value" lived that might be an asset or an issue down the road." - -"Jack's got the Business District. He outfitted the entire organization with weapons and shields and shit." - -"Ace has the Residential District, he started fucking with the calls made and received so the Thunder Force couldn't make it in time to certain Marauder incidents." - -(CONTACTS ROLL) You recall Akarui and Harken mentioning a mole in the Thunder Force fudging calls and information regarding calls made. - -*IF THEY MENTION IT* -"That gives me two reasons to go after the bastard... he's also the one who shot my dad. Heard he almost lost his head in the process." - -"King is still a mystery to me, and he's done a damn good job keeping it that way. He gets around pretty quick too, always knows where to find new potential recruits. He tells us who they are in the districts, we send out lower guys, and they get recruited." - ------ - -*TAKE HIM DOWN* -"You wanna collapse his empire, you gotta take down the FACES first. I've been working on a strategy for just that." She walks over to a nearby corkboard covered in papers and strings. - -"Queen is an insane mage, keeps people far away and hits them hard during. You get up close, she will fold like paper." - -"Jack is all about up close and personal, and that brand new hammer of his is a real issue. Ideally you either wanna keep your distance or, if you're either really brave or really stupid, you go toe to toe with him and PRAY he misses." - -"Ace is tricky. He's got combat experience, Thunder Force training, and most likely a grudge from almost getting his head bit off. His go-to is mid-range combat so he can move around freely. You disable his movement, he should be easy pickings." - -"The Crooked King is gonna be the biggest issue. Those gold weapons are normally easy to break, but the two he uses are reinforced. Challenging him is worthless, his sword can eat magic, and we have never seen him in an actual fight, so we have no combat strategy. BUT... I have a theory that without the gold weapons, he is an absolute pussy. Otherwise he wouldn't obsess over them so much." - -"Good news is, I know they won't come after you at your place, or they would out themselves as either really desperate or openly admit you are a threat. And as marauders, that would be a BAD image." - ------ - -(CONTACTS ROLL) -You suddenly recall someone mentioning something about a missing bow from the GREEN demense. - -*IF THEY MENTION IT* -"Oh that? Had to steal it to prove myself to the fucker in charge. Don't need it anymore, you can take it." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/05D - Facing the Faces.txt b/Mainline-Story/05D - Facing the Faces.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 03def42..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/05D - Facing the Faces.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,324 +0,0 @@ -THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE ALL TWELVE REGALIA HAVE BEEN EARNED - ------ ----- ----- ----- ----- - -You receive a call very early in the morning. -You hear Vivid, and she is panicking. - -"Guys, something's wrong! I'm in King Akarui's office and he's not here! Have you--" The line suddenly goes dead. - -Within seconds, you hear and feel a rumbling sensation from your living room. Anyone who WASN'T awake would be fully awake at this point. - -*IF THEY LOOK* -You can see the remnants of a massive fireball and a smoke trail coming from the center of the city. - ------ - -*AT THE CAPITOL* -The center Capitol building has a massive burning hole in the backside of it, and the ground is littered with flaming debris & paper. Noone appears to be hurt severely, but a few people have some scratches and burns. You don't see Vivid anywhere. - -*INVESTIGATE ROLL* -You eventually spot her pale furred tail sticking out of a pile of debris. - -*RESOURCES OR PHYSIQUE ROLL* -You eventually dig her out from the debris, and she looks VERY badly banged up. Her fur is singed and her skin is scratched all to hell, but she IS alive. She shakily manages to stand up, sees the damage to the building, and punches a nearby piece of wall, causing it to crumble. - -"Fuck... I didn't know they booby trapped his office..." - -*WHAT IS GOING ON* -"I've been tailing the FACES, trying to find out their next step, and they took a big one." - -She will slowly try to take a couple steps, but she will only get a few feet before she flops on her knees. You hear a blaring horn sound and see a pair of boxy vehicles pull up, one red and one white. - -Within seconds, you see a fleet of firefighters run out and start blasting the exploded office with water spells, while a fleet of white coated & uniformed men & women all set up special tents, and start helping various people inside to treat any injuries. Two of them pull up a stretcher and carefully roll Vivid onto it, immediately running her into a tent. - -*INSIDE THE TENT* -You watch as a VERY tall elephant woman in a white nurse outfit casts violet colored magic on Vivid, her scratches and burnt fur slowly starting to undo and heal. You see the pained look on her face slowly let up as she turns to your group. "I figured out the next step of their plan, they're trying to incite a riot from the people, led by the Marauders." - -She slowly sits upright. "They're gonna blow up the hydroelectric plant and cut off everyone's power supply, make them all retaliate at once. When he does that, he thinks everyone will blame the king." - -*WHERE IS HE* -"They invaded a home in the Gated district, turned it into their new base. They kidnapped that Nash guy, I spotted him tied up. And they had a huge sack next to him, figured they got Akarui in there. Came here to confirm, set off some kind of bomb." - -You see in the distance of the Gated Community some trails of smoke in a semi-formal line. They are basically signaling where they are. - ------ - -*GATED DISTRICT ENTRANCE* -You see both of the dogs' guard shacks are on fire and the protective bar is completely destroyed. At the gateway, you are met by three Marauders AND the stoic stick in the mud himself, ACE. He tightens his gloves and sighs. "You really think yourselves heroes, don't you..." - -He reaches out to two of the three men, and smashes their heads together, before the third one turns around to face him, and he punches that one hard enough to knock him out. "Call me old fashioned, but I prefer a more personal fight." - -*WHY HE IS DOING THIS* -"I'm an immigrant to this land. United States military, assigned here twenty-five years ago. My mission was likely the same as yours, information gathering and eventual extraction. - -In my case, they wanted (1) information about what makes this place so specifically indestructible, (2) to see if it could be replicated for military purposes, and (3) to discover what happened to the prior soldiers sent in before me. - -From the moment we arrived, we carried out our mission as best we could. Researched everything about the island we could find, and our conclusion came down to a unique magic we simply could not pin down the nature of. - -Eventually, we all began to assimilate, despite our best efforts. We made friends, started families, became pillars of the community, members of the Thunder Force, some even higher than that. - -When the Marauders became an active threat. I did everything I could to stop them and put them away, but every time we did, two more would appear. These were not just new people gone criminal either, these were the citizens I was supposed to protect. - -It became very clear that so long as they were stuck here, they were their own worst enemy. I infiltrated the Marauders and attempted to bring down the entire organization, for their sake. And failed. - -But much like Joker, I entered into an uneasy alliance with the Crooked King. He helped me reach the conclusion that the island itself is to blame for everything. They stay prisoners, attack each other out of misery, promote that attitude to the next people, and more will spawn. An unending cycle. - -He promised me that, in exchange for creating coordinated distractions with the Marauders and delaying the Thunder Force long enough for the damage to cause its desired effect, he would allow me to get all the people off the island. - ------ - -Running further inside, you see the black and yellow Jack in the distance between you and your goal. Some of the houses have their standalone bushes on the edges of the property set on fire, almost giving it a kind of gladiator arena feel. "Sure as shit took you long enough... I had money riding on Ace not stopping you... looks like I win the bet." - -IF THEY ASK WHY -"I've run into fifty different immigrants to this land, and seen every kind of currency they carry. Do you know how many of them use magic infused coins? ZERO. We literally have the single rarest currency in existence here in Diadem. Not because it's scarce either, but because we exclusively hold the ability to make it. - -Do you have any idea how much that information is worth? I could literally take ONE of these coins to any nation on the planet and be set for life. And the Crooked King promised me my weight in Z once we are free. He even paid half up front! It's honest business, nothing more." - ------ - -You reach the front yard of Nash's family home, the bushes set on fire and clear evidence of explosions. This time, you are met by Queen with her own group of thugs. "Hilarious, Jack wasn't worth a single Z he was paid. Oh well, guess that means I get to finish you off afterall." - -IF THEY ASK WHY -"Oh honey, it's all in the title. I'm a queen, tandem to his being, my King. And a king and queen are nothing without their kingdom to rule, of course. And my kingdom is, was, and always will be DIADEM ITSELF! - -Once his plan is fulfilled and King no longer needs Diadem, the queen shall rule in his stead! The entire island will be mine to do with as I please! I can establish any rule, any structure, any taxation rate I wish! And as the queen, anyone whom wants to stay will either get on board or get out!!!" - -(If it wasn't obvious, she is a control freak.) - ------ - -You run into the house and start rummaging through the rooms. - -(INVESTIGATE ROLL) The most material and damage appears to be in the upper floor. - -There are crates and bags all around one of the bedroom doors. - -You find it to be locked, and you can hear muffled yelling from behind it. - -(FIGHT/PHYSIQUE ROLL) Once you break into the room, you see Nash lying on the ground, tied up with rope and blindfolded & muzzled by torn up rags. He hears the door open and starts thrashing, muffledly screaming for help. - -Once you remove the rags and rope, he starts pounding at the closet door. "KING AKARUI IS IN HERE!" - -After a few moments of trying, he will make a mad dash for the door. "HANG ON, THE KEYS ARE DOWNSTAIRS!" - -Once everyone is back to work at the closet door, the bedroom door is slammed shut. And you hear several heavy objects barricading the door. And you see fire seeping in from under the door. You have been trapped. - -*INVESTIGATE ROLL* -The smoke is starting to roll in, but the room is pretty simple. Bed, dresser, chest of drawers, cabinet, closet, window, walls, barricaded door. - -ONCE THEY ESCAPE -You all land around the back side of the house, you see the entire building is slowly catching fire, starting from the room you were all in and working its way down. You suddenly hear a loud wailing in the front yard, from a male voice. - -In the front yard, you see the Crooked King standing in front of the burning house, cradling Queen in his arms. "You people couldn't just curl up and die, could you? It would have made my job SO MUCH DAMN EASIER." - -(NOTICE ROLL) You spot in the distance the other three FACES, specifically JOKER carrying ACE and JACK in on her shoulders. - -Joker sets the two down and approaches him, arms crossed. "Face it fucknut, they beat you fair and square!" - -King doesn't move an inch. "I suppose I have you to thank for that..." He turns and hands QUEEN to JOKER, then kicks her in the stomach and pushes them both away so they fall beside ACE and JACK. - -Ace is visibly disturbed by what he saw. "King, that is enough! She's right, they beat you at every corner. Whatever this insane plan of yours is, it won't work anymore." - -King turns to them. "Oh no, everything went exactly as planned. Everyone thinks Akarui is dead. Noone is running Diadem now. Which means..." - -Ace responds. "You cannot be serious." - -King laughs a bit. "Oh I am very serious." He walks over to ACE and leans in real close. "We all know what happens to a kingdom without a competent leader." - -Even JACK is shocked at this revalation. "You mean we did all of this JUST so YOU could actually be the KING?" - -KING shrugs a bit. "Only for a short while. The King's throne, as it were, is the second to last step of my plan." - -He will turn to your group, both gold weapons in hand. "That only leaves my competition, the so-called Kings of Kings. ANY of you could be the next King of Diadem, if you so desired, and the people would back any one of you 100%. And I can't have that." - -He places the back of his sword on his shoulder and aims the gun at your group. "Once you're gone, everything falls into place." - ------ ----- ----- ----- ----- - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -The Crooked King's helmet shatters in front of you, and you see Nash panting heavily, blood dripping from his forehead and mouth. But unlike before, his eyes hold a bloodthirsty rage you have NEVER seen on him. "I am so... God damn... SICK... of you people. This was a two year plan. TWO. YEARS. And all you had to do was literally NOTHING but leave it alone." - ------ - -QUEEN suddenly shrieks "WHAT THE FUCK," pointing at Nash in disbelief. "YOU?! HOW COULD YOU BE THE CROOKED KING?!" - -JACK is tilting his head a bit. "Damn, I lost that bet. Thought for sure it was Akarui on stilts or something. Only way he had that kind of money." - -QUEEN is furious. "THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! YOU KNEW WHO I WAS UNDER THE HELMET, AND YOU STILL LET ME BEAT YOU UP ALMOST EVERY TIME I SAW YOU?!" - -NASH just rolls his eyes. "Please, your never hit me THAT hard. Besides, if you knew, you wouldn't have followed me." - -ACE turns to QUEEN. "He has a point. King's aide or no." - -"STUFF IT!" She yanks off her helmet, revealing herself to be Anais of the HOA, and throws it on the ground. "YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO GIVE ME THE ISLAND, WERE YOU?!" - -JACK removes his helmet, revealing himself to be JERRAS. "And what about my money?" - -ACE pulls his off, revealing himself as Harken. "I assume you didn't intend to free the people either." - -Jerras and Anais turn to him. "HARKEN?!" - -JOKER is laughing her ass off in the grass. "This is the best day of my life!" She sits up and yanks her own helmet off, revealing herself to them. - -"The leaders of the infamous and terrifying Marauders are the second in command of the country, the third in command of the Thunder Force, the weapons dealer, and the Wicked Bitch of the HOA! You are dysfunctional as FUCK!" - -You hear a gunshot and see a smoking hole right beside Vivid's head, which shuts her right up. And an identical trail of smoke from Nash's gun. "For the record... I missed on purpose." - -He will pause and pick himself up a little. "Also for the record, I DID plan to give you all exactly what you asked for, as an end result to my plan." - ------ - -*WHAT IS THIS ABOUT* -"This is about getting the FUCK out of this dead end rat's maze. Nothing More." - -*WHAT IS YOUR PLAN* -"Still haven't figured it out yet? Let me spell it out for you. - -I told you my father was an immigrant and an engineer. Built the drills that dug the hole down through Diadem currently being used for the hydroelectric generators. And I told you the drill exploded and killed my parents. - -What I DIDN'T tell you was the drill didn't explode on its own. It exploded because it came in contact with this fancy golden magic metal. It runs through the entire underside of the island. And as I learned, it gets volatile when it's hit hard enough. - -That explosion killed my parents, and scattered huge chunks of it all over the place. Once I regained my sense of thought from watching my parents die, I decided to collect the metal and look into why it was there in the first place. - -I spent eighteen years educating myself and job hopping until I wound up as the King's aide, while ALSO using the resources from the college and grand library to figure out what the gold metal was. And I couldn't find SHIT. - -But, I "did" find some super obscure wordings and religious text about someone named Zeroth. Supposedly, HE built this place, something about elevating mortals to a higher plane of existence. Figured it was just the ramblings of some overly religious whacknut from the days of yore. - -But ya know, eighteen years of fruitless efforts is a long time to focus on such an outlier project, and I almost moved on with my life. In fact, I decided to continue my dad's project. - -I proposed the submarine plan to Akarui, poured my heart and soul into the project. He said he would consider it. Waited a week. Then two, a month, three months, nothing. It felt like I watched my parents die all over again. - -In a fit of depression and rage, I decided I wanted revenge. I took a bag of that gold metal to the Volcano demense Forge, wanted to make a poetic weapon out of it and uh.. "hand deliver it" to the king. - -Bad news, it can't be melted down like normal metal. Good news, it could be bent, sharpened, and whittled. But it was delicate, couldn't take more than a couple hits. And as we already discovered, can be volatile in larger amounts. - -But the edge itself? Sharper than any blade and packs a HELL of a punch. The first shitty one I ever made accidentally cut through an anvil. AN ANVIL. I also found out 'by accident' that it eats magic to make gold dust, which is so much fun. - -I spent six months experimenting with new and improved versions, slowly learning to bend and shape it into different blades, and even tubes for guns. The tiny pieces I couldn't use for THAT went into those fancy magic shields, made a killing selling those through Jerras. - -I took my largest piece and poured my heart & soul into making THIS Cutlass. It cut so cleanly, glided so smoothly... But even with that, it needed a handle that was just as glorious as the rest of it. I couldn't go around carrying a magic blade with a handkerchief. - -Now I couldn't be seen carrying this around, so I grabbed my dad's old biker gear and went to the black demense in disguise. People didn't go there at night, figured I could harvest some wood for a handle. And apparently Cassius is fucking psychic, because he came out of nowhere and scared me shitless. - -Words were exchanged, I fumbled a bit and called myself the Crooked King, and kinda ran with it. Decided to challenge him and see what my weapons could really do, even without proper handles. - -Lodged a gold bullet in his summon's brain and made it go ballistic, put a hole in his chest, cut off his arm, blinded him with the gold dust, I basically kicked his ass. I still don't know how he hid his Regalia, but I got pissed and started screaming things I was... VERY grateful noone else was around to hear. - -At one point I got so mad, I kicked him through the supposedly unbreakable magic barrier, or so I thought. I didn't realize until after that the SWORD was GLOWING, and it... changed the rules so things COULD go through the barrier, but only one way. I... decided to NOT press my luck and ran off with the wood. - -I got home and... I... had a mental breakdown. I kept replaying everything that happened in my head over and over, and none of it made sense independently. Once I calmed down, I noticed a strange pattern on everything I hadn't before. - -Gold magic metal in Diadem, gold magic barrier around Diadem, gold magic barrier circles, demense masters and their regalia with bits and pieces of gold on them... it's all connected. Everything here shares a common magic source. - -And then it hit me. If this is all from the same magical source, then everything about this place must be made by the same person. Which had to be Zeroth, who is... I don't know, GOD or something. And then it clicked. - -He made this island, put people on it, lined it with magic eating metal, has them fight his twelve henchmen for a few trinkets of God power, and once all twelve of them are collected and gathered in the center of town, you call for big daddy Zeroth, and SUPPOSEDLY GOD HIMSELF IS SUPPOSED TO COME DOWN and reward them with freedom and some fetters of mention of a god tier prize that FIVE HUNDRED YEARS WORTH OF TEXT CAN'T SEEM TO GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER ABOUT?! - -THIS IS ALL JUST SOME STUPID GAME! This stuff is the cardboard walls of this magical rat maze, and we're the lab rats! The demense masters are glorified referees and their Regalia are promotional incentives! - -The wish, the freedom, the power, whatever prize that was offered was just the fucking piece of cheese at the end of it all! Which means my parents died to escape some FUCKING COSMIC SCIENCE EXPERIMENT! - -Well when I figured that out, I decided I had enough of being a specimen to some asshole celestial scientist or WHATEVER the fuck Zeroth is, and I started plotting my escape. - -First I had to destroy all the knowledge I had up to that point, including the books in the library and bookstore. If I could figure this out, someone else could too, and I couldn't risk anyone stopping me. - -Then I started the Marauders, a band of Freedom Fighters sick of being stuck in Diadem, whose sole mission was to distract King Akarui by inflicting directed attacks on certain strategic locations AND funded by my magic shield profits. - -But I'd keep the mortality casualties to a minimum because I AM NOT A MONSTER. Mostly just irritating property damage, unless a point needed to be made. - -Once I got enough good strong people, I would give them higher rankings, and the lesser quality gold weapons as proof of their higher role. I'd send THEM to fight the demense Masters, both to test the weapons against them and to generate even more attention to the Marauders. - -Between the distracted demense Masters, the Thunder Force being overloaded, and King Akarui getting overworked, the people would become unsettled! - -It would promote the idea that MAYBE someone really SHOULD try focusing on getting us out of here sooner, without relying on some mystical playthings all being in one place at the same time. Of which, by the way, AFTER 500 YEARS, noone seemed able to do. - -And guess what? MY PLAN WORKED. My escape plan submarine proposal FINALLY got approved! Supplies were coming in, the escape vessel was underway! Once it was done, the Crooked King would magically disappear, the generators in the hole would be shut down, we would send a crew of people, and we would have earned our freedom! - -And then, at the WORST possible time, YOU SHOWED UP. You started giving these people HOPE that their fate could be solved by your quirky can-do attitudes and following the legend's rules. AND to make matters worse, you were competent at collecting Regalia. And as a result, faith in MY submarine idea plummeted. - -So I changed it up a little, decided to kidnap King Bird Boy and hold him somewhere, fake his death, and take over as active leader. As the king's most trusted aide, I would fill the void until we got out of here. All that was left was to destroy any... competition. - -He stares at Harken. "By getting us out of here the easy way, the people would be freed." - -He turns to Jerras. "They wouldn't need any of their own currency anymore and could be collected on the way out." - -He turns to Anais. "And as the acting King, I'd leave you in charge after I left." - -"Everything would've been wrapped up in a nice little bow, everyone would have been happy." - -Vivid glares at him. "And what about me?" - -Nash stares back for a second. "Oh I fully intended to MURDER every demense Master. But I decided to call that pre-emptive hit I called on Dorrin my one attempt and leave him alone. I keep my promises, no matter what." - -"And that officially brings us back to the here and now, where I kill each and every one of you FUCKERS calling yourselves Kings of Kings. The last roadblock in the way to my freedom." - ------ - -*IF THEY ASK ABOUT AZAR* -"Okay to be fair, THAT was an accident. I heard a rumor about some dragon out in the Violet demense, and had to see it for myself. I followed the purple one when he went out into the middle of nowhere to feed the thing. - -When it went out for a flight, I tried grabbing some dragon scales to see if they could make a more comfy handle, and that thing dropped out of the sky and scared the shit out of me. - -I took a swing in self defense, you can hardly blame ME for that one. It was LITERALLY fight or flight." - ------ - -*IF THEY ASK ABOUT THE SHIPMENT* -"That was plan B. On the extreme off chance I DIDN'T beat you, I have a mini-sub my team and I built hidden away JUST big enough for myself and my four most loyal teammates to bail out in." He will pause and turn toward the FACES. "Or at least they WERE, until they started questioning EVERYTHING I EVER DID FOR THEM!!!" He will sigh VERY loudly before finishing. "Good help is so hard to find, I swear." - ------ - -*IF NOONE PROPOSES ANYTHING* -All four of the faces stare at Nash for a few seconds in silence, then look at each other. Jerras is the first one to speak up. "You really expect us to believe you intended to do all of that...?" - -"I don't EXPECT anything. That is the fucking truth, plain and simple." He pulls out a large HP potion and chugs it quick, wiping the blood from his lip after. "And I've come too far to stop now." - -Harken speaks up finally. "You are going to kill yourself, you realize that right?" - -Nash pulls out his gun, loads it with fresh ammo one bullet at a time, and clicks it closed. "I'm not giving up until either they go down or I do. I'm willing to die on this hill." - -Anais actually stands up and walks up to him, and for once all the rage in her eyes is gone. "Do you have any idea how much I want to kill you right now?" - -"No more than them I assume--" She interrupts him mid sentence by grabbing his shirt collar, yanking him down to her level, and KISSING HIM. Right in front of everyone. He takes a few seconds to process what just happened. "...you are giving me really mixed signals, you know that?" - -"Shut it." She pulls out her own rifle and loads a fresh magazine. "If we make it out of this alive, you and I are gonna have A LONG TALK." - -Harken stands up and lights a cigarette, sighing a bit. "Well you can count me out. At this point, if I join either side, I stop being a neutral entity. Whomever wins, is the one in the right." - ------ - -ROLL FOR JERRAS - -*DOES NOT JOIN* -"Well you can count me out too. As a businessman, I know when the coin ain't worth the effort." - -*DOES JOIN* -"Well you can count me in. I make it a habit to see every business deal through to the end." He marches himself over to Nash's side, hefting his hammer on his shoulder. - -Vivid rolls her eyes and groans. "Fuuuck, this is such bullshit..!" She picks herself up and walks to your group, pulling out her sword. - -"Harken, you and I are gonna have words after all of this. But I know HE gave you the order to shoot my dad, so I'm gonna kick his ass TWICE as hard for the BOTH of you." - -REDO FIGHT WITH HALF HEALTH ENEMIES - -*IF THEY WIN* -Nash will flop against the ground HARD, curling up a bit in severe pain. Anais will slowly drag herself toward him through the ground, panting raggedly all the while. - ------ - -*IF JERRAS JOINED* -Jerras will lie on his back, half conscious. "I think it's safe to say it's over, Boss..." - -*IF JERRAS DID NOT JOIN* -Harken will take a long drag off his cigarette. "You lost fair and square. Twice. Time to pack it in." - ------ - -"NO! I'M NOT DONE!" Nash will slam his fist into the ground in frustration, and Anais will put her hand over his, holding it tight. He will stop shaking for a moment, muttering a bit in frustration, and she full on hugs him tightly from behind. - -*IF THEY APPROACH* -Nash will suddenly raise his arm and reveal a green potion bottle. "THIS ISN'T OVER, YOU HEAR ME?!" He will slam the potion bottle into the ground right in front of him, causing a whirlwind explosion to send him AND Anais clinging to his back flying into the distance. - -Harken just stares, his cigarette finally gone. "I'll give him this, he is persistent." He walks over to your group, helping each of you up. "This is going to be one hell of a report." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/06 - Ending.txt b/Mainline-Story/06 - Ending.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6313392..0000000 --- a/Mainline-Story/06 - Ending.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,278 +0,0 @@ - LAST CHAPTER - -------------------------- - -*BRING ALL 12 REGALIA FORTH* -*CALL DOWN ZEROTH* - -The island itself begins to rumble, all twelve gates shining with ethereal glows of their respective colors. You suddenly see a bright golden glow from behind the welcome center in the distance. Right after, you see trees slowly bend away, hear crashing of metal & glass, and watch the entire welcome center collapse. - -From the cloud of dust and rubble steps Reiji the Stallion from the front gate, eyes shining an ethereal gold and body brimming with warbling energy, head held high. Every step he takes causes a crater to form beneath his hooves, shaking the citizens around him violently. - -When he finally arrives at the center of town, he stares at you all and extends his hands toward you. "CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING YOUR MOST VIRTUOUS TASK. YOU HAVE BEEN DEEMED THE MOST OUTSTANDING MORTALS TO EXIST AND THUS ARE BUT A STEP FROM WHAT YOU WOULD REFER TO AS GODHOOD." - -*ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS* - -"I NEED ONLY RECLAIM THE FRAGMENT OF MY POWER AND YOU MAY HAVE YOUR PRIZE." He places his hand on the ground of Diadem, and everything begins to rumble all over again. - -The rock walls surrounding Diadem begin to crumble and dissolve one massive chunk at a time. Once the rock is gone, there are clean golden magic metal walls in a jagged 12-point circle around Diadem, resembling something of an extremely large crown, with each of the gates embedded into it like crown jewels. - -The gates all shift from their respective colors to gold, and every person and creature inside is suddenly forced out. When these people and creatures realize everything is shaking & breaking, they begin to scream and run in a panic, a few of them falling off Diadem into the ocean through the lowest points in the metal walls. - -*IF THEY COMPLAIN* -He will retort "I HAVE WITNESSED THESE PEOPLE GROW, WITHER, AND DIE OVER THE LAST 547 YEARS. I HAVE LEARNED THESE PEOPLE ARE INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO THEE. SO LONG AS YOU ARE ELEVATED, THE REST CAN BE IGNORED." - -*If they protest again* -He stops shaking the Diadem. "HMM... I MAY HAVE UNDERESTIMATED YOUR MORTAL SENSE OF CARE... I HAD HOPED IT A SIMPLE MATTER TO APPEASE TO YOUR MORTAL DESIRES." - -"I HAVE A SOLUTION. WE SHALL HOLD OURSELVES AN HONORABLE DUEL, FOR THE FATE OF THE PEOPLE OF DIADEM AND YOUR GODHOOD. NO CHALLENGE CIRCLE, THE PEOPLE WILL BE OUR BOUNDARY AND BARRIER. BEST ME, AND YOU MAY HAVE IT ALL. BUT FAIL, AND EVERYTHING & EVERYONE WILL BE FORFEIT. WILL THAT SUFFICE?" - -*THE PEOPLE THAT FELL* -"HM.. I WOULD NOT WISH FOR ANY DISTRACTIONS FROM OUR MOST HONORABLE DUEL.. VERY WELL. ALLOW ME A MOMENT." - -He will raise his hand, glowing with gold energy. Every person that fell will suddenly be encased in that same energy and lifted from the water, then placed safely on Diadem. "WILL THIS SATISFY YOU?" - -Every person in Diadem is very quickly converging on your location, slowly encircling you all and literally becoming the arena boundary he claimed they would be. - -AFTER THE FIGHT - -He kneels in pain, panting softly. "I YIELD... YOU HAVE BESTED ME..." He looks up to your group. "I have witnessed this planet's evolution for an entire eon, watched the denizens of this false island for half a millennium, and none have come so far as to have the power to best me, even in my current state." - -He slowly stands and walks forward. "I will keep my word and allow these people safe passage from the Diadem. Before then, shall we discuss your true prize?" - -*WHAT IS THE PRIZE* -"As I offered, your prize was to be power akin to my own, but of you like, I will offer each of you anything of your choosing. You could be immortal like myself or the other concepts, have unlimited power in a different matter, endless wealth from any nation, anything your heart desires." - -He bellows in anguish as he is struck from behind by Nash, still carrying his golden cutlass. And he is looking very excited. - -"I HEARD THE WHOLE THING, YOU SON OF A BITCH! You never intended to free us, you were gonna let us all DIE HERE! Which means I was FUCKING RIGHT!!!" He laughs hysterically before continuing. "Hey Zeroth, wanna know what I wish for?! I wish to sentence you to death like you just tried to do to ALL OF US!" - -He jams his whole sword into Zeroth's back, causing him to cry out in anguish, but the sword does not come out the other side. - -All the hysterical joy Nash was experiencing disappears in an instant. "What?! What are you-- NO! LET GO OF ME!!" His arm is being pulled in and against Zeroth's body, slowly becoming absorbed into him. - -With a sharp scream of terror, the two bodies fully combine. A brilliant golden flash erupts from their physical union, blinding all of you for a brief moment, and a new entity stands before you. - -A ten foot tall prismatic fox man with flowing pearlescent hair, atop centaur legs of the same hue, stands before you, followed by thirteen fox tails, each of which is tipped in a different color matching each element of magic. - -The eyes open, and within shine the colors of all thirteen shades of magic, as the new creature gazes upon your group, as well as himself. His voice sounds like Nash, but with Zeroth's as an echo. - -"I... have assumed control of all... All his knowledge, his magic, his POWER, everything is in my grasp." He suddenly bellows out in anguish, his new form pulsing with energy. "This body is unstable with a humanimal element... it seems I am not suited for this power..." His eyes drift toward your group. "...but you are! COME TO ME!" - -He raises his hand and aims it at your group, your bodies glowing gold as he attemps to force you to come closer. "Join with me and we will all get our wish! Freedom! Godhood! Anything we desire will be ours!" - -A black long sword falls from the air, glowing with red magic, slicing directly into the center of his left hand and binding it to the ground. "WHAT IS THIS?!" - -Your group's bodies land on the ground, but you feel several HP and MP vials fall into your laps as twelve familiar bodies pull forward and around you. The twelve demense Masters have stepped forward. "You would dare to defy your Master?! Your Creator?!" - -Aodaghan: We would defy the shit out of you any day of the week! - -Conroy: Not the words I'd choose, but I concur! - -Zahir: This party is over! It's not fun anymore! - -Corentin: You have disrupted the peace of this land! - -Dorrin: And made the people cry! - -Arledge: We don't wanna fight ya'll, but we will! - -Miranda: We love these people like our own! - -Whittaker: We've always been careful around you, and we're done! - -Fulmo: There is no justice in your actions! - -Thanatos: We will fighd you, do prodecd dhem! - -Cassius: ... (He will just be standing there cross-armed and silent) - -Striker: What Master Cassius means to say is, we're done hiding in the dark! - -Tlaloc: WE! HELP! FRIENDS! - -Nash-Zeroth slams his free hand into the ground, one eye shining vibrant gold only while the other maintains its multicolor glow. His voice has suddenly changed to be dripping with hatred. - -"ENOUGH OF YOUR SENTIMENTAL BULLSHIT! YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN EXTENSIONS OF ME! LITERAL FRAGMENTS OF POWER DESIGNED TO BE MY LESSER! THESE CREATURES WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT SHOWED ANY POTENTIAL TO EVOLVE AND BECOME MY EQUALS, AND THEY PROVED TO BE A FAILURE OF A SPECIES! THEY DO NOT DESERVE TO DRAW BREATH!" - -A golden sword this time falls from the sky and into Zeroth's right hand, pinning it to the ground. But attached to it is King Akarui, now wearing his military outfit. He jumps off the colossal hand and lands before your group, facing Nash-Zeroth. - -"If that's how you feel, Nash-Zeroth, then the Thirteen Kings of Diadem will fight back!" He turns back around to your group with a smile and a wink. "With a little help from the Kings of Kings, of course." - -The twelve demense Masters step forward with Akarui leading them. "Okay.. Aodaghan, Dorrin, Tlaloc, you're on offense. Hit him hard and make it hurt." All three jump in to the fray and IMMEDIATELY start either blasting him with spells or straight punching him. - -"Zahir, Corentin, Whitaker, Fulmo, you're on range. Keep him distracted so their hits are more effective." All four either take to the air or slide into a position closer to his rear and begin slinging spells, immediately catching Zeroth's attention. - -"Conroy, Miranda, Thanatos, Cassius, you're all on support. Make openings for everyone else. Arledge, you back them up and keep everyone on their feet." All five jump to a sparse combat position, launching spells as well for the rest of the team. - -"Hold your positions from here. I'll be preparing your reinforcements." He then runs back to your group, kneeling down and making sure you've all taken your potions. - -"Okay the Masters are amazing, but it's like he said. They are literally DESIGNED to not be at his level. Now I have a really stupid idea that might just work, but it all hinges on one thing. I didn't have a great view from where I was, but is there any chance Nash combined in him WITH his gold weapon?" - -AFTER THEY CONFIRM -"Okay, then this might work. I want all of you to challenge him, full gold circle, and wager the gold sword inside him. I have a hunch, and this might fix everything at once." - -Nash-Zeroth suddenly bellows out as his thirteen tails all glow with raw magic, the gold tailtip suddenly sending out a wave of energy so bright it blinds all the demense Masters for a moment. - -While they're distracted, the other twelve tails all fire magic beams at a different Master, each one hitting their (as you have learned) elemental opposite and knocking them to the ground around him. - -Nash-Zeroth looks around at the twelve injured Masters, showing immense disdain. "Pathetic. I expected better from extensions of myself at the very least." - -He groans as his body begins to warble again like before, the injuries he sustained attempting to heal themselves. He turns his attention to Akarui. "This was the best you could do? An asssult against me with my own fetters of power?" - -Akarui smiles at Nash-Zeroth. "I can do far better and you know it. That is why I was chosen to be King, and you were my assistant! The best idea you ever had was to put everyone in a tin can and hope we didn't die!" - -Nash-Zeroth slams his hands into the ground as he charges forward, coming up to a few feet from your group and well past the demense Masters. "WE ARE WELL PAST THE POINT OF THIS. The people no longer matter to me, all that matters is I rip your head off your arrogant shoulders!" - -Akarui sighs a bit and shakes his head. "Well then... it's all up to you, Kings of Kings. Say the magic words." And right before you say those words, he jumps far outside its capture range. "I JUST HOPE I'M RIGHT!" - ------ - -*CHALLENGE NASH-ZEROTH* -Upon hearing the phrase, Nash-Zeroth actually bellows in pain as the outline of the gold cutlass appears in his torso. The gold walls will begin to radiate with energy, before a gold circle expands from your group's feet AND Nash-Zeroth. - -Akarui lands outside the circle. "I was right! The Diadem is a Regalia! IT'S ZEROTH'S REGALIA! The gold circles are INVOCATIONS of its magic!" - -The sword was a big enough piece that it could work like an antenna! And Nash was the first one to get his hands on it AND give it a command it could work with!" - -This revelation causes the unstable Nash-Zeroth to screech in anger, clawing at the ground for a moment. "I WILL FEED YOU YOUR OWN ENTRAILS YOU POMPOUS PIGEON!" - -Akarui actually looks a little offended at that one, as Nash-Zeroth turns to your group in the circle. "FINE! ONE FINAL BATTLE IT IS! THE KINGS OF KINGS WILL BECOME THE FIRST CASUALTIES OF WAR!!!" - -AFTER THEY WIN - -Nash-Zeroth will collapse in defeat, his body beginning to warp and writhe in pain as a small gold circle appears on his chest, the golden sword from within producing its handle, awaiting the victor to grab and remove it. - -(FIGHT/PHYSIQUE ROLL) -The sword is surprisingly not giving immediately and requires more effort to pull out. - -Upon removing it, you pull an entire separate body out of its chest that is also clinging to the back of the sword by its non-bladed edge. Nash goes careening several yards away and lands & rolls a couple times with a dull thud. - -The body in front of you pulses with energy, glowing brightly and thrashing about with an ear piercing screeching noise, the body expanding like a balloon, the skin peeling and revealing golden energy in its rawest form underneath. - -You don't need to be a genius to realize that body is going critical from losing its primary mind (Nash) and is about to explode. - -King Akarui will see this, and yell at everyone. "ANYONE WHO HAS A GOLD WEAPON, GRAB IT AND FOLLOW MY LEAD!" He will then run over, grab the gold sword he flew in with, and run into the growing body, hacking and slashing it with the sword. - -Every cut anyone makes causes misting of the gold dust to appear as it slowly eats the magic body, and it does appear to slow the expanding with every cut made. - -(LET EVERYLNE MAKE A FIGHT/SHOOT ROLL WITH THE WEAPONS & RESPOND ACCORDINGLY BASED ON RESULTS) - -The hacking and slashing has caused the massive body to go DOWN in size significantly, but it is still getting brighter over time, and is still likely to go critical in only a few seconds. - -IF NOONE ELSE HAS A SOLUTION, NOTICE ROLL -You hear a familiar chittering from within your own shadow. "Hehehe.. looks like "I" get to be the big hero this time~" Striker appears from Akarui's shadow and pushes him & all the other gold weapon holders away. - -He chuckles and pulls out all the gold weapons everyone had, as well as a few more gold daggers. "Consider this MY repayment for you saving my Master from his fate, Kings of Kings~" He turns to the expanding body. - -"I've always wanted to say this.. I CHALLENGE THEE!" It takes a moment, but the six gold weapons he holds AND the Diadem glow gold again as a barrier circle appears around Striker and the unstable Zeroth. - -With a rebellious screech,h he leaps forward and stabs all six weapons into the body, causing it to burst and erupt with magic energy. Striker turns to your group and gives you all a small wave, before the light is too bright to see. - -The explosion is completely contained within the gold magic circle, but after a few seconds, it does eventually shatter like glass, and everyone is knocked back onto the ground by the blast wave. - ------ - -When the smoke clears, you see Zeroth, battered and bruised but in one piece and lying in the middle of a crater. You also see small particles of gold dust elevating from his body into the open air, like snow in reverse. - -The demense masters run to his side, Conroy gently lifting him up a bit so he can talk. "You... may not have meant to, but you saved me... I thank you... Kings of Kings." - -King Akarui calls out to you from a distance. "Guys... Nash feels cold... and his heartbeat is really slow..." Anyone who inspects him will notice he feels cold, his fur is less colorful, and his pulse is weak. - -Zeroth speaks out. "You are correct. The physical trauma of melding with me, taking on so much damage, and being ejected how he was was too much for his mortal body. His life is fading... as is mine." - -The demense Masters all freak out hearing this. "The strain on my existence is too much... being defeated in combat, struck down by a piece of my own Regalia, fused with a mortal in such a manner, defeated a second time, and having my own magic carved away in that corrupted state has taken most of my strength..." - -*IF NOONE ASKS* -Conroy will look around. "Well if noone else will ask, I will. What does that mean for us?" - -Zeroth will shake his head slowly. "I gave you all separate lives and will, but the essence of your existence is still tethered to mine. It matters not if it is yours or mine, equilibrium MUST be maintained. If I go, then... you go with me." All the demense masters turn to themselves, then look to you guys before Zeroth continues. "And I do not have long." - -(Give everyone a chance to complain, cry, and be angry about it) - -Zeroth will speak out. "You truly care for them, don't you?" - -WHEN THE PARTY SPEAKS OUT -Zeroth will turn his head to your group. "I was not referring to you." All twelve demense Masters nod in agreement. "I see... I am not a fan of such a title, but as YOUR 'King,' I am going to give you my final order. Bring me to the one you call Nash. I wish to speak with him." - -AFTER ANY RESPONSE -"When I was melded with him, I saw inside his mind. Sifted through his memories. His deceased parents were the only people in his life that mattered to him. Without them, he was alone. Adrift amongst a sea of beings he felt no connection to, no matter how much he desired it to be otherwise. I resonate with him on that level. Please... grant me this one request." - -SOMEONE CARRIES HIM BESIDE NASH - -He will lie beside him, lying on his back while Nash lies on his stomach. "Hello Nash..." - -N: H-hey.. you son of a bitch.. - -Z: Still alive I see.. - -N: Yeah.. gonna take more than that to kill ME.. - -Z: I wish I could say the same.. I will cease to exist very shortly.. - -N: Yeah.. cards on the table, I'm probably right behind you.. - -Z: ...do you have any regrets? - -N: Well, I... wish I hit you a little harder, heh - -Z: Hm.. all things considered, I suppose I could say the same.. - -Both of them laugh at the joke weakly, sighing a little after. - -Z: Truthfully, I.. have only one real regret.. - -N: Lay it on me, Z.. Dead men tell no tales and all that shit.. - -Z: When I found this planet an eon ago, I had a simple curiosity, to see what life was like from their perspective. A species with origins not so dissimilar from myself. For a brief moment, I was able to see it from your eyes, however corrupt. It felt... nice. I wish to experience more of it. - -N: Is that right? Well.. I guess it was kinda nice not being alone in my head.. or.. your head..? You get the point.. - -Z: Indeed I do... I have a proposal... - -N: I'm all ears... - -Z: Rather than leave this plane of existence individually... what if we simply... became one entity? Properly this time? - -N: You even got the juice for that..? - -Z: Even in this state, I have more than enough power to perform such an action. Though... I cannot guarantee what the end result will be. I cannot guarantee we will live through it either. - -N: Well... the way I see it, it's either we both die here... or we both get a chance at living together... tough call, and I know I'm gonna hate myself for this one, heh.. (cough hard) ..but, what the hell, I'll give it a shot.. - -Z: Your bravery is admirable.. Goodbye, Nash.. - -N: So long, you arrogant horse's ass.. - -Zeroth reaches for Nash's hand and grasps it as tight as he can, and both bodies begin to glow. You see both physical forms overlap, but this time the glow is soft and warm, shifting in hue from old gold to new gold. - -Once the shine fades, a new entity lies before you with a mix of traits of both species. The body and fur pattern is largely Nash's fox, but the limbs are cloaked in Zeroth's limb fluff. The feet end in solid hooves, the tail becomes horsehair in a fox pattern, and the ears have become stubby little horse ears. The hair has also become longer as a whole, but he mostly maintained the foxy face. - -It takes a moment, but he slowly wakes up, groaning heavily as he makes his first moves as a new being. "Urgh... my aching head.." He looks around at everyone. "Is... there a reason everyone is staring at me..? Is there something on my face?" - -He reaches for his face, noticing a distinct difference in the feeling of his paw. "Wait, what the..? Why are my arms so fluffy? Why is my tail so ropey?? Are those fucking HOOVES?! AM I A HORSE?!?!" He suddenly winces in pain, both hands grasping his head. "WAIT... It's all coming back to me now... bits and pieces... okay, okay... I get it now... this is me now... or, US, I guess..? This is so weird..." - -Aodaghan steps forth. "It ain't much better from where we stand." All the demense masters are still here, Aodaghan helping the new guy to his feet. "Welcome back to the livin' world, Zeroth. Or do we call you Nash now?" - -"No... new me, new name. What did Zeroth call himself when he was greeting new people at the door? Reiji? How about... Reggie. I like the sound of that." He smiles at the demense Masters and sighs. "This is gonna be so weird..." - -Reggie's entire eyes glow gold for moment, his voice changed to sound more like Zeroth. "This will be an adjustment for all of us it seems. This union was better than I had hoped. We are, in effect, no different than the demense Masters." - -The gold in his eyes fades, and he blinks a few times rapidly. "So... he is still here too, and I guess we just kinda... share this weird-ass body now..?" - ------ - -IF ANYONE ASKS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF DIADEM -Conroy speaks out this time. "That depends on what the Kings of Kings decide. They won the right to claim ownership of the Diadem in that last fight, no differently than our own regalia. So now... they are our new Kings. True Kings of Kings." - -You can almost hear the depression seeping off Akarui, but he sighs and nods. "They are right. Diadem is a giant Regalia, and you won the rights to it fair and square. This is, quite literally, your property now. So... what will you do first?" - -PITCH THE FOLLOWING - -Get everyone off Diadem - -Make Diadem a legit country - -Give control to Akarui - -SKIP TO ONE YEAR LATER AND DETERMINE AN APPROPRIATE ENDING ON YOUR OWN \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mechanics/Buying-and-Selling.txt b/Mechanics/Buying-and-Selling.txt index 654e816..0f0778c 100644 --- a/Mechanics/Buying-and-Selling.txt +++ b/Mechanics/Buying-and-Selling.txt @@ -1,5 +1,6 @@ -In-Game currency = Z (*pronounced zee*) -Hand crafted coins made of sea salt metal, infused with raw Mana, and coated in volcanic zinc / nickel, in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 +# In-Game currency = Z (*pronounced zee*) +Coins are hand crafted from sea salt metal, infused with raw Mana, and coated in volcano zinc / nickel +- Currency references what MP it would be worth if it was used normally Weapons @@ -49,15 +50,19 @@ Potions sell for 10z per size, regardless of the type - SML = 10z - MED = 20z - LRG = 30z + +----- Banded Ring -- Sells for 50z, buys for 25z +- Costs 50z, sells for 25z Mana Shield -- Sells for 100z, buys for 50z +- Costs 100z, sells for 50z War Banner -- Sells for 50z, buys for 25z +- Costs 50z, sells for 25z + +----- Housing - Apartments have 2 bed 1 bath max and go for 250z a month @@ -66,13 +71,25 @@ Housing - Gated residences have as many bed & bath as needed and go for 1,000z a month +----- + Vehicles Vehicles with engines require 1 MANA to start, as they do not use other fuel sources. And until you turn that vehicle off, it runs indefinitely. -Bikes cost 50z to own for single seater and 75z for two seater +Bikes are 100z regardless of type (3HP) -Motorcycles are 5,000z to own or 100z a month, and can be a rent-to-own after 5 years at this rate +Motorcycles are 5,000z to own or 250z a month, and can be a rent-to-own after 3 years at this rate (5HP) -2 or 4 seater cars, trucks, and jeeps are 25,000z to own or 500z a month to rent, and can be a rent-to-own after 5 years at this rate +2 or 4 seater cars, trucks, and jeeps are 20,000z to own or 400z a month to rent, and can be a rent-to-own after 5 years at this rate (10HP) -6-seater vans are 37,500z to own or 750z a month to rent, and can be a rent-to-own after 5 years at this rate \ No newline at end of file +6-seater vans are 37,500z to own or 750z a month to rent, and can be a rent-to-own after 5 years at this rate (10HP) + +- While riding in a vehicle, you may use the vehicle as a weapon for your ATTACK action, and use DRIVE to determine HIT/MISS/MATCH, dealing 3DMG on a HIT. If the vehicle is used for an ATTACK action, it also takes 1DMG on a HIT/MATCH + +- The vehicle itself has 3HP if a bike, 5HP if a motorcycle, or 10HP if a car, and if it hits 0HP, it is now broken & unusable + +- While riding in a vehicle, your opponent may choose to attack you OR the vehicle, or if using anything that can hit multiple targets, it will hit both. You MUST use DRIVE to dodge any incoming attacks instead of ATHLETICS or STEALTH + +- If multiple people are in the vehicle, whomever is driving must make the DODGE roll (using DRIVE) for any of them on their behalf, and that applies singularly OR as a group + +- While riding in a car SPECIFICALLY, you cannot use any FIGHT weapons, unless they have the THROWING or REACH property \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mechanics/Items.txt b/Mechanics/Items.txt index 6b1e286..56b6dfe 100644 --- a/Mechanics/Items.txt +++ b/Mechanics/Items.txt @@ -1,91 +1,75 @@ -# In-Game currency = Z (*pronounced zee*) -Coins are hand crafted from sea salt metal, infused with raw Mana, and coated in volcano zinc / nickel -- Currency references what MP it would be worth if it was used normally + +AMMUNITION +Firearms are an integral part of this game and consume ALOT of ammunition to use properly. From bows to guns, from standard bullets to explosive, different weapons have different ammo needs. + + Ammo is labeled generically. A weapon that does 2DMG will simply have 2DMG ammo, for the sake of simplicity. There are different subtypes: + + BASIC ammo is used across almost every projectile + PIERCE is used for weapons designed to hit multiple targets in a line + SPREAD is used when your weapon shoots shrapnel at people in a line + EXPLOSIVE is when the weapon is expected to go BOOM on impact + +ARMOR +A simple armor plate holder (military grade) is what most people here will use. The holder itself is relatively cheap, but the armor plates it holds may not be. + + One Armor Plate per holder + Armor plates can absorb 2 non-Magic non-Pierce DMG before breaking + Replacing a plate during combat is an ITEM Action + If you are HIT by PIERCE weapons, the PIERCE rating is reduced by 1 + +GRENADES +These throwable explosives are a great way to take down multiple people in one fell swoop. Best of all, despite technically being a weapon, you use them with your ITEM Action! + + All characters in a 2x2 grid of your choosing will be dealt 3DMG on a HIT + This uses your FIGHT, SHOOT, or STEALTH to determine HIT/MATCH/MISS + +Banded Ring +A magically infused ring available in 12 different colors + + Wearer becomes immune to one STATUS + STATUS immunity matches color of ring / magic -## Weapons average 10z x base DMG *when bought from shop* -- 1DMG = 10z, 2DMG = 40z, 3DMG = 90z, 4DMG = 160z, 5DMG = 250z -- Selling to shop divides sale price by base DMG - -## Potions average 50z per size, regardless of the type -- SML potions = 25z, MED potions = 50z, LRG potions = 75z -- Selling to shop reduces price by 1/2 - -# Banded Ring -## A magically infused ring available in 12 different colors -- *Wearer becomes immune to one STATUS* -- *STATUS immunity matches color of ring / magic* - -# Mana Shield +Mana Shield A gold arm bar strapped in at both ends of the forearm, with an MP potion slot near the elbow -- Casts a REACTIVE only variant of GOLD spells, fueled by an equal number of MP + + Casts a REACTIVE only variant of GOLD spells, fueled by an equal number of MP -## HP Potions (clear liquid) -- SML heals 5HP -- MED heals 10HP -- LRG heals 15HP +HP Potions (clear liquid) + SML heals 5HP + MED heals 10HP + LRG heals 15HP -## MP Potions (pearlescent) -- SML recovers 5MP -- MED recovers 10MP -- LRG recovers 15MP +MP Potions (pearlescent) + SML recovers 5MP + MED recovers 10MP + LRG recovers 15MP -## Element potions (misc color) -- SML deals 1 DMG + STATUS when thrown / reduces ELE DMG by 1 for 3 rounds + removes STATUS when drank -- MED deals 3 DMG + STATUS when thrown / reduces ELE DMG by 2 for 3 rounds + removes STATUS when drank -- LRG deals 5 DMG + STATUS when thrown / reduces ELE DMG by 3 for 3 rounds + removes STATUS when drank - -WEAPONS - -Weapons do anywhere from 1-5 DMG -- Weapons can be IMPROVED to gain +1 DMG - -DUAL-WEILD -- HIT with weapon 1 = weapon 2 ATK at DISADV (roll twice, take lower roll) -- MISS with weapon 1 = weapon 2 ATK at ADV (roll twice, take higher roll) - -FLEXIBLE -- These weapons can be used one-handed for normal DMG, or two-handed for +1 DMG) - -REACH -- These weapons have the option to attack one zone away as a one-handed weapon - -RELOAD -- To use weapon again once ammo is empty, sacrifice MVMT for the turn to reload with more ammo - -THROWABLE -- Weapon can be thrown using either SHOOT or PHYSIQUE to do same DMG on HIT -- Can only be thrown into one ZONE away - -TWO-HANDED -- Can only use one at a time and must hold it in both hands - -## 1DMG -Chains (dual-weild, reach) -Daggers (throwable, dual-weild) -Rocks (throwable) -Slingshot (SHOOT, reload) -Metal Pipe (dual-weild) -Baseball Bat (dual-weild) - -## 2DMG -Gauntlets (Dual-Weild) -Handaxes (throwable, dual-weild) -Swords (dual-weild) -Basic pistols (dual-weild) -Light crossbows (reload) -Whips (Reach) -Polearms (reach) (flexible) - -## 3DMG -Long swords (two-handed) -Shotguns (two-handed, reload) -Long bows (reload, two-handed) - -## 4DMG -**Broadswords** (two-handed) -**Grenade launcher** (two-handed, reload) -**Heavy crossbow** (two-handed, reload) - -## 5DMG -**Rocket launcher** (two-handed) -**Zanbatou** (two handed) +Elemental (color) potions (misc color) + + SML deals 1 DMG + STATUS when thrown + - Reduces (color) DMG by 1 for 3 rounds + removes STATUS when drank + + MED deals 3 DMG + STATUS when thrown + - Reduces (color) DMG by 2 for 3 rounds + removes STATUS when drank + + LRG deals 5 DMG + STATUS when thrown + - Reduces (color) DMG by 3 for 3 rounds + removes STATUS when drank + +WAR BANNERS +An unusual item composed of thread interwoven with raw MANA, this item is used to give a small boost to one skill score and help make the difference in battle. + + It is a one-time-use ITEM that is placed on the BATTLEZONE, and when you do so, you choose a grid of four ZONES in a 2x2 formation. While in these ZONES, one SKILL is given a +1 for three rounds, so long as it does not cause that SKILL to exceed a total of +5. + + After those three rounds, the banner is destroyed. + + Banner of Courage + +1 to all FIGHT rolls + + Banner of Precision + +1 to all SHOOT rolls + + Banner of Acrobatics + +1 to all ATHLETICS rolls + + Banner of Mysticism + +1 to all ACADEMICS rolls \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mechanics/Magic.txt b/Mechanics/Magic.txt index 2568347..d6148d0 100644 --- a/Mechanics/Magic.txt +++ b/Mechanics/Magic.txt @@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ LV3 spell: FIREBALL LV4 spell: TAVROS (bull) RESIST Fire, WEAK Water -Level 5 spell: PHOENIX -(firebird) IMMUNE Fire +Level 5 spell: BASILISK +(reptilian bird) IMMUNE Fire CALAMITY : VOLCANO - TARGET(s) take FIRE DMG equal to MP spent across all TARGETS + AFTERBURN @@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ LV2 spell: TIME STREAM LV3 spell: TIMEZONE -LV4 spell: YO'LBARS -(tiger) RESIST Time, WEAK Space +LV4 spell: SMILODON +(sabertooth tiger) RESIST Time, WEAK Space -LV5 spell: SMILODON -(sabertooth) IMMUNE Time +LV5 spell: BAIHU +(guardian tiger) IMMUNE Time CALAMITY : TIME STOP - (Can be cast as REACTION) @@ -131,8 +131,8 @@ LV3 spell: SHIMMER BURST LV4 spell: AILBHEAN (elephant) RESIST Light, WEAK Dark -LV5 spell: MELISSAE -(honeybee goddess) IMMUNE: Light +LV5 spell: AH-MUZEN-CAB +(bee god) IMMUNE: Light CALAMITY : SMITE - TARGET(s) take 1 LIGHT DMG per 2MP spent + RADIANT + all weapons & worn items are destroyed (except REGALIA & INVENTORY items) @@ -152,11 +152,11 @@ LV2 spell: DOWNBURST LV3 spell: TORNADO -LV4 spell: BAO DOM -(jaguar) RESIST Wind, WEAK Earth +LV4 spell: MALFINI +(eagle) RESIST Wind, WEAK Earth -LV5 spell: QUETZALCOATL -(winged serpent) IMMUNE Wind +LV5 spell: MIXCOATL +(cloud serpent) IMMUNE Wind CALAMITY : HURRICANE - TARGET(s) take 1 WIND DMG per 2MP spent + LIFTOFF + all characters lifted and dropped into random zones, then take 1DMG upon landing @@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ LV3 spell: GEYSER LV4 spell: IHLENGESI (dolphin) RESIST Water, WEAK Fire -LV5 spell: DAKUWANGA +LV5 spell: UKUPANIPO (shark god) IMMUNE Water CALAMITY : TSUNAMI @@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ On an ENEMY: Caster heals own HP equal to highest DMG dealt among ENEMIES Level 0 spell: CURE -LV1 spell: HARMONY +LV1 spell: HARMONIZE LV2 spell: RESTORE @@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ LV3 spell: MIRACLE LV4 spell: HAZON'AINA (tree of life) RESIST Life, WEAK Death -LV5 spell: TU'ER YE -(moon rabbit god) IMMUNE Life +LV5 spell: NANABOZHO +(the great rabbit) IMMUNE Life CALAMITY : REBIRTH - ENEMY TARGET(s) lose 1HP per 2MP spent @@ -220,19 +220,19 @@ TARGET must ATTACK CASTER next turn Level 0 spell: STELLAR -LV1 spell: ASTEROID +LV1 spell: METEOROID LV2 spell: STAR SHOWER LV3 spell: GRAVITY WELL - + LV4 spell: CON SU TU (lion) RESIST Space, WEAK Time LV5 spell: GRYPHUS (gryphon) IMMUNE Space -CALAMITY: METEOR STRIKE +CALAMITY: ASTEROID - TARGET(s) take 1 SPACE DMG per 2MP spent + STARSTRUCK + each ENEMY can only use ONE A.I.M. action per turn for rest of fight ----- @@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ LV3 spell: HAILSTORM LV4 spell: BELIY MEDVED (polar bear) RESIST Ice, WEAK Lightning -LV5 spell: CERNUNNOS -(stag man god) IMMUNE Ice +LV5 spell: FURFUR +(winged deer) IMMUNE Ice CALAMITY: AVALANCHE - TARGET(s) take 1 ICE DMG per 2MP spent + FROZEN + cannot use MVMT next turn @@ -323,8 +323,8 @@ LV3 spell: BLACKOUT LV4 spell: PILINDIR (tarantula) RESIST Dark, WEAK Light -LV5 spell: KUROGITSUNE -(Black fox demon) IMMUNE Dark +LV5 spell: ABADDON +(formless dark entity) IMMUNE Dark CALAMITY : VOID - TARGET(s) take 1 DARKNESS DMG per 2MP spent + HOLLOW + must attack each other for 1 round diff --git a/Mechanics/Regalia.txt b/Mechanics/Regalia.txt index 27c7ec7..d0a8657 100644 --- a/Mechanics/Regalia.txt +++ b/Mechanics/Regalia.txt @@ -1,164 +1,181 @@ -REGALIA are unique weapons or worn items that, while equipped or wielded, grants a STATUS on top of any HIT or MATCH dealt with any weapon, spell, or thrown item, including potions +REGALIA are unique weapons or worn items that, while equipped or wielded, grants a STATUS on top of any HIT or MATCH dealt with any weapon, spell, or thrown item, including potions + +In addition, every Regalia possesses a ONCE PER FIGHT spell called an INVOCATION that lasts three rounds, and activating it counts as an ITEM action. + +REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE, YOU MAY ONLY HAVE ONE REGALIA EQUIPPED AT A TIME + +IF YOU TRADE OUT THE REGALIA, THE INVOCATION IMMEDIATELY ENDS + +------------------------- + +Flint Flamberge (4DMG) (Heft) -In addition, every Regalia possesses a ONCE PER FIGHT spell called an INVOCATION that lasts three rounds, and activating it counts as an ITEM action. - -REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE, YOU MAY ONLY HAVE ONE REGALIA EQUIPPED AT A TIME - -IF YOU TRADE OUT THE REGALIA, THE INVOCATION IMMEDIATELY ENDS - -------------------------- - -Flint Flamberge (5DMG) (Heft) (Two-Handed) -A six foot long two-handed long-sword with a wavy blade that narrows as it reaches the tip, the blade in multiple colors ascending from white to blue, to yellow, to orange, to red. The grip bears a feathered imprint pattern, it has a pair of yellow metal bird claws designed to be "gripping" the base of the blade & attaching it to the pommel, and a Phoenix head at the very end. Also comes with an intricately designed scabbard skin in a Phoenix feather pattern, meant to look like the bird tail - -While equipped, you gain AFTERBURN - -INVOCATION : FURIOUS BURNOUT -While active, the BATTLEFIELD suddenly becomes surrounded in a pillar of flame, hot as the fires of the strongest volcano. For three rounds: -- Any non-ALLY that ends their turn in any of the outermost 12 ZONES will take FIRE DMG equal to their player LV - ------ - -Regalia: Sanskrit Chronicle (Empty Handed) - -An awkward looking chunk of orange marble in the shape of a buckler shield, it weighs very little and is surprisingly durable, which may be thanks to the mystic inscriptions found all over the stone face. There also appear to be feline claw marks etched into the back, right above the golden handle grip - -While equipped, you gain DESYNC - -INVOCATION : CURIOUS THOUGHT -While active, the BATTLEZONE becomes filled in a thin misting of bright orange sand, causing a mirage-like environment. For the next three rounds: -- You & all ALLIES gain one additional REACTION per round -- The caster may use their REACTION to force an opponent to retake their entire turn ONCE PER ROUND (including once their turn is over) -- During this retake, that character must make a different action, whether it be MOVE, ITEM, or any FIGHT action, and all values are returned to their prior state - ------ - -Regalia: Nova Knuckles (Empty Handed) - -A pair of cestus cleverly designed as a pir of large honeybees, they slide onto the sides of the arm and strap down by a trio of wraparound buckles. The elbows each possess a black jutting spearhead for elbow jabs, and the heads carry a pair of mandible-like knuckle blades. - -While equipped, you gain RADIANT - -INVOCATION : DELIGHTFUL DEXTERITY -While active, the gauntlets will glow a vibrant yellow, then shift straight down, giving you a duplicate set of energy arms just below your normal set, and they are just as dexterous as your own. For three rounds: -- If you perform an ITEM action during your turn, you can perform two instead -- If you perform an ATTACK action during your turn, you can perform two instead - +A six foot long two-handed long-sword with a wavy blade that narrows as it reaches the tip, the blade in multiple colors ascending from white to blue, to yellow, to orange, to red. The grip bears a feathered imprint pattern, it has a pair of yellow metal bird claws designed to be "gripping" the base of the blade & attaching it to the pommel, and a Phoenix head at the very end. Also comes with an intricately designed scabbard skin in a Phoenix feather pattern, meant to look like the bird tail + +While equipped, you gain AFTERBURN + +INVOCATION : WRATH ARENA +While active, the BATTLEFIELD suddenly becomes surrounded in a pillar of flame, hot as the fires of the strongest volcano. For three rounds: +- Any non-ALLY that ends their turn in any of the outermost 12 ZONES will take FIRE DMG equal to their player LV + ----- - -Regalia: Zeph Arcus (3 DMG) (SHOOT) (Two-Handed) - -This strangely patterned Aztec-inspired 5 foot long war bow bears a pair of small wings on the far ends where the bow meets its golden string, and upon pulling said string, it magically generates its own arrows comprised entirely of a swirling green vortex of energy. - -While equipped, you gain LIFTOFF - -INVOCATION : SERENE STEPS -While active, the BATTLEFIELD is encircled by a calming wind that guides your steps and flows through your bows. For three rounds: -- You can now move anywhere on the BATTLEFIELD per point of MVMT -- You & your ALLIES have ADV with SHOOT weapons -- Your ENEMIES have DISADV with SHOOT weapons - + +Sanskrit Chronicle (Empty Handed) (Guard) + +An awkward looking chunk of orange marble in the shape of a buckler shield, it weighs very little and is surprisingly durable, which may be thanks to the mystic inscriptions found all over the stone face. There also appear to be feline claw marks etched into the back, right above the golden handle grip + +While equipped, you gain DESYNC + +INVOCATION : CURIOUS THOUGHT +While active, the BATTLEZONE becomes filled in a thin misting of bright orange sand, causing a mirage-like environment. For the next three rounds: +- You & all ALLIES gain one additional REACTION per round +- The caster may use their REACTION to force an opponent to retake their entire turn ONCE PER ROUND (including once their turn is over) +- During this retake, that character must make a different action, whether it be MOVE, ITEM, or any FIGHT action, and all values are returned to their prior state + ----- - -Regalia: Tide Turner (2 DMG) (Flexible) (Reach) (Thrown) - -This ominous looking harpoon is carefully crafted with an image of a shark embedded in the two hand grips along its body, with the head engraved with multiple gold triangular divots in the shapes of shark teeth. - -While equipped, you gain RIPTIDE - -INVOCATION : MOROSE MAELSTROM -While active, the BATTLEZONE is suddenly enveloped by a violent storm, filled with bustling wind and heavy rainfall. For three rounds: -- You & your ALLIES have ADV with THROWN weapons or items -- You can now THROW weapons/items to any ZONE no different than SHOOT weapons, and if the weapon or item is not one-time-use, it returns to your hand at EOT - - ----- - -Regalia: Chrys Cross (Empty Handed) - -This six inch violet ankh-shaped pendant bears a small metal sculpture of a golden sleeping bunny surrounded by darker purple chrysanthemums, and comes pre-bound to a piece of old fashioned bailing twine as a necklace string - -While equipped, you gain VITAL - -INVOCATION : COMPASSIONATE ATMOSPHERE -While active, the BATTLEZONE suddenly becomes engulfed in a field of the most gorgeous flowers any of you have ever witnessed. For three rounds: -- You and all ALLIES recover 1HP per LV at the start of your turn(s) -- If you HEAL your allies (outside this spell), the highest HP they recover gives you an equal amount, as though they were enemies affected by VITAL - ------ - -Regalia: Star Scourge (2 DMG) (Reach) - -This is an old-fashioned hand-woven black leather whip with a bright pink handle, gold endcaps on either end, and a group of pink star-shaped strike pieces, giving it the appearance of a long range cat-o-nine-tails - -While equipped, you gain STARSTRUCK - -INVOCATION : AMOROUS ALIGNMENT -While active, the sky above the BATTLEZONE suddenly becomes a clear night sky with direct view of the Gryphem constellation. For three rounds: -- Any ATTACKS you or your allies make with REACH weapons gain ADV -- You can pay 1 MVMT to swap positions with any character or distinguishable whole item (ONCE/TURN) -- *THIS CAN BE DONE AS A REACTION FOR FREE* -- *If this action would interrupt a FIGHT action that TARGETS another player, that attack will automatically target the new person* - - ----- - -Regalia: Mokha Verglas (2 DMG) (Dual-Weild) - -This intricately crafted snowflake patterned & colored Ninjato shortsword can be attached at the hip or back with its uniquely flexible golden clasp loop, and its enchanted blade with a permafrost pattern is the perfect compliment for ice cold strikes - -While equipped, you gain FROZEN - -INVOCATION : TREPIDATION TUNDRA -While active, a sudden blizzard encompasses the BATTLEZONE, causing the ground beneath you to freeze over in moments. For three rounds: -- Upon casting, the caster chooses a plus sign of spaces (1-3-1) that, if an ENEMY ends their turn in, becomes encased in a snowman until their next EOT. That ENEMY cannot use REACTION, ATHLETICS, or MVMT, and the next ATK against them HITS without a roll. (This counts as an ICE ITEM) - - ----- - -Regalia: Rai Revolver x2 (2DMG) (Dual Weild) (Reload 6) - -These blocky semi-auto pistols are covered with circular rings of black and silver all along the top of the units aiming toward the end of the gold tipped muzzle. When the guns are aimed down, these rings begin collecting charge within, acting as electromagnetic pathways and accelerators, much like handheld railguns. - -While equipped, you gain CONDUIT - -INVOCATION : TESLA'S TEMPERANCE -While active, the sky over the BATTLEZONE suddenly darkens and turns into a dangerous thunderstorm, the area becoming electrically charged and collecting into your weapons. For three rounds: -- Any HIT or MATCH with your or any ALLY's weapon adds 1 LIGHTNING DMG, as though that ATK was a CRIT -- Any CRIT HIT with your or any ALLY's weapon adds LIGHTNING DMG equal to the DMG inflicted, instead of the normal CRIT bonus - - ----- - -Regalia: Grimm Requiem (3 DMG) (Reach) - -This morbid scythe is uncomfortably old fashioned by design, but the blade itself is attached to the handle by a long wolf skull running along the top of the blade - -While equipped, you gain DREAD - -INVOCATION : REAPER'S ANGUISH + +Nova Knuckles x2 (Empty Handed) x2 (Guard) x2 (Unnatural weapon (+1DMG)) x2 + +A pair of cestus cleverly designed as a pir of large honeybees, they slide onto the sides of the arm and strap down by a trio of wraparound buckles. The elbows each possess a black jutting spearhead for elbow jabs, and the heads carry a pair of mandible-like knuckle blades. + +While equipped, you gain RADIANT + +INVOCATION : DELIGHTFUL DEXTERITY +While active, the gauntlets will glow a vibrant yellow, then shift straight down, giving you a duplicate set of energy arms just below your normal set, and they are just as dexterous as your own. For three rounds: +- If you perform an ITEM action during your turn, you can perform two instead +- If you perform an ATTACK action during your turn, you can perform two instead + +----- + +Zeph Arcus (4 DMG) (SHOOT) (Two-Handed) + +This strangely patterned Aztec-inspired 5 foot long war bow bears a pair of small green wings where the bow meets its golden string, and upon pulling said string, it magically generates its own arrows comprised entirely of a swirling green vortex of energy. + +While equipped, you gain LIFTOFF + +INVOCATION : SERENE STEPS +While active, the BATTLEFIELD is encircled by a calming wind that guides your steps and flows through your bows. For three rounds: +- You can now move anywhere on the BATTLEFIELD per point of MVMT +- You & your ALLIES have ADV with SHOOT weapons +- Your ENEMIES have DISADV with SHOOT weapons + +----- + +Tide Turner (2 DMG) (Flexible) (Reach) (Throwable) + +This ominous looking harpoon is carefully crafted with an image of a shark embedded in the two hand grips along its body, with the head engraved with multiple gold triangular divots in the shapes of shark teeth. + +While equipped, you gain RIPTIDE + +INVOCATION : MOROSE MAELSTROM +While active, the BATTLEZONE is suddenly enveloped by a violent storm, filled with bustling wind and heavy rainfall. For three rounds: +- You & your ALLIES have ADV with THROWN weapons or items +- You can now throw THROWABLE weapons/items to any ZONE no different than SHOOT weapons, and if the weapon/item is not one-time-use, it returns to your hand at EOT + + ----- + +Chrys Cross (Empty Handed) + +This six inch violet ankh-shaped pendant bears a small metal sculpture of a golden sleeping bunny surrounded by darker purple chrysanthemums, and comes pre-bound to a piece of old fashioned twine as a necklace string + +While equipped, you gain VITAL + +INVOCATION : COMPASSIONATE ATMOSPHERE +While active, the BATTLEZONE suddenly becomes engulfed in a field of the most gorgeous flowers any of you have ever witnessed. For three rounds: +- You and all ALLIES recover 1HP per your character's LV at the start of your turn(s) +- All ALLIES gain HP equal to any you gain from any use of VITAL + +----- + +Star Scourge (1 DMG) (Reach) (Disarm) + +This is an old-fashioned hand-woven black leather whip with a bright pink handle, a gold gryphon head endcap, and a group of pink star-shaped strike pieces, giving it the appearance of a long range cat-o-nine-tails + +While equipped, you gain STARSTRUCK + +INVOCATION : AMOROUS ALIGNMENT +While active, the sky above the BATTLEZONE suddenly becomes a clear night sky with direct view of the Gryphem constellation. For three rounds: +- Any ATTACKS you or your allies make with REACH weapons gain ADV +- You can pay 1 MVMT to swap positions with any character or distinguishable whole item (ONCE/TURN) +- *THIS CAN BE DONE AS A REACTION FOR FREE* +- *If this action would interrupt a FIGHT action that TARGETS another player, that attack will automatically target the new person* + + ----- + +Mokha Verglas (1 DMG) (Dual-Weild) + +This intricately crafted snowflake patterned & colored Kodachi shortsword can be attached at the hip or back with its uniquely flexible golden clasp loop, and its enchanted blade with a permafrost pattern is the perfect compliment for ice cold strikes + +While equipped, you gain FROZEN + +INVOCATION : TREPIDATION TUNDRA +While active, a sudden blizzard encompasses the BATTLEZONE, causing the ground beneath you to freeze over in moments. For three rounds: +- Upon casting, the caster chooses a plus sign of spaces (1-3-1) that, if an ENEMY ends their turn in, becomes encased in a snowman until their next EOT. +- That ENEMY cannot use REACTION, ATHLETICS, or MVMT, and the next ATK against them HITS without a roll. (This counts as an ICE ITEM) + + ----- + +Rai Revolver x2 (2DMG) (Dual Weild) (Reload 6) + +These blocky semi-auto pistols are covered with circular rings of black and silver all along the top of the units aiming toward the end of the gold tipped muzzle. When the guns are aimed down, these rings begin collecting charge within, acting as electromagnetic pathways and accelerators, much like handheld railguns. + +While equipped, you gain CONDUIT + +INVOCATION : THUNDEROUS TEMPERANCE +While active, the sky over the BATTLEZONE suddenly darkens and turns into a dangerous thunderstorm, the area becoming electrically charged and collecting into your weapons. For three rounds: +- Any HIT or MATCH with your or any ALLY's weapon adds 1 DMG, as though that ATK was a CRIT +- Any CRIT HIT with your or any ALLY's weapon adds DMG equal to the DMG inflicted, instead of the normal CRIT bonus + + ----- + +Grimm Requiem (3 DMG) (Two-Handed) (Reach) + +This morbid scythe is uncomfortably old fashioned by design, the long arm intricately designed to resemble a running pack of wolves, and the blade is attached by a long wolf skull running along the top of the blade + +While equipped, you gain DREAD + +INVOCATION : REAPER'S ANGUISH While active, the BATTLEZONE becomes surrounded by a dreary gray mist, tombstones appearing in the distance in massive rows. For three rounds: -- All ENEMY ATTACK ACTIONs are made at -1 -- Any ENEMY MISSES or MATCHES deal 1 DEATH DMG per miss to that enemy - - ----- - -Regalia: Dusk Kris (2 DMG) (Dual-Weild) +- If an ENEMY makes an ATTACK that results in a MISS/MATCH against you or your ALLIES, that enemy takes 1DMG per MISS/MATCH +- This includes attacks affecting 2+ players + + ----- + +Dusk Kris (1 DMG) (Dual-Weild) + +This black handled dagger with a surprisingly festive black fox tail hanging from it by a gold chain carries a wavy vantablack blade, so dark it almost appears to erase the light around its curved edges -This black handled dagger with a surprisingly festive black fox tail hanging from it by a gold chain carries a wavy vantablack blade, so dark it almost appears to erase the light around its curved edges -While equipped, you gain HOLLOW +While equipped, you gain HOLLOW + +INVOCATION : BARREN FEAST + +While active, every player suddenly becomes engulfed in their own shadow, chilling them to the bone. For three rounds: +- You & all ALLIES are IMMUNE to all STATUS effects, instead being "eaten" by (collected in) the dagger (these STATUS do not dissipate once the effect wears off) +- On the next HIT with that dagger, all "eaten" STATUS will be afflicted onto that target, including STACKED STATUS + + ----- + +Cliff Breaker (4DMG) (Heft) (Two-Handed) + +For all intents and purposes, it looks like someone jammed a tree limb into a rock and called it a GreatHammer. But it has also clearly been magically enhanced with bizarre runes that, in the most rudimentary language imaginable, barely translate to "break," "smash," "crush," and "pain" + +While equipped, you gain HEAVY + +INVOCATION : ROCK-RIB VALLEY +While active, the BATTLEZONE begins to rumble and crumble around you, becoming an unstable terrain. For three rounds: +- When you or an ally ATTACKs with MELEE, it becomes an AOE MELEE attack against all enemies in that ZONE (strikes the ground) +- This ATK will still use the same roll, DMG, and bonuses, and will also apply any STATUS it normally would on a HIT/MATCH -INVOCATION : BARREN FEAST +----- -While active, every player suddenly becomes engulfed in their own shadow, chilling them to the bone. For three rounds: -- You & all ALLIES are IMMUNE to all STATUS effects, instead being "eaten" by the dagger (these STATUS do not dissipate once the effect wears off) -- On the next HIT with that dagger, all "eaten" STATUS will be afflicted onto that target, including STACKED STATUS - - ----- - -Regalia: Cliff Breaker (4 DMG) (Heft) (Two-Handed) +Diadem of Zeroth -For all intents and purposes, it looks like someone jammed a tree limb into a rock and called it a Warhammer. But it has also clearly been magically enhanced with bizarre runes that, in the most rudimentary language imaginable, barely translate to "break," "smash," "crush," and "pain" +This island-sized crown houses twelve equally massive magic gems, each of which contains a subdimension (demense) of an unending vastness, protected by a guardian (master) with their own unique representative Regalia. -While equipped, you gain HEAVY +While equipped, you gain ANTI MAGIC +- Any & all DMG you do drain an equal amount of MANA from your ENEMY'S Mana bar -INVOCATION : ROCK-RIB VALLEY -While active, the BATTLEZONE begins to rumble and crumble around you, becoming an unstable terrain. For three rounds: -- When you or an ally ATTACKs with MELEE, it becomes an AOE MELEE attack against all enemies in that ZONE (strikes the ground) -- This ATK will still use the same roll, DMG, and bonuses, and will also apply any STATUS it normally would on a HIT/MATCH +INVOCATION: I CHALLENGE THEE +While active, a golden magic barrier appears around any challenger possessing a Regalia, expanding 50 feet around & toward any potential opponents. Until a victor is determined: +- Noone may enter or exit this barrier, except a demense master with their rightful Regalia in hand OR the current owner of this Regalia +- The barrier will only disappear once a victory is decided, and/or any opposition is either no longer fit for battle or dead diff --git a/Mechanics/Skills.txt b/Mechanics/Skills.txt index 93674a9..2c2a79b 100644 --- a/Mechanics/Skills.txt +++ b/Mechanics/Skills.txt @@ -1,183 +1,240 @@ -Skills are what make your character perform their actions. -There are nineteen different skills used in this game. -Some of these skills also come with Skill-Based Combat-only Stunts at certain PLUS - +Skills are what make your character perform their actions. +There are nineteen different skills used in this game. +Some of these skills also come with Skill-Based Combat-only Stunts at certain PLUS + ----- ACADEMICS -Your ability to know & cast spells - +1 | You have ALL 12 Level 0 Infusion Spells and a single LV1 spell - +2 | Gain another LV1 spell and your first LV2 spell - +3 | Gain another LV1 & LV2 spell and your first LV3 spell - +4 | Gain another LV1, LV2, & LV3 spell, and your first LV4 spell - +5 | Gain another LV1, LV2, LV3, & LV4 spell, and your only LV5 spell +Mundane, everyday human knowledge and education, including history, sciences, and medicine. Academics stunts often refer to specialized areas of knowledge and medical skills. ------ +In this game, it's your ability to know & cast spells + ++1 | You have ALL 12 Infusion Spells and a single LV1 spell ++2 | Gain another LV1 spell and your first LV2 spell ++3 | Gain another LV1 & LV2 spell and your first LV3 spell ++4 | Gain another LV1, LV2, & LV3 spell, and your first LV4 spell ++5 | Gain another LV1, LV2, LV3, & LV4 spell, and your only LV5 spell + +----- ATHLETICS -Your ability to dodge incoming ATTACKS and other hazards + +A measurement of physical potential. Athletics stunts focus on movement—running, jumping, parkour—and dodging attacks. + +In this game, it's how flexible you are at dodging all hazards - No additional bonuses at plus, just makes you better at dodging things ------ +----- BURGLARY -Your ability to steal from ACTIVE scenarios + +Knowledge of and ability to bypass security systems, pick pockets, and generally commit crimes. Burglary stunts give bonuses to the various stages of committing a crime, from the planning to the execution and escape. + +In this game, it's used to hide and steal from ACTIVE scenarios +2 | Deft Theft Once/Fight : Pay 1 MVMT : BURGLARY roll vs ENEMY NOTICE roll to steal a random ITEM from that ENEMY in your ZONE +4 | You can use Deft Theft TWICE per fight ------ +----- CONTACTS -Your ability to recall information about people, places, and things + +Knowledge of the right people and connections that can help you. Contacts stunts give you ready allies and an information network wherever you go in the world. + +In this game, it lets you find & recall story relevant information - No additional bonuses at plus, just makes you better at remembering relevant information about your story ------ +----- -CRAFTS -Your ability to make anything you want or need +CRAFTS -- No additional bonuses at plus, just lets you make things based on the available situation +Ability to make or break machinery, build contraptions, and pull off MacGyver-esque feats of ingenuity. Crafts stunts let you have the gizmo on hand, and gives bonuses to building, breaking, & repairing things. ------ +In this game, it also represents how dexterous your fingers are + ++2 | Nice Try +ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, cancel action & add it to INVENTORY +- (If GRENADE, item is DISARMED as well) + ++4 | Return to Sender +ONCE/FIGHT, On an opponent's THROWN attack/item roll VS you and/or a ZONE you are in (except POTIONS): +- REACTION : CRAFTS roll vs THROWN weapon/item roll; on HIT, that weapon/item is caught and thrown back as a new ATTACK/ITEM action with the thrower and/or ZONE(s) they are in as the new TARGET +- This ATTACK action uses that CRAFT roll to determine the HIT/MATCH/MISS + +----- DECEIVE -Your ability to fool other people based on the scenario + +Ability to lie and cheat convincingly and with aplomb. Deceive stunts might improve your ability to tell a particular breed of lie or help invent false identities. + +In this game, it lets you fool other people based on the scenario - No additional bonuses at plus, just makes you really good at lying ------ +----- DRIVE -Your ability to physically move across the board during combat -- You also need this to operate vehicles -+2 | Can move up to 2 ZONES per turn during combat -- (Not a STUNT, just a metric mark) +Controlling vehicles under the most grueling circumstances, pulling wicked maneuvers, and simply getting the most out of your ride. Drive stunts can be signature maneuvers, a special vehicle of your own, or even movement in general. -+4 | Can move up to 3 ZONES per turn during combat -- (Not a STUNT, just a metric mark) +In this game, it also controls how much YOU move in battle ------ ++2 | Can move up to 2 ZONES per turn in combat + ++4 | Can move up to 3 ZONES per turn in combat + +- You can split your movement and do MVMT first, then ATTACK/ITEM, then use the rest of your MVMT + +----- EMPATHY -Your ability to show you care, and recognize dishonesty -- You also need this to counter DECEIVE attempts + +Ability to accurately judge someone’s mood and intentions. Empathy stunts can be about judging a crowd, picking up on lies, or helping others recover from mental consequences. + +In this game, it also helps you beat DECEIVE rolls - No additional bonuses at plus, just lets you know when people change or lie ------ +----- FIGHT -Your ability to use any & all MELEE weapons -- Can also be used for THROWING weapons/items + +Ability to excel at hand-to-hand combat, whether with weapons or fists. Fight stunts include signature weapons and special techniques. + +In this game, it can also be used for THROWING weapons/items +4 | Second Swing You can now attack TWICE per turn with any one 4/5DMG FIGHT weapon, but the second ATTACK is made at DISADV - ------ +----- INVESTIGATE -Your ability to see and understand scenarios ACTIVELY -+3 | Inventory Insight -Start Of Fight: INVESTIGATE roll to see what unique items/weapons your enemies are carrying +Deliberate, careful study and puzzling out mysteries. Use this to piece together clues or reconstruct a crime scene. Investigate stunts help you form brilliant deductions or piece together information more quickly. ------ +In this game, it helps you see and understand scenarios ACTIVELY -MANA (originally LORE) -Your ability to pay for your spells +- No additional bonuses at plus, just makes you really good at looking for things you are TRYING to find -Every PLUS in this score equals 10 Mana Points -- (Not a STUNT, just a metric mark) +----- ------ +MANA + +This skill was originally called LORE + +Specialized, arcane knowledge that falls outside of the scope of Academics, including supernatural topics of one sort or another. This is where the weird stuff happens. Lore stunts often support practical applications of your arcane knowledge, such as casting spells. + +In this game, it tracks your "payment" for spells via Mana Points + ++? | Every PLUS equals 10 Mana Points + +----- NOTICE -Your ability to see and understand scenarios PASSIVELY -- Also used to counter BURGLARY attempts + +Ability to pick up details in the moment, spot trouble before it happens, and generally be perceptive. Notice stunts sharpen your senses, improve your reaction time, or make you harder to sneak up on. + +In this game, it also helps you counter BURGLARY attempts +2 | Advanced Awareness During INITIATIVE rolls, you can turn one MINUS to a PLUS +4 | You can use Advanced Awareness TWICE per INITIATIVE roll ------ +----- PHYSIQUE -Your ability to be hit by incoming attacks and survive -- Also used to mark how physically strong you are as a whole -- Every PLUS in this score equals 5 Hit Points in addition to your 10 Hit Point minimum -- (Not a STUNT, just a metric mark) +Raw power and durability. Physique stunts let you perform superhuman feats of strength, throw your weight around while wrestling, and shrug off physical stress or consequences. + +In this game, it also tracks your Hit Point maximum + +- Every PLUS equals 5 additional Hit Points +3 | Burly Brawler -Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED & FLEXIBLE FIGHT weapons +Can dual-wield 3DMG TWO-HANDED FIGHT weapons +- Each weapon is treated as one-handed and gains DUAL-WIELD ------ +----- PROVOKE -Your ability to be distracting and irritating + +Ability to push people to act the way you want them to. It’s coarse and manipulative, not a positive interaction. Provoke stunts let you push opponents into foolhardy action, draw aggression toward you, or scare enemies (assuming they can feel fear). + +In this game, it's used to be distracting and irritating. +2 | Tactical Taunt -REACTION : Once/Enemy, if an ALLY in your ZONE is targeted for an ATTACK, before rolling; PROVOKE roll vs ENEMY WILL roll to redirect attack to YOU +REACTION : Once/Enemy, if an ALLY in your ZONE is targeted for an ATTACK, *before rolling*; PROVOKE roll vs ENEMY WILL roll to redirect attack to YOU - Any HIT/MATCH you receive from this will deal you +2DMG ------ +----- -RAPPORT -Your ability to be liked, charming, and trustworthy +# RAPPORT +### *Building connections with others and working together. Where Provoke is manipulation, Rapport is sincerity, trust, and goodwill. Rapport stunts let you sway the crowd, improve relationships, or build contacts.* +## In this game, it's basically your *charisma.* +2 | Helping Hand -Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK +REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a BLANK, or a BLANK to a PLUS +4 | Got Your Back -Once/Round: REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a PLUS +REACTION : You can turn one MINUS on an ALLY's roll in the same ZONE to a PLUS ------ +----- RESOURCES -Your ability to gain and maintain your wealth and supplies -+2 | Scrambles -Once/Turn: Pay 1 MVMT; RESOURCES roll to loot for money, potions, weapons, or other relevant items from Defeated Enemy in same ZONE +Access to material things, not just money or direct ownership. It might reflect your ability to borrow from friends or dip into an organization’s armory. Resources stunts let you better quality and/or quantity on things you buy and/or gather. ------ +In this game, it also dictates how well you gather money & supplies + +- No additional bonus at PLUS, just makes you better at keeping your inventory full + +----- SHOOT -Your ability to use guns, bows, and other RANGED weapons -- Can also be used for THROWING weapons/items + +All forms of ranged combat, whether guns, throwing knives, or bow and arrow. Shoot stunts let you make called shots, quick-draw, or always have a gun handy. + +In this game, it can also be used for THROWING weapons/items - No additional bonuses at plus, just lets you handle guns, bows, and other projectiles ------ +----- STEALTH -Your ability to be unseen when moving, attacking, or evading -- This can be used in place of ATHLETICS, FIGHT, and SHOOT -- Can only use ONE-HANDED ITEM/WEAPON in COMBAT -- Can also be used for throwing WEAPONS/ITEMS +Staying unseen or unheard and escaping when you need to hide. Stealth stunts let you vanish in plain sight, blend into crowds, or advance through shadows unseen. + +In this game, it is a tactical low-damage all-in-one combat skill + +- It can be used in place of ATHLETICS, FIGHT, and SHOOT + +- You can only use a single ONE-HANDED or FLEXIBLE weapon* + +- It can also be used for THROWING weapons/items +2 | Shadow Strike -Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on their next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that TARGET on your next turn +Any STEALTH HIT with a WEAPON will make the TARGET unable to ATTACK you on *their* next turn, but you also cannot ATTACK that TARGET on *your* next turn +4 | Assassination You do DOUBLE DMG on a STEALTH CRIT HIT with a WEAPON ------ +----- WILL -Your ability to fortify yourself physically AND mentally -- Also lets you resist certain types of DMG -- Every PLUS lets you pick one MAGIC type to RESIST -(RESIST = -1 DMG + IMMUNE to STATUS of Magic Type/Color) +Mental fortitude, the ability to overcome temptation, and to withstand trauma. Will stunts let you ignore mental consequences, withstand the mental agony of strange powers, and hold steady against enemies who provoke you. -+3 | One RESIST becomes IMMUNE (NO DMG + NO STATUS) +In this game, it also lets you resist magic effects + ++? | Every PLUS lets you pick one Magic Type/Color to RESIST (-1DMG + IMMUNE to its STATUS) + ++3 | One RESIST becomes IMMUNE (NO DMG + NO STATUS of that Magic Type/Color) + +----- \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mechanics/Weapons.txt b/Mechanics/Weapons.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2fafa31 --- /dev/null +++ b/Mechanics/Weapons.txt @@ -0,0 +1,159 @@ +WEAPONS +Most weapons are fairly self-explanatory, but some have specialized subtypes for unique advantages in combat. + +DUAL-WEILD +You can carry a dual-weild weapon in each hand, *they DO NOT need to be the SAME weapon*, and can attack twice per ATTACK action +- If FIRST roll HITS, the second is made at DISADV +- If FIRST roll MATCHES, the second is made NORMAL +- If FIRST roll MISSES, the second is made at ADV + +EMPTY HANDED +Even while holding this, you can still hold other weapons or items + +HEFT +This weapon is two-handed and REQUIRES +3 *PHYSIQUE* to use +- This can **NEVER be dual-wielded**, even with a STUNT + +TWO-HANDED +This weapon DEMANDS both hands to be used, and you cannot actively carry other weapons + +----- + +- FIGHT Weapons - +These weapons require a FIGHT roll to ATTACK with, and only hit a TARGET in the same ZONE + +FLEXIBLE +This can be used one-handed for normal DMG, or two-handed for +1 DMG +- You CAN Dual-Weild 2DMG or less FLEXIBLE weapons as one-handed + +GUARD +This weapon is designed to be more defensive than other weapons +- REACTION : Your ATHLETICS/STEALTH roll against a FIGHT/SHOOT roll is increased by 1 (PER WEAPON/ITEM with this trait) + +REACH +This weapon can attack one zone away from your character *like THROWING weapons* + +THROWABLE +This weapon can be thrown one ZONE away, and uses a FIGHT/SHOOT/STEALTH roll to ATTACK with in this context, *but you will need to retrieve it by going to the ZONE it landed in if you want to use it again* + +===== ===== ===== ===== ===== + +SHOOT Weapons +These weapons require a SHOOT roll to ATTACK with, use consumable projectiles/ammo (arrows, bullets, etc), and can TARGET anyone in any ZONE + +- AMMUNITION Types - +Some weapons can use multiple different types of ammo + +BASIC +This is ammo that ONLY hits one TARGET per attempt + +EXPLOSIVE (?x?) +This ammo can hit everyone in a set number of directly connected ZONES (no diagonals) + +PIERCE-? +This ammo can hit one TARGET per ZONE in a straight line of ZONES, up to its PIERCE rating + +SPREAD (?x?) +This ammo can hit everyone in a set number of directly connected ZONES (including diagonals) + +----- + +SOFT RELOAD-? +This weapon uses one piece of ammo each time you use it, but its RELOAD is part of the motion for using it + +RELOAD-? +This weapon has a limited number of uses, and requires you to sacrifice 1 MVMT for the turn to reload it during COMBAT. + +HARD RELOAD-? +This weapon has a limited number of uses, and requires your ITEM Action to reload it during COMBAT. + +----- + +AUTO-FIRE +This can fire UP TO five times per ATTACK action, but weakens every shot beyond the first. +- One roll applies across all five shots, but each shot beyond the first gains a -1, then -2, then -3, then -4 (Just like recoil) +- Cannot be used during an ATTACK action you used DUAL-WEILD + +PIERCE-RAMP +This ammo can hit one TARGET per ZONE in a straight line of ZONES, up to its PIERCE rating, and goes down per TARGET hit +- This weapon's DMG on a HIT is instead equal to the PIERCE rating of said ammo +- *EXAMPLE: If you use PIERCE-3 on a PIERCE-RAMP weapon, the DMG will be 3 on the first hit, then 2 on the second, and 1 on the last, regardless of the weapon's base DMG* + +===== ===== ===== ===== ===== + +LIST OF WEAPONS # + +- This is only a generalized list of what is currently available +- *It can and will be expanded over time* + +1DMG # + +__Fight Weapons__ + Chain | Dual-Wield | Reach | Throwable + Dagger | Dual-Wield | Throwable + Fist / Foot | Dual-Wield | Empty-Handed + Senbon | Dual-Weild | Throwable +__SHOOT Weapons__ + Slingshot | Basic | Soft Reload | Two-Handed + +2DMG # + +__FIGHT Weapons__ + Baseball Bat | Dual-Wield | Flexible + Club | Dual-Wield + Gauntlet | Dual-Wield + Handaxes | Dual-Wield | Throwable + Kunai & Chain | Flexible | Reach + Mace | Dual-Wield + Metal Pipe | Dual-Wield | Throwable + Polearm | Flexible | Reach + Spear | Flexible | Throwing + Sickle | Dual-Wield + Steel Chair | Dual-Wield | Flexible + Sword | Dual-Wield | Flexible + Tonfa | Dual-Wield | Guard + Whip | Dual-Wield | Flexible | Reach +__SHOOT Weapons__ + Blunderbuss | Spread 1x4 | Hard Reload-2 | Two-Handed + Light crossbow | Basic | Dual-Wield | Reload-1 + Machinegun | Basic | Auto-Fire | Reload-100 | Two-Handed + Pistols | Basic | Dual-Wield | Reload-10 + Revolver | Basic | Auto-Fire | Dual-Wield | Reload-6 + Sniper Rifle | Basic OR Pierce-Ramp | Reload-1 | Two-Handed + +3DMG # + +__FIGHT Weapons__ + Battleaxe | Two-Handed + Longsword | Two-Handed + Spiked Mace | Two-Handed + Sledgehammer | Two-Handed +__SHOOT Weapons__ + Bow | Basic | Soft Reload-1 | Two-Handed + Crossbow | Basic | Reload-1 | Two-Handed + Rifle | Basic | Reload-10 | Two-Handed + Shotgun | Basic OR Spread 1x4 | Reload-2 | Two-Handed + +4DMG # + +__FIGHT Weapons__ + Broadsword | Heft | Two-Handed + Morningstar | Heft | Two-Handed + Giant Axe | Heft | Two-Handed + Great Hammer | Heft | Two-Handed +__SHOOT Weapons__ + Bazooka | Explosive 1x1 | Heft | Reload-1 | Two-Handed + Heavy Crossbow | Basic OR Pierce-2 | Hard Reload-1 | Heft | Two-Handed + Long Bow | Basic | Soft Reload-1 | Two-Handed + +5DMG # + +__FIGHT Weapons__ + War Axe | Heft | Two-Handed + War Club | Heft | Two-Handed + War Hammer | Heft | Two-Handed + Zanbatou | Heft | Reach | Two-Handed +__SHOOT Weapons__ + Rampart Crossbow | 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GUIDELINE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +The gameplay guideline goes as follows: + +01 - Start (basic setup for their world) + +02 - Interactions +(recommend the MOVIE THEATER (02), then the BOOKSTORE (02), then the ORANGE DEMENSE (03) after they start, use STRIKER to guide them) + +03 - Demenses +(after their second or third INTERACTIONS with the city, they will likely stop going to them, so just go to the DEMENSES directly from there) + +SPECIAL NOTE +In any instance with a MARAUDER fight, there are lists of pre-made enemy characters available +- If LUCKY is involved, replace any character on the enemy team with him, OR add him to the team +- There should be at least ONE FIGHT PER SESSION, so if there is no FIGHT in the DEMENSE they are visiting, add a MARAUDER fight before OR after + +04 - The Mole +(Do this AFTER six DEMENSE visits) + +05 - The First Face (halfway story point) +(Do this AFTER all twelve DEMENSE visits) + +06 - Challenges +(These can be done in any order you like) +("the characters scheduled them in advance") + +SPECIAL NOTE +The "Challenges" involving BODYGUARDS, CHILDREN, COWBOYS, GARSEN, JEKHYRA, & VILLI are special +- The order does not matter, but they are to be done after the players win their 1ST, 3RD, 5TH, 7TH, 9TH, and 11TH regalia + +07 - The Crooked King +(do this after they win six regalia) + +08 - The Faces +(do this after they win all 12 regalia) + +09 - The Ending \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/01 - Start/Start.txt b/Story/01 - Start/Start.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..956683c --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/01 - Start/Start.txt @@ -0,0 +1,392 @@ +The scene opens one early morning in the middle of an active military compound in the year 2015. Soldiers are doing drills, performing weapon maintenance, and testing out their tanks. But we are focusing inside of one very specific meeting room in the dead center of the compound. + +The door to said room is opened, and in steps (# of players) people of varying shape, size, and appearance. The rounded table in the middle takes up half the room, but is large enough to seat 12. The room is decently lit, but the only thing to look at is the USA flag against the front wall. + +A pair of military personnel "gently guide" you into the room and "recommended" you take a seat, as they have to prepare for your "meeting." The door is slammed shut behind you all, leaving you alone in the room. + +(GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO TALK) + +After several minutes, the same door opens, and in steps (players #) armed military officers, each carrying the latest and greatest two handed military combat rifles, full thickly plated chest armor, and a large camo pattern backpack matching their camo outfits. + +The officers step back, take a saluting pose, and the farthest left one announces in a boisterous voice "ROOM SECURED. SEND IN THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF." + +In steps a man everyone in this room recognizes as the president of the goddamn US of A himself, George Bush III, as a Bassett Hound. He carries a confident smile and a stack of file folders under his arm as he walks up to the same table you are all (hopefully) sitting at. He politely turns to the officers and says "thank you gentlemen, at ease." + +The soldiers step back and assume a more laxed position, but no less threatening with those guns in hand. He turns to all of you and clears his throat before dropping his folders onto the table, them opening to reveal every personal record and document to ever have your (player #) names on them. + +"I thank you for stepping forth to volunteer for what is now known as the single most dangerous recon mission in history. I know you've been briefed on it multiple times, but I'd like to take the jargon out and shoot straight so there's no misunderstandings, and when I'm done, I want each and every one of you to decide once and for all if this is really a task you are prepared for." + +He grabs a remote from his pocket, presses a button, and lowers a projector screen in front of the flag & the soldiers. He taps another button, and images of a giant circular rock wall jutting up from the ocean are displayed. "For as long as we have documented it, we have been aware of a mysterious unknown land mass in the middle of the Pacific." + +"This mass is approximately 10 miles wide, nearly perfectly circular, and has an unscaleable rock wall all around its border extending at least six miles into instant cloud cover. We believe this land mass is occupied with people who, bare minimum, have the tools and numbers needed to shape it as such." + +"Now I'm sure you've heard of us using... less than friendly means of gaining entrance, and it is true, but it has failed at every turn. Either the weapons we use never make contact or have no effect if they do." And true to his word, you see several clips of missiles, bombs, and massive artillery that would normally evaporate a continent either bounce off the rock walls or explode on impact and leave none. + +"Samples show that whatever is making the rock so resilient is not the rock itself, but some type of magical force within it. That same force extends into the open air above it beyond the cloud cover, so high that our vehicles cannot breach it. We are, of course, curious if this has any Military applications." + +"In comes the Program ya'll volunteered for. Twice a year for over a century now, we've sent soldiers, scientists, engineers, the best of the best men and women we had to offer inside through the one and only entrance we could find, a small cavern near the water's edge. Despite that, every single one of them has never returned, and we never receive communication from them again." + +"As such, the military has opted to start taking in people of a more... unique background, such as yourselves, and are hoping for different results. (RECITE EACH OF THEIR FULL CHARACTER NAMES.) +Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be the same as those before you. Infiltrate this island, gather any & all intel you can about this place & its inhabitants, and return alive." + +"Now I know ya'll have lives, assets, and dependents of varying degrees, but we always ask for people to be prepared to never return to them. But in exchange, they will also have the most to look forward to." + +"There is a dedicated monthly budget for this project, and all the excess proceeds went into essentially a "reward" for anyone that came back. That is well over a century's worth of amassed funds, and if any or all of you (players #) return with anything of value, you get the whole sum." + +He then slides a folder toward your group with a single sheet of paper inside, listing a sum of money that would take a chunk out of the national debt. "In addition, we would even be willing to discuss your personal records and how to make certain... red flags and highlighted marks disappear." + +"In the meantime, your personal possessions, homes, assets, and everything else would be funded by this budget and cared for either by your pre-selected caregivers or ones we select if needed. We do this for 25 years, and if you do not return, any remaining assets are liquidated and added right back into the budget." + +"And that is about the nitty gritty of it. If you are still interested, we will leave immediately to get you fed, bathed, and geared up in the finest weapons, armor, tactical equipment, and... essentially everything these gentlemen behind me are wearing and then some." + +"If you have questions, feel free to ask now. And if you are having second thoughts, the exit is right there. And trust me when I say, no hard feelings, braver men and women have walked away from this offer. Myself included." + +He waits for anyone to ask questions or walk out of the room before finishing, "Very well then, welcome to Project Evermore. Gear up, your chopper leaves in three hours." + +They first give you the opportunity to get yourselves cleaned in their professional grade decontamination showers and your clothing sterilized, as well as access to their military uniform outfitters if you would like anything more fresh to wear. + +They then take you to a dining hall to eat, and they offer to make you whatever your favorite dishes are, as a kind of "last meal" situation in case you go without quality food for a while. And they make the food fairly quickly, but it DOES taste a tad bland. Military food. + +You are then escorted to an armory full of whatever weapons, ammunition, and special gear you think you may need. Everything is packed as cleanly as possible into backpacks for you, including a few weeks worth of military food rations, a halogen flashlight, a first aid kit, a bulky military radio, and other basic survival accessories per person. + +Finally, you are escorted to a nearby helicopter (an MH60-R ROMEO) where the president is waiting. He shakes each of your hands and salutes you all as you take off to your next destination. + +2 HOURS LATER + +The helicopter carries you to an offshore aircraft carrier (USS Enterprise (CVN-65)). Upon landing, you are escorted off by more military personnel, where they double check your gear and weapon stock, making sure everything functions and is strapped down. All the while, you can see the colossal rock wall of an island in the distance. + +This massive round chunk of stone gives off the oddest golden sheen, but its walls ascend well above the low cloud cover. You can just BARELY see a single speck of a black dot of a hole on this surface, right next to the water's edge. Otherwise, this stone looks perfectly clean. + +They give each of you a large manilla envelope marked 'signing bonus,' and advise you to take good care of it. + +(OPEN IT) +Inside is $50,000 worth of cash and coin, broken up into 100 different types of currency worth about $500 each. They say it is "just in case there IS civilization, this will help you survive among the most likely related countries." + +You are then escorted down through several staircases within the structure to what looks like an inflated speedboat (RHIB - Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat). Each of you is handed down one ata time onto the boat, and when everyone is on board, it quickly jets off through the water to the island entrance in a matter of minutes. + +The entrance is just a rough ten foot high by ten foot wide cavern carved into the rock wall, but there is also a floating dock attached to it by some massive weights on ropes. The dock is stable enough to hold a couple people at once, but the driver recommends you go one at a time. + +Once you are all in the mouth of the cavern, the driver calls to you, and throws you a small briefcase. 'For the return trip,' he says. + +(OPEN IT) +Inside is a signal flare gun with three separate flare cartridges. + +Once he confirms you opened it, he zips away on the water back to the carrier. You are now faced with the ocean at your backs and the cave before you, and it only gets darker as you look deeper in. + +*IF THEY ENTER* +While the rock is overall rough, it is definitely NOT a natural cave. The walls have something of a carved and scraped pattern in them, like chisels were taken to it, but not with a rhythm in mind. Even the floor itself shows some smoothness, and after a minute or so, you realize the cave is at a slight incline. + +About 20 minutes walking into the cave, your flashlight shows the floor and walls not only getting smoother as you go deeper in, you could almost recognize a pattern in the ground. + +(NOTICE ROLL) You hear a soft rumbling noise in the distance, slow and repetitive, like a growl on a repeat pattern. + +*IF THEY CONTINUE* +The noise only grows louder as you continue. +You finally spot a light in the distance, coming from a lantern hanging off the front of an old blue and white wooden shack, tall as the cave itself and occupying the entire right side of the path. You also realize the cave is a dead end aside from the box. + +There are no obvious markings on it, but there IS a large square opening on the front, like an open window. That repetitive rumbling noise is as loud as it could possibly be AND is coming from inside. + +*WHOEVER CHECKS* +Inside the opening, you see a man sprawled out on a chair, and he isn't moving much. His legs are loosely flopped, his arms are hanging freely beside him, and his head is flopped almost all the way back and to the side. + +*SAY OR DO ANYTHING* +You hear the most ungodly painful snoring noise you have EVER heard another person make. The man finally makes a move, and it is to twitch a bit in his sleep. + +*INTERACT WITH HIM* +The man suddenly shouts "OH FUCK" as his body flails and falls backward onto the ground, chair and all. "Owww...." + +After a minute, he stands up and dusts himself off, revealing himself to be a golden blonde Stallion of just over 6 feet with lighter blonde hair down to his shoulderblades, wearing a tan button front shirt and black slacks. "Sorry about that, these shifts're so freaking boring... it's hard to stay awake." + +He squints at all of you. "Wait... I don't... are you all new people?" + +*IF THEY CONFIRM* +He becomes excited. "Fantastic, I love greeting new arrivals! Okay, ahem.. Hello, my name's Reiji, I'm here to give you one last warning that if you go any farther in, there is a definite possibility you might not leave. Are you sure you want to do this?" + +*IF YES* +He pops out of a door on the left side of the box, walks to the far left wall, and places his hand on it. "And the password is... OPEN SAYS ME." + +Bright golden lines of magical energy grow from his hand into the wall for a few moments, before the rock wall behind him opens to reveal another stretch of path into the distance. But it is slightly obscured by a strange gold membrane of energy, definitely magical in nature. "Alright, just follow the path ahead until you come out of the cave. Best of luck to you all!" + +*IS HE COMING* +He laughs a little and shakes his head. "No, I still have a few hours on my shift, go on ahead." + +*IF THEY CONTINUE* +Passing through the strange energy is no real issue, it just feels like walking through a wall made of cool wind. + +*ANYONE WITH MANA* +You DO notice your magic feels a little... off, since you walked through the membrane. It's not a BAD feeling either, it just feels a little more "energetic and lively." + +CAVE EXIT + +After another 20 minutes or so of walking, you finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you think you hear sounds in the distance. + +*IF THEY ASK* +Animal sounds. + +*IF THEY CONTINUE* +It blinds you for a moment as you walk out, but you find yourselves completely surrounded by a borderline jungle of tall, lively trees. The second you emerge, there is an immediate rustling in the branches. + +- Some of the branches are occupied by birds and squirrels, you spot a raccoon climbing around the trunk of one with a fresh pear in its mouth, and the occasional rabbit hops by. +- The trees are filled with fresh wild fruit. Apples, bananas, peaches, cherries, figs, all different kinds. And, some of these trees have rather large rocks underneath that look out of place. +- The rocky cave path you were walking on is now a concrete slab path cutting through the massive grove of trees, but you can't quite make out what it leads to. + +*CONTINUE* +As you follow the path, you start hearing more noises beyond just the trees and the animals. You could almost swear you hear voices, but they're so distant you can't make them out. + +The path eventually leads to a large white stone building, and it has fully functional wood doors on the front of it. + +*OPEN THE DOORS* +You are blasted by a wave of cool refreshing air from inside the building. The inside is a strange facility resembling a tourist rest area. The walls are a pale wooden yellow texture, but there are no windows except for the semi-transparent glass door at the far end. + +- Right beside the door you came in is a crate of cold plastic bottles of clear liquid, and each one has a RECYCLE symbol pressed into them. +- On the left, there are racks of pamphlets, brochures, and maps in a myriad of different languages, with most of the prints in English. +- On the right, there are several corkboards covered in fliers about upcoming events, job openings, and other ads with phone numbers. +- In the middle is a six foot tall and twenty foot wide circular corkboard with a round map of the planet, covered in thousands of pushpins, with several unused ones in a box below. +- On the far wall behind the map is a pair of bathrooms, one on either side of the glass exit door. + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) You spot a leg sticking out from under the planet display. + +*APPROACH THE EXIT* +*or if INVESTIGATE was successful* +You suddenly hear garbled yelling (from behind you) as a human man with greasy black hair and nasty clothing crawls out from under the map display. He's hooting and hollering angrily at all of you about SOMETHING, and he is shambling his way toward you. + +*IF THEY INTERACT* +The man grabs (whomever is closest) and starts shouting at them for waking him up. His breath REEKS of alcohol, so much so you're certain he would breathe fire if he lit a match. + +He starts rambling about needing coin, then stumbles away, sways to the left, then to the right, and then falls backwards onto the ground, passed out. + +*AFTER THEY LEAVE* +The path out the door leads you directly into another massive patch of trees, but they are far more sparse, shining brighter light on the path ahead of you. This time, the area is occupied by more random animals, some small bodies of water resembling ponds full of fish, and groups of people. Perfectly normal ones, no less, just walking around like nothing is wrong. + +*TALK TO THEM* +Two yellow parakeet people stop to talk, a man with red hair & glasses wearing a blue polo tee and a woman with long brown hair in a similarly blue sundress. "Hey there!" + +*ASK THEM ANYTHING* +They both suddenly smile a bit and snicker toward each other. The woman speaks first. "You're newbies to the island, right?" + +*IF YES* +The man laughs a little. "Hoo boy, you're in for some shell-shock when you head farther in. Just follow that path there and look for the sign marked 'Capitol.' Everything'll make sense once you see it." + +A pair of parakeet children, a boy in a red tee shirt & blue overalls and a girl in a pink sundress, suddenly run in and grab the two adults' hands, dragging them away excitedly. + +*CONTINUE* +Once you move down the path a bit more, the trees finally part to reveal an almost metropolitan city. There are dozens of people walking, biking, driving, or riding the trolley on freshly paved concrete roads. All along those roads are simplistic power line structures, connecting to the buildings and the local street lights. + +There is a fairly large sized road sign at the end of your pathway pointing in five directions. RESIDENTIAL, BUSINESS, CAPITOL, GATED, and ESSENTIALS are all pointed out individually. + +- On your left is a series of neighborhoods, filled to the brim with houses and families alike +- On your right is a bustling group of stores and businesses, each with a simple sign to represent what they are for +- In the middle is a group of five gold and white buildings topped with pointy glass structures reflecting the sunlight all around in beautiful colorful refractions. +- You can't quite see the other two areas the sign point out for you, as they are quite a bit in the distance. + +(Every place they visit, have them make NOTICE rolls to detect if they are being followed) + +*When they head to CAPITOL* +You are approached (if not straight surrounded) by a group of average looking thugs, but when they make themselves known, the townspeople all start RUNNING. + +They're all carrying baseball bats, chains, rocks, and other random items. Most of them look young college age, but their faces are obscured by masks, bandanas, and helmets. Except for one. + +A six foot white ram man steps forward, wearing a black leather jacket, sunglasses, and wielding a white shortsword that is CLEARLY too small for him. "Well hey there strangers, we're the welcome wagon, here to greet-- sorry, here to BEAT you at the door of this, the city of Diadem." + +He aims his little white sword at your group with a very excited grin. "I CHALLENGE THEE!" + +Several seconds pass and nothing happens. + +He clears his throat. "Ahem... I CHALLENGE THEE!" Nothing happens. And his cohorts start snickering a bit. + +"Okay WHAT THE FUCK?!" He slams his fist with the sword into the pavement, leaving a sizeable crack in the ground. + +"You know what, fuck it. I'm kicking your ass the old fashioned way!" + +----- AFTER THE FIGHT ----- + +*IF THEY WIN* +The attackers lie on the ground, groaning in agony. The ram is in shock, holding his head to keep a bleeding injury from pouring out. "Ugh, my aching head..." + +(NOTICE ROLL) +You suddenly detect the stench of ozone. +- Quick as a flash, both your group and your assailants are surrounded by a series of oddly dressed soldiers, their bodies lightly cloaked in silver trails of electricity. + +Each one is wearing a knee-length black jacket trimmed in inch-wide silver all along the body and at the ends of the sleeves, the letters T.F. emblazoned on the back in identical silver. These coats somewhat hide a silver chestplate & matching bracers, black tact pants leading down into black boots with silver laces, chrome half-masks covering the bottom halves of their faces, and sunglasses that perfectly hide their eyes. + +The ram man is terrified. "SHIT! Thunder Force!" He suddenly gets up and tries to scramble away. + +Two agents step up and each grab an arm, and turn to your group, nodding quietly. Their outfits' silver stripes begin to glow and crackle with energy, and all three appear to be teleported away, as do all the other knocked out thugs and costumed people in pairs, leaving behind several scorch marks on the ground leading in the same direction. + +(IF THEY ASK) They are all leading where the sign indicated ESSENTIALS + +One of the costumed men stays behind, a black puma man standing at just over six feet with a very short black hair buzzcut and a small scar under his left eye, his coat bearing a silver nametag that reads HARKEN. + +He approaches your group, removing his sunglasses and looking you all in the eye. "I don't know who you are, but you have helped us contain a significant threat today, and we appreciate your assistance." + +Your group is suddenly approached by dozens of passerbys, all of whom are really curious and start bombarding you with questions. + +----- + +(RAPPORT Roll)(to quell the audience) + +(HIGH Roll) +Your speech has caused your brand new audience to calm down and listen to what you have to say, and treat every word like a fascination. + +(LOW roll) +Your speech caught everyone's attention, but all it did was make them MORE fascinated and MORE ravenous for your attention. + +Harken will lean down and mumble to your group "Now it is MY turn to save YOU." + +He rears back his head. "People of Diadem!" + +That declaration alone was loud enough to cause everyone to back away a good couple feet. "I apologize sincerely for the commotion, the Marauders paid us yet another visit! But with the help of these valiant heroes, they were soundly defeated AND in record time!" + +The random people around you slowly but surely start to applaud and cheer for your group, giving you a few moments of (honestly well deserved) glory. You get offered handshakes, a couple people want autographs, the whole ordeal you'd expect. + +----- + +Once the excitement dies down, the people start breaking away, trying to clean some of the mess. HARKEN will approach your group again. "I can only assume you are all new here, otherwise you would not have such... bewildering expressions on your faces." + +"If you will allow me, I can escort you to our capitol so you may speak with our king. He can explain everything for you much better than I. I need to report this latest Marauder incident to him anyways." + +----- + +*CAPITOL QUARTZ* +The capitol itself is actually five different buildings, four of which are surrounding the larger one in the center. Each one is a pale white facility with a golden roof, and each one is tipped with a pointy prism-like glass structure on the top. + +The main complex building is identical to the buildings around it, but is a bit wider with more prominent doors on the front and a larger staircase leading up to it. + +*INSIDE* +The inside is massive AND immaculate. Several people are walking about in suits, carrying stacks of papers across a spacious marble-lined floor covered with deep red carpets. You only see a few desks and tables out here, but there are several doors all over the place with gold colored nameplates. + +A fox man with shoulder length black hair in a black & red suit approaches your group curiously, his gold nametag reading NASH. "Hello? Can I help you?" + +(IF THEY DONT RESPOND) +Harken will step forward. "We are here to report a new Marauder incident that just occurred. These brand new immigrants volunteered their efforts to stopping them, keeping damage to a minimum. I thought it prudent for them to meet the King as well. + +"Oh!" He turns to your group specifically. "Well my name is NASH, I'm the King's Aide. Gimme one sec and I'll see if he can squeeze you in." + +He trots over to a nearby desk with stacks of paper, pencils, and an old fashioned intercom box. He holds down the speaker button. "Your Majesty, we have some new people in Diadem that want to speak with you?" + +The voice on the other end is a bit garbled, but you do hear someone say SEND THEM IN PLEASE. He picks up a clipboard and guides you through a pair of double-doors marked KING'S CHAMBERS, down a looong carpeted hallway deep into the building. + +He takes you to a massive pair of golden colored doors, one of which is open, and guides you inside before closing them behind you with Harken. The office is nothing spectacular, a few file cabinets, a couple couches on the left and right surrounding a decent sized coffee table, one large wooden desk, one chair behind it, and one man sitting in it. + +Behind the desk sits a deep purple robin man, draped in the finest golden laced draperies you've seen anyone manage to pull off, and whom sticks out a bit compared to the rest of the room and people. + +He stands and walks around the desk, revealing himself to be just under 5 feet tall, offering to shake each of your hands. "Hello, my name is Akarui, and I am King of the city of Diadem." + +*IF THEY DONT EXPLAIN* +"I'm gonna take a wild guess. You were sent here by your country's government, strapped for war, entered into the literal opposite, got blindided by a bunch of thugs, kicked their asses in short order, and Harken escorted you here personally?" + +Harken will chime in. "With minimal damage, in record time. One escaped, which is... unfortunate, but the others are under arrest." + +Akarui will hop onto the desk and sit on it like a chair in front of you all, guiding you to sit on the couches. "I'm sure you have endless questions and I will be happy to answer all of them for you here and now." + +Harken steps back. "I will excuse myself to return to my duties." His body will begin to crackle with electrical energy before he takes a single step away and is GONE in a flash, only leaving a scorch mark in the floor. + +Akarui hangs his head. "I wish he wouldn't do that indoors..." + +ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS HONESTLY AS YOU CAN + +*WHAT IS THIS PLACE* +"A long time ago, this land mass just spawned in the middle of the ocean, and every country wanted to be the first to find out what happened. Every one of them sent in soldiers, scientists, and volunteers of the highest caliber to the land, but none of them ever came back." + +"The reason is because of the special magic of this land. I'm sure you saw the golden membrane that surrounds our city as you came in. It's difficult to put into words, but its a type of protective magic, prevented our ancestors from leaving without going through some OBNOXIOUS bullshit prophecy type thing." + +"So, instead of just dying here, they cultivated the land and make it liveable. Since the first wave didn't come back, they kept sending new ones to find out what happened. Rinse and repeat a few dozen generations, and we became a thriving city with a current population of about... what was it, 10,000 last census?" + +*THE ATTACKERS* +"THAT would be the Marauders. Or at least that's what they're calling themselves. They're just a huge collection of troublemakers that hate not being able to leave. Their logic is since they are stuck here, they may as well make everyone else as miserable as they are." + +*THUNDER FORCE* +"Ah yes, our soldiers in silver. They are the peacekeeping force in this town, our version of the police and military all rolled up into one. Someone found out harnessing lightning magic in our bodies in just the right way gave people a massive speed and strength boost, so those that were gifted for it usually ended up joining them. And thanks to the Marauders, they do recruitment drives every week it seems.." + +*POWER IN TOWN* +"Funny story, THAT was a happy accident. About 10 years ago, our top scientists tried drilling our way out of Diadem. We managed to make a hole straight down through the island, with some severe casualties, but we couldn't exactly escape through it." + +"Being on an island in the middle of the ocean with our limited resources meant it wasn't a feasible or safe escape plan, so our remaining engineers converted it into an access point for a hydroelectric generator. Took a few years, and it's a bit buggy at times, but it makes living here so much more pleasant." + +*LEGEND/PROPHECY* +"Well... I hesitate to tell you and get your hopes up, but there is an old island legend, predates all of us. Supposedly, you can earn your way out by challenging some 'island guardians' and earning their treasures as keys. But the legend is old, the rules are unclear, and I'd rather not have my citizens jumping headfirst into some hokey magic legend and possibly getting killed over nothing. We're already working on another way out, we just... aren't there yet." + +*NO OTHER QUESTIONS* +"Okay well, before before you go, I'd like to offer you a token of my gratitude for your selfless service." + +He will reach back and hit a button on his desk on his own intercom. "Nash, please bring in Anais and Garamond." + +It takes a moment, but the double doors open again, and Nash steps in with a pair of people, a man and woman both dressed in suits. + +You also notice Nash is walking with a bit of a limp, his hair is ruffled some, and his shirt is wrinkled in the front. The guy is shaking his head a little, and the lady has a kind of 'superiority' judgment in her eyes. + +Akarui walks back around to his seat. "This is Garamond from the Bank, and Anais from the Realtors Office & HOA. We're gonna transition you from your currency to ours, AND get you a decent place to live so you don't have to worry about either. And since you helped save the people, I'm footing the bill for the first month AND paying for the transaction fees out of pocket." + +Garamond, a portly Dachsund with slicked back brown hair in a deep blue suit, steps forward first. "Ello there, I would like to ask you to hand me any currency or valuables you have that we can exchange for our own currency." + +When he sees you literally have a hundred different types of cash, he is a bit ecstatic, and trades each of you a bag of coins. They come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50, and are all fairly lightweight. When you count it out, you received a bag of 500 of this currency. + +"Our currency is all coin, and it's called Z (zee). Each coin is filled with sea salt, enchanted with a special type of INFUSION technique that is a trade secret." + +Anais, a well groomed Sheep woman with curly white hair that feeds into her wool perfectly in a red suit (the one with the grumpy disposition), steps forward after and pulls out a clipboard, speaking in a VERY monotone and irritated tone. "Hello, I represent the HOA and need a few simple questions answered for your new home here in Diadem." + +- What are your names, ages, and species? +- Since your first month is being paid in advance by his Majesty, we do not need a down payment at this time. We collect payment on the first of the month, and if payment is not received within a week of that date, we reserve the right to remove you from your home. Do you understand and accept these terms? + +She puts down four small color photos. One is a simplistic apartment space, one is a decent style suburban 2 story house, one is a lavish estate home with a spacious yard, and one is a hotel room with a queen size bed. + +"Okay so, our housing options consist of the following:" + +- (number) 2 bed 1 bath apartments +- (number) 4 bed 2 bath residential home(s) +- An upgraded gated community home with as many beds and baths as you would like + +"Or if you require more time to decide, we can put you in a small group of single hotel rooms with access to a private conference room for tonight, and you can come back to me at the main HOA office in the morning." + +----- + +*IF THEY SELECT GATED* +Anais will perk RIGHT the fuck up, her demeanor doing a complete 180. "Well fantastic, I should let you know that there are some special... let's call them 'guidelines' we follow there. Nothing too restrictive, just that you keep your yards trimmed to a certain height, no noise after a certain time of night, your house and fence has a short list of colors you can paint them--" + +She is interrupted by Akarui with a bit of irritation. "ANAIS... We've been over this. The people can do whatever they want with the houses, the lawns, the fences, I do not care. So long as they don't blow them up or set the yard on fire, it is theirs to do with as they wish." + +Anais suddenly returns to her prior demeanor of irritation, and simply hands you a fancy looking piece of folded paper before walking away. + +*IF APARTMENTS OR RESIDENTIAL* +Anais will sigh a little. "Are you sure? Given the size of the group, you might be comfortable in a larger home, in our more upright living area?" Akarui will clear his throat, causing her to shut right up, and hand your group a document before stepping away with a scowl. + +*IF HOTEL* +"Very well. Please hand me your map so I may point out where to go and where to find me when you are ready to make your decision. Please understand that *the King's generosity* will only give you one night there." + +----- + +Akarui claps his bird hands together. "And you are officially all set, for now. Feel free to stop by any time if you have questions, concerns, change in circumstances, anything like that. I'm usually busy running the town, so you might have to set up appointments with Nash first, but I'm here to help. Have a fantastic day, and Welcome to Diadem!" He offers each of you one last handshake, and Nash walks you back outside. + +Nash asks to see your map & approval letter, so he can point out where your new home is. Once he sees both, he points out exactly where your new home(s) can be found, and a VIVID description of how to get there on foot. + +He shakes each of your hands before walking back inside the building and closing the doors behind him, leaving you to your own decisions from here. + +OUTSIDE TOWN HALL +(NOTICE ROLL) You hear a rustling noise and a raspy voice from behind (lowest roller). (lowest roller) barely spots a group of fuzzy appendages slowly closing in around them from their peripherals. "Ooooh~ Fresh meeeaaat~" + +*IF ANYONE REACTS* +The voice is coming from a large black tarantula man, but his appearance is somewhat obscured by a long brown trenchcoat and matching bowler hat. He raises all six arms at varying degrees and angles. "Don't be alarmed, I'm just here to offer my... special services~" + +He laughs a sinister chuckle before giving a generous bow. "Call me Striker~ I'm a travelling merchant, here to offer information and wares to you and yours, for a small fee, mhmhm~ Tell me, you all seem a bit out of sorts... I could give you a bit of guidance as a one-time courtesy, for free?~" + +(GIVE BEST RECOMMENDATION MIXED WITH CREEPY FORESHADOWING) + +----- + +*GET OUT* +"Oh, you wish to escape the island? Perhaps free the imprisoned citizens while you're at it? How noble... and fruitless. Every new face always wants to be the hero of the people, but end up in the same place.. a normal everyday citizen with a normal everyday job." + +He pauses to think for a moment. "I recall a few years ago, they made an attempt at this very task, or at least they LOOKED like they made an attempt..." + +He suddenly bursts out laughing. "Ah yes, the movie! They recorded themselves and their valiant attempt at a grandiose escape. I believe it is still playing in the Diadem Theater right now..." + +----- + +AFTER HELPING THEM + +"Wonderful, it's like I'm part of the team~" He snickers and lines his three right arms up, simulating a thumbs up. + +*YOU NOW HAVE A SHADOWY EXTRA TEAMMATE* +*HE WILL BE ON STANDBY IF YOU NEED HIM* + +"If you require my assistance, just find a shady little spot and call for me with coin at the ready~ I'll be seeing you soon~" He slithers up into a nearby tree and vanishes as quietly as he came. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Mainline-Story/02 - In Town.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/-CITY_OF_DIADEM.txt similarity index 92% rename from Mainline-Story/02 - In Town.txt rename to Story/02 - Interactions/-CITY_OF_DIADEM.txt index c1dce2d..6d3aed9 100644 --- a/Mainline-Story/02 - In Town.txt +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/-CITY_OF_DIADEM.txt @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ https://youtu.be/8Q7cioftmKs?si=eQbKsZr_OY7tH8-_ https://youtu.be/3YO67uD8TAo?si=hV-EQlpzo8NdrvE8 CITY CENTER - CAPITOL QUARTZ -A fairly spacious five-building district, all white marble roofed with gold, sits in a square formation in the direct center of this city. Each building is dedicated to the different necessary functions and filings that keep the entire city ran as efficiently as possible. +A fairly spacious five-building district, all white concrete roofed with gold, sits in a square formation in the direct center of this city. Each building is dedicated to the different necessary functions and filings that keep the entire city ran as efficiently as possible. The center building is the City Hall, where the King of Diadem (as he is currently referred to) and the other top representatives of the city are all working hard every day of the week (but not weekends) making all the important decisions for the good of the people diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/BANK.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/BANK.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..31732ef --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/BANK.txt @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +The bank building is rather large and imposing, easily two stories tall and composed entirely of fresh brick. The parking lot is also freshly paved, but you do spot some scorched tire marks across the painted lines. + +Inside is just as impressive. The walls are bottom half blue tile and top half lighter blue painted concrete, complete with marble stone flooring. There's one large leather couch seating area near the middle, three private offices to the left with all their doors shut, and a counter with four teller windows to the right. + +----- + +(IF THEY MET) You spot Garamond the Schnauzer in a light blue dress shirt & red tie, with a dark blue coat on the chair behind him. When he sees you, he waves you down to his counter. "Well look who it is! I haven't seen you since you arrived, how are things?" + +(IF THEY HAVEN'T MET) You spot one of the teller windows is open and occupied by a portly Schnauzer man in a light blue dress shirt & red tie, with a dark blue coat on the chair behind him, and a gold nametag stating GARAMOND. When he sees you, he waves you down to his counter. "Hello hello, how can I help you?" + +----- + +*OPEN AN ACCOUNT* +"I'll be happy to do that for you! Will this be individual accounts or a single shared account for all of you?" + +*EITHER WAY* +He hands you (each) a stack of papers, asking for some basic information like name, birthdate, current address, and occupation. "Please fill these out for me, it shouldn't take more than ten minutes." + +*ONCE DONE* +"Jolly good! Now to open an account, we will need some coin to put in for your starting balance, and we would prefer it to be at least 50z. Once we have that, you will receive a checkbook(s) with a balance sheet(s) that are good at any place here in Diadem." + +*OVERDRAW* +"Well we understand that sometimes people make mistakes, so when we see you have overdrawn your balance, we will notify you by letter first and give you seven days to fix the error. After that... it depends." + +*YOU NOW HAVE A CHECKING ACCOUNT FOR EASY ACCESS TO YOUR FUNDING* +*YOU ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO CARY YOUR COIN ON YOURSELF* +*THERE IS NO LONGER RISK TO IT BEING STOLEN IF YOU LOSE A FIGHT* + +----- + +*CONVERT CURRENCY* +"Well I can definitely help with that! I would like to ask you to hand me any currency or valuables you have that we can exchange for our own currency." + +When he sees you literally have a hundred different types of cash, he is a bit ecstatic, and trades you a bag of coins. They come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50, and are all fairly lightweight. When you count it out, you received a bag of 500 of this currency. + +"Our currency is all coin, and it's called Z (zee). Each coin is filled with sea salt, enchanted with a special type of INFUSION technique that is a trade secret." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/BIKE_SHOP.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/BIKE_SHOP.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a1a9478 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/BIKE_SHOP.txt @@ -0,0 +1,17 @@ +The brick building bike store has a glass windowfront showing off dozens of bicycles of varying degrees and styles, including road bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, folding bikes, motorized bikes, and children's bikes. There is also a bike rack out front with the parking lot, but its bars are currently bent in from a blunt impact, possibly a car. + +*INSIDE* +You spot a man that resembles a very red antelope (an Impala) with curly black hair working on realigning a tire on a mountain bike, his hands and white shirt stained with a little oil or grease and his gold nametag stating AKIRA. + +Once he realizes you're there, he puts down the socket wrench, wipes his hands relatively clean with a nearby white towel he slings over his shoulder, and places both hands on the counter. "Sorry for the wait, how can I help you?" + +(Bikes are 100z regardless of type) +(Repairs are 20z per HP) + +- While riding a bike, you may use the bike as a weapon for your ATTACK action, and use DRIVE to determine HIT/MISS/MATCH, dealing 1DMG on a HIT. If the bike is used for an ATTACK action, it also takes 1DMG on a HIT/MATCH + +- The bike itself has 1HP, and if it hits 0HP, it is now broken & unusable + +- While riding a bike, your opponent may choose to attack you OR the bike, or if using anything that can hit multiple targets, it will hit both. You MUST use DRIVE to dodge any incoming attacks instead of ATHLETICS or STEALTH + +- If multiple people are on the bike, whomever is driving must make the DODGE roll (using DRIVE) for any of them on their behalf, and that applies singularly OR as a group \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/BLACKSMITH.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/BLACKSMITH.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a4cbbc --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/BLACKSMITH.txt @@ -0,0 +1,35 @@ +*BLACKSMITH* + +The red brick building is of a small yet sturdy design, with a hammer & anvil sign over the door that currently has a bullet hole in the hammer's handle. + +Upon opening the door, you are greeted by the metallic THUD of hammers on metal and the stench of coal fire. + +- The left wall is full of freshly cleaned hammers, chisels, punches, tongs, and files +- The back wall has a few built-in-the-wall forges, each with its own anvil, vise, metal table, and steel drum full of water nearby, with one of these anvils currently being used +- The right wall is covered in racks of matte aprons, goggles, thick gloves, and other safety garments +- The center is occupied by a square counter, ran by an older Jackal man with short brown hair behind a pair of goggles on his forehead and a red flannel long-sleeve shirt under a matte apron with a gold nametag reading MARVIN + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +Marvin is smoothing out a large chunk of wood with sandpaper, looking like a massive baseball bat with holes drilled through it and a loop at the end of the handle. When he spots you, he puts it down and smiles wide. "Hey there! How can I help ya?" + +*WHAT HE'S WORKING ON* +"Oh this? Someone ordered something called a 'ken-NAH-bow.' Supposedly some suuuper dangerous oriental weapon. Once I finish sanding it, I gotta fill those holes with metal rods and turn the ends into rounded studs." + +*ASKING ABOUT IMPROVING WEAPONS* +"I might be able to, depends on what you're working with." + +*IF SIMPLE WEAPON* +"Oh yeah, this is right up my alley. Problem is, I gotta finish this project first. The earliest I can have it done is three days from now." + +*IF NOT SATISFIED WITH WAITING* +*OR IF MORE COMPLICATED* +"I'm sorry, I got my limits. Doing a weapon that complicated/fast just ain't in me anymore." + +He thinks for a moment. "But ya know, there IS someone who could help you out better than me, if you're interested?" + +He leans in a little. "I was taught how to do metalworking by a hot-headed piece of work named Aodaghan. Pretty sure he's still around. You take that to him, he can do things with it I never could." + +*IF INTERESTED* +"Well good, keep that energy high cuz you're gonna need it. Got a map?" He points it out as a spot on the northernmost part of the rock wall around Diadem. + +(Go to RED DEMENSE) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/BOOKSTORE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/BOOKSTORE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..74828f6 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/BOOKSTORE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ +-----=====-----=====----- + +*BOOKSTORE* +This old-fashioned tan brick building has a sign showing an open book with a quill over the door, and a broken glass storefront window with a metal pipe sticking out of it. + +The inside also has some damage here and there, but nothing a simple wipedown couldn't fix. You see racks of fiction, nonfiction, romance, sci-fi, comics, children's books, all the normal stuff you'd expect to see. + +(INVESTIGATE ROLL) You find multiple history textbooks, but they couldn't be more than a few years old. You DO recognize alot of these titles on the shelves. In fact, some of these books you know were released VERY recently. +- Fiction: The Girl On The Train +- Nonfiction: Between The World and Me +- Romance: Tremaine's True Love +- Sci-Fi: Golden Son +- Comics: Paper Girls +- Children's Books: Hard Luck + +"Hello there, can I help ya find anything??" The voice comes from an older bulldog man with thick glasses, a metal cane, and a blue apron over a red tee shirt & black slacks, his gold nametag reading WARTON. + +ASK ABOUT THE HISTORY BOOK +He will laugh a bit and reply "Oh, you'd want the OLD history book then. The schools get to those quick, but I think we have one or two copies left." + +He guides you to walk through one of the aisles toward the farther back part of the store. "So if ye don't mind me asking, what do ya need it fer? Old book like that, gotta be something special." + +*AFTER ANY RESPONSE* +"Then this book'll give you some insight fer sure. You'll hafta excuse the mess though, those rassafrassin' Marauders have been makin' a mess outta everything lately. 'Speaking fer the unhappy people of Diadem' my ass." + +----- + +He reaches the shelf where the book SHOULD be, but the book and several others on the shelf have been burned to ash. "Oh dear, those were my last copies, and my next shipment isn't for another week..." He seems downright downtrodden. + +He perks up suddenly, turning to your group with renewed vigor. "But I know where ya can look fer another one, The Grand Library!" + +He laughs heartily as he walks back back to the front of the store. "It's a magical place, an amazing library of infinite knowledge and wisdom! I first went there when I was five, and the librarian there was so nice, he inspired me to open my bookstore." + +He points to a larger version of the map you are all carrying plastered on the wall of the store, currently singed in one corner, and points out an orange spot on the westernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +----- + +"Er, wait! Before you head there, could you do an old man a kindness?" He steps behind the counter to start digging around for something. + +He pops back up holding an old children's book titled The Phantom Tollbooth. "Here it is! Could you please return this to the library? I borrowed it as a tot, but I think it's time for the next generation to be inspired by it." + +(Go to ORANGE DEMENSE) + diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/CAR_DEALERSHIP.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/CAR_DEALERSHIP.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..819a0d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/CAR_DEALERSHIP.txt @@ -0,0 +1,23 @@ +The dealership is loaded with a multitude of somewhat odd looking vehicles. Instead of the ones you normally see back home, these ones are framed in a much more streamlined & minimalistic fashion, looking more like dune buggy frames with sheets of metal across it than normal cars. + +The building itself is painted a pale sky blue and has a few people wandering around inside, staring at the various vehicles they have on display, Before you can even walk in, your attention is called out to by someone already in the lot. + +A short weasel man with a brown combover hairdo in a goofy brown suit over a black jacket & red tie approaches, his gold nametag stating BARRY. "Hi hello and welcome to Barry's House of Wheels, I assume you're here to look at one of our fine and fantastic vehicles for your driving pleasure. What are we looking at today, something sporty and minimal, or something larger that the whole family can enjoy?" + +----- + +2 or 4 seater cars, trucks, and jeeps are 20,000z to own or 400z a month to rent, and can be a rent-to-own after 5 years at this rate (10HP) + +6-seater vans are 37,500z to own or 750z a month to rent, and can be a rent-to-own after 5 years at this rate (10HP) + +- Vehicles like cars or motorcycles do not require fuel. They instead run off a point of MANA, and will run on that point for the entire day, unless it is turned off + +- While riding in a car, you may use the car as a weapon for your ATTACK action, and use DRIVE to determine HIT/MISS/MATCH, dealing 3DMG on a HIT. If the car is used for an ATTACK action, it also takes 1DMG on a HIT/MATCH + +- The car itself has 10HP, and if it hits 0HP, it is now broken & unusable + +- While riding in a car, your opponent may choose to attack you OR the car, or if using anything that can hit multiple targets, it will hit both. You MUST use DRIVE to dodge any incoming attacks instead of ATHLETICS or STEALTH + +- If multiple people are in the car, whomever is driving must make the DODGE roll (using DRIVE) for any of them on their behalf, and that applies singularly OR as a group + +- While riding in a car, you cannot use any FIGHT weapons, unless they have the THROWING or REACH property \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/ENCHANTER.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/ENCHANTER.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d5fe69 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/ENCHANTER.txt @@ -0,0 +1,31 @@ +The enchanter's store is small, among the smallest stores you've seen across Diadem, but it appears well maintained, and the brick looks freshly cleaned. You do see one dent in the handrail leading up the stairs though. + +Inside, the walls are covered in shelves of magical items and scroll tubes, the largest of which is the rack of mgic rings at the front counter. The register is ran by a Rook woman, a black bird with a white beak under a costume witch's hat and black dress, her gold nametag stating APRIL. + +When you approach, you see her shining a gold ring with a red gem in it, smiling when she finishes. It is not until she holds it up to the light that she says anything to your group. + +"Beautiful, isn't it? From one small stone, a few motes of magic, and a loop of gold metal comes an item so powerful, it can protect those whom wear it from the worst effects of certain spells." + +*SCROLL TUBES* +"Oh those? Those are War Banners, created for enhancing certain abilities during the heat of battle, using magically infused fibers to draw out the latent talents and abilities of anyone near it." + +----- + +BANDED RING +A banded ring is a unique gemstone ring infused with magical energy in a permanent fashion. Much like how WILL functions, this ring dampens the effects of magic slightly, negating the status effect of one color of magic, and can also dampen the effects of constant magic exposure. +- Costs 50z + +----- + +WAR BANNERS +A War Banner is a unique magical item, a type of flag composed of fibers woven with MANA, that can be deployed during battle to give everyone within a ten foot radius (2x2 ZONES) a boost in their fighting abilities for three rounds before the magic is depleted. + +(Each war banner costs 50z) + +- Banner of Courage gives +1 to all FIGHT rolls + +- Banner of Precision gives +1 to all SHOOT rolls + +- Banner of Acrobatics gives +1 to all ATHLETICS rolls + +- Banner of Mysticism gives +1 to all ACADEMICS rolls \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/GROCERY_STORE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/GROCERY_STORE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b746d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/GROCERY_STORE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,16 @@ +The grocery store building is painted an odd shade of tan, but is among the larger buildings in the area. The front doors are glass push & pull, the parking lot is freshly paved, and the cart rack is full, but you see a few carts with some ribs of metal missing. + +Inside, the walls are a freshly painted peach, the floors are smooth concrete, and there are a dozen aisles filled with fresh & pre-packaged foods of all types. Any foods you can think of can be found here, all organized across maybe ten aisles. + +*SOMETHING SPECIFIC* +You spot a stocker working on an aisle's cans of soup, a ferret boy with short blonde hair in a white tee shirt under a red apron with a gold nametag stating JACK. When you approach, he turns one more can and smiles to your group. "How can I help you?" + +*QUESTION OR ISSUE* +The employee takes off toward the back of the store, coming back about 30 seconds later with a second man, a middle aged Condor man with long silver hair tied back into a ponytail, wearing a button front white shirt & black tie, his gold nametag stating FERGUS. "What seems to be the problem here?" + +*CHECK OUT* +You see a few lines open, but the shortest one is the farthest from the door ran by a balding tortoise man in a beige long sleeve shirt under a red apron, his gold nametag stating EUSTACE. When he spots you, he leans over the hand-crank conveyor belt with a smile on his face. "Find everything you needed today?" + +----- + + diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/GYM-NASTICS.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/GYM-NASTICS.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc478a7 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/GYM-NASTICS.txt @@ -0,0 +1,72 @@ +*GYM* + +The two story brick building itself seems pretty basic. Concrete pathways, wooden double doors, large sign with both an arm flexing and a body in a yoga pose. You DO spot a pool off to the side, but it is partly on fire. + +Inside gives you a school building feeling, aside from the sounds of grunting and metal clanking in the distance. There is one long hallway leading to multiple doors and one big staircase leading upstairs. You see the same yoga pose sign in the distance at the staircase, pointing up. + +----- + +*IF THEY STAY DOWNSTAIRS* +You see a door open beside you, and out steps an over six foot tall rhino man with a blond buzzcut held up behind an orange sweatband, wearing black and blue spandex-like workout clothing, his gold nametag reading CLINT. + +"Spotted you through the door, you looking for a workout?" + +*EXPLANATION* +He smiles and claps his hands. "Fantastic, let's get started. First day is free so we can do a kind of... evaluation, see where you need work." + +He guides anyone interested into one of the workout rooms, laid out with basic workout equipment. There are maybe five other people all doing their own thing, and they all look about the same sizes as your group. + +Clint sets you up with your choice of a rowing machine, barbell, leg press, or treadmill to start, and puts you at the lowest setting. + +You spend the next 30 minutes training under a slowly increasing workload guided by him watching over all of you simultaneously. + +(PHYSIQUE Roll) +- (Highest roller) receives a bit of praise for handling themself so well and pushing the limit +- But (lowest roller) tried a little too hard and took a point of damage as a result. + +He gets a solid read on what exactly it is you need to improve on, and its all fairly basic stuff. He hands each of you a written workout routine for longer better physical health. + +"You do this regimen three times a week for 30 minutes, and you'll start seeing some solid results pretty quick. Were ya interested in signing up for a gym membership?" + +*AFTER RESPONSE* +"Now hang on, I'm not saying you gotta do it, I'm just giving you options." +- You could buy your own gym and set yourself back a few thousand Z +- You could get a membership here, since we're the only gym in Diadem +- And I don't like telling first timers, but if you're really hard up for coin, there IS a free option if you wanna do a little traveling. + +"Well there's this place called the Mountain valley gym. Way more top notch gear and trainers, but most people go there to get RIPPED. They like helping new guys too, but uh.. they can be a bit intense." + +*FREE OPTION* +"Cool cool, got a map?" He points out a brown spot on the southeast side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +(Go to BROWN DEMENSE) + +----- + +IF THEY GO UPSTAIRS* +You spot a sign at the top of the stairs with a flexing arm pointing down, defining a separation between the floors. The second floor is mostly just one giant room, with partly padded flooring and partly wood paneled flooring. You also see a long metal bar going across one of the walls. + +"Can I help you?" As silently as can be, you are approached by a swan woman with blond hair tied into a long braid to her waist in a black leotard, her gold nametag reading JADA. + +*EXPLANATION* +She will smile and take a step backward into the room, extending her arm in an inviting manner. "Then let's give you a free day to see what we can do for you." + +She will them spend the next 30 minutes giving each of you basic instructions of flexibility exercises, including a few yoga poses. + +(ATHLETICS Roll) +- (Highest roller) receives her applause and a moment of admiration for being so flexible. +- But (lowest roller) most definitely pulled something and took a point of damage as a result. + +Once you all finish and she gets a good idea of what you can do, her recommendations are all fairly mundane stuff you could do as a morning warmup routine. + +"Now these are all for basic flexibility and conditioning, and you should see results very soon. Were any of you considering signing up for more advanced aerobics classes?" + +*AFTER RESPONSE* +"I see... well I am obligated to tell you that you could always have a membership here if you like, or you could do your routines at home without the professional aid of myself or my co-owners." + +She thinks for a moment. "There is also a third option if you're interested. We have a sort of 'sister school', much more zen and atmospheric than ours. That one's free, but requires travel. We send any potential students to each other and find their preferred space." + +*INTERESTED* +"Fantastic, if you have a map, I can point it out for you." She points out a green spot on the northwest side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +(Go to GREEN DEMENSE) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/HARDWARE_STORE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/HARDWARE_STORE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8fe1462 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/HARDWARE_STORE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +*HARDWARE STORE* +The pale blue concrete building is HUGE, easily two stories in height, and the parking lot is partly taken up by a frontside loading & unloading bay. Although you DO spot two of the storefront windows boarded up by pieces of metal. + +Inside, the aisles are floor to ceiling, and every inch is covered in every kind of building material, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, hand & power tool, and lawn & garden accessory you could imagine. + +You are immediately approached by a TALL bull man with tied back brown hair in a black apron over a dark blue tee shirt and blue jeans, his gold nametag reading ULRICH. "Welcome in, can I help ya find anything?" + +----- + +*ANYTHING BUT WOOD* +"Oh we got that in spades, right over here." He guides you all to a nearby aisle, and points out exactly what you are looking for. And the price is cheap, even for hardware store standards. + +(NOTICE Roll) +On your way to the registers, you hear a commotion in the building supply aisle, and notice several angry people. Nearly every type of wood rack is completely empty, save for some small scraps. + +*IF THEY ASK* +"Hm? Oh. THAT." + +----- + +*IF WOOD* +He inhales sharply through his teeth and carefully asks, "What KIND of wood exactly..?" + +*AFTER THEIR RESPONSE* +"Well uh... hm... I doubt we have a substantial amount, but let's go take a look." He guides you to the building supply aisle, and nearly every type of wood rack is completely empty, save for some small scraps. + +----- + +"We can't exactly get more right now, the uh... supply chain is interrupted, and..." He sighs and rubs the back of his neck in frustration. + +"Alright, I'm gonna level with you guys, we can't get into the Lumberyard to get more. Something fucked up happened over there, something NASTY. Everyone is too afraid to go in, and those that did, didn't come back out. Been a year since we got new supply, and whatever we CAN get usually gets earmarked for housing needs." + +*IF THEY WANT TO GO* +He seems genuinely shocked. "Well... it's your funeral. Let me show you where you gotta go." + +He walks over to a nearby endcap, grabs a fresh map, and points out a black spot on the southwestern side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +(Go to BLACK DEMENSE) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/HERBALIST_POTION-STORE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/HERBALIST_POTION-STORE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..98b5ef0 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/HERBALIST_POTION-STORE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +The dual purpose herbalism & potion store is an odd looking one, partly occupied by a small greenhouse attached to the small brick building. The building is also partly overrun by vines, aside from the spots where it's been burnt off. + +Inside is a compact little store, half the shelves dedicated to herbs & spices of any caliber you can imagine, and the other half to bottles & vials, both empty and full of every color of liquid you can think of. + +You spot a head peeking around the corner of the shelf on the left, a blue pair of hands stocking a handful of shelves full of fresh tobacco leaves in a brown bag, before turning the corner and disappearing from view. + +You THEN spot an identical head turning the corner on the far right shelf, adjusting the colored elemental potion bottles so the labels face outward, before disappearing again. + +You spot ANOTHER head appear from the greenhouse entryway, carrying a sack of... something into the building and straight back into the store room door, slamming it behind him. + +"Can I help you?" Behind the register stands a lanky bright green gecko man in a lab coat with blue hands, short red hair, and a gold nametag stating JEFFREY. + +*ASK FOR ANYTHING* +You feel someone poking your shoulder twice. + +When you turn to look, you see three more geckos, identical to the last detail, except their hair is laid out in different positions and their nametags state BILLY, SAMWISE, and MARSHALL. The three are all holding the exact item you are looking for. + +----- + +*POTIONS* + +Potions traditionally come in three sizes +- Small Medium & Large + +Potions also come in three varieties +- HP, MP, and Color / Elemental + +Potions cost 25z per size, regardless of type +- SML = 25z, MED = 50z, LRG = 75z + +Potions sell for 10z per size, regardless of type +- SML = 10z, MED = 20z, LRG = 30z + +----- + +HP Potions (clear liquid) + SML heals 5HP + MED heals 10HP + LRG heals 15HP + +MP Potions (pearlescent) + SML recovers 5MP + MED recovers 10MP + LRG recovers 15MP + +Elemental (color) potions +- Each potion comes in 12 different colors, one for each color of magic (except gold) + +- Each Potion does two things: +1) If you throw it as an ITEM action, it does X DMG + STATUS to all characters in the ZONE it lands in on a HIT, or just the STATUS on a MATCH (mimicking a spell) +- SML = 1DMG, MED = 2DMG, LRG = 3DMG +2) If you drink it as an ITEM action, it reduces the DMG you take from spells of that color by X amount & negates its STATUS for three turns (mimicking WILL resistance) +- SML = -1DMG, MED = -2DMG, LRG = -3DMG \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/HOSPITAL.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/HOSPITAL.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..31e2205 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/HOSPITAL.txt @@ -0,0 +1,87 @@ +*HOSPITAL* + +The facility is an impressively tall three story brick building with multiple separate wings and sub-buildings. You see several doctors and nurses walking in and out at random intervals, with a parking lot full of civilian vehicles on one side and oddly designed ambulances on the other. But one of the ambulances is currently on its side. + +Inside is even more impressive than outside. The building is immaculate, the lines are short, the floors are all marble squares, and the smell of cafeteria food fills the air. + +This floor of the facility is mostly comprised of a line of check-in windows, a large seating area with about two dozen chairs, and a series of glass doorways leading to catwalks to other nearby buildings. + +----- + +*IF ANYONE IS INJURED* +A pair of male nurses walking by in purple scrubs stop in front of your group with concern. An Alpaca with poofy brown hair & a gold nametag reading MICAH, and a black (Vietnam forest) scorpion man with a pale blonde buzzcut & a gold nametag stating KITIA, see your injured teammate(s) and guide them to sit down, asking what happened. + +While you talk, the two give a quick inspection to their wounds, scribble down notes on their general appearance, and check their heart rate. Once that is evaluated, the nurses give you two options. + +- Immediate relief using a high dosage of healing magic at a high price (3z per HP) +- Basic medical care & medicines that take a bit longer to work but are cheaper (1z per HP) + +NOTE: +If they take Basic care, they either cannot participate in the next fight, or all rolls will be at a -1 during it, unless they sleep first + +*EITHER WAY* + + +----- + +(NOTICE Roll) You hear a siren from outside, and it is approaching rapidly. Moments later, a team is wheeling a gurney with into the main lobby, carrying a parakeet man holding his side tightly. + +"What's the emergency here?" +"38 year old male with a laceration across his ribs and side, likely a sword." +"Okay, get him some healing magic and-- +"Healing magic doesn't work on this." +"WHAT?" +"Every healing spell we cast just... doesn't work on it. And there's something else, we spotted gold in the wound." +"Oh God, another one? Okay, get him to a bed, we'll do what we can." + +You watch the squad wheel the gurney away, the frustrated doctor writing something down on a clipboard. + +*IF THEY ASK* +The doctor turns to you, a dolphin man with glasses and ear length brown hair, wearing a white labcoat with a stethoscope around his neck, his gold nametag reading DR TOHRU LEUMADAIR. "Hm? Did you need something?" + +*IF THEY ASK* +He puts the clipboard back under his arm. "I'm surprised you don't know yet. People are coming in with injuries that can't be healed by magical means. Mostly cuts or gunshot wounds, all of which medicine and surgery can still treat, but their blood has traces of gold... something we can't identify around the injury." + +"Whatever this is isn't fatal in and of itself for the moment, and we've succeeded in removing it to prevent embolysms without issue, but healing magic is our fast acting option for critical care. If someone were to lose something valuable to this, it could be permanent. We've had one fatality from this so far, and we want to keep it that way." + +----- + +*SEE THE PATIENT* +"Medical code dictates noone can see any patient or any part of them therein, except Healthcare professionals, and even then only with consent." + +*ANYONE WITH MEDICAL EXPERTISE* +*OR IF THEY HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE* +He seems very hesitant. "Given circumstances, there ARE protocols to allow you to see this, especially if it can further our understanding of what is happening." + +He leans in very closely. "But you need to be very careful and follow my every word. You may have knowledge that can help, but this is still a hospital, and every person & procedure MUST be treated with dignity and respect. Understood?" + +*IF YES* +He takes you to the nearby clerk window and requests (current party number) guest passes from the clerk, which she hands over no questions asked. "YWear these at all times, stay close to me, and keep your hands to yourself." + +He guides you into the patient area with several sick and injured people occupying the beds, toward a specific wing earmarked G.D.I. (Gold Dust Injury / God Damn It) You see various people with semi-deep cuts and gunshot wounds, nothing too catastrophic, but they are definitely in some amount of agony. + +He moves past them to a private office area full of file cabinets, pulls out a folder marked Tarbh, W., and pulls out an image of a fairly large cut on someone's chest. The wound has been cleaned fairly well, but you do see traces of gold dust against the opening, as well as a small sample dish with blood & the gold dust in it. + +"This is the image of a wound that caused our first and only fatality. We attempted to clean and close the wound, but we couldn't get to it quick enough. Add to it the age of the patient complicated it further... but, do you know anything about what caused this?" + +*MENTION GOLD WEAPONS OR SHIELD* +He writes down the information as you say it. +"So these gold weapons are to blame then... in the hands of the Marauders no less, can't say I'm surprised. And they devour mana to create this dust... I wouldn't believe it if the evidence didn't back you up." + +He seems relieved to have this confirmation. "I'll be honest, just getting confirmation on what we half suspected makes a huge difference. We will add a prioritized protocol to clean the wound even more closely before anything else." + +He quickly walks over to a nearby nurse and hands her his clipboard. "Get this to the other doctors, get an addendum added to our protocols made as quick as you can. This 'epidemic' might be over." + +She wastes no time at all getting the information down the hall, and he turns back to your group. "Your timing was impeccable on this one. And thanks to you, Warton Tarbh might be the only fatality. May he rest in peace." + +(CONTACTS Roll) +Warton was the name of the bookstore owner. + +*RECOGNIZE WARTON* +"Did... you know him? My condolences. I assume you know his funeral service is later today, yes? I'd attend myself, but I wasn't invited, and I didn't know him well enough." + +*FUNERAL SITE* +"If you have a map..." He points out a GRAY spot on the westernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem + +(Go to GRAY DEMENSE) + diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/HYDRO_ELECTRIC_GENERATOR.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/HYDRO_ELECTRIC_GENERATOR.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b50c43b --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/HYDRO_ELECTRIC_GENERATOR.txt @@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ +The building itself is fairly large light blue concrete walls with a dark blue support framing, with one dark blue metal front door and several windows all around, surrounded by chain link fence with a large hole in the side by the entryway. You also see a sign on the front with pictures of water & a lightning bolt, as well as electrical wires originating from behind the building. + +----- + +*BACKSIDE* +You see what resembles a LARGE old fashioned electrical substation surrounded by more chain link fence covere in WARNING signs, and four major power poles with cables flowing out to the nearest poles that THEN travel to all the major districts. Anyone with electrical background can recognize the circuit switchers, regulators, reclosers, and a few control buildings with heavy cables running to one and between the others. + +*CONTROL BUILDINGS* +The first control building is wall to wall machinery, nothing but on/off lights and on/off switches on every single panel. Some of the panels are open, and each one is full of machinery and wiring dedicate to moving electricity from itself to another area. + +The second control building is surprisingly empty, the only thing in it being a series of open spaces with handlebars, and these handlebars are connected to a series of cables and circuitry, not unlike the first control building. Some of these cables appear to lead to massive battery units. + +----- + +*INSIDE* +The building inside is surprisingly minimal, but a bit loud for your liking. In one corner is a small set of lockers with a small kitchenette, the other has a small desk and workstation with a red phone. But the majority of the room's space is taken up by a MASSIVE rounded metal casing, humming and grinding away as whatever is inside it (you assume) generates the power. + +From around the backside steps a shorter hamster man in blue coveralls, a white hard hat, white rubber gloves, and a gold nametag reading KAELID. He spots your group and immediately rushes to push you out the door. "HEY HEY HEY, YOU CAN'T BE IN HERE!" + +*GIVE ANY RESPONSE* +He seems hesitant to listen. "Wait wait... you're not Marauders, are you?" + +*SAY NO* +He stares at you for a few seconds. "I'm inclined to believe you since you didn't start breaking things immediately, but... net time, just have someone call in advance, okay? This place is important AND dangerous." + +He sighs a bit. "But as long as you're here... what were you looking for anyways?" + +*ANYTHING TO DO WITH A TOUR OR A CLOSER LOOK* +He blinks a few times. "You serious?" + +*IF YES* +He thinks for a second. "You know... I'm not opposed, because I never get tour groups, but... you're gonna have to get geared up. Grab a hard hat, earplugs, and rubber gloves from the locker, I'll give you a closer look." + +He leans in real close. "BUT DON'T... TOUCH... ANYTHING." + +Once you are all sufficiently geared up, he takes you for a general look around the unit itself. There isn't much to see, until you spot the trap door near the back with a ladder inside. + +*DOWN THE LADDER* +As you descend, you get a better llok at the inner workings thanks to the lights running down the inside of the massive hole. + +Looking up, you see the motor half of a large rotor inside a stator, crackling and grinding as it gathers electricity. + +You also see a MASSIVE metal rod leading from it straight down into a massive chain link floor panel, all surrounded by a square cage of chain link fence locked behind chain and padlock. + +Beneath it, the chain link floor panel is digging into the rock, and you can see the centermost part of the massive turbine fan underneath it in the water, spinning surprisingly fast in the ocean current beneath it. + +*IF THEY WANT TO LOOK FOR ANYTHING SPECIFIC* +(INVESTIGATE Roll) You spot a sparkling line of gold in the rock, only about an inch thick, and it runs in a massive ring all around the rock wall. + +*WHAT IS IT* +KAELID looks at it for half a second. "Oh THAT? Not a clue, it's been here since before the generator was put in. Wouldn't recommend touching it with bare hands, shit burns hard. But gloves are fine." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/MALL.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/MALL.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..414df57 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/MALL.txt @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ +*MALL* + +The outside looks fairly standard, large concrete building sun bleached into a bland pale gray. But the building looks well maintained, the streets are paved with no visible cracks or marks outside of some scorchmarks, and the doors are ten foot high glass panel with brass handles. + +Inside the two story building is a different matter. The walls are all painted a startling white, the staircases are immaculate, every storefront looks trendy & clean, and there are old-fashioned elevators with liftmen. + +*EXPLORE* +Every store is a specialty store selling all manner of fashionable AND functional clothes. There are stores for sportswear, swimwear, shoes, accessories, heavy duty workout wear, even winter wear. + +*ANY STORE THEY GO TO* +You will see a solid array of color and style options, in sizes ranging from toddler to giant. + +*AFTER THEY SHOP AROUND* +The counter is ran by: +A curvy Peafowl woman with long multicolored hair in a tight fitting red polo uniform polo shirt and a gold nametag stating Andrea +A bored looking Persian cat woman with tied back black hair in an orange uniform tee shirt and a gold nametag stating Maria +A young Falcon man with slicked back brown hair in a yellow uniform polo tee trimmed in white, his gold nametag stating Jackson +A lanky teenage Cheetah boy in a deep green tee shirt with the store logo on the chest, opposite a gold nametag stating Dashiell +A tall Cricket girl with blonde hair in a braid across her shoulder over a blue polo tee, her nametag stating Violet +A muscular White lion man with a white mane of hair behind a black headband and a purple tee-shirt, his gold nametag stating Kevin + +Once the merchandise is brought to the counter, paid for, and put in a brown paper bag, the clerk will slip a bright pink piece of paper in the bag before handing it to the one that paid. + +It's a flier for an upcoming once-a-month fashion show this afternoon, taking place in the PINK demense, and hosted by 'The One And Only Demense Mistress, Madam Miranda.' + +*IF THEY ASK* +The clerk smiles and points out the small pink flower pin on their uniform, on the opposite side of their chest from the nametag. "Madam Miranda is the one who designed all the clothes everyone in Diadem wears, and every piece has her insignia on them somewhere." + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) You didnt notice this before but: +- Every article of clothing you bought has that symbol embroidered on their tags +- Several people are walking around with that pinned on their clothes, bags, or hats +- Every store sign has that little symbol somewhere on it +(IF THEY DIDNT ASK) +- Why is there a winter wear store in the summer? + +*WHERE IS IT* +The clerk smiles and turns to a giant map behind the counter on the wall, and points out a pink spot on the southeast side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +(Go to PINK DEMENSE) + +----- + +*WINTER WEAR STORE* +The store is overall no different than any other store in this mall, but it instead has a myriad of thick clothing & gloves and stylized weatherproof coats to handle any blizzard. + +*IF THEY ASK* +The clerk will give a knowing grin. "You aren't from around here, are you?" + +"Okay there's three reasons. One, alot of people are cold blooded and need a little more thermal layering to get by." + +"Two, we do get winter weather here when the season aligns for it, and people prep for it year round." + +"Three, and because I knew you were new, you don't know about the best place to cool off in the summer, do ya?" + +*NO* +"If you got a map, I'll show you where it is. But you might wanna grab a coat." They point out a WHITE spot on the southwestern side of the rock wall around Diadem + +(Go to WHITE DEMENSE) + +-----=====-----=====----- + +*MALL FOOD COURT* +The food court itself is fairly basic, dark green square metal tables with matching chairs, four seats each. There are several food vendors to pick from, and while most of them are more fast food related, there are also options for more specific tastes. + +----- + +*REGARDLESS OF THE FOOD* +Everything on this table is rich in the purest and most savory flavors you could've asked for. The ingredients are top notch, the beverages are fresh, even the salt & pepper are more flavorful than you expected. + +*IF THEY ASK OR COMPLIMENT* +The clerk will laugh proudly, already in progress of making more food for the next people. "We get our ingredients fresh from the farmlands (ocean if they picked seafood) + +*QUESTION FARMLAND / OCEAN* +"Oh shoot, you must be newbies. Just a sec." The clerk checks out the next person in line, trots over to your table, and asks to see your map, pointing out a: +- BLUE spot on the southernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. +- VIOLET spot on the easternmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +"You go to this place here, everything'll make perfect sense." + +(Go to BLUE DEMENSE or VIOLET DEMENSE) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/MECHANIC.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/MECHANIC.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e715981 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/MECHANIC.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10 @@ +The mechanic shop is surprisingly simple, mostly an empty space inside with two garage bays. One is big enough for two large vehicles (likely cars), the other for a few smaller ones (likely motorcycles). But it is painted a welcoming blue and has a small main entrance lobby on the front, and you can spot a man standing behind the counter flipping through a magazine. + +*APPROACH* +Inside, you hear nothing but the soft sounds of metal on metal, and you can see the mechanics in the back hard at work, wearing blue jumpsuits and hats. The one up front wears an identical outfit, a black & brown ball python man with short black hair and a gold nametag stating MIKEY. + +He realizes you're approaching and quickly stashes the magazine. "Oh uh, hi there, how can I help you?" + +----- + +The mechanics specialize in repairing anything with a motor, any repair will cost 10z per HP, and will take one phase of the day for 5HP or less, or two for 6-10HP \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/MOTORCYCLE_DEALERSHIP.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/MOTORCYCLE_DEALERSHIP.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7514a9b --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/MOTORCYCLE_DEALERSHIP.txt @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +The dealership is overloaded with different types of motorcycles in AND out of the red building. Street bikes, sport bikes, pocket rockets, cruisers, luxury bikes, all types can be found here. And unlike the cars you've seen, these motorcycles look identical to normal ones, aside from the motors looking more streamlined. + +On your way inside, you see one of the windowpanes to the storefront is partially melted. + +Inside you see a few more bikes, prized and platform-held models they consider to be top of the line. You also see dozens of people gawking at them in amazement, except for one burly German Shepherd man, arms crossed and laring your group down. + +*APPROACH* +The burly German Shepherd man is wearing a black leather jacket with the sleeves removed over a black tee shirt, a pair of metal goggles on his forehead holding back his spiky black hair, and a gold nametag stating ARDEN. He silently chews on his toothpick, glaring at all of you shorter than his 6 foot 7 frame. + +*SAY ANYTHING* +Instead of answering you, he simply extends a meaty hand forward, offering you a handshake. However, his gaze also holds the malice of a demon, like he's waiting for you to make a mistake. + +----- + +*TAKE THE HANDSHAKE* (PHYSIQUE Roll) + +(LOW Roll) He seems unimpressed and squeezes your hand a bit too tight for your liking. You don't take any damage, but you probably won't be twisting any doorknobs for the day. +- Give them -1 to their first FIGHT roll today + +(MATCH Roll) He raises an eyebrow and flexes his arm a little, before giving a smirk, showing off those dangerous canines. + +(HIGH Roll) His glare sharpens when your hands make contact, and you physically hear his knucles popping in your grip. He puts his free hand on your shoulder, laughing a deep disturbing laugh. "That's ALL I needed to hear." +- They earned a discount on their purchase/lease + +*EITHER WAY* +"Welcome to my little slice of Hog Heaven. What kinda ride're you lookin' for?" + +----- + +Motorcycles are 5,000z to own or 150z a month, and can be a rent-to-own after 3 years at this rate + +----- +ITEM: MOTORCYCLE (VEHICLE) +Requires DRIVE to use +5 Hit Points +Deals 2DMG on a HIT ++1 MVMT per turn +Motorcycles do NOT require fuel. They instead run off a point of MANA, and will run on that point for the entire day, unless it is turned off diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/MOVIE_THEATER.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/MOVIE_THEATER.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a006cb9 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/MOVIE_THEATER.txt @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ +*MOVIE THEATER* + +The pale yellow building is an old fashioned type theater, the kind your history books would call a Nickelodeon. The entryway has a ticket seller, the overhead & side displays are all lit in very colorful & stylish ways, and the sign hanging above it just has an image of a double spinning reel movie projector, the type that uses actual movie tape. But you also see a bullet hole directly in front of the camera lens. + +*BUY TICKETS* +The ticket seller is a rather short tuft ear owl man sitting on a stool, fidgeting with a purple pendant out of boredom, wearing a red vest trimmed in gold over a white dress shirt, his gold nametag reading AWAR. He straightens up immediately when you approach. "Welcome! I'm assuming... (NUMBER OF PLAYERS) for The Magic Circle?" + +The movies playing are: +- Fast & Furious 7 (SOLD OUT) +- What We Do In The Shadows (SOLD OUT) +- Mad Max: Fury Road (SOLD OUT) +- Inside Out (SOLD OUT) +- It Follows (SOLD OUT) +- The Magic Circle (INCOMPLETE) +- TICKETS TO ANY MOVIE ARE 5z EACH + +*GO INSIDE* +The main lobby is small, but cozy. The walls are a gorgeous tan-orange, the theater entrances are three each on the left & right walls, and the back wall past them is occupied by a snack counter. + +- The popcorn smells fresh, there are six different seasonings, and the butter looks real +- The soda machine has twelve flavors of soda, two of which are diet +- The glass candy display is full of all the classic snack foods you expect +(peanut butter chocolate hard & soft candies, chocolate bars, licorice, gummy candies, malted milk balls, taffy bites, the works) + +The Condor man running the snack booth has well groomed blond hair and wears the same uniform as Awar, his gold nametag reading DOLMA. You also notice he is wearing braces, and it is more obvious when he speaks that he is NOT used to them. "Can I help you?" + +- BAGS OF POPCORN ARE 1z, 2z, & 3z BASED ON SIZE +- SODA IS 1z, 2z, & 3z EACH BASED ON SIZE +- EACH CANDY IS ONLY 1z PER PACK +- *OFFER DISCOUNTS ON MULTIPLE ITEMS OF MEDIUM OR LARGE* + +*IN THEATER* +The theater is small, but well maintained. The walls are painted deep shades of orange green & purple, the black stone-like floors are fairly clean, and the 100-ish padded metal seats are well used but in good shape. They also have cupholders. + +On your way in, you spot a short but excessively fluffy snow owl woman with white shoulderblade long hair in an identical uniform as the prior two, her gold nametag reading MALLORY. She is carrying a short broom & dustpan and doing aisle inspections. + +About 3 minutes later, the lights dim and the title sequence of the movie begins automatically, no advertisements. First is the title card THE MAGIC CIRCLE, and it calls itself a live-action documentary of a group of brave heroes digging and rediscovering the ancient history of Diadem. + +It also lists itself as "severely recreated" due to some of the dangerous elements being a bit TOO lethal to show to everyone. And, the film was recorded over the span of a year, which all took place about five years ago. + +The next 92 minutes have got to be the most GARBAGE TIER COLLEGE FILM you have ever seen. It is so cheesy you HAVE to laugh at it, the production values are clearly made in the cheapest manner possible, and the camerawork is genuinely terrible. + +The main characters are a mid 20s Condor man, a short owl man & woman couple, and the cameraman that remains unseen but is heard sporadically voicing his concerns. All three actors wear some amount of generic adventuring clothing (vests, backpacks, hats with long brims), but the owls are both wearing eye-catching pendants, the male's round and purple and the woman's an icicle. + +The story in a nutshell is, the three main characters (including the cameraman) look through an OLD old history book to find the ancient lore of the land, explain gathering twelve magical treasures, and use them to fulfill their wish to free the people. (the very task King Akarui advised you NOT to get your hopes up over.) Other than that, NOTHING about what you watch makes an ounce of cohesive sense. + +- They find a lost child in an indigo hoodie lying facedown in a desert, and while explaining him as "another victim of the harsh environment," the kid stands up, dusts himself off, and walks away mid-shot +- They climb a mountain together and the Condor performs the most perfectly cut scream you ever saw as he is walloped by a falling boulder +- They go to what SEEMS like a graveyard, only to come across some kid's Gothic themed birthday party and almost ruin it +- They go to a jungle where they are constantly being pursued by nightmarish red-eyed wild animals +- They end up in the middle of a blizzard and are constantly being bombarded by snowballs from some VERY upset children + +There are also repeated instances of the Condor ending up in the hospital, each time for a different injury or affliction. But strangely enough (and even with the crappy camera quality), the two owls are always untouched. The cameraman is also never hurt, but moreso because he stood far back enough to never be in harm's way. The Condor commented on this constantly, calling him a chicken. + +The Condor, however, suffered from: +- multiple degrees of burns +- sleep-wake cycle disorders +- temporary blindness +- high velocity abrasions & aerophagia +- decompression sickness (the BENDS) +- blunt trauma from a horse kick to the head +- dependant edema (disassociation to gravity) +- severe frostbite +- electrocution burns +- sudden onset depression +- night terrors +- extreme muscle fatigue & broken bones + +By the end of the movie, you see them gather twelve multicolored glass orbs in front of the Diadem City Hall building, and in the most anime (Dragonball Z) fashion, you see the Condor raise his hands to call out to... something. But, the film suddenly cuts out before the end result occurs. Not by choice, but moreso because the film looked damaged and burnt out. + +The only part that remains after is a tacked on credit scene, and you only see four names listed for the entire movie's production. +- Star : Dolma Pe +- Co-star : Awar Solomon +- Tertiary star : Mallory Solomon +- Cameraman: Sunny Sydup + +On your way out, you are called out to by the ticket seller (Awar). "Hey, so... just curious... did you guys like the movie?" + +*REGARDLESS OF ANSWER* +"Yeah I'm not a fan myself. I wish I could say 'the book was better,' but there's not a real book. It was based on a chunk of lore from the back of an old history textbook. I'd still recommend that little blurb over that college project film any day of the week." + +He leans closer to the window. "But don't tell anyone I told you that." + +*HISTORY BOOK* +"The schools don't use them anymore, but there's a bookstore down the street that does. They keep a few copies on hand, much like how people outside copy and sell pocket versions of their country's important documents, like... what do they call that one... the Constitution?" diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/MUSIC_STORE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/MUSIC_STORE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ed34ecf --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/MUSIC_STORE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ +*MUSIC STORE* + +This brick building is alot more stylized than the others. The front of the store is covered in a black iron mesh meant to resemble speakers, covering and slightly obscuring the glass open front display. You also see a handful of broken arrows sticking out of the holes in the black metal mesh. + +Inside is wall to wall aisles of musical instruments and supplies, but the aisles shorten in length closer to the store's center. Instead, there are four black leather couches, a small coffee table, and a few people sitting together, either enjoying the atmosphere or testing the instruments. + +Behind the couches and beside the door is the register, manned by an Ibis woman with braided black hair and a loose tiedye tank top, working a modernized record player connected to the store's sound system, her gold nametag reading ELLEN. + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) + +(Aisle 1) has Drums and percussion instruments + +(Aisle 2) has Fretted instruments (guitars, ukuleles, etc) + +(Aisle 3) has Brass and woodwind instruments + +(Aisle 4) has Violin family instruments + +(Aisle 5) has Metronomes, music stands, and sheet music + +(Aisle 6) has Consumables (strings, reeds, drumsticks) + +(Aisle 7) has Microphones, cables, audio tech, & amplifiers + +(Aisle 8) has Racks upon racks of records with relatively recent music, and record players nearby + +*IF THEY ASK* +Among the records, you spot: +- UPTOWN FUNK by Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars +- SEE YOU AGAIN by Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth +- SHUT UP & DANCE by Walk To The Moon +- THE HILLS by The Weekend +- BAD BLOOD by Taylor Swift & Kendrick Lamar +- A few yellow fliers attached to the rack separators for a party, hosted by DJ ZAHIR, and it happens every (day of the week). + +*ASK ABOUT FLIER* +Ellen puts down her headphones and lets the record play for a bit. "Hell yeah, love his parties. Guy throws one about every week and everyone is invited. Hell of a shindig too, last one had at least a hundred people. You going?" + +*WANT TO GO* +"Sweeeet, got a map?" She points out a yellow spot on the northeast side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +(Go to YELLOW DEMENSE) + diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/PET_STORE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/PET_STORE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..77af77e --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/PET_STORE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,49 @@ +*PET SHOP* + +The tan brick building is fairly plain on the outside, has a couple window displays full of baby animals that are waiting to be adopted, and has a sign hanging over the door with a cartoon cat and dog face. It is also the first store that doesn't have SOME amount of physical damage. + +Walking inside, you see a few aisles full of basic animal supplies, most of which is separated by species. Cat, Dog, Fish, Reptile, Bird, all the basics are there. + +In the distance, you see the distinctly Indigo hoodie of Caelum, and it looks like he's talking to someone. And whatever the conversation is about, he seems enamored by the topic. + +(CONTACTS Roll) He is talking to a very enthusiastic Striker. + +(IF THEY APPROACH) +Both Caelum and (Striker) the person he is talking to look in your direction seeing you approach, and (Striker) the other person ducks down out of view. By the time you make it to the counter, (Striker) whomever he was speaking to has completely vanished. But Caelum is pinching the bridge of his nose, seemingly in frustration. "Ugh... of course..." + +(IF THEY ASK) +"I was... talking to an old friend. Can I help you find anything today?" + +(WAS THAT STRIKER) +"Oh you... know him too? Yeah he's an... exotic character, to put it simply. I like talking to him, he swings by and keeps me company." + +(COMPLAIN ABOUT HIM) +"Well... I trust him. He's never given me a reason not to." + +----- + +*RESPEC* +"Oh, you... just a second." He walks over to the door and puts up a sign on it saying CLOSED FOR THE DAY. + +"Alright, if you're serious, then I'll prepare everything I need. Meet me at the Orange Demense laboratory in an hour, I have preparations to make." He quickly trots off into the room marked KEEP OUT, slamming the door behind him quickly. + +*AT THE LAB* +You find Caelum already hard at work, mixing a myriad of chemicals together in various beakers and test tubes. He sits upright when you arrive, pushing a pair of goggles on his eyes further up on his head. "Perfect timing, I was just about finished." + +He walks over to (whomever made the request), holding out both hands. "I only need two more things. A sample of your DNA, and 100z." + +Once he has both, he walks back over to the laboratory area. First he takes the sample and adds it into the mix, but nothing appears to happen or change. + +Then he takes the 100z and breaks open the coin(s), allowing the mana-infused sea salt to fall into the mix. The second it makes contact, the mix begins to glow in a myriad of colors. + +He takes a stirring stick and carefully mixes it all together until the salt dissolves entirely, and the new potion settles into a warm indigo shade, almost identical to his hoodie. + +He pours the mix from a beaker into a potion bottle, corks it, and hands it to (whoever made the request), looking them sternly in the eye. "This is for you, and only you. Noone else can drink this." + +----- + +*ASK FOR SUPPLIES* +"What we have is on the shelves, but if you didn't see it coming in... let me check the back for you." He trots off and heads for a pair of doors opposite where you came in from. One marked STOCK ROOM and the other marked KEEP OUT. + +*IF THEY GO INTO DOOR MARKED 'KEEP OUT'* +(Go to -VIOLET DEMENSE) diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/POST OFFICE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/POST OFFICE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..27d9b38 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/POST OFFICE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +The wide yet short brick building is half glass storefront with two main rooms: The left room being the actual counterspace, and the right room being PO Boxes. It's not until you look behind it that you see the building is simplylonger than it is wide, roughly triple the length. You see a parking lot behind it that mimicks the one out front, except larger for the mail trucks sitting behind it. Although yo do see one of the trucks is currently tipped over. + +*GO INSIDE* +The counter is ran by a jackrabbit man wearing a full brown mail carrier outfit, hat and all, but for some reason he appears to be sporting small antlers-- holy shit he's a jackalope. He smiles and waves at your group as you come in, his gold nametag stating KAITO. "Hi, how can I help you?" + +*ASK ANY QUESTION* +You suddenly hear the door behind you open, and in steps an identically dressed brown wolf girl with sunglasses on, and she looks VERY displeased with something. She doesn't even acknowledge your group being there, she just walks into the side door located by the PO Boxes and slams it hard enough to rattle the cardboard boxes behind Kaito. + +Kaito hangs his head a bit and sighs. "Please excuse Coco, she is easy to anger." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/REAL-ESTATE-OFFICE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/REAL-ESTATE-OFFICE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf65b7f --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/REAL-ESTATE-OFFICE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,34 @@ +The light brown concrete facility stands at two stories tall and is surprisingly well kept. You see a myriad of people through the multiple windows, all in high quality suits and high spirits. This is also one of the few buildings +that doesn't have some amount of damage. + +Inside is as clean and well kept as the outside. Tile floors, white walls with framed pictures of plants & people you could easily assume are important to the building, and a quaint lobby area with two couchs and four chairs surrounding a coffee table. + +In one of those chairs, you spot a familiar face: Anais, the sheep woman from your meeting with Akarui. She is flipping through several folders of paper lying on the coffee table, and is chewing on her metal pen cap every few moments. And she looks stressed. + +*APPROACH* +Anais doesn't even notice you're there at first, but she eventually puts the paers down with a heavy sigh, and looks up to your group, like she knew you were there the whole time. "Thanks for not interrupting me... is there something I can help you with?" + +*WHY ARE YOU HERE* +"I'm a realtor. The HOA isn't exactly a paying gig, ya know." + +*WHY SO STRESSED* +She stands up and drops the folders into a pile onto the table. "You know what THESE are? These are noise complaints within the Gated community over the last month alone. Which wouldn't even BE an issue if the King would just take my idea of a sound ordinance seriously. But NOPE, he won't even give me a chance." + +She stands and walks around in frustration. "I have fantastic and simple ideas for fixing alot of the housing & money issues in Diadem. Sound ordinances after a set time, color restrictions for colors to paint your house and fence, basic yard cleanliness standards... it's not that hard to keep things running." + +She flops back down into her seat. "And if it's not the King, it's the realtor board. They won't take my vetting proposal seriously. All I want is a simple process of putting certain people in certain homes based on specific criteria, so the right people end up in the right neighborhood!" + +"But NOOO, we have to allow grocery store workers and fast food workers to buy Gated Community homes, knowing full well they won't survive a year in there financially. And then, when they SOMEHOW abandon the place and owe three months of back rent, it's somehow MY fault!" + +*ITS NOT A RACE OR SPECIES THING?* +"Of course not. I'm an economist, not a bigot." + +----- + +*HOUSING* + +- Apartments have 2 bed 1 bath max and go for 250z a month + +- Houses have max 4 bed and 2 bath, and go for 500z a month + +- Gated residences have as many bed & bath as needed and go for 1,000z a month diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/RESTAURANT.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/RESTAURANT.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..728e468 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/RESTAURANT.txt @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@ +*RESTAURANT* +There are multiple restaurant style buildings right beside each other, all of them looking mostly identical inside AND out, except for the signs on the front. Each sign displays a different food or ingredient to differentiate them, and each one has a small group of outdoor weatherproof metal & leather tables & chairs in a small corral of iron fencing. + +----- + + The Breakfast restaurant is quaint inside, the walls & floor a soft light brown with wooden white tables. The Skink woman working the entryway has a long black ponytail and a blue shirt under a black apron uniform, her nametag stating Siya + + The Meat restaurant is more of a steakhouse with dark brown floors & tables and dark gray tile walls, but serves all manners of meat, fish, & poultry based on the grill smell. The grill is manned by a Black mamba man under a white chef's outfit with a gold nametag stating Weylan + + The Vegetarian joint is a wooden wall & tile floor place with pale beiige tables, and their menu is surprisingly diverse. The main counter is ran by a short Panda man in a green apron & matching cap, his gold nametag stating Xavi + + The Fast food joint is surprisingly modern with metal-edged wood tables & chairs and dark colored tile walls & floors. The register is ran by a teenage Jackalope boy in a red shirt and black apron & matching hat, his gold naetag stating Yvgeny + + The Dessert restaurant is a combination bakery & milk bar, serving up drinks and fresh icing-rich baked goods. The restaurant itself is something out of the 50s with magenta & white booths and barstools. The counter is ran by a middle-aged Snow leopard man in a striped magenta & white outfit with a paper hat, his gold nametag stating Max + + The Coffee shop is more of a lounge area with two-seater tables and leather chairs alike, as well as a small bookshelf. The counter is ran by a younger Partridge girl with blonde hair tied in a tight bun and a deep blue apron over a black tee shirt, her nametag stating Avah + + The Juice bar strongly resembles a coffee shop, except instead of coffee, you smell fresh fruity smoothies in the air. The place is brightly designed with white walls & tables with lightly colored wood seats. The counter is ran by a taller Wombat man with slicked back red hair and a mint green tee under a white apron, his gold nametag stating Gary + + The Bakery doesn't have much seating, mostly two-seater tables in dark wood surrounded by pale brick walls. The counter & ovens are all being ran by a portly Salamander in a white baker's apron & hairnet over a gray tee-shirt, his gold nametag stating Zach + +----- + +*REGARDLESS OF THE FOOD* +Everything on this table is rich in the purest and most savory flavors you could've asked for. The ingredients are top notch, the beverages are fresh, even the salt & pepper are more flavorful than you expected. + +*IF THEY ASK OR COMPLIMENT* +The clerk will laugh proudly, already in progress of making more food for the next people. "We get our ingredients fresh from the farmlands (ocean if they picked seafood) + +*QUESTION FARMLAND / OCEAN* +"Oh shoot, you must be newbies. Just a sec." The clerk checks out the next person in line, trots over to your table, and asks to see your map, pointing out a: +- BLUE spot on the southernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. +- VIOLET spot on the easternmost side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +"You go to this place here, everything'll make perfect sense." + +(Go to BLUE DEMENSE or VIOLET DEMENSE) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/THUNDER_FORCE_OFFICE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/THUNDER_FORCE_OFFICE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0bfd7e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/THUNDER_FORCE_OFFICE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,102 @@ +*THUNDER FORCE* + +The two story precinct building looks relatively basic, the bottom half made of stylized brick and the top half basic concrete. There's no hanging sign like the other buildings, but you see a few Thunder Force officers walking in and out of the main doors, as well as normal people whom all seem a bit excited. + +Inside, there are several more officers with clipboards in hand, all talking to a large group of normally dressed people in the middle. Otherwise the building itself is mostly dedicated hallway and wooden doors leading to various other rooms. + +A group of three officers in the back spot your group, all of whom approach you rather quickly. + +- The first is a human woman with tightly bound brown hair in a bun, her silver nametag reading JENSEN +- The second is a Gila monster man about her height, his hair jet black and cut tight to his skin, his silver nametag reading VALEOS +- The third you immediately recognize from the Marauder incident, the tall Puma man with the scar under his eye, his silver nametag reading HARKEN + +Harken crosses his arms, eyeing you all up from behind his tight shades. "Wait, I recognize you lot, you're from the Marauder incident the other day. Good to see you all in our office. Do you plan to try out? Or were you just here to watch?" + +*EITHER WAY* +"(Good to hear / That's too bad), we are always looking for promising new recruits." He pauses and looks at his two associates. + +"It occurs to me none of us have been introduced formally. I am Third commander Harken, this is Second commander Valeos, and this is First commander Jensen." + +All three of them extend a hand to shake yours. + +----- + +*IF THEY WANT TO TRY OUT* +Harken will hold out a slip of paper. "You will be number 29 (add more per person). When your number is called, just step out into the center and we will get started." + +----- + +*EITHER WAY* +When the numbers are finally being called, the Commanders all turn toward the center, clipboards in hand. Harken turns to your group and mutters, "Let's hope this group is better than last week's." + +Despite the lack of frame of reference, you can see plain as day on all three Commanders' faces that their disappointment is immeasurable and their day is ruined. The attendees fumble with their guns full of blanks, fizzle out on their magic demonstrations, and jumble their words on the quick Q&A segments. + +Poor Harken looks so disappointed, he eventually turns around and walks out of the building entirely, leaving Jensen and Valeos to finish evaluations without him. + +----- + +*IF PARTICIPATING* +Number 29 is called out. Once you step on the floor, a shorter cat woman in full officer garb with a silver nametag reading BINX looks up to you. + +"Just like the others before you, we will be judging you on several specific attributes of being a Thunder Force officer. Are you ready?" + +- FIGHT/SHOOT/STEALTH roll for weapon finesse +- ACADEMICS/MANA/WILL roll for magical prowess +- EMPATHY/DECEIVE/RAPPORT roll for verbal skills + +Once you finish, she offers to shake your hand. "Thank you, we will have your results once all testing is complete." + +*REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS NECESSARY FOR EACH ADDITIONAL NUMBER* + +----- + +*FIVE MINUTES LATER, OR* +*AFTER LAST EVALUATION* +You feel the ground under your feet rumble and hear an explosion just outside the building. Harken runs back inside a moment later, coughing up smoke and covered in debris. "The Marauders are attacking the Residential district! I pursued but they outnumbered me!" + +He winces in pain, but Jensen steps up beside him and casts a violet healing spell on him to take the edge off. "I'll get you fixed up in a sec.." + +Valeos turns to everyone currently in the office. "Attention Thunder Force, current and potential! The time to truly test your merit has come! All non-agents are temporarily deputized until this threat is neutralized! I am deploying you all to the Residential District immediately!" + +He pauses to look at your group. "That includes you! Get down and help however you can! If there were enough to outnumber Harken, we need all the help we can get!" + +*RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT* +You see a group of about thirty Marauders, all laughing and swinging their weapons into whatever they can find. Car windows, mailboxes, light posts, everything breaks and they enjoy every second of it. + +Rather than try any de-escalation tactics, the other deputized officers immediately start jumping into street brawls with the Marauders. There is about as many on both sides, barring one group in the middle that you would assume to be the ringleaders. + +*WHEN THEY APPROACH* +You hear a familiar laugh, and see the same ram man waltz out into the open, waving that fancy shortsword of his around. "I was hoping I'd get to see you fuckheads again." + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +The ram lies in a heap with not only the group HE fought you with, but also every other Marauder in the area. The deputized officers are all fairly battered and banged up, but your side definitely won today. Despite their various injuries, they are all managing high fives and fist bumps. + +"THUNDER FORCE!!!" You hear Harken's voice bellow out behind you. The officers all turn and form a lineup, all saluting Harken immediately. Harken walks over with a soft limp, holding his stomach with one hand. + +"YOU HAVE DONE WELL. RETURN TO THE OFFICE TO RECUPERATE. DEPUTIZED OFFICERS, STANDBY." All the Thunder Force agents suddenly take off with electrically charged leaps, leaving you all behind in the lineup. + +"As for the rest of you... what I witnessed out there was sloppy, uncoordinated, and barely qualified as a victory." Everyone around you looks dejected. + +"So when you don that uniform, I expect each and every one of you to be better than you were today." The entire group suddenly seem surprised. + +"We will be using today's fight to evaluate each and every one of you, so pay attention to your mail. You will each receive a letter within the week with your results. BUT, regardless if you pass or fail, remember that on this day, you all fought to make Diadem better. DISMISSED." + +All the people start cheering for themselves and each other, before dispersing and walking away. Harken turns and looks at your group. "NOT. YOU." + +He ushers you all to come toward him. By this time, Jensen and Valeos join his sides. "We saw what you all did. Out of all the people in this fight, we recognize coordination and effort when we see it. You definitely have what it takes. I think I speak for all of us when I say, we want you to be Thunder Force." + +"You would start at entry level of course, but this will immediately qualify you for all employment perks. Uniforms, income, and status, including a publicly wearable trainee badge." + +*REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY PICK* +Jensen and Valeos walk away to grab some of the defeated Marauders, and Harken takes notice of the ram. "Wait, I know him. Didn't we just book him a few days ago?" + +*THE PARTY RECOGNIZES HIM* +"Well this expedites things a bit. Since both our groups have dealt with him more than once, he is officially a repeat offender, and will likely receive an expedited trial." + +"In fact... if you three would be willing to go to the courthouse and speak as witnesses, he might end up behind bars permanently." + +*IF THEY AGREE* +He will pull out his own map and point out a silver spot on the northeastern side of the rock wall around Diadem. + +(Go to SILVER DEMENSE) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/02 - Interactions/WEAPONS_STORE.txt b/Story/02 - Interactions/WEAPONS_STORE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42e3077 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/02 - Interactions/WEAPONS_STORE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,42 @@ +*WEAPONS STORE* + +The red brick building is not in the greatest shape. There are steel bars across the one window, the metal door is dented in a few places, and the hanging sign of a gun and sword crossed over each other is currently split in half, each half hanging on separate chains. + +But inside is immaculate. The walls are freshly painted a deep blue, there are multiple racks each overloaded with used blades & firearms, and there are brand new ones behind the counter currently occupied by a stout Doberman in a basic white tee under a leather jacket, currently polishing a brand new dagger set. + +*APPROACH* +He places the daggers on a rack behind him, turning to your group and leaning on the glass case full of ammunition, silencers, scopes, extended magazines, holsters for guns & blades alike, chest armor holders & separate plates, and magic rings in a dozen different colors. + +(IF THEY HAVENT MET) +"What can I get for ya?" + +(IF THEY HAVE MET) +"Well look who it is, my favorite customers." + +*HE WILL GLADLY SELL THEM ANY WEAPONS, AMMO, AND ACCESSORIES THEY NEED* + +*HIGH AMOUNT OF STOCK* +"Yeah I'm kinda overloaded on gear right now. People have been selling alot, but not many are buyin'. You'd think with all the Marauder nonsense, they'd be more into home defense nowadays, but guess not." + +----- + +*SECOND VISIT* +The building looks essentially the same from the outside, but the sign is being held together in midair by a strip of duct tape on the back. It's crooked, but it's legible now. + +Inside is identical as well, but this time, all the racks with the used weapons are borderline barren. The large number of basic swords, pistols, knives, and rifles are almost completely empty, and all the ammo for them are gone from the case. Still plenty of bigger weapons and magic rings though. + +"Well look who it is, my favorite customers." + +*STOCK IS MOSTLY GONE* +"Funny story about that, the store got raided by Marauders. They wanted to steal every weapon I had, but uh... they were kinda empty handed. And when they found out I now buy and sell from the Thunder Force, they straightened up RIGHT quick. Now I got regular customers, business is boomin', AND I got a new business partner." + +The front door to the store opens and reveals STRIKER, carrying a deep blue duffel bag. "Ah, Kings of Kings, what a wonderful surprise, heheh~" + +Jerras leans to the side and smirks. "Well look who's early to their shift." + +Striker snickers and lies the duffel bag on the counter. "Well I had to do some inventory before I got on duty, PARTNER." + +Striker unzips the duffel bag, revealing it to be full of used weapons. + +*ASK ABOUT WEAPONS* +"Normally I carry a large number of these with me everywhere I go, but that gets tiresome. Now, I just shadow travel myself back and forth between here and any potential buyers, making myself a mobile business partner." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/-Indigo-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/-Indigo-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6d3600f --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/-Indigo-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,126 @@ +Upon walking through the "forbidden door", your group sees an infinite expanse of nothingness. There are no buildings, no trees, no signs of life of any kind. + +Overhead you can see an infinite starry night sky with no moon in sight, and beneath you the floor seems to move and shimmer like a massive pool of water. Your feet stand upon it no differently than any other floor, and from where your feet stand and step, ripples expand out and make those little lights dance beautifully in the reflection. + +----- + +*IF INTRUDING* +Caelum will appear behind the individual/group, clear irritation in his eyes. "You people really don't know how to read, do you?" + +*AFTER THEY RESPOND* +He glares at them, but will sigh and push his way through the doorway. "Whatever, not like it really matters... might as well come in." + +----- + +Caelum will walk in and turn to your group, raising his hands in a half-hearted attempt at being entertaining. "Well here it is, my... 'demense' I guess, following this place's stupid rules. I call it the Seeker demense." + +He heads in a bit deeper, and waves your group to come in half heartedly. You didn't quite spot it at first, but there are SOME small objects in the room. + +You see a decent sized bed, a few sturdy wood & leather chairs, a lit fireplace with the smoke rising into the infinite above, a series of black candles lit atop the mantle, and a small table with some open books & papers on it near the chairs. + +(INVESTIGATE ROLL) +- The bedspread, the leather of the chairs, and the backs of all the books are almost all the same shade of indigo +- The flame inside the fireplace, as well as the flame on the candles themselves, are all a radiant green. Moreso, the candles are all in groups of 1, 2, 3, and 4 in their holders, but in the middle is an old fashioned menorah holding the last 5 +- The books on the table are surprisingly high class readings. Psychology books, conceptual understanding & reasoning dissertations, an interstellar Bible, and some strange scribbles discussing the values of mind & body, as well as logic & reason being correlated to emotion + +*IF THEY ASK WHAT HE IS* +He shrugs a little. "There's no real definition for 'what' I am here, but the closest I can find would be... demon, I guess?" + +He will pull back his hood, revealing a small lizard sitting atop his head. He will pick the little creature up, hold it in his hands, and pet it lightly. "Suffice it to say I'm not mortal, I just chose this look to separate myself from... where I came from." He will set his lizard down on another nearby chair. + +*WHERE DID HE COME FROM* +His eyes suddenly sink a little as he thinks about that one, looking a bit sad. "I came here from another reality... one where everything was in a perpetual cycle, and no matter how hard anyone tried, it always ended up the same. Everything turned out well there, but... well, something else came up. So I left. Ended up here on accident, probably because it had... elements of my home I didn't want to leave behind." + +*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +"If you are looking to fight me as you would a Demense Master, I can fill the part. I am only able to do so on a technicality, because of this island's... rules." + +He will stand up and approach your group, looking at all of you with a serious glint in his eye. "I should warn you, my magic is vastly different from the Masters. I would severely limit myself, but it will not be an easy fight. I have to stress this above all else. And just like in their CHALLENGES, you can surrender anytime you want and try again." + +"There wouldn't be a Regalia at risk, for either of us. But, should you win, I would be inclined to give you a different prize." + +*WHAT PRIZE* +"I could give you an all-new ability, you could learn one of my spells, I could craft you a new weapon, I could answer any question-- ALMOST any question. Some knowledge I hold would jeopardize my stay here." + +*IF THEY ACCEPT* +He will step away from your group into the center of the void, his body radiating with indigo colored energy. When he turns back around, his appearance has changed somewhat, dawning pale yellow fur, resembling a cat-like imp. + +He will slowly begin levitating into the air, and a strange staff will materialize in his hand, glowing the same indigo energy. "I hope you are all ready for this. Should you defeat me, there would be nothing in this Universe that could stop you." + +----- + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +Caelum will slowly lower himself to the ground, dismiss the cat-like form & staff, and walk toward your group. "I commend you for your efforts." + +IF THEY LOSE & CAELUM IS AT 3/4 HEALTH +"You did better than most would this early in your journey, you should take pride in this. Feel free to try again anytime." The door to the demense will open for your group. + +IF THEY LOSE & CAELUM IS AT 1/2 HEALTH +"You were truly impressive. But I know you can all do better." He will then comment on areas where your team could improve. The door to the demense will open for your group. + +IF THEY LOSE & CAELUM IS AT 1/4 HEALTH +"You were close, very close. (I can see why people would call you Kings.) Though this might be your limit, unless you try a little harder." The door to the demense will open for your group. + +IF THEY WIN +"You defeated me fair and square, fantastic job. Your last attack almost hurt. I had my doubts if your tactics would work, but you surprised me. And I will keep my promise. What would each of you request for your prize?" + +----- + +They can ask for any reasonable ability +They can ask for any of his spells +They can ask ALMOST any question + +- They can NOT ask about the identity of the FACES, the CROOKED KING, the GOLD WEAPONS, what the demense MASTERS & REGALIA are, etc +(ANYTHING STORY RELEVANT) + +----- + +WHERE DID YOU COME FROM +"A place called Da'at. It's infinitly far from here." + +WHAT ARE YOU REALLY +"It would take too long to explain fully, just call me a cat-like demon." + +WHY NOT FIGHT AND COLLECT REGALIA +"It's not my place to fight. Even if I have every right." + +HOW MUCH WERE YOU LIMITING YOURSELF +"If I had to put a number to it, it was roughly 0.000001% of my full potential." + +WHAT IS WITH THE CANDLE +"It's a menorah. It's bound to me about as much as a Regalia is to demense Master." + +WILL YOU FIGHT US AT FULL POWER +"No. Not unless you want a fight you cannot win." + +----- + +WANTING A SPELL +He will walk to a nearby chest, reach in, and pull out another black candle, setting it on the table. "This is my Menorah, it's akin to how Regalia work here, so far as the rules permit. Touch it, and it will give you any one of my spells." + +*IF THEY TOUCH IT* +The candle will suddenly flicker to life with an identical green flame, and will see indigo magic energy flow into the player. Their eyes will briefly glow the same color as the magic embeds itself into their body, before it dissipates as quickly as it came. + +(THEY NOW HAVE THEIR NEW SPELL) + +----- + +WEAPON +He raises his hands and summons forth an orb of magical energy. He asks for a description of what you want from the weapon, slowly constructing it before you. + +Any weapon he constructs will be always treated as INFUSED, and can still be INFUSED with other magic, depending on what they want it to do. + +If they request his staff instead, he will simply manifest it and give it to them. + +----- + +ABILITY/STUNT +He will openly discuss with the player exactly what they are looking to do with this ability. Once it has been established, he will levitate up to them, hold their face in his small hands, and gaze into their eyes for a moment, his retina glowing a deep violet. + +You can see and hear the magical incantations of his magic within your mind, as though he is instructing your body to do things it otherwise wouldn't be able to do with his magic. After a few moments, he will lower himself back down and confirm they now have exactly what they wish. + +----- + +Once everyone has been given what they desire, the door will open to his demense. He will follow your group out and mention, "If you ever want your um.. abilities adjusted.. I think you've earned the right to have that done for free now." + +He will wave your group off as he reassumes his place behind the counter. "Good luck out there, (Kings of Kings)." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Black-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Black-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1575798 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Black-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,257 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a black magic wall, looking like an ever-falling veil of black paint or ink. + +In the forest: +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y6n-1XQSfE + +In the clearing: +https://youtu.be/7UMNHyM5PgQ?si=2G-DWkBGxEo8FYtC + +## As you exit the BLACK gate, +you are met by the nightmarish sight of a half dead forest, the trees all varying forms of grayscale and barren of most leaves. It is nearly silent here, only sparsely occupied by the occasional deep howl in the distance. And there is a blood red full moon overhead, barely lighting up the pitch black sky. + +Welcome to the **Forest** demense! + +Your attention is grabbed by a soft golden glow a few yards from you in all directions, coming from a circular gold wall of energy, definitely magical in nature. It's about 50 feet wide, it is attached to a large rock just behind the gate, and it illuminates the healthy patch of grass beneath your feet. + +The ground outside the magic circle is slightly reflective black, resembling ink or wet paint. Some of this ink has stained or splashed on the trees themselves, and those with the largest stains seem to be the most grayed out. + +*BEHIND* +The gate itself is bound to a massive boulder, and around the backside of that gate is an abandoned lumber yard filled with incomplete pallets of different types, shapes, and sizes of wood. It's difficult to see from here, but you see no signs of life. + +(NOTICE/INVESTIGATE ROLL) +- You spot two sloppy wooden signs on a nearby tree hastily drawn with what looks like black fingerpaint lettering +- One sign says "ONE WAY TRIP" and has an arrow pointing toward an opening in the trees +- The other sign says "DONT TOUCH THE INK" and has an arrow pointing at the ground + +*TOUCH THE MAGIC WALL* +The wall has a strange amount of give against (what you are touching with it). It almost acts like a magical membrane. + +*PUSH AT IT* +(What you are touching with it) sinks through with a small amount of give, but when you pull back, it refuses to let go, and the membrane like wall becomes more rigid on every pull attempt. + +*PUSH THROUGH IT* +It feels like you are walking through a wall made of cool wind, but otherwise doesn't appear to do anything more. The air outside is filled with a metallic stench, almost like iron, and every step you take outside of it makes a wet squelching noise as you step into an inch deep pool of pure black that stretches for miles. + +*TRY TO GO BACK* +The magic wall will NOT let you go back in. As the sign indicated, this was indeed a one way trip. + +*TOUCH THE INK* +(CONFIRM THEY "REALLY" WANT TO TOUCH THE INK) +It feels cool to the touch, and it makes your finger feel surprisingly heavy and dull, like all the energy from that digit is just gone. +(The player will have a -1 on all combat rolls) + +----- +- LUMBERYARD +- TREE OPENING +----- + +*INTO THE LUMBERYARD* +The yard itself is full of incomplete pallets of wood, mostly oak and birch with a couple spruce and mahogany (as the sign racks indicate). Most of the wood looks old, warped, cracked, and unusable. + +Inside the building doesn't look much better. The walls are covered with uniforms of varying shapes & sizes. The tables are covered with axes, ropes, chainsaws, solar panels, battery packs, and a couple rings in a black hue, but no people at all. Just more of that black ink all over the floor, and a little smeared on the walls in odd streaking lines, as well as some large claw marks. + +*INTO THE FOREST* +While the forest is borderline devoid of any signs of life, you spot more wooden signs deeper in with arrows pointing in one direction. Some of these signs also have creepy messages written on them. + +- WELCOME TO DAMNATION +- INK STAINS THE SKIN +- NEVER TOUCH THE INK +- THE INK ALWAYS WINS + +(NOTICE ROLL) +- Despite the lack of life, you DO spot several gorgeous spiderwebs between some of the trees +- You ALSO realize the webbing is at least an inch thick and stretches across multiple trees +- You get the distinct feeling you are being watched and followed by something, but you can't quite see what + +It takes a few minutes of walking and incessant repetitive squelching noises, but you see the trees begin to open and form a true clearing, and it looks like a long forgotten warzone. + +There are craters several feet in width, massive clawmarks & gashes in the ground, and people strewn about in various prone positions, most of them atop rocks or fallen trees. + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +You see they are all pale, groaning, and weak, but definitely alive. Some of them are wearing uniforms matching the layout of the abandoned lumber yard, others are Thunder Force, and a few are wearing prison outfits. + +But the terrifying part is, each one is in varying amounts of physical grayscale, and all of them have massive patches of that black ink on their skin and clothing. They also look somewhat emaciated, like they haven't touched food in a month. + +Behind them all is the remains of a wooden cabin, the remains scattered all across the clearing. Each piece is splashed with the same thick black ink in varying amounts, as well as massive claw marks. + +*IF THEY ASK* +One person weakly raises an arm, a bald male Boa constrictor wearing Thunder Force garb, and his right arm is coated in the ink. "We're all trapped... the gate won't let us leave..." + +*WHAT CAUSED THIS* +"There's a creature... it's made of the stuff... spreads it everywhere it goes... it keeps us weak... but won't let us die..." + +*HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN HERE* +Various people respond in a row: +- Three weeks +- At least a month +- Two months +- Three months +- Five months +- Seven months +- Nine Months +- Almost a year +- A familiar voice says he's been there three days and he ALREADY wants to kill himself, and everyone collectively shouts at him WE KNOW. + +(CONTACTS ROLL) You recognize that voice as the Marauder LUCKY. + +*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +The one that had been here for almost a year, a sparrow with short brown hair in flannel, starts laughing maniacally. "OH you mean inmate number one?! Cassius has been trapped here longer than anyone else!" He shakily points in the direction of the largest dead tree by the destroyed house. + +*IF THEY LOOK* +Slumped against the back of the tree, you see a frail looking black fox man with long black hair draping over his body. He is wearing HEAVILY damaged black pants and sloppily wrapped bandages around his eyes, chest, and right shoulder. + +His right arm is physically missing, and the bandages around his chest are loose enough to where you can see the gaping six-inch-wide hole leading clear through his body. He is somehow breathing, but otherwise makes no movement. + +*IF THEY GET HIS ATTENTION* +His head slowly raises a few inches, and his ears flick once. You hear him mutter the words "BEHIND... YOU..." + +And that is when you hear and feel the breath of a very large creature directly behind you. + +*TURN AROUND* +There is a colossal black creature on four legs with a long thick tail, made entirely of ink. You cannot make out a face, but its obvious head splits open in six different directions, peeling back to reveal rows of teeth inside each flap as three tongues flick at you, screeching in three different voices at once. And it lurches forward. + +*ATHLETICS ROLL* +(Lowest Roll) is suddenly grabbed in its teeth, tossed in the air before they are swallowed whole. And the creature looks at the rest of your group with an identical hunger. + +----- + +CORRUPTED ABADDON IDOL SUMMON +(DO NOT TELL THE PLAYERS WHAT IT IS) + +15HP | 20 MP | 2 MVMT ++3 ACADEMICS BURGLARY STEALTH ++2 DRIVE MANA ++1 PHYSIQUE WILL + +SPELLS: +LV1 SHADOW STRIKE +LV2 NIGHT WAVE +LV3 BLACKOUT + +DOES NOT GAIN ANY SKILL-BASED STUNTS + +MELEE: CORRUPTED NATURAL WEAPON X2 (DUAL WIELD) +- DEALS 3DMG+HOLLOW ON HIT +- DEALS HOLLOW ON MATCH + +ANYONE EATEN DEALS DOUBLE DMG TO IT FROM INSIDE + +----- + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +The creature screeches at the last attack that struck it, and lunges toward (player) to devour you as well. But it stops inches away, its body suddenly lurching in agony. You watch it flail, jump & belly flop into the ground, and screech one last time before finally collapsing onto the ground. + +The creature's stomach start to warble and bounce around, before (eaten player's weapon or arm) suddenly pushes through it, the body opening up and revealing an ink-coated (eaten player) standing in the mess. Their clothes are stained black in various spots, and what ISN'T stained is going grayscale very quickly. + +(THAT PLAYER IS AT 0HP, AND CANNOT MOVE BEYOND BARE MINIMUM ARM MOVEMENTS AND SPEAKING) + +(NOTICE ROLL) You hear a soft groaning from behind you, in the direction of the creature's head. + +*IF THEY LOOK* +The black fox man (Cassius) kneels beside the creature, and if his eyes weren't bandaged, you would assume he was staring at the carcass. He places his one hand on the defeated creature's body, bowing his head a little, almost like he is praying. + +The creature's body suddenly pulses and begins to deflate like a balloon, and you see the man's arm pulse visibly as it... drinks the creature, would be the best description. + +Its body is completely gone in only a minute, and Cassius shakily stands up, his arm hanging at his side. His body physically pulses hard, like it just experienced a heartbeat going off for the first time. He bellows out in a two-tone voice of agony and uses his one arm to yank off his chest bandages, fully revealing the six inch wide hole in his chest. + +The hole is slowly filled with the same inky darkness as the creature he absorbed. Strand by strand slowly oozes down and across from inside his chest, slowly filling the hole, until the chest wound is completely gone. + +He takes a deep breath, deep enough to warrant him bending backwards to an uncomfortable degree, and finally exhales after several seconds. He then slowly turns his head toward your group, eyes still bandaged. + +"I despise the concept of owing anyone anything, but... you have ended my suffering, much sooner than the eternity I anticipated. As compensation, you have my aid in solving our... shared dilemma." + +He holds out his hand, a golden bullet of magical design sizzling against his palm, and he tosses it to your group. + +If anyone catches it bare handed, it will sizzle against their skin if it is bare, or will singe their fur or scales. + +*WHAT HAPPENED* +He places his hand over his bandaged eyes. +"A man in black... wearing a motorcycle helmet... appeared in the dead of night, called himself the Crooked King. He challenged me for my Regalia with these... strange golden weapons." + +"They ate through my strongest spells, blinded me, injured my form with ease, corrupted my own magic creatures to the extent you witnessed." + +"I deemed this mortal too dangerous to take my Regalia, and cast it out. I used the last of my magic to animate a piece of myself, and ordered it to hide it until it could safely be returned." + +"When this... MORTAL... realized he would not receive my Regalia regardless of win or loss, he made a mockery of the challenge magic's rules... he pushed me AND my corrupted summon through the walls, and turned it into one way travel... then simply left..." + +"Once free, the creature ran rampant through the demense, spilling my magical essence as its continued existence demanded it from me. The circle prevented escape, my strength refused to recover, neither my extension nor I had the power to track or fell the creature, and I was alone... for so long..." + +"But when THESE mortals entered the demense and touched the ink, they became infected with my immortality, entered a state much like my own. No vitality, unable to leave, unable to die, only able to suffer eternally... until now." + +"In defeating the creature, you have returned what is mine, and assured the freedom of everyone here. I only need to reclaim my Regalia to break the seal, and reclaim my essence to sever their connection to my immortality." + +(EMPATHY ROLL) Something about what he said is bugging you. If they are all at no vitality, and likely haven't eaten or drank anything for a LONG time, then losing their connection to the immortality would possibly be fatal. + +*IF THEY ASK TO CONFIRM* +"Once I sever the connection, these mortals will likely have minutes to live. If you care for their well-being, find a solution. And soon." + +*LET THEM DISCUSS THEIR OPTIONS* +Cassius' ears perk slightly, and he speaks out to seemingly noone. "Approach." + +You hear a familiar chittering and see a creature appear from the shadows. Striker snickers as he steps forward, and waltzes over beside Cassius' stumped arm. "Hello friends, did you miss me?" + +Cassius' ears flick again. "Oh.. I see now... I have heard your exploits from him for some time." + +*IF THEY ASK ABOUT THEIR CONNECTION* +"Striker is the piece of myself I animated. He traveled by the Crooked King's shadow and hid my Regalia. Speaking of..." + +Striker snickers excitedly and hands a wavy black dagger to Cassius. "As a piece of me, Striker barely qualified AS me, and has used it to further his own ambitions." + +Striker turns to Cassius with a devious snicker. "It was all part of my plan. Once I found some capable warriors, I just needed to point them in the right direction as Regalia Hunters! They would eventually find their way to your Demense by process of elimination, discover you, and aid in your recovery on their journey to free the people of Diadem and claim their wish!" + +"Is that the rumor being spread now?" + +Striker winces with a grumble, while Cassius slips his Regalia behind him out of sight. "I do not care. Your plan succeeded, and I am but a step from being whole again." + +Cassius sits back down against the tree, hanging his head quietly. "Striker, you are to aid them in their endeavor." + +----- + +*ONCE A SOLUTION HAS BEEN REACHED* +Cassius will stand, using the tree for support, and pull out his Regalia. "The Challenge was corrupted, but the circle was mine. Therefore..." + +He extends his arm straight into the air, aiming the blade at the sky, before pointing it in the direction of the gate. "I DECLARE THIS CHALLENGE NULL AND VOID." + +In the distance you hear a strange high pitched noise before what sounds like glass shattering, sending out a pulse of energy through the entire forest, causing the ink on the ground to ripple from the force. "You may now leave." + +*IF THEY ASK HOW* +"A Demense Master with their rightful Regalia in hand may change or cancel any Challenge they are in. It is not a rule we use lightly." + +*WHY DID HE NKT DO THAT AGAINST THE CROOKED KING* +"It would have ended the challenge, but Taking away the prize ended the need for combat." + +----- + +He kneels and places his hand into the ink, wrist deep. The entire body of ink ripples HARD from his wrist outward, pulsing out across the entire body. It takes a minute, but the ink slowly begins to lower in height as he drinks it into his hand, identically to the creature. + +You see the ink on the various bodies around you slowly seeps off their skin and into the pool as it spirals into his hand like a drain, including your teammate's stains. The edge of the ink pool finally comes rushing toward his hand, and it disappears with the rest. + +You see everyone's bodies immediately begin to recover their colors one after another, and everyone cheers for a moment, before collapsing onto the ground all over again, this time from starvation & dehydration. + +Your teammate is also back to their colorful self, but now feel like they haven't eaten in a week. +(They are down to 1HP instead of 0, because they were only exposed to the ink for a short time) + +----- +WHATEVER THEIR PLAN IS, THEY NEED TO DO IT NOW +----- + +Cassius stumbles backward after a moment, his body doing the hard pulse a second time, as his stumped bandaged arm vibrates a bit. The bandages suddenly burst off and out explodes a series of nightmarish black tentacles. + +They whip dangerously into the open air for a few moments, before collectively spiraling themselves together into one new limb, slowly morphing into an all new arm. + +He tests and flexes the fingers for a moment, before turning to your group and yanking off his bandages with it, revealing his bright yellow slitted orbs of eyes, glowing against his black furred face. He stares at your group for a moment, his eyes narrowing randomly to focus. "Hm... you are not what I expected... but I have faces for the names." + +He turns to his destroyed home. "This ends my compensation. The Demense will soon return to its normal state, and I must rebuild my home. I advise you leave." + +He will turn to your group, his yellow fox eyes now blood red, the sclera around them turning black. "For your own sake, take my advice." + +(NOTICE ROLL) You feel a sudden shadow cast over your heads in the clear night sky. When you look up to see what is causing it, you see a shadow across the moon, resembling a long slit, and it is aimed at your group. + +----- + +*ONCE THEY ARE IN FRONT OF THE GATE* + +True to Cassius' words, you can already see signs of life returning to the forest. The grasses that were buried under the ink have begun to rise and gain a little green, the trees are slowly returning to their various shades of brown, and you could swear you hear a mosuqito buzz by your ear. + +But in the distance, you hear a familiar demonic screech, coming from the clearing you JUST left, and you hear the unmistakable sounds of multiple trees falling. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Blue-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Blue-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c9e1b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Blue-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,195 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a blue magic wall, looking like a slow running waterfall + +On the island: +https://youtu.be/XO1MC0BS3K4?si=ZZ4U42grIgWaw_Lv + +After meeting Dorrin: +https://youtu.be/9xeWvFntMcc?si=OgqCsCZTSwpMFxX0 + +## As you exit the BLUE gate, +Your nose is immediately bombarded by the stench of sea salt and your ears are greeted to the sounds of sporadic boat horns. The wooden dock you are now standing on stretches around a small island in a massive square, and the only thing beyond it is endless miles of water. + +Welcome to the **Ocean** demense! + +Despite the lack of overall land, dozens of people are walking about in either normal clothing, sailor uniforms, or fishing gear, all chatting each other up about their catches, gear, or possibly buying & selling both. + +The gate itself is bound to the side of one of the nearby storefronts, and there is a signpost with guiding arrows right at the corner. + +----- +- *SOUTH SIDE SHOPS* +- *EAST SIDE DOCKS* +- *WEST SIDE DOCKS* +- *NORTH SIDE FISHING* +- *CENTRAL STORAGE* +----- + +*SOUTHSIDE SHOPS* +Most of the ten shops are selling a massive & diverse amount of freshly caught seafood, but a couple are ALSO selling clothing designed for the waters, fishing rods, tackle & bait, magic rings in a blue hue, and even some boat & diving suit rentals. + +*APPROACH* +The shopkeep, an octopus with a red kerchief on his head and a white poet shirt with a brown velvet vest and a blue nametag reading KLEIN, is currently using his six tentacle arms to handle multiple business transactions at once. "Hm? What can I do ya fer?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Yer lookin fer the Boss? Haven't seen him in a while, but he's around here somewhere. He doesn't leave the demense hardly ever." + +----- + +*EAST & WESTSIDE DOCKS* +Both sides are identically a massive row of fishing docks. Each boat varies greatly in size from a basic 2 man fishing boat to a massive crew-bearing multi-floor vessel, and each one carries out fish as small as simple trout & as large as swordfish. + +*APPROACH* +You get the attention of an Osprey woman with her hair bound up under a fisherman's hat in grey waders and a black shirt, her blue nametag reading VICTORIA. She hops off her vessel and lands before you, while the rest of her crew hauls off their half full net. "What's up?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Haven't seen Boss in a bit. Shame that, our catches usually work out alot better when he's around. Oh, hang on a sec." + +She grabs the attention of another fisherman walking by, an angler fish woman in similar garb. She chats them up real quick, and while you don't hear the full context, you DO overhear them speaking about this BOSS person. They wave to each other, and Victoria comes back. "Just checked with a friend from the (east/west) dock, they haven't seen him either. And their catches are starting to suck too." + +----- + +*SHACKS* +The outermost shacks are just big ice boxes for the peoples' fish, and you spot a few people load one up as you walk by. However, you do see some of them get MUCH bigger and taller as you get closer to the center. + +The shack in the very center is surprisingly large, to the point you could swear it mimicked a two story building. It even has a front door with stairs leading up to it, and a couple windows. + +*KNOCK* +Upon knocking, the door itself slowly opens, revealing the door wasn't locked OR pulled all the way shut. Either way, noone answers the knock, and you can't hear anyone approaching. + +*INSIDE* +You see a decent looking fully furnished living space. Wood tables and fabric couches in the living room, burgundy colored painted walls, fully functional kitchen with an extra large fridge, and wood stairs leading up to the next floor. + +(INVESTIGATE ROLL) The place is surprisingly organized, nothing appears damaged or out of the ordinary, but you DO notice everything seems to have several days worth of dust all over it. + +*UPSTAIRS* +You find a pair of fully furnished bedrooms, one of which is CLEARLY designed to house a girl with darker Gothic tastes, and the other furnished for more of a sharp dressed man. But noone is in either room, and everything has several days worth of dust. + +----- + +*NORTHSIDE FISHERS* +For the most part, it's just a bunch of guys in basic fishing gear casting their lines from the dock itself instead of a boat. It's also mostly adults, but there ARE some kids fishing using string-on-a-stick fishing poles. There's even a pole sticking out of a huge pile of seaweed in the left corner. The entire right side of the dock starts laughing their asses off, and you can immediately tell it's drunk laughter. + +*APPROACH / ASK FOR DM/REGALIA* +(RAPPORT ROLL) +(HIGH ROLL) +A half-drunk sparrow in a captain's hat says something to the effect of 'if the Boss ain't in his house, he's either out bulking, sulking, or skulking', and all the drunks start laughing like it was the funniest joke they ever heard. + +(LOW ROLL) +A few drunk men start slurring their words at you. One of them spills their beer all over (roller)'s shoes by accident, and all the drunks start laughing like it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen. + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) You suddenly realize that pile of seaweed in the corner is... moving a little? + +The seaweed begins to shift and fall as a massive finned tail swings out, revealing a bald shark man hiding within. He slowly rises to his feet, looming over your group by a few inches. + +The seaweed slowly slips off his body to reveal he is surprisingly buff, clad in only ocean blue shorts, shredded and tattered below the knees. Aside from the occasional piece of seaweed, the only other thing on him is the string on a stick he is holding, which is actually a large harpoon held upside down. + +*IF ANYONE SAYS ANYTHING* +He will abruptly cut them off. "I know why you're here. And my answer is no." + +*AFTER ANY RESPONSE* +"I don't care. Whatever you want is not my concern. Not anymore." He will attempt to walk away, harpoon in hand. + +*IF THEY ASK WHY* +He sighs and looks to your group, his ocean blue eyes glowing lightly. "You are among the freshest newbies, I assume. Your country sent you here because you were among the best of the best, or something along those lines. The people of these lands are all either the same way or the descendants of those people. And that includes the marauders." + +"Those people, raised from such a 'noble and well educated background,' attempted to take my Regalia by force, exaction, and underhanded tactics. And when they didn't get what they wanted, they took something even more precious from me. They proved the quality of a person is irrelevant to their desperation when it comes to getting what they want." + +He smashes his tail through a nearby plank of dock wood, causing it to shatter immediately. "So forgive me for not being interested in whatever it is you're after. Far as I'm concerned, you are no different than them." + +He abruptly walks away, harpoon in hand, right off the dock and into the water, disappearing from view. Every single person nearby is either frozen in terror, or genuinely upset at what he said. Even the drunks are in stunned silence. + +You hear a voice behind you with a thick West Country English accent. "Don't take it personally lads, he be grievin' somethin' fierce." + +An older otter man, just short of five feet tall in a deep blue peacoat, a white captain's hat, and a blue nametag that says GALLON, stands behind you, waving you down. "Name's Gwalather, but ev'ryone calls me Gallon." + +*IF THEY ASK WHY GALLON* +"Cuz I can drink anyone under th' table, s'why!" He seems unusually proud of that feat. + +*DONT TAKE IT PERSONALLY?* +"Best we take this chat elsewhere, follow me." + +He takes you to a good size fishing vessel docked on the (east/west, whichever they did not visit) docks, complete with a second floor and enough standing room for a few dozen people AND their catches, with a sign on the rear naming it 'The Barrel of Forty-Two.' + +*WHY THE BARREL OF 42* +He laughs heartily. "Because a barrel can hold 42 gallons!" + +He takes you out a good mile from the docks, and hands each of you a fishing rod if you want one. + +(RESOURCES Roll, if they want to actually fish) + +He then flops in the northernmost seat on the boat and casts out his own line expertly. "Ah... nothin' like the deep blue sea, is thar? Just endless ocean, a gull here or there, and the catch of the day waitin' to be caught." + +*WHEN ASKED ABOUT DM* +Gallon sighs a bit. "Like I said, don't hate the Boss. Dorrin is a prideful lad what had his greatest treasure stolen, something far more valuable than that fancy spear o' his. He lost his daughter ta those lilly-livered fucks." + +"Her name was Vivid of the Crimson Eye. Local legend around here, he adopted her when she was a teen, 'e did. Ye wouldn't think 'im the fatherin' type, but he raised 'er ta be a fine lass. Beautiful too, she turned away many a suitor, fer THAR safety." + +He laughed a bit before he lets out a soft sigh. "Things changed about three months ago. The blasted marauders had just come by and tried to muck up the fishermen, but ol' Dorrin an' Vivid took care of 'em right quick. His power an' brutality was only matched by 'er speed and precision. Truly a tag team from Hell." + +"But after they were sent packin', new ones stepped in and challenged 'im. An' there was somethin' diff'rent about one of 'em, somethin'... wrong. There were only three, but they challenged 'im fer 'is Regalia, 3 on 1." + +"The two he fought first, a lad and a lass, put up a good fight. Zapped 'im, cooked 'im, froze 'im like a fishstick. And he took 'em down. But that last one, he did somethin' most foul.. while Dorrin was busy fightin' 'em, the last one told 'is men to take Vivid hostage." + +"When Dorrin realized she was nabbed, it was all that last one needed to strike. He shot 'im with some strange golden gun. It hit Dorrin hard enough to take 'im down in a cloud o' gold dust. But the thing they never realized was, Dorrin is too tough to die." + +"It was over in a flash, Dorrin had stood back up and had the leader's head in 'is jaw, an' the other two in 'is hands by the throats. And right when 'e was about to eat the bastard's head clean through, helmet an' all, th' bastard surrendered an' broke off the challenge, grabbed his men an' ran away." + +"Noone got a good look at 'em, but I saw that lad's bloodied face through the broken motorbike helmet, got a good look at 'is eye when 'is helmet got crushed against 'is skull. He saw death in those Jaws. An' 'e barely escaped it with his life." + +"Since then, Dorrin's waited ev'ry wakin' moment for em to return, hopin' 'e can grab 'em an' squeeze 'em for any information. But they 'aven't come back since." + +----- + +*WHY NOT GO AFTER HER* +He turns to the one who asked. "Yer genuinely askin' why a six foot four enraged and grievin' shark man with the powers of the ocean at 'is fingertips doesn't go gallavantin' through the City of Diadem, bellowin' about his lost daughter?" + +"Dorrin's smarter than 'e looks, (lad/lass). He knows if 'e does that an' even ONE person gets scared, he'll incite a riot. It takes all 'is self control not to do just that. An' th' Marauders LIVE ta see th' people mis'rable." + +----- + +"We all feel for th' lad. All 'e wants is to know if his daughter is okay. He believes she is, but ev'ry day that passes without her is another day of misery fer 'im. We've all been lookin' in secret fer 'im, but we can't find a trace." + +(CONTACTS ROLL) You remember you have a shadowy informant on standby that might be able to help. But to summon him, you need a bit of darkness, which the second floor will likely offer. + +*CALL TO STRIKER* +A series of eight dark legs slowly arise from the shadow and lift a small body from the darkness, a series of eight red eyes staring at your group with glee. "I knew you couldn't stay away forever... to what do I owe the patronage?~" + +*AFTER THEY EXPLAIN* +"Interesting.. Very well, I'll find your Vivid of the Crimson Eye, but this time it will cost you. Head back to the mainland, I should have something for you by the time you arrive. We can discuss your payment then..." He fades into the shadows of the boat, snickering the whole way. + +*BACK AT THE DOCK* +When you return, Striker is sitting in the shade of one of the shacks, munching sloppily on a fresh fish carcass. "Mm, delicious.. Oh hello there, welcome back~" + +*IF THEY ASK* +"OH I found whom you were looking for, and she is very much alive..." An eerie moment of silence befalls the entire island, every person there freezing in place and staring in Striker's direction. Dorrin has appeared behind him. + +"...what? Is there something on my face?" A piece of seaweed falls onto his shoulder, causing him to slowly turn around and gasp strainedly seeing the shark. + +Dorrin is staring down at him with the intensity of a man ready to commit murder. "What... did you... just... say..?" + +Striker turns to him and indignantly replies. "Now see here, fish breath, I will not be intimidated by the likes of HYEARGH!!" + +He is grabbed by the neck and lifted clean off his feet, meeting eye to eye with Dorrin. Striker grabs at Dorrin's arm to try and free himself, but Dorrin leans in close and stares into his eyes intensely. "You stink of Cassius..." + +That makes Striker freeze in place for a moment, before Dorrin drops him onto his ass. He grumbles a bit, and freezes again when Dorrin aims his Harpoon at his throat. "Now speak, insect. What do you know?" + +Striker nervously gulps, and responds, "She's alive, she's alive! My informants spotted someone with Crimson eyes in Diadem a few days ago! She was spotted in the Essentials district!" + +That spear backs away slowly, and Striker sighs in relief, but jumps in place when Dorrin flops on his ass onto the dock, staring into the sky. "I knew it... I knew she was alive..." + +His entire personality shifts significantly, his oddly stoic demeanor softening immediately, and you could almost swear you see a smile on his face & a tear in his eye. He turns to your group. "You have done me a great service. I owe you a debt that will be repaid." + +Striker stands up and flails his arms bit in frustration. "What about me?! I'm the one who got the information! Surely I deserve compensation as well!" + +Dorrin reaches for him, grabs him by the top of the head like he's palming a basketball, and pulls him close. "You may live to see another day, vermin." + +He then accurately throws him backward, Striker screaming the whole time as he flies through the air and falls right through the portal. + +Dorrin finally stands back up, raises his Spear in the air, and speaks in a proud voice, "Today is a glorious day! Vivid of the Crimson Eye still lives!!!" + +Everyone on the wharf island cheers at this news. High fives are being exchanged, instruments are playing, dancing lines are forming, and bottles of booze are appearing out of nowhere. + +"And these are the people whom we have to thank for this information. As repayment, I will accept your challenge, any day, any time. This information is more valuable than any Regalia." + +He pauses and turns away before continuing, "But not today. For the first time in a long time, I am ready to rest." + +He shambles away, but not before being stopped by a random person offering him a bottle of wine. Which he takes and guzzles the entire thing down between here and when he makes it to the front door of (his home in) the center most building in the storage area. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Brown-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Brown-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fb750da --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Brown-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,286 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a brown magic wall, looking like a large cut of stone + +On the mountain: +https://youtu.be/A-Er-HH1Od8?si=45j_cp0AGMy1tVb- + +After saving the life: +https://youtu.be/FPQwdQjA2zM?si=Vmv_1C-SISdNTfA_ + +## After exiting the BROWN gate, +You are greeted by the sounds of birds chirping, the scent of healthy Earth, and the sight of a peaceful valley, with a small meadow nestled inside it. + +Looking beyond it, this meadow is surrounded by mountainous peaks, some as small as hills, and some that stretch to the heavens. + +Welcome to the **Mountain** Demense! + +*BEHIND YOU* +The gate itself is bound to a rather large boulder sticking out of the foot of one of those shorter mountains. + +*TO THE LEFT* +You see a building made entirely of stone, with a single entrance framed in wood and a sign marked HOT SPRINGS + +*BEFORE YOU* +You see a small meadow in the distance, holding a crystal clear lake & surrounded by trees + +*TO THE RIGHT* +You see a concrete building somewhat hidden in the trees with a group of eight oddly designed single-seat stone benches out front + +----- +- HOT SPRING +- MEADOW +- BUILDING +----- + +*HOT SPRING* +The entryway is largely just wooden framing and walls, but you are guided to the main lobby of the stone building, which is mostly one large stone counterspace and four doorways. The left two are marked male & female, and the other two are marked unisex & lounges + +The counter is occupied by a young dove woman with black hair trimmed to her shoulders, wearing a white yukata-like robe and a brown nametag reading YUKI. she smiles and waves at you all. "Welcome in, bathing for (# of players)?" + +*IF THEY PARTAKE* +She reaches under the desk and starts grabbing small clothes baskets & freshly laundered towels for each of you. When she does, you can see a rack & fridge behind her full of clothing, including robes identical to hers, as well as snacks & drinks. +"Okay that'll be 5z a person, and there is no set time duration, but we recommend 15 minutes per person on avergae. Lockers are further inside for your possessions." + +*IF THEY PAY* +She points to a small sign over her head. +"We only have a few simple rules. No clothes or swimsuits in the water, no eating or drinking in the water, no smoking or alcohol, and no swimming or splashing. All for the sake of keeping the water clean and being mindful of the others in the springs." + +The locker rooms are fairly large, one giant room with two doorways and wall to wall lockers just large enough to fit the baskets and a little more. They also come with keys for your convenience, each one on an adjustable wrist strap. + +Outside, you see the hot spring area has one giant pool in the center, and is surrounded by four smaller ones, each one giving off a faint sulphuric smell. There are stone walls dividing your area from the other sections, guaranteeing privacy. + +The water itself feels surprisingly smooth and has an odd, slightly heavier texture against your skin. The pools themselves are padded by slightly flexible stone, with the texture of wood but has the faintest give of river stone. + +In mere moments, you feel a slight tingly sensation where the water envelops you, and your tired muscles & battered skin feel soothing relief for the first time in a while. + +*NOTICE ROLL* +(HIGHEST ROLLER) sees the water itself around their body faintly glows the same color as the magic that afflicted the illness in the first place, as do the stones that line the pool itself, and dissipate moments later. And you suddenly feel you can breathe easier, like whatever was weighing on you has suddenly been lifted. + +*IF A PLAYER HAS A MAGIC SICKNESS* +*THAT MAGIC SICKNESS IS NOW ALLEVIATED* + +----- + +*MEADOW* + +The lush green grasses are surprisingly bright, and are plentiful clear up to where the mountains begin. Within its tall brush, you also see several trees, all of which surround a slightly buried lake, full of crystal clear waters. And off to the side, you spot a small wooden cabin with a hand operated well pump. + +*RESOURCES ROLL* +The literal mountain valley water is crystal clear, despite it coming from a semi-natural lake. + +*IF THEY DRINK IT* +The water is crisp, clean, and ever-so-slightly sweet, with a faint mineral aftertaste. + +*YOU HAVE CREATED A NEW ITEM: DEMENSE WATER* +*DRINKING IT RECOVERS 1HP PER BOTTLE* +*IN COMBAT, THIS CAN BE USED AS AN ITEM ACTION* + +----- + +*BUILDING* +This mixed-use commercial building only has two small storefronts, but both frontsides are glass paned and wrapped in steel framing. You see a mountain climbing store on the left and a gym on the right. + +The store is full of climbing harnesses, ropes, hooks, helmets, pads, picks, etc. The register in the back rents & sells these items, and has racks behind it selling trail mix, magic rings in a brown hue, and about six kinds of meat jerky. Behind the counter is a koala man with slicked back white hair in a blue polo shirt, his brown nametag reading BUNJI. + +The right side is a large gym full of workout equipment of all shapes & sizes, and bodybuilders of equal magnitude all working out together. There is one VERY muscular maned wolf woman walking around between them acting as a spotter, with a fiery multicolored ponytail down her back over basic black tight workout clothing, her brown nametag reading JEKHYRA. + +*IF THEY TALK TO EITHER ONE* +- BUNJI sneakily tries to put down a granola bar he was snacking on. "How can I help you?" +- Jekhyra stops writing on a clipboard, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "Can I help you?" + +----- *TRY MOUNTAIN CLIMBING* + +Bunji smiles and pulls out a clipboard."Sounds good. Since you're first timers, we'd like you to test your competency on our practice walls out back. Once we see where you are, we can see about you getting on our practice mountain." + +He calls to the gym half through a shared doorway and says he's going to the rock wall out back for a second. You spot a maned wolf woman leqn into the doorway, giving him a thumbs up, before he hops out from behind the counter and leads you around the backside of the building. + +There is a series of four 50 foot high practice climbing walls for basic practice, speed climbing, sparse rock climbing, and even inclined climbing. Each one has its own separate pair of harness ropes and VERY thick crash pads beneath. + +There are four other employees in the same style shirt as BUNJI, each of which are helping people get set up on that respective rock wall. Altogether you see about 20 people, either wanting to climb or just watch others do the same. + +(PLAYER that wants to climb) will be rigged up with a simple harness attached to a rope on a pulley hanging overhead, the kind designed to slow descent without a separate person. + +(PHYSIQUE Roll to determine how well they do on that wall) +(HIGH Roll) You made it to the top with relative ease, barely made any mistakes on the way up, and are met with applause on your slow descent down +(AVERAGE Roll) You lose your grip a couple times, and your footing slips once or twice with a gasp from the audience, but you make it to the top, and are met with applause on your slow descent down +(LOW Roll) You struggle pretty hard with your grip, and manage to make it about halfway up the wall before you slip and are caught by the harness, slowly floating down to the crash pad. You are met by a round of applause and people saying encouragements like GOOD TRY and NOT BAD FOR A BEGINNER + +----- *TRY WORKOUT* + +"Alrighty, tell me what you're looking for in your workout. We can get you set up on a sample routine and uh..." She pauses and looks you over, specifically at your clothes. "Gimme a sec." + +She walks to a counterspace in the back and grabs a HUGE cardboard box, holding it out to (PLAYER(S) WHO ARE INTERESTED). "You should grab these freebies so you look the part." + +Inside the box is a series of t-shirts and sweatpants, each of which has an imprinted brown symbol in the shape of a mountain on the chest or upper thigh. They're in a myriad of sizes and colors, some even large enough to fit the hippo man currently benching what you can only assume is hundreds of pounds of weight. There are also metal water bottles for everyone. + +The gym is full of older style weight systems, including barbells & dumbells with interchangeable weight plates & multiple benches, basic leg press machines, and a few universal machines. It's the latest and greatest of old school tech. + +*PHYSIQUE Roll to determine their experience* +(HIGH Roll) You had to increase the weight on the setup a couple times before you finally find a comfy weight for you, and you do a quick set with relative ease +(AVERAGE Roll) You handle the starting weight you are set on fairly well, and get through a quick set with a small amount of effort +(LOW Roll) The starting weight they estimate for you is a bit TOO high, but you manage to shakily muscle through a quick set + +----- *DM/REGALIA* + +*WHOMEVER THEY SPEAK TO* +"That would be Tlaloc, he lives on the peak of the practice mountain. You can usually hear him when he's awake, but since noone has heard the glorious sounds of rocks against rocks, he's likely still asleep." + +- If they spoke to BUNJI, he will call for Jekhyra to come over +- If they spoke to Jekhyra, she will toss a towel around her neck and walk to Bunji + +BUNJI: Afternoon Jekhyra, (I overheard / not sure if you heard), we have some people to see Tlaloc? + +JEKHYRA: Yep, gonna be a fun day. Gonna need gear for (party size +1) looks like. + +BUNJI: Not a problem, and at 25z a head, that'll come out to... uh... before I do that, you all CAN afford the equipment rental, yes? + +JEKHYRA: Shiiit, forgot to mention that. You wanna head up, you gotta get equipment. Helmets, hooks, ropes, backpacks, all that shit. + +Anyone that can or wants to pay the fee for the climb comes with, the rest can stay at the building and shop around or work out for free + +You finally get to see this "practice mountain" they mentioned, right behind the building & past the practice walls. The mountain in question looks about a mile high, and the ground leading to its rocky peak has SOMETHING of a beaten path. It has a good mix of stony walkways, spaces with face walls, and everything in between. + +Jekhyra connects a rope between each member of the climbing party, roughly 25 feet of slack between each. "Everybody ready?" + +*READY!* +She trudges ahead through the entryway and up the dedicated path, like she has done it a thousand times before. Overall, the climb will take place over the span of 45 minutes. + +(EACH PLAYER MAKES 3 PHYSIQUE ROLLS) +(LOWEST ROLLERS GET THE FOLLOWING PUNISHMENTS) +- You stumbled a bit from uneven ground and take 1DMG +- Your pathway crumbled under your foot, causing you to fall to a spot below and take 1DMG +- A falling rock bounces off your helmet, rattling your head and dealing 1DMG + +At the top of the mountain is an overall smooth mesa of about 100 feet in width, with several boulders littering it, most of which are taller than you. Jekhyra unhooks each of you as you safely reach the top, letting you all walk around and enjoy the view. This practice mountain PALES in comparison to the other ones surrounding you, but the view over the entire valley is stellar. + +*WHERE IS DM* +"Oh right, forgot you came to see him. He's around here somewhere, pretty hard to miss." + +(INVESTIGATE roll) You find a massive rock that has a weird patterned texture, and even weirder, it appears to be... breathing? + +The thing you found suddenly begins to move, raising itself up out of its small divot in the ground, stretching a pair of massive arms wide and unfurling a colossal tail, groaning loudly. + +But you all also witness, in a fraction of a second, its tail accidentally swings out and pushes every one of your team backwards a bit, and it unfortunately knocks (HIGHEST ROLLER) off the cliffside. And by the time you all realize what happened, they are already past the edge of the cliff itself. + +*ATHLETICS Roll* (VERY high challenge) +(PASS) Through the most uncanny reflexes you could possibly manage, you leap out and grab their hand at the last possible second, and throw them JUST close enough to grab the ledge. + +However, you had to throw your entire body at full speed into that stunt, and unfortunately you are now falling down the mountainside in their place. + +(FAIL) Everyone rushes to the side of the cliff and tries to catch their fallen teammate, but noone can quite reach them in time. + +*EITHER WAY* +You can only watch your teammate descend backward and down into the distance. Even at this shallower height, you know landing from a fall like that will likely be serious, if not fatal. +(THE MOUNTAINSIDE IS A STEILHANG, A STEEP MOUNTAINSIDE BETWEEN 30°-60° OF AN ANGLE) +(THEY WILL TAKE PROGRESSIVELY MORE DMG AS THEY FALL DOWN THE HILL, AND WILL BE UNAVOIDABLE) + +From the corner of your eyes, you see that massive brown creature you spotted as it jumps off the cliffside in the direction of your ally + +*FALLING PLAYER* +As you watch that Cliffside edge slowly fade from your vision, as if by slow motion, you suddenly come face to face with a large brown creature that reaches out toward you with massive arms covered in scaly stone. + +*LET IT HELP THEM* +It grabs you and pulls you against its rock hard chest, holds you tight in its massive arms, curls tightly around you, and you become VERY dizzy as you are suddenly spinning like a hamster in its wheel going a hundred miles an hour. + +From outside, your teammates see this massive brown creature catch you in its body and roll down the hill with you inside it, all the way down the mountainside to the very bottom, right next to the marked entryway you started from. + +Once at the foot of the mountain, the creature uncurls itself and releases its death grip on (SAVED PLAYER), letting them step away unharmed, if not VERY dizzy. + +Your savior stands tall at eight feet high & wide, his head covered in thick brown scales instead of actual hair, leading to a goofy grin on a long muzzle. His body is stacked with an absurd amount of muscle and tone, and the back of all his limbs, tail, and likely his entire backside is covered in something akin to dragonscale. And for some reason, the only clothing he is wearing is a white loincloth. + +This hulking PANGOLIN man leans down, looking you over with earthy brown eyes wrapped in a faint brown glow, making you feel like you're sinking slightly whenever he stares at you. In a halting and slow manner, he attempts to talk in a deep, toungue-heavy voice. "YOU? OKAY? HURT?" + +*IF OKAY* +The massive pangolin man nods, turns around, and starts climbing its way back up the mountain on all fours like it's nothing, managing to make it all the way to the top within a couple minutes. + +----- *IF ANYONE STAYED BEHIND* +You've either been +- getting playfully hassled by the guys in the gym to join them for a workout +- mulling around the equipment store looking over the gear and snacks +- hanging out with the randoms at the practice walls behind the building + +When the pangolin man lands at the bottom of the hill: +- Everyone outside suddenly stops, and everyone climbing the walls lets go, falling right onto the crash pads one after the other +- Everyone inside freezes mid workout, and very quickly puts their gear down to run outside and find out what happened + +----- + +*AT THE TOP* + +You can see JUST clearly enough from your height to see the brown... THING has grabbed your friend, rolled down the mountainside with them inside, and released them safely. + +You THEN see that creature running and climbing back up the mountainside like some dragonscale covered monster, its claws digging into the rock and earth with zero effort, and makes the climb back to the edge in a matter of only a couple minutes. + +Upon reaching the top, the creature hefts itself up onto the flat surface with no effort. He carries a giddy smile as he looks over you all curiously, his glowing gaze (or his height) making you feel smaller. He asks haltingly and tonguefully, "FRIEND. OKAY. RIDE? DOWN?" + +He turns around and points to his massive scaled back, offering them to ride on his back to the bottom of the mountain, rather than going down the path you took to get up here. + +*IF ANYONE ASKS OR OBJECTS* +Jekhyra will step forward and stand beside him, leaning against his hip. "You got nothing to worry about. Tlaloc here's the Demense Master AND an expert mountain climber." + +He will give a toothy grin at the praise. She pats his forearm twice before stepping away, heading back toward the path. "I'm going down the long way, so you can go with me, or with him." + +*EITHER WAY* +(Once you get on Tlaloc's back), he starts walking down the mountain almost perfectly vertically the whole way, stepping and hopping over every crevice and sheer side with relative ease. It only takes him about ten minutes to make it all the way down to the ground, in which everyone inside AND outside is rushing forward. + +(He lets off everyone that rode with him, picking you up with one meaty hand like he was picking up a rag off the floor, and sets you down quickly. Despite his size, he is surprisingly gentle.) +Once you all have a chance to reunite, he steps up to your group, raising his arms straight out at his sides. "SORRY... NEW... FRIENDS..." He is offering a hug as an apology. + +*ACCEPT* +He enthusiastically picks up (PLAYER(S)) in a colossal hug and starts dancing around the foot of the mountain with a warm giggle, easily lifting you off the ground. + +*AFTER* +He (lets you all go and) points at the lake, and walks straight for it, waving his hand for you to follow him. "THIRSTY. NEED. DRINK. FOLLOW." + +At this point, everyone from the building AND a few people from the hot springs are all joining around Tlaloc, each one pulling out a metal water bottpe with a brown mountain symbol emblazoned on it. + +BUNJI appears from behind your group, and he is holding a cardboard box full of metal water bottles. "So uh... Tlaloc is kinda hard to read, but he wants to share a drink with you guys, to celebrate your friend surviving that fall." + +Everyone gathers at the lake, each person taking turns getting a bottle full of water from the metal well pump right beside the lake. Tlaloc, however, has opted to instead get down on all fours and dunk his head in the water to chug it like a wild animal. And apparently NOONE is surprised by this. + +He stands back up, smiling goofily as his looong tongue slips out to clean some of the water off his face. He approaches your group after, still smiling wide, and clears his throat as best he can. "YOU. HERE. WHY?" + +*DM / REGALIA* +Tlaloc suddenly perks up and begins laughing excitedly like a small child, his voice a deep rumbling tone. Everyone slowly notices and turns to ask what has him so excited. + +*IF THEY ANSWER* +Everyone starts mimicking his excitement, hooting and hollering like a group of frat boys at a party, especially the guys from the gym. + +Jekhyra finally appears at the foot of the mountain, panting heartedly as she pushes past everyone and grabs some water from the pump for herself. She chugs through the bottle quickly, sighs happily, and kneels back down for another bottle full. "What's with all the noise, boys?" She takes a much slower drink this time. + +*IF THEY ANSWER* +Jekhyra will do a good old fashioned spit take hearing YOU want to fight HIM, coughing hard as Tlaloc heads right for the concrete building. + +Once she stops coughing, Jekhyra will stare at your group in disbelief. "Okay I'm going to assume you are all insane to actually WANT to take on THAT." + +She pauses to point at Tlaloc, whom is currently doing bicep curls with the single-seater stone benches from in front of the building as a warmup. + +In the distance,, a new group of curious onlookers walk into the deemnse through the Gate, catching Tlaloc's attention. You watch him set those benches back down, then run toward them like an excited toddler, leaving footprints in the ground with every step. + +*GIVE THEM A MOMENT TO THINK IT OVER* +You hear a loud thud in the distance. Tlaloc is suddenly on the ground, bellowing out in pain. The new group's attention is now turned toward your group, all of them pulling out weapons. They have revealed themselves to be Marauders. And they just hurt the gentle giant Tlaloc. + +You hear about twenty sets of knuckles and necks cracking all around you, as everyone here just became VERY agitated watching Tlaloc get hurt like that. They march toward the Marauders, led by a VERY pissed off Jekhyra. + +You watch as dozens more Marauders pour in from the gate, headed toward the people from the gym. But before they can even get JALF that distance, every single buff person from the gym SPRINTS toward these Marauders, immediately laying the smackdown on them three to one, except for the group in the middle that arrived first. + +When you reach them, you see Tlaloc lying on his back, bellowing deeply and holding on to his chest wound with both arms. The Marauders all see you approaching, pulling out their weapons with glee. Except for one in the back wearing a motorcycle helmet, whom decides to walk back out the gate without saying a word. + +"Well lookie who it is!" You hear a familiar voice ring out, and you spot LUCKY walk up to join his buddies on the front line. "Looks like I get another shot at you afterall!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +The Marauders are lying defeated in a heap before you, with the ram (LUCKY) lying right on top. Behind you, the guys from the gym have ALSO finished, their own heap of Marauders significantly larger. + +Jekhyra heads over to Tlaloc and slowly helps him up, the big guy sniffling a little as he rubs his chest wound. The good news is he looks okay, and the gash across his chest is not particularly large or deep. But, you DO see some gold dust trickling from the wound. + +She walks Tlaloc over to Lucky's group, holding his meaty hand like a mother with her massive child. Tlaloc picks the half conscious LUCKY up from the heap with his free hand, and shakes him a bit to get his attention. + +When his eyes meets Tlaloc's, he becomes VERY scared and starts flailing with renewed vigor from within his meaty hand. "OH FUCK! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" + +Tlaloc just gives him a goofy grin and pulls him into a bear hug, holding him tight with both arms. "ME! FORGIVE! FRIEND!" + +You see a wave of relief wash over LUCKY's face, which disappears after three seconds as Tlaloc slowly but surely starts tightening his hug. He struggles in the painful embrace, but noone notices, as Tlaloc starts dancing around and slinging him in slow circles all the while. + +Jekhyra watches from beside your group, arms crossed and snickering. "Okay so... goes without saying, no challenge today. He's gonna be uh... 'playing' with his new friend for a while, plus that gash is gonna need time to heal..." + +All the guys from the gym are VERY disappointed to hear that, and make it VERY vocally known. "Buuut... give him some time for him to get back to 100% and he'll be good to go. Provided you still wanna sign that death warrant, of course." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Gray-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Gray-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c1e9100 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Gray-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,236 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a gray magic wall, looking like a slowly moving fog cloud + +In the graveyard: +https://youtu.be/fX07qD_782Y?si=DipdsPgRYBKiCadk + +In the cathedral: +https://youtu.be/6H2JbT4BRDU?si=lvecRpHQf5X5fU8H + +## Upon exiting the GRAY gate, +you feel a strange chill run up all your spines. Not from it being cold, but moreso because you are surrounded by several rows of tombstones surrounding a single pathway extending into a thick gray mist. + +Welcome to the **Graveyard** Demense! + +*BEHIND YOU* +The gate itself is attached to a surprisingly large and very old stone mausoleum. + +*TO THE LEFT & RIGHT* +As far as the eye can see is just rows upon rows of graves on both sides. The ones closest to the path itself look brand new, and their dates reflect as such. + +*BEFORE YOU* +The stony embedded path leads forward several yards, and looks reasonably well maintained. But you can only see about ten yards/meters away, as everything beyond that point in all directions is obscured by a dense gray fog or mist. + +(WILL ROLL) +(Lowest roller) suddenly experiences the weirdest sensation, a physical repulsion at the thought of going any farther, and actively wants to leave. + +*IF THEY CONTINUE* +Although you can only see a short distance ahead of you, the pathway ahead seems almost unending. + +(NOTICE roll) +(Barring the one that lost the WILL roll) +- You realize you have yet to see or hear another sign of life, not even a bird +- You realize that on the right side of the road, all the frontmost headstones have fresh flowers +- You hear soft footsteps approaching from the mist, followed by soft creaking and clacking + +You ALL spot a body in the distance, obscured by the mist. That creaking and clacking noise is getting louder, as are the footsteps. + +*AFTER THEY DECIDE THEIR ACTION* +The obscured figure steps through the mist, a gray wolf man with messy silver hair and a black dress shirt with rolled up sleeves. His eyes are focused on the ground, and he doesn't appear to notice you. + +*IF THEY SAY ANYTHING OR APPROACH FURTHER* +The wolf man will put the cart down and look to your group, his eyes a dull emerald green and his gray nametag stating THANATOS. He will speak with a soft Tamil accent, "Oh... Abologies, I was focusing on my work. How can I helb you?" + +*AS THEY TALK* +He steps to the back side of his cart, grabbing an armload of fresh flowers. He walks to the graves closest to the left side of the path, kneeling to the closest one, and placing some flowers into a small holder beside it. He then places a hand on the headstone and utters the phrase "shantim gacchhe" + +----- + +*ACADEMICS Roll* +- You recognize the words as Sanskrit, the oldest spoken language on record +- The best translation you can generate is "Rest In Peace" + +(Tamil sounds similar to middle eastern) +(Replace T with D, P with B, roll the R, soft A) + +----- + +*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +He stands up and heads toward the next headstone in line. "Abologies, I know id is rude of me, bud I have much work do do before dhe ceremony and liddle dime lefd. Would you be willing do waid inside?" + +He points down the pathway, and the fog is ebbing just enough for the general outline of a large building to be seen in the distance. + +----- + +You eventually come to a large cathedral with a massive pair of wide open doors, a sign beside them stating the next FUNERAL SERVICES and what time each one starts. There is also a building on either side, not as fancy as the cathedral in the middle, but built similarly. + +----- +- LEFT BUILDING +- CATHEDRAL +- RIGHT BUILDING +----- + +*LEFT BUILDING* +It's a storage facility filled with instruments. A piano, violin, harp, flute, ceremonial drums, and the tools to repair them all. You also spot a box with dozens of magic rings in a gray hue + +*RIGHT BUILDING* +It's a warehouse with several sets of nice dress clothes in multiple sizes, as well as "pine boxes" in identical sizes, plus shovels, large slabs of stone, chisels, choir gowns, a wooden podium, and a surprisingly large hair and makeup kit. + +*OPEN CATHEDRAL* +You enter a small entryway room, holding a guest book on a podium to the right, and leading into the next room. + +It immediately connects to the main congregation hall, with rows of pews sparsely occupied by people in black suits & dresses. The elevated stage in the back is holding a podium, an open casket, and a portrait of the deceased. + +(CONTACTS ROLL) It's a photo of Warton, the elderly bulldog man that ran the bookstore. + +There are dozens of people in the seats ahead of you, chattering, crying, and even laughing as they support each other. A few people are walking up to the casket every so often to say their goodbyes. + +*GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO AS WELL* + +A younger bulldog man with trim brown hair in a black suit steps forth to the podium, and he is VERY nervous. "Hello, uh.. My name is Peyton, and I'm Warton's son. I want to thank you all for coming out to say your goodbyes and... I'm... I'm sorry, I'm gonna need a moment." + +You see the wolf man Thanatos step in from behind the stage seemingly out of nowhere, sitting down at a nearby piano, and plays a somber yet beautiful melody. This seems to put Peyton a little more at ease, and he tries speaking again. + +"My father was a unique kind of guy. Always happy, well read, smartest man I ever met. He was always on the lookout for some new story or book he'd never heard of, loved meeting new people, and all he ever wanted was for others to love stories as much as he did." + +"When I was a kid, his favorite thing to do was to bring me to the bookstore and have me sit in on his storytime hours, and that-that magic in his eye was so powerful when he saw how happy it made the kids, especially me..." Several teenagers and younger adults stand up and declare he did the same for them. + +"He always made sure I came with any time he went to the Library for new books, and every time he found a new kid's book, he read it to me THAT night, and I always felt like I never really told him how much it meant to me that he did..." He pauses again, fighting back tears. + +"It's actually thanks to HIM that I did as well in school as I did. He had this weird way of reading back information that made it way easier to understand, and I know I'm not the only one he did that for." About a dozen people applaud quietly in the audience. + +"You know, um... back when I was a student at Diadem University, they had a class where they went over each known religion's interpretation of the afterlife. They were all different, but the trend showed if you were a decent person, then when you died, you went somewhere amazing or maybe got a better life the next time around." + +"I say that to say, this man was quite possibly the kindest, strongest, and most morally upright man I ever knew. And I may not be a religious man, but if any of them turn out to be true, I genuinely believe he deserves the absolute best a man can get, and has MORE than earned it." + +He turns to the casket, mic in hand. "Thank you for everything. I just hope that, wherever you are right now, you know that you are now, and always will be, loved." + +The audience erupts in applause and comments, a few stepping up on stage to hug him, offer their condolences, and compliment his bravery. The next person in line, an elderly cardinal man, steps up to speak next. + +(NOTICE ROLL) You just now realized the music stopped, and Thanatos is now standing/sitting a few feet from your group. + +"Abologies for dhe waid, I was running a bid behind." + +"Id is embowering do hear one speak with such bassion. And id is clear as day his fadher is so full of pride knowing his son dhinks so highly of him." + +*IF THEY ASK HOW HE KNOWS* +"Id is my resbonsibilidy do care for dhe grounds dhemselves AND dhe residends as well. Id would be a disservice do ignore dhem." He extends his hand for you to touch. + +*TOUCH THE HAND* +(EMPATHY Roll) +Your eyes suddenly begin to feel heavy, the world around you losing color until everything and everyone is grayscale. But after a moment, you see vibrant colorful glows coming from each person around their grayed out bodies. + +Most of the people are shrouded in a powerful blue glow, including Peyton. There are a couple people to the side laughing and being supportive glowing a warm yellow, and the next nervous person on stage glowing a delicate white. There's one person slumped in their seat, glowing an ominous black. + +----- + +You also see a person NOT giving off any colorful aura that you KNOW wasn't there before, patting Peyton's shoulder with a warm smile, but it looks like Peyton doesn't even notice. And he looks very similar to Peyton, except much older. + +"In dhis life, loss comes from so many blaces, bud none so sdrong as dhe loss of life. Id is such a sdrong loss, dhe sensation can even be feld in dhe afderlife." + +"Dhad is why dhese ceremonies exisd, so dhose dhad feel dhe loss of dhemselves and dheir loved ones may have a momend of closeness before dhey move on peacefully. Nod say goodbye, bud do see dhe person dhey used do be, and grieve surrounded by all dhad made dhem who dhey were. And dhen, with quied hands and a sdeady heardt, dhey can led go, and druly be free, do embrace whad comes nexd widh no regreds." + +----- + +(highest EMPATHY roller)'s eyes are acting a bit odd, and are glitching a bit back and forth between normal view and this new mood ring like view. + +That player has earned a new STUNT: +EYES OF ETERNITY +- +2 EMPATHY to read peoples' emotions +- Success shows their emotion as a color aura +- You can naturally see the spirits of the dead as gray bodies + +*IF THEY ASK* +Thanatos smiles very faintly. "I did nod expecd anodher do be so resonand do dhis bower." + +- Fiery red anger +- Endlessly curious orange +- Shining joyful yellow +- Calm peaceful green +- Teary sorrowful blue +- Lively compassionate violet +- Cosmic loving pink +- Cold fearful white +- Solemn prideful silver +- Empty impassive black +- Sturdy hopeful brown + +"And of course, gray, which is dhe sensation of despair and loss. And dhose whom have losd dhe mosd... are dhe deparded." + +----- + +*SHROUDED IN BLACK* +When you take a closer look, you spot Nash, hunkered into a ball somewhat and staring at the floor. He has a blank expression, but his cheeks are stained with tears. + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +He will look up to them, give a half-hearted "hey," and go back to staring at the floor. + +*IF THEY PRESS* +"I knew Mr. Warton growing up... he helped me learn stuff when I was going through college... I didn't want to believe he was gone, but... yeah..." + +He stands up, slides his hands into his pockets, and shuffle-walks his way to the pathway between the seats. "I'm sorry, I just... I can't be here anymore, I have to go..." + +You watch him slowly head out the door of the building, and Thanatos eyes him curiously as he leaves, but makes no move to stop him. But he does look to your group and points at him inquisitively. "Friend of yours?" + +----- + +Thanatos' wolf ears suddenly flick a bit, and he stands up, staring straight at the door. "I beliebe we have uninvided guesds.. excuse me." + +He will quietly walk out the main door of the building, making sure to close it behind him. + +Moments later, you hear several screams of men AND women just outside, while thankfully the people at the funeral have not heard a word. + +*WHEN THEY GO OUTSIDE* +You see the thickest blanket of gray mist outside the doors, slowly rotating around a point in a circle like a foggy barrier. You catch momentary glimpses of what's inside, but it's too hard to tell perfectly. + +You suddenly hear a voice inside scream at the top of their lungs STAY BACK!!! + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) +- Thanatos is inside, facing down what looks like a group of Marauders +- The Marauders are all slowly backing away from him, aiming their weapons at him, and they look terrified +- You see some kind of long object extending from Thanatos' hand, possibly a weapon of some sort +- You spot a person in a motorcycle helmet dart through the thick fog, and they make a mad dash in the opposite direction + +You hear Thanatos state as clearly and evenly as anything else he has said since you met him. "None of you are on dhe lisd... I advise you leave before dhad changes..." + +In a fashion identical to an old horror movie, you see and hear them shriek and run out of the fog, headed in the opposite direction. He will turn to your group, the mist slowly evaporating and his hands empty. "Abologies, id was some eh... barty crashers, here do ruin dhe ceremony." + +"Now dhad we are oudside, I believe now is a good dime for brober indroductions..." He turns to your group and runs a hand through his hair, smoothing the silver locks back into a cleaner style. + +"My name is Thanatos, and I am dhe Masder and sexton of dhis, dhe Death Demense. Id is a bleasure do officially meed you." + +*DM/REGALIA* +He sighs a bit. "Drudhfully I would nod be able do do this right now, as I have many ceremonies to berform doday. Dhis one should be just aboud over, and a new one shall begin soon afder." + +Just as he says that, everyone at the funeral files out the front doors, casket at the very front in the arms of four men, the rest following with all the photos and flowers in hand. + +One of the grieving women, an elderly cardinal with feathers either a dull red or grayscaling against her black dress & graying head of hair, walks over to Thanatos, sniffling and tearing up. "Thank you for such a lovely ceremony, sir. You did everything perfectly." + +He kneels down so he is at her eye level, taking her hands in his and smiling softly at her. "A gread man deserves nodhing less dhan do be surrounded by friends and family, no differend dhan in life. All I did was provide dhe venue. Your people... dhey made dhe ceremony come do life." + +She suddenly jumps up and hugs him tightly, bawling into his shoulder for a moment, and he eventually returns her embrace. And that is when she realizes your group standing right behind him. + +She quickly releases him and covers her mouth with both hands over a soft gasp, taking a step back, and straightens her outfit out a bit. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there.. I'm Rowena. I'm here for the service.. obviously.." + +She pauses and looks to Thanatos. "Are these your friends, or..?" + +He replies hesitantly, "Dhey are nod friends ber se, dhey are.. a fudure abboindmend." + +She gasps a bit and walks up to you all, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "I'm so sorry for your loss. My husband just lost his closest friend and gambling buddy." + +Thanatos reaches down and holds her shoulder. "Acdually no, dhere is no loss. Dhey have a differend kind of abboindmend." + +She turns to him a bit confused. "You do other things than funerals here?" + +"Indeed. We host birdhday bardies, ghosd sdory nighds, and slam poedry readings on weekends." + +And she bursts out laughing, which catches the attention of the entire congregation as they set up the burial. He kindly ushers her to go back to her event, and she staggers off, laughing the whole way. + +"Dhad is dhe kind of momend I live for. Despide dhe endless flow of dears, she found a momend do share a smile. And now, dhad smile will become as infecdious as the woe dhad broughd dhem here. And she knows if she can smile ad a dime like dhis, dhen... she will be okay." By the time he stops talking, the entire group of people she was part of are all bellowing in laughter. + +(Whoever kept the eye ability can see her blue sadness fading into yellow joy, as does many others) + +He turns to your group. "And besides, would you really wish do challenge me knowing full well several groups of mourning mordals would be wandering by, wadching dheir evend organizer in.. I would assume armed combad, yes?" + +"I meand whad I said when I referred to you as a fudure abboindmend. Come back on a fudure dade and we shall arrange your challenge. For now, I have much work do do." + +He will give a courteous bow and step away, heading back into the cathedral and slamming the doors behind him. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Green-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Green-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..43ad137 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Green-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,253 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a green magic wall, looking like a slow swirling tornado + +In the meadow: +https://youtu.be/TZSA5HbOIEA?si=LsifjOBxxEd7iTrq + +In the Archery range: +https://youtu.be/D9X-bE51G08?si=v7PRWVioJGvBxWTb + +## Upon exiting the GREEN gate, +you feel the gentlest of breezes, you hear the lightest rustling of grass in the wind, and you see nothing but the cleanest and lushest green grasses as far as the eye can see, sparsely decorated by the occasional tree. + +Welcome to the **Grasslands** demense! + +(NOTICE ROLL) +The silence is abruptly interrupted by a sputtering noise coming from right beside your group, a horse head leaning down and nibbling the shirt sleeve of (lowest roller). + +The horse is inside a large wooden corral connected to a stable with a dozen other horses. You also see a sign against the fence that reads "Villi's Fillies, Rentals 10z." + +*IF ANYONE COMMENTS ON IT* +A female voice from behind you speaks out. "Knock it off Rosa, they don't have food for you!" + +The gate is attached to a fairly large boulder, and lying atop said Boulder stretched out is a black Kitsune in a matching black skirt over a white long sleeved top. "Dont worry about them, they just want some snacks." + +*ASKS ABOUT HER* +She doesn't really move, but her head turns a little toward you. "Name's Villi. You new here?" + +*ASKING ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +She sits upright and perks her ears, listening for a moment. You see she is wearing a white kimomo-style top, a drastic contrast to her own black fur, and also has long black hair. "You want the Land Lord, he's that way about... two miles. Look for the giant oak tree next to the horse stable." + +*IF ANYONE COMPLAINS* +She rolls her golden brown (almost red) eyes and jumps down behind the rock, stepping out from behind it and walking into the ranch's main entrance. "Come with me." + +She will lead you into a walkway outside of the main pen, a few of the horses within approaching your group curiously. "Walking would take a while, but if you were to ride THESE, you'd get there in a few minutes." + +*IF YES* +She will guide (1/2 the number of players rounded up) horses toward the entrance, slips a saddle pad, an all purpose saddle, & a bridle to each, and extends the reigns to your group. "Pick your pairs, I don't have enough single saddles for all of you right now." + +*REGARDLESS OF WHICH OPTION* +As you travel through the lush grasses, you see mostly open greenery all being pushed around by a light breeze, and you hear leaves rustling in the nearby trees. You spot an occasional rabbit hopping through the shorter grasses or a bird flying by overhead, but other than that, it's a quiet calm bit of travel. + +(NOTICE ROLL) +(All rollers) You spot an extremely large and flourishing tree in the distance, its branches overhanging and partially covering the outlines of a wooden fence. +(HIGHEST ROLLER) As your group gets closer, you detect a peculiar scent in the air, something delicate and sweet. And it gets stronger as you get closer to your destination. + +As you all get closer, you see the grass gets much taller, except for this one conveniently cut out section narrowing down into a governed path. + +- You push your way through the tall grasses, +- You follow the path through the tall grasses, +and you notice the grass is cut in a spacious circle around the tree. Both it & the path leading to it are kept incredibly short, while the grass AROUND it is a few feet taller, almost acting like a natural fence. Perfect for hiding in plain sight. + +(TO THE LEFT) +The wooden fence is actually a fairly large wooden corral with about a dozen horses inside, wearing similar saddle and bridle sets as the ones from Villi's ranch. + +(BEFORE YOU) +You are in the shadow of a massive oak tree, easily 50 feet wide at the base and likely even taller, with thick brush hanging from its branches partly hiding a few hanging ropes. + +(TO THE RIGHT) +You spot another fenced in area, but this one is a garden with rows of bushes covered in flowers, which is definitely where the sweet scent is coming from. + +----- +- CORRAL +- TREE +- GARDEN +----- + +*CORRAL* +All the horses inside are casually eating grass or drinking from a nearby trough of water, all of them wearing saddles, most of which are single seaters. The corral doorway has a large sign on it saying "hold your horses" sitting just above a latched gate. + +(IF THEY BROUGHT HORSES) +The gate opens easily enough from the outside, and the horses walk inside with no complaint. The first thing the horses do is go for the nearby food and water troughs. + +----- + +*GARDEN* +There are a dozen rows of bush that stretch out several yards back, all contained within a handcrafted wooden fence. The lattice archway at the entrance is about eight feet high and ten feet wide, with a wooden sign on the left stating "Camellia Sinensis" and an identical sign on the right stating "free to take." + +The bushes all look identical from beginning to end, some having flowers and some having tiny brown or green berries. The bushes that DO have flowers are either a brilliant white or with some small amounts of pink, seven or eight petals each, with yellow stamen in each of them. + +(ACADEMICS ROLL) Camellia Sinensis is the scientific name for the Tea Plant. You are looking at a massive tea garden. + +----- + +*OAK TREE* +You couldn't see it from so far away, but there is a large treehouse hidden inside its higher branches. It is masterfully crafted, shaped right in and around the branches themselves, blending in seamlessly. There is a partly hidden rope ladder on the left and a climbing rope on the right, both leading to a wooden outcropping. + +*IF THEY CALL UP* +You get no response except for some chirping of birds around you. + +*IF THEY CLIMB IN* +You make your way to the landing, which could easily be called a porch, and there is no real front door. You can easily see inside, and it is very obviously a genuine home, full of breezy open windows, and comprised of three main rooms: the living room, the kitchen, and the bedroom + +- The living room has a wood and wicker double couch & single chair set with a coffee table in between them all, and a fireplace centered behind them. + +- The left doorway leads to the fully functional kitchen, including a wooden table & chairs, cabinets full of glass & wood dishware, shelves full of jars of dried leaves, an actual metal sink, and an old-fashioned ice box fridge. + +- The right doorway leads to the bedroom, which is fairly empty aside from a couple small tables around what LOOKS like it should be a bed, but it resembles a giant fabric sack full of... hay or straw? + +----- + +(INVESTIGATE ROLL) +- You stare out from the higher-up window, and +- You walk behind the tree itself, and +you spot a huge group of people behind the tree, but they're all weirdly making very little noise. + +*BEHIND THE TREE* +There is a group of tables with people crafting things behind the tree, yoga practicers on the left, kite flyers on the right, and archers in the back shooting targets FAR into the distance. + +This explains why you couldn't hear them, everyone is doing quiet activities. + +----- +- ARCHERS +- CRAFTERS +- KITE FLYERS +- YOGA +----- + +*YOGA* +You see one instructor, a swan woman in a black leotard, leading a group of nine other men and women in stretching exercises. They bend in a myriad of directions that some of you could easily handle, and a few that you couldn't do in your wildest dreams. + +*APPROACH* +When she spots you, the teacher advises everyone to take a ten minute break, then approaches your group with a smile and a towel slung over her neck. You now spot her green nametag stating AVA. "Hello, can I help you?" + +*SENT BY SISTER SCHOOL* +"Oh you met my twin sister, lovely. This is where we host our classes, as this grassland is so open and free for everyone to bond with nature. But some people prefer a more... rigid facility, so we co-opted the gym building. Were you interested in signing up for one of our schools?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Oh you're here to see the Landlord? I believe he is practicing his Archery today a bit farther down." + +----- + +*TABLES* +The eight or so people relaxing at the table are doing arts and crafts projects with the twigs, berries, and leaves of nearby trees. Some of them appear to be makeshift arrow shafts, others look like they're stripping the leaves and petals of the flowers from the garden, and one is making a bird nest held together with blades of grass. + +*APPROACH* +A young boy in an indigo hoodie and white shorts turns to your group. He puts down his bowl and chasen (bamboo whisk) and quietly asks, "Need something?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +He points toward the archers. "Landlord's that way." + +----- + +*KITES* +The four people flying kites are all lying in the grass, each one's kite string tied to their ankle or wrist and actively being guided in the soft wind. One is flying a diamond kite, one is flying a square box kite, one is flying a snake themed windsock, and one is flying a mini hot air balloon. + +*APPROACH* +The four people in the grass are actually a group of identical looking geckos, each one wearing the same style of red shirt and blue shorts with short dirty blonde hair, the only difference between them being the various shades of their clothing and hair. They all look up to you at the same time. "Yes?"(x4) + +*DM/REGALIA* +They all point their respective kite-holding appendages toward the archers. "That way." (x4) + +----- + +You spot five different people in all manner of dress, shooting either practice arrows, homemade arrows, or true arrows in professional grade old fashioned wood bows. Most of them actually make their mark, aside from one or two that break on release, but that doesn't seem to deter anyone. + +*APPROACH* +A white moth woman with black hair in a ponytail turns to you, lowering her bow. She's wearing an old fashioned white kyudogi training shirt with a long red hakama skirt, and a green nametag reading BELL. Her eyes carry a tired expression, but she approaches with an odd amount of grace. "Good afternoon, can I help you?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +She nods quietly. "Follow me, please." + +She walks at. abit of a slower pace into the grassy distance to another cut grass clearing, where there sits a solitary green snake man in a loose fitting white Japanese Yukata with blue sky sleeve ends. The right arm is completely slid off, revealing the black shirt with red trim underneath, only barely obscured by the quiver of arrows on his back. + +She raises a hand to put a finger vertically against her lips, then points to all of you, and then the ground. (She is telling you to be silent and wait here.) She walks forward quietly, and when she is maybe ten yards away, she finally calls to him. "Lord Corentin, you have visitors." + +Without turning toward her, he pulls out a fresh arrow and nocks it in his bow, aiming it directly at the sky in complete silence, holding perfectly still. Bell will take this opportunity to walk back to your group, nod quietly, and walk away. + +*AFTER ANY RESPONSE* +He turns to the side, staring into the distant grasses with his slitted green eyes, and fires the arrow in a seemingly random direction, staying in the air for several seconds before finally coming down and disappearing in the taller grass. And the moment it disappears, you hear a female voice in the far distance shout "OW! SON OF A BITCH!" + +A far off head suddenly stands up, looking like a human woman under a bandana, rubbing her forehead and holding the arrow in her hand, which you now see is tipped with a green rubber ball. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" + +*IF ANYONE ASKS ABOUT HER SAYING 'WE'* +*OR IF NOONE NOTICES, (NOTICE ROLL)* +Several more people pop up form the grass, one of whom is wearing a motorcycle helmet and smacks her upside the back of the head. + +The one in the helmet takes off through the tall grass, leaving the others (clearly Marauders) to charge after you and Corentin. + +But right when they get close, the green rubber ball on the arrow will suddenly POP, causing them all to scream that their ears are now either hurting immensely, or they can't hear. + +*ALL ENEMIES WILL HAVE DISADV UNTIL THE START OF THEIR SECOND TURNS* + +*CORENTIN WILL ADD COVER FIRE IF NEEDED* + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +The Marauders lie in a heap, many of them with blood stains around their ears. Corentin slithers closer, placing his (now broken) bow against his back. "You have disturbed the peace of my demense. I wish to know why." + +The one out of the group that can actually hear him, some form of disguised reptilian male, will reply, "That's what we were sent here to do! It's literally our job!" + +Corentin closes his eyes and shakes his head in disappointment, pulls down the other sleeve of his yukata, and unfurls a large pair of reptilian wings, an array of long emerald green scales glittering on them in the sunlight, almost like crystalline feathers. "Please take your disturbance strategy elsewhere." + +He flaps his wings once, and then darts toward the Marauders, causing them to shriek, before making an abrupt turn and suddenly encircling them sideways, his serpent-like body trailing behind him as he forms a tight circle. + +It takes a few moments, but you see a slowly forming vortex of green magic form around the Marauders. Each one slowly levitates off the ground as a small tornado forms, pitching each one of them high into the air and out of view. + +----- + +*PLAYERS ASK ABOUT MARAUDERS* +All but one of them are unanimously flung through the gate by the air current, the last one flopping on the ground in front of it. And when she raises her head, her eyes are greeted by the sight of Villi, cracking her knuckles. + +----- + +Corentin suddenly lurches back towards your group, making a sudden stop a few feet before you, standing tall on his serpentine body. He collapses his wings with a soft sigh, resleeving his yukata over his left arm only as before. "I appreciate your assistance in removing the troublemakers. Care to join me for a cup of tea?" + +*BACK AT THE TREEHOUSE* +He hangs his quiver of arrows and NOW broken bow by the door on wooden hooks, slithering to his kitchen, and coming back out with three kettles, all of which are placed in the fireplace. He lights a match to start a fire in it, the smoke rolling up and out a fairly well hidden chimney. "While the kettles warm, why don't we discuss what brings you here today?" + +----- + +READ EACH OF THESE OVER THE COURSE OF THE CONVERSATION + +As you chat, he will grab a jar of honey and (number of players +1) cups out of his cupboard, placing them on a nearby table, each with a saucer and a spoon. + +*HE WILL POUR TEA FOR EVERYONE AS THEY TALK* +The first kettle will pour white tea for anyone wanting something sweet and fruity. +The second kettle will pour green tea for anyone wanting something flowery and earthy. +The third kettle will pour black tea for anyone wanting something malty and full-bodied + +----- + +*ASK ABOUT VILLI* +"Oh yes, the young lady with the horse ranch... she came here a few years ago with the stresses of the universe on her shoulders it seemed. Lost, alone, betrayed by one she trusted her entire life... I can sense she still harbors a grudge, but she is slowly learning she does not need to let it consume her very being. Her stables are proof of this, horses are known to be excellent stress therapy animals." + +*WHEN DM/REGALIA IS MENTIONED* +"My Regalia is no longer in my possession. It was stolen from me some months ago." He oddly doesn't seem to care that much about it, treating it no differently than losing a sock he would never use. + +*IF THEY ASK WHY HE DOESNT SEEM TO CARE* +"Well it wouldn't do for a demense master of the most Serene paradise in all of Diadem to lose his composure, would it? The demense is sort of a... reflection of its master, and as such, we share certain aesthetics and characteristics. I can see you have visited another demense before mine, and I'm sure you noticed how... peculiarly perfect the demense is to its respective master." + +(READ THESE BASED ON WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN) +- A raging inferno volcano and endless labor for the angry Aodaghan +- An endless supply of discovery and information for the curious Conroy +- An endlessly enjoyable party palace for the joyful Zahir +- A visually calm ocean with endless depths for the stoic Dorrin +- A thriving farmland of endless bounty for the compassionate Arledge +- An infinite range of potential companionship for the intimate Miranda +- A protective wonderland of wintery beauty for the timid Whittaker +- An imposing facility and symbol of justice for the prideful Fulmo +- A somber resting place and ceremony hall for the mournful Thanatos +- A curiously dangerous & beautiful forest for the seclusive Cassius +- A thoroughly challenging playground for the auspicious Tlaloc + +He sits down with his own cup of tea, taking a long slow sip. "Mm.. but mine is a peaceful and airy pasture, where stress and aggravation can be left behind, and one could embrace the sensation of tranquility in all its forms." + +"The sight of the rustling leaves from the vine, the sound of the flickering grass, +the smell of the inviting flowers, +the taste of the cleanest & purest air, +the feel of the breeze against one's skin. +This place is a delight to all five senses, and embodies the purest aspect of peace." + +He stares at each of you from behind his cup. "I desire nothing more than to share that with anyone whom wishes to partake. Including you." + +He will finish his cup of tea and stretch his arms high over his head. "Today has been a rather exciting day... I believe it is my turn to relax... If you happen to come across my bow, please do return it to me, and we can discuss a potential challenge then." \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Orange-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Orange-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..44c1fc3 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Orange-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,178 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with an orange magic wall, looking like a slowly filling hourglass + +ORANGE demense + +In the Library: +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT_Ql8kwm4M + +In the back lab: +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y-PFMU_NiM + +## Upon exiting the ORANGE gate, +you each stumble on your way through and land on all fours one after the other in a pile of sand. There is a distinct dryness in the air, like it is devoid of moisture. + +*BEFORE YOU* +There are two triangular (lime)stone structures, easily hundreds of feet tall, each one with a stone staircase leading up to an opening in the front. But beyond that, all you see between them and on the left and right is endless miles of sand. + +Welcome to the DESERT demense! + +*BEHIND YOU* +The gate itself is angled backward at about 45 degrees, as it is physically built into the angled wall of a third (lime)stone structure. You DO spot a pair of staircases going right around the Gate and up the stone incline, to an opening about six feet high and six feet wide. + +*GO IN LEFT ONE* +The pathway inside is about 50 feet deep, and slowly expands out wider and taller as you go deeper. It ends in a strange arena-like space, multiple rows of stone seating surrounding it. But there doesn't appear to be anyone here. + +*GO IN RIGHT ONE* +The pathway inside is about 50 feet deep, and slowly expands out wider and taller as you go deeper. It ends in what looks like a massive laboratory filled with a few sectioned off areas, each one full of beakers & test tubes, burners & freezers, microscopes & petri dishes, and all manners of bright lights & VERY old machinery anyone would recognize from any old horror movie. + +*GO IN MAIN ONE WITH GATE ATTACHED* +The pathway inside is about 50 feet deep, and slowly expands out wider and taller as you go deeper. It ends at a pair of ten foot tall iron doors, both of which have iron handles covered in hieroglyphics, and one has a sign above the handle with raised letters stating PULL. + +*IF THEY GO IN* +You feel an immediate wave of coolness break the heat as you peer into what might be the largest library you have ever seen. + +The floors are sandstone in hue with orange carpets trimmed in black, and you see decorative hieroglyphics all along the higher parts of the walls casting a glowing light that illuminates the whole building, including the stone columns in the corners of the room that you can see. + +(To the left) +There is a check-in / check-out station that doubles as a store, selling bookmarks, colorful book covers, comfy bookbags, magic rings in an orange hue, and several other bits and bobbles. At the moment, there is noone behind the counter, and there is a sign saying BACK SHORTLY. + +(BEFORE you) +There are rows of bookshelves reaching heights well exceeding a second story building's, the columns easily double digit, and the depth too far to immediately spot with the naked eye. + +(TO THE RIGHT) +There is a series of wood tables & chairs, and brown leather couches & ottomans, sparsely occupied by people reading, barring one tiger man taking a nap with a book over his face. There is also a card catalogue drawer off in the corner with a sign saying USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. + +----- +- COUNTER +- BOOKSHELVES +- CARD CATALOG +----- + +*CARD CATALOGUE* +The catalogue drawer itself looks relatively normal, aside from there only being one drawer. + +*OPEN IT* +You pull it open, and it reveals name card after name card in an organized rack, so many so that you could step backwards and it would just keep on coming. + +The sleeping tiger man walks over to you, eyes closed and barely awake. "Oi mate... you know this is a MAGICAL library, right? You opened the drawer without an inquiry and now it's showing lit'rally every book it can think of." + +He pushes the drawer shut with one swift motion, pulling you with it. "Ask the drawer for something specific and it'll shrink the options." + +He will suddenly flop back onto the couch, curling up and resuming his cat nap in peace. + +*SPECIFIC REQUEST* +This time when you open the catalog, it only shows a small number of cards. Each one has a book name, author, publication year, and location number. + +----- + +*THE BOOKSHELVES* +While exploring the seemingly endless shelves of books, you will randomly spot a quick trace of a person waltzing by just out of sight. + +(NOTICE Roll) (Results highest to lowest) +- You see an orange furred hand placing a book on a shelf, but the person is suddenly gone +- You hear rumbling and just BARELY dodge someone in a white coat whizzing by on a wheeled ladder +- You see someone's wobbly legs as they round a corner with a pile of books ten feet tall +- You DO find a Diadem history book, but it's the same one you spotted at the bookstore, and the space on the shelf it likely WOULD be is empty. + +----- + +*THE COUNTER* +When you approach the counter, the sign has SOMEHOW changed to now read RING BELL FOR SERVICE, and there is a bell you swear was not there before. You also see traces of orange sand on the counterspace around both. + +*RING THE BELL* +A tiger man suddenly stands up from behind the library counter, as if he was always there just out of sight. + +He flips his dark brown ponytail behind his shoulder, straightens his spectacles, adjusts his white flowing longcoat trimmed in black over his black tee shirt, and pulls out an orange nametag reading CONROY from his pocket, pinning it to his coat. "Ello ello! 'ow can I help you?" + +*IF THEY ASK* +The tiger man that was asleep on the couch is, indeed, gone. + +----- + +Upon being asked any question he cannot readily answer, he will duck down out of sight. Moments later, an orange furred hand will slide a book with a title matching what you're asking for, and Conroy will step back behind the counter, smiling wide, before opening the book to the page you're looking for. + +----- + +*ISLAND HISTORY / DM / REGALIA* +He will do a doubletake and think for a moment. "The book you're thinking of isn't so much a history book, but a chronology tome. I haven't had anyone ask for that one in a few years, have they really been asking SCHOOL CHILDREN to sit through reading THAT?!" + +He jumps down behind the counter, then reappears moments later with a hundred-years-old golden tome with bent corners and burn marks, placing it carefully on the counter. + +He slips on a pair of tight orange vinyl gloves and carefully opens the book, showing the pages are very old paper, most of them are illegible due to obvious cuts and burns. "Bad news lads and lasses, this book is definitely past its prime, but I can try to gleam something from its remains." + +You detect the stench of burnt paper fill the air as he carefully flips through the damaged pages. "There must still be something of use in there... Ah, here we are!" + +By the spring of 1472, not only had everyone survived, the population had grown to 43 + +In that same season, a new group of settlers had arrived from the same land, curious to why noone had returned + +This caught the attention of the twelve helpful strangers, whom admitted there is a way to... something, treasures, erm... can't make that part out I'm afraid... + +Here we go... the second generation was up to the challenge, and fought the strangers with all their might, but could not defeat a single one. + +Dubbed masters of the treasures, these strangers offered the bravest and noblest among them the chance to challenge them again, and each time a new generation joined, the process... I believe it says 'begun anew'... history repeats itself on a short loop, I suppose. + +He flips through the rest of the pages, looking for anything else of use, one of the pages partly dissolving against his fingertips, causing him to whimper a little. "Well... that's upsetting... I'll need to see about restoring this book somewhow, I suppose... but that's for another day." + +He puts the book down under the counter out of the way. "Anything else I can help you with?" + +*IF THEY ARE DONE* +"Wait a tic! Since I 'elped you, maybe you can 'elp me in return? See, when a new person comes 'ere, we 'ave them contribute to the library, in a sense. I would only need a moment of your time, if that's alright?" + +*IF YES* +"Wonderful! Follow me please!" + +He takes you out of the building, and into the entrance of the building to the right. Inside you see a massive laboratory filled with a few sectioned off areas, each one full of beakers & test tubes, burners & freezers, microscopes & petri dishes, and all manners of bright lights & VERY old machinery anyone would recognize from any old horror movie. + +He guides you to the back-right corner of the room, to a strange circular metal chamber with an orange magic circle drawn on the ground, and a panel containing an orange slab of stone with odd writing on it. + +"The process is quite simple, this magic circle is comprised of chronomancy magic that reads your mind and body for anything knowledge-based, checks it against any pre-existing books, and either fills in the blanks or writes whole new ones. Now if you would be so kind?" + +He guides you inside the metal tube and has you stand as close to the center as you can manage. "Now just stand right there, keep your eyes closed, and..." + +He slams his hand onto the orange stone tablet and causes it to jump to life, summoning a small swirling sandstorm to surround you all. Each pellet glows with a soft orange light for a few second, before taking off toward the entry way. "And that'll do it! Let's see what we have..." + +Conroy giggles with glee as he stares at the orange stone panel. "Fantastic! 43 new books added including 9 sequels, 27 new books started, 16 incomplete books finished, 83 furthered along, and (player number) all new ones all about you!" + +An explosion occurs near the doorway to the lab, sending a small body careening across the room in a high overhead arc, headed straight for the nearby wall. + +----- + +(ATHLETICS Roll) + +*IF DONE WELL* +You jump out of the pod and make a quick dive for the small body, catching it right before it hits the wall, but the inertia does cause YOU to hit the wall, making you take 1DMG. + +*IF DONE POORLY* +You jump out of the pod and make a quick dive for the small body, but just fall short, the small body slamming into the wall with a dull thud before slooowly sliding down to the floor. + +*IF THEY DO NOTHING* +The body slams into the wall with a dull thud before slooowly sliding down to the floor. + +----- + +Conroy dashes over to the body, picking it up and dusting it off to reveal a young teenage boy, body obscured by a singed indigo hoodie, his orange nametag reading CAELUM. + +"Caelum?! What have I told you about doing your dangerous experiments inside the lab?! You do that OUT IN THE DESERT or the arena Pyramid so the property damage is minimized!" + +He sets the boy down on his own two feet, and the boy responds by coughing up a bit of soot. "Sorry, I just had this idea for that gold potion and I had to work on... it..." + +He slowly turns to your group, eyes wide and just now realizing you were there. "Uh... hello..?" + +Conroy sighs and hangs his head. "Remember your manners, Caelum." + +Conroy will stand and approach your group, guiding Caelum toward you all. "Everyone, this is Caelum, my protégé. He runs the pet shop in Diadem, but spends his free time here doing experiments. He fancies himself an alchemist, mostly potions and such, but he dabbles in 'humanimal transmutation.'" + +Caelum gets a bit huffy and extends his hand to your group, speaking with a bit of embarrassed irritation. "It's nice to meet you all.. if you need anything animal related, or.. maybe wanna.. experiment with my alchemical concoctions, you know where to find me.." + +THE PLAYERS HAVE UNLOCKED THE ABILITY +TO RESET AND RESPEC THEIR SKILL POINTS + +Conroy smiles seeing him genuinely try. "There's a lad, your mother would be so proud. Anyhoo, I should be returning to work, plenty of people here need a good book. But if you need any help with information, feel free to stop by anytime you'd like!" + +Conroy and Caelum both head out the door of the lab together, and you can very clearly hear him talking Caelum up for attempting to be social with someone for the first time in a while. Caelum stops at the doorway as Conroy continues walking out the door, talking to himself the whole way. + +He walks closer to your group, squinting for a second in thought. "Hm.. I'm trying to think.. have we met before..?" + +*NO WE HAVE NOT* +"If you say so.. ugh, this is gonna bug me all day.." He walks away deep in thought, chasing down Conroy, whom you can STILL hear talking the entire time. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Pink-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Pink-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0ed427 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Pink-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,269 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a pink magic wall, and it sparkles in random spots + +On the satellite: +https://youtu.be/Sf4oFaelTr4?si=p631VDqPUIAulWLE + +During the fashion show: +https://youtu.be/GTrs4QNzGPc?si=NppldyIjVhngVdA4 + +## Upon exiting the PINK gate, +you feel the strangest sensation of physical unbalance, kinda like the unsteady sensation of riding a boat that never goes down. + +You are (for the first time) inside a building, and it resembles a large exhibit hall. The walls are all ribbed and supported by overarching steel beams in a metallic Solid Pink color, leading out into four short & spacious hallways from the open center room. +(Think "Nave of the Grand Palais museum in Paris, France") + +Overhead you see a massive glass panel dome, but instead of seeing outside through it, each panel glows with a soft warm light, easily illuminating the entire space. + +(BEFORE YOU) +The center of the room is occupied by a large elevated stage with a walkway path extending out a good 30 feet, which is surrounded by about 50 chairs in an oval shape. A few chairs are occupied by well dressed attendees, writers, and photographers, all chatting with each other in excitement. + +(BEYOND THAT) +Past the stage, you see an array of four doors against a far back wall at the end of a slight pathway. They are marked, from left to right, PRIVATE QUARTERS, M.G.E. ROOM, STUDIO, and BOUTIQUE + +(TO THE LEFT & RIGHT) +The walls at the ends of the left & right pathways are ceiling-high wall-to-wall semi-reflective black panels, with several onlookers chatting with each other casually or staring at them in silence. You also spot more tables off to the sides, each one with an array of alcoholic drinks AND at least one waiter each. + +(BEHIND YOU) +The gate is bound to an identical metal ribbed wall, minus the doors. On each side of the gate, there are LONG tables with trays of finger foods. One is full of fruit slices on toothpicks, dehydrated veggie chips with ranch dip or guacamole, and a shrimp & dip tray. The other is sweet treats like colorful cupcakes, lemon bars, cherry cream cookies, and several cups of punch with ice, most of them being pink with a lemon scent. + +----- +- STAGE/SEATS +- BLACK WALLS +- FOUR DOORS +----- + +*STAGE / SEATS* +A binturong woman with shoulder-length brown hair in a stunning blue dress and a gold nametag reading CELINA notices you, pulls out a pen & notepad, and approaches. "Hi there, Celina from Diadem Daily, care to stop for an interview?" + +She will mostly ask generic questions regarding who you are, if you're native or immigrated, and how you're enjoying Diadem so far. + +*ONCE THEY ANSWER* +She scribbles the last question's information down the fastest. "Oookay, thank you for indulging me, but I get the feeling you have some questions for me as well?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Oh Madam Miranda is a mixed bag personality. She goes back and forth with BEING the center of attention and making OTHERS the center of HER attention VERY quickly." + +"She always 'graces the audience with her presence' toward the tail end of her shows." + +----- + +*BLACK WALLS* +There are several people chatting with each other casually, many of them mentioning the new lines of clothing they're expecting to see. Each one is also holding a glass of some variety with (what you assume to be) some form of alcohol. And those that AREN'T chatting, are staring at those reflective black walls. + +(LEFT HALL) +Against the corner, you also spot a well groomed pine marten man with slicked back blonde hair in a basic server outfit of a white long sleeve button front shirt and black pants with a matching black bowtie, his gold nametag stating KODA. He stands behind a small bar, quickly serving flutes of champagne, tumblers of vodka, copitas of tequila, and simple glasses of cider. + +(RIGHT HALL) +Against the corner, you also spot a well groomed toucan man with tightly trimmed black hair in a gray vest over a white button front shirt and black pants with a black tie holding a gold clip, his gold nametag stating KILIAN. He stands behind a small bar, quickly serving a myriad of colorful cocktails, but you DO notice several of them are varying shades of pink. + +*EITHER WAY* +A young gopher man with slicked back brown hair in a basic button-front white dress shirt aims an old-fashioned camera in your direction. "Excuse me! Over here please!" + +Right before he snaps the photo, he pauses and lowers the camera, revealing his gold nametag stating STAN. "Wait a sec, I recognize you... you're the guys that fight the Marauders, right? The uh... (vigilantes / Kings of Kings)!! Okay now I HAVE to take a photo!" + +Your group will be momentarily blinded from the bulb flash, and he will squee in excitement. "AWESOME! The chief'll be ecstatic! Once I get it printed, can I bring you a copy to autograph?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Last I saw, Madam Mirands's getting ready in her personal quarters. I managed to snap a photo before she went in, gonna add that one to my personal collection. She is stunning." + +He pauses to turn to the wall with a smile. "Though I gotta say... this view is a close second." + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) +(Hand these out based on lowest to highest roll) +- The walls are actually giant glass panels, and are slightly reflective. +- You spot several very tiny white dots in the distance, and they are faintly glittering. +- Looking up, you see what resembles a... solar panel, stationed overhead. +- Looking down, you spot one object in the distance, a MASSIVE sphere. Mostly blue, but with some smaller spots of white on top, and green & brown along the sides. + +Welcome to the **Satellite** Demense! + +----- + +*DOORS* + +----- *GUARDED ROOM* +The two well dressed bodyguards with slicked back hair standing over six foot with sunglasses on (because of course they do) stare at your group, arms crossed. + +The Blonde haired white tiger on the left whose pink nametag reads GARUN bluntly states "Noone is allowed in Miranda's private quarters without permission or an invitation, and we know you all have neither." + +The black haired black Panther on the right nods, his pink nametag reading LANCER. "If you did, you'd already be in there." + +----- *M.G.E. ROOM* (MicroGravity Environment) +The room has a short line of people of all ages in front of the one hatch-like door, but most of them appear to be older children or young adults. + +(15 minutes in line) You are met at the door by a teenage boy in an indigo hoodie, his pink nametag reading CAELUM. He is standing behind a podium + +"(How many in your party? / Oh, it's you guys.)" + +"So uh... it's 5z for 5 minutes per person if you want in. And you can do whatever you want in there, just... nothing dangerous or obscene." + +*IF THEY GO IN* +The door slides open to reveal a 50 feet long, tall, and wide empty room, the walls and ceiling lined with thick white padding in a square grid formation. Once the door shuts behind you, you hear a strange humming noise. + +That sensation of physical imbalance suddenly becomes magnified as you lift off the ground entirely, slowly drifting and floating toward the ceiling. You are now in a zero-gravity room. + +The next (however many they paid for) minutes are available to do whatever you like while behind these doors in a true zero gravity environment. + +Once those five minutes are over, the gravity will slowly re-engage and lower your group to the ground, the door opening with a hiss. + +----- *STUDIO* +The room has a short line of people of all ages in front of the one hatch-like door, but most of them look like college students or young adults + +(15 minutes in line later) The door slides open to release a small group of people that were already IN there, and inside is a massive crafting studio with a dozen tables worth of sewing machines and clothing racks all across the room, each one well maintained and with a unique clothing pattern schematic. + +A bat with gorgeous shoulder length reddish brown hair in a black vest over a button front white shirt and black slacks, his pink nametag reading JAMIR, steps forward, acting like a tour guide. + +"So THIS is the room where the magic happens, where all her clothes are hand crafted by herself and the volunteer students from Diadem College and Diadem Trade School." + +He directs everyone's attention toward a few mannequins with some incomplete design ideas. + +"Everyone is free and encouraged to use any of the bolts of cloth and sewing machines if they want to try their hand at making something of your own. And, if Miranda sees it and likes it, she may either wear it herself or have it made for her stores, guaranteeing credit AND compensation for your idea and hard work." + +(CRAFTS Roll if they want to make some clothes) +(If they roll well, have Jamir grab it and add it to an incomplete ensemble, and mention he will show it to Madam Miranda FIRST chance he gets) + +----- *BOUTIQUE* +This place is LOADED with what can only be YEARS worth of designer clothing, filled to the brim with every manner of shirt, skirt, top, one two & three piece outfit, multiple matching sets of shoes for each, magic rings in a pink hue, and tons of other accessories. + +*BUYING* +The register is ran by a seven foot tall giraffe man with slicked back black hair in a black vest over a button front white shirt and black slacks with a pink nametag reading ELI. + +Despite your best efforts, he smiles at all of you, knowing full well you are staring. + +----- + +*LATER* +Several more people have shown up since you started walking around, mostly curious onlookers like you but in decent dressy clothing, and a few being fashionista types that you'd expect to see at an event like this. + +The lights begin to dim around the four various halls, leaving only the stage in the center, which causes everyone to scramble for a decent seat. + +A young boy in an indigo hoodie, white shorts, short white hair, and a pink nametag reading CAELUM steps out on stage, microphone in hand. He looks a little nervous speaking in front of an audience, staring out at everyone and taking a deep breath. + +"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending Madam Miranda's latest fashion show! We are here to show off the latest and greatest omni-seasonal line of clothing for year-round function AND fashion!" + +The 20 minute show, although awkward to anyone who has never attended one, goes off flawlessly. In sequence, you see: +- Sporty summer clothing in muted colors being shown off by male & female athletes +- Fall clothing in earthly toned colors shown off by mostly female theater students +- Winter clothing being a split between straight black or solid white ensembles worn by mostly tall male students +- Spring clothing of vibrant ponchos & umbrellas, with Easter color sweaters thrown in, worn by mostly cheerleaders +- The entire time, little Caelum has been introducing each item or combo of clothing, AND mentioning which person invented the piece(s) +(If they invented anything in the STUDIO, add it at the very end as a last minute entry) + +At the end of the show, Caelum steps back on stage, looking much more confident now that he's been talking for so long. "Every item you saw will be available in the seasonal stores of Diadem Mall in two weeks! And now for the woman who made this whole event possible, the Demense Mistress and the hostess of the evening, Madam Miranda!" + +From the curtains steps a caramel brown feline in a black flowing dress trimmed in pink highlights with split sides, showing off her long legs clad in thigh high stiletto boots. Her generous chest draws attention to her unusual neck plumage, dark brown feathered wings, and lion's tail swaying behind her. Her dark brown beak, amber avian eyes, and elongated ears are perfectly framed by her rounded brown haircut, topped with a single pink flower in her hair. Miranda is a gryphoness, and a well endowed one at that. + +Caelum hands her the microphone, which she takes and playfully pats him on the head for, causing him to get flustered and walk off stage. "Thank you all for coming out to see tonight's new line! These tailors and seamstresses put tremendous work into everything you see here, and the models did a marvelous job making it look DAMN good." + +She pauses for the mix of applause and hooting & hollering to run its course. "As Caelum said, these pieces will be available in the Diadem Mall for purchase in 2 weeks, but anyone wanting early access can buy them in the on-ship boutique right now, while supplies last!" + +She tosses Caelum the microphone as everyone applauds, and she spreads her wings, hopping off the stage and gliding out beyond the audience toward the gate, laughing the whole way. + +Most of the audience stood up and made a MAD rush for the boutique to get their hands on the clothing early, and the rest are either trying to talk to Miranda (especially the local paper) or are heading home (likely to prepare a budget for the clothes). + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +Her attention will immediately shift to your group, as she drops the conversation with her current interviewer to strut toward you, eyes glowing a light pink around the dark browns. "Well hello there, new faces~ I hope you all enjoyed the show as much as I did~" + +She offers to shake hands with each of your group one at a time, and makes playfully flirtatious comments toward each of you. (She will literally flirt with anyone) + +She will slowly strut around your group, eyeing each of you like pieces of meat for her next meal. "So... what can I do for you today?~" + +*IF ASK ABOUT REGALIA/CHALLENGE* +"Oh you're a group of Regalia Hunters, even better than I had hoped~ I could use a little... stress relief~" + +She extends a hand toward your group, palm up, smiling predatorily. "Normally I'd volunteer to take you all on at the same time, but I'm more in the mood for a little... one-on-one action, if anyone wants to volunteer?~" + +*IF NOONE VOLUNTEERS* +(RAPPORT Roll) Her eyes will drift toward (highest roller) and she will lean in close, purring lightly in their ear. "How about you?~" + +----- + +*IF DECLINED* +"Hm.. that's a shame, I would've loved to get to know you... intimately~" She will step away and turn to face you all. + +"All playfulness aside, I can see you're all more interested in earning my Regalia the hard way, and I'm obliged to accept, but this is neither the time nor the place." She waves her hand at the messy end result of the recent show. + +"Not to mention I am FAR from dressed for the occasion." + +She pauses for a moment looking all of you over, and a smile creeps across her face. "Tell you what. Give me some time to clear the mess and make an appropriate stage? We can make a spectacle out of it for everyone to enjoy~" + +*IF THEY AGREE* +"Fantastic, be sure to bring your absolute best, you hear me? This will be seen between all corners of Diadem!" + +She will laugh uproariously before walking away, grabbing both security guards in front of the doorway marked PRIVATE QUARTERS, and yanks them into the room with her, slamming the door loudly enough for even YOU to hear. + +----- + +*IF ACCEPTED* +Once (player) places their hand in her palm, she will grab their hand tight, pull them away from your group, and hold them to her tightly so THEIR face is half in her chest but she can still look them in the eyes. + +"This is gonna be fun~" She will then stomp her heel, and a bright pink flash will blind all of you for a moment, only to dissipate and leave Caelum in both their place. + +Several people are freaking out as they claim they just moved a solid 20 feet from where they were. Caelum turns toward everyone, microphone in hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the confusion, but if you have been displaced, you will be perfectly fine! That is just the side effect of one of Madam Miranda's special powers! Just relocate back to your original groups and you will be fine!" + +The audience calms down rather quickly hearing that, the displaced people slowly shuffling back to their original groups, and Caelum turns to your group with a mildly irritated look. "Let me guess... Regalia Hunters, right?" + +*CONFIRM* +He sighs with frustration and hangs his head for a moment. "She should be in her bedroom." He gestures toward the far-left door on the back wall, currently surrounded by a pair of guards, marked PRIVATE QUARTERS. + +The two well dressed bodyguards with slicked back hair standing over six foot with sunglasses on (because of course they do) stare at your group, arms crossed. + +The Blonde haired white tiger on the left whose pink nametag reads GARUN bluntly states "Noone is allowed in Miranda's private quarters without permission or an invitation, and we know you all have neither." + +The black haired black Panther on the right nods, his pink nametag reading LANCER. "If you did, you'd already be in there." + +*OUR FRIEND IS IN THERE* +LANCER interrupts. "THEY are in. YOU are not. Besides, we couldn't let you in if we wanted." He aims his thumb at the door, pointing out the gold magic barrier surrounding the entire door AND doorframe, bowing out around it in a circular manner. + +----- + +*INSIDE THE ROOM* +You could swear you teleported four or five times before you ended up here, wherever HERE is. The room is very dark, but you can make out some low glowing lights toward the ceiling in neon pink. You are suddenly released from her grip, slowly guided in the darkness by a hand, before flopping onto something large and soft. You hear her mutter a few words in your ear, "I challenge thee~" + +For a few moments, you see a golden glow fully illuminate the room, and you see JUST well enough to recognize you are in a very large bedroom, on top of an extremely large bed. And Miranda is grinning ear to ear at you. + +Miranda and that player will each make a FIGHT, PHYSIQUE, and ATHLETICS roll until a best two out of three result is determined + +----- + +Several minutes later, the barrier finally dissipates and the door clicks unlocked. Miranda opens the door, grinning ear to ear, wearing a long fluffy pink robe. "Come in, come in~" + +Your teammate is lying on a king size bed, naked but barely covered by a blanket across their naughty bits. You see several VERY telling hickeys all over their body, claw marks cutting into the mattress, and you spot what looks like a leash next to them. Your friend however is in an eyes wide open coma state, just staring at their reflection in the mirror. + +The room itself is something straight out of an adult film. The circular bed sits on a platform under a series of ceiling mirrors, showing JUST how thorough she was with your teammate, but beyond that are ordinary looking cabinets and dressers, partly open to reveal an IMMENSE wardrobe of clothing. + +She closes the door behind you all, smiling knowingly. "Before you ask, it's not what it looks like... *it's so much better~*" + +She laughs proudly and offers your group seats on her nearby couches. "Well now that I got my cardio in, let's discuss the results, shall we?~" + +*WHAT HAPPENED* +"Well to put it simply, my CHALLENGE was for them to.. satisfy me~" She licks her beak, giggling to herself. + +----- + +*If they lost 2 out of 3,* +"Sad to say, they tried their best, but I'm not easy to please, and I own it~" + +"Now since I'm a bit 'understandably exhausted' after the show and my workout, I don't think I have another challenge in me..." + +"Give me a few days to clean up the walkway, and I'll build us a true arena, a battleground worthy of a fight between all of us~ Does that sound good?~" + +*IF YES* +"Fantastic, then check your mail for a letter coming soon. And um.. you might want to get your friend some water, they're a little dehydrated~" + +As you all walk out the door, Miranda speaks toward your group. "Oh, uh... one last thing... you can keep that as a souvenir~" + +She grins as she traces her fingertips slowly along her neckline. + +She is referring to the simple piece of black leather around (player)'s neck, which is holding a pink magic gem, identical to the ones you see on the magic rings. + +----- + +*If they won 2 out of 3,* +"And I haven't had a workout like that in some time~" + +She reaches into the front of her robe and pulls out a long coiled up whip lightly radiating pink energy, handing it to your group. "This is my Regalia and your prize, the Star Scourge. Take it with my blessing, treat it like the treasure it is~" + +She then stands back up and walks to the door, holding it open for you all. "Feel free to come back anytime~ My door's always open for you~" + +The two guards outside the door both lean in, pull down their sunglasses, and look over your group, then nod in confirmation at Miranda before resuming duties. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Red-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Red-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0ddef0 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Red-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,182 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a red magic wall, looking like a slowly dancing image of flames + +RED demense + +# In the main area: +https://youtu.be/Ava45CrcDPQ?si=fDugZT4a8JKcZ1bv + +# In the cavern: +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXYnUvln9So + +## Upon exiting the RED gate, +You feel an immense heat hit you right in the face and your nose is bombarded by the stench of fresh sulfur. Once the sensation of your eyes being soft boiled wears off, you see a simple tropical town surrounding a single dirt road stretching into the distance. + +*BEHIND YOU* +The Gate is firmly attached to the side of a mountain's rocky baseline. And when you look up, you see a plume of smoke reaching into the sky from the top of said mountain. It's an active volcano. + +Welcome to the **Volcano** demense! + +*TO THE LEFT* +A dozen buildings of different colors stretch down a spacious dirt path, each of them hosting a storefront with wooden racks and tables, like shops + +*STRAIGHT AHEAD* +You see a group of people all sitting around a fire, and it looks like they are having a good time. You can also hear music coming from their direction + +*TO THE RIGHT* +There are several good sized plantation fields behind wood and rope fences, each one hosting a different kind of food or crop, each one with a caretaker actively managing the plants + +----- +- SHOPS +- PARTY PEOPLE +- PLANTATIONS +----- + +*SHOPS* + +Each storefront has a display rack showing an individual food item or a bundle of a crop, and the spread is diverse. You see coconuts and palm leaf based products, wheat, bananas, lemons, coffee beans, magic rings in a red hue, and even sugarcane. + +*APPROACH ANY SHOP* +The shop is ran by an Asp woman in a white flower pattern shirt and a straw sun hat, her red nametag reading LANA. "Hello, what can I get for you today?" + +*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +"You want to see the Forgemaster? He's working right now, wouldn't recommend bugging him. But if you REALLY need to see him, then head over THERE." She will point toward a cavern farther down the side of the mountain/volcano. + +----- + +*PLANTATIONS* + +Each individual plantation has its own active gardening attendant trimming excess leaves, watering the plants, pulling nasty weeds, things of that nature. + +The (name of crop) worker sees you approach, a yellowjacket with tied back brown hair under a white ball cap, wearing blue jeans and a white shirt with a red nametag reading CULVER. + +He steps away from a bushel of (name of crop), wipes his face with a rag, opening a bottle and taking a drink of water with two other hands, leaning on a fence post with the fourth arm. "Ahh... Ya need some help?" + +*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +"Oh you wanna see the Forgemaster? He's riiight up there." He points to a cave in the side of the mountain/volcano. "Good luck to ya, he's not an easy guy to talk to." + +----- + +*PARTY PEOPLE* + +You see a circle of about ten people sitting around a nice little controlled fire on the far distance of the drive between the storefronts and plantations. All of them are either relaxing on top of some rocks or small logs, enjoying some plates of freshly smoked meat, or playing music on their various instruments. + +One of the ukulele players, a bearded dragon with freely flowing black hair down his back wearing blue shorts, puts down his instrument and waves your group over. "How can we help ya, friend?" + +*IF DM/REGALIA* +"You want to talk to the Forgemaster? Better have a good reason, he don't like to be bothered when he works." He points to a cave built into the side of the mountain/volcano. + +----- ----- ----- + +INSIDE THE VOLCANO CAVE + +The entrance to the cave is nothing special, clearly dug out by hand and tool, but goes in deep enough to where you can't see where it ends immediately. + +*IF THEY GO IN* +The heat becomes more intense by the second, but thankfully the cave isn't too deep. A minute in, your ears fill with the sounds of metal on metal and metal on stone. You eventually come to an opening in the path, which leads you to a full-on mining and smithing operation. + +On the left is a group of about ten muscled men and women in white sleeveless shirts and black pants, swinging pickaxes into the rocky volcano walls, yanking out chunks of colorful or unique looking rocks, and tossing them into a crate. + +At one point you see and hear one pickaxe SNAP right under the head, but this is apparently such a common occurrence they have a literal crate full of brand new ones, which the worker simply pulls a new one out of and resumes like it was nothing. + +Opposite them on the right is a row of six large iron anvils, with five identically dressed muscled people wearing smithing aprons, pounding away on chunks of metal. The only unoccupied anvil is currently split in half long-ways. + +Between the miners & smithers is a ten foot wide plume of hot smoke rising out and going straight up through a hole in the rock above. The smoke is coming from a ten foot wide magma pool held up by a three foot tall circular rock wall, making it look like a small above ground pool. And it is SWELTERING to be this close to it. + +----- + +*ASK ABOUT THE ANVIL* +A boar with a shaved head wearing a smithing apron and a red namtag that reads GARSEN turns to the anvil and laughs. "Oh THAT? Some asshat came through here a couple years ago with a fancy slab of metal and made a blade out of it, cut the anvil by accident. We were gonna replace it, but it's like... how many times you see an anvil split long ways, ya know? Fucking hysterical!" + +"Damn straight, it was 'see it to believe it' type shit." A gruff voice with a Boston-ish in the direction of the magma pool states. + +----- + +*NOTICE ROLL IF THEY DIDN'T ASK* +You couldn't see it at first because of the immense heat and smoke, but you see a very tone and very red bird man in a black smithing apron & matching bandana holding back long black and red hair, his red nametag reading AODAGHAN. + +He grabs a nearby heavy metal tray or mold of some sort, placing it on the lip of the magma pool's rock wall. He then reaches into two nearby crates, one of which is the crate the miners were tossing chunks of rock into. From one he pulls an oddly colored bronze rock, and a chunk of black rock from the other. + +He crushes both in his hands together slowly, mixing them together into a chunky powder. He then dips both hands into the lava pool for several seconds, and when he pulls them back out, you can see the glowing rock slurry in his palms glowing brightly, and his arms are unharmed. + +He then inhales & breathes a steady stream of fire onto the mix, and you can see molten liquid slowly begin to drip from between his fingers, which he then guides into the metal tray. + +He pitches any leftover chunks of rock into the pool after, then hands the tray off to the anvil workers, grabs a fresh tray, and places it on the lip of the lava pool, intending to start the process all over again. + +AN ALARM GOES OFF + +Garsen suddenly stops what he's doing and turns to the others, giving a loud WAHOO before yelling QUITTING TIME! + +Every worker puts down their equipment and starts to pile out through the tunnel you came in. Aodaghan is the only one that didn't leave, and you watch him continue to crush, heat, and drip metal into his tray. + +*APPROACH* +"I got an order to fill. Either make yourself useful or cop a squat in the corner, I don't give a shit which." (He speaks with a Boston-ish accent, and) His irritation causes his words to come out in a snarl. + +*IF THEY HELP* +He finally looks up to your group, revealing his vibrant green eyes surrounded by a faint glow of red. His gaze carries a strange heat, and you somehow feel even hotter wherever he looks. "Grab those trays and line 'em up like dis one." + +He points to (number of players) trays, all of which look like VERY heavy metal. + +(FIGHT or PHYSIQUE Roll) +You each pick up one of those trays and place it beside the one he's currently filling. But in the process, (LOWEST ROLLER) struggled quite a bit to pick it up, and took 1 point of damage when it slipped out of your hands and clipped your foot. + +When he finally finishes, he comes from around the back, chucking his apron, now in only a basic pair of black shorts. He stretches his arms over his head, and you hear SEVERAL cracks and pops. "Aight, I'm done. Now what the fuck do you want from me?" + +*MENTION APPRENTICE* +"That ol' jackal sent you my way, did he? Ain't seen 'im in 30 years." + +*MENTION REGALIA/DM* +"OH fuck me, you're Regalia Hunters, ain't ya?" + +He groans exagerratedly before taking a deep breath. "Aight, here's the deal--" + +And an explosion occurs that rumbles audibly through the volcano cave. "--and this chat is on hold. We got assholes." + +*WHEN THEY TURN AWAY* +Apdaghan flies right over you at surprising speed, wings spread wide and fire shooting from his feet like jet engines. You also spot what looks like a very long bird-themed fabric sword sheath against his back. + +By the time you make it out, he is hovering in the sky and staring down at the issue with a murderous glare, a group of Marauders. + +You watch from afar as they break all the wood storefronts, smash the crops, break the ukuleles, and start burning the houses. + +(NOTICE Roll) You spot someone in a motorcycle helmet & matching outfit staring up at Aodaghan, before they casually walk out through the Gate. + +Aodaghan divebombs the intruders at mach speed, only turning up at the last possible second and creating an explosive air current that knocks everyone on the ground back, including a couple innocent bystanders. + +He then lands, walks over to each Marauder, grabs them by whatever limb is closest, and throws them into a pile in the middle of the dirt path. Once they are all in one heap, he collapses his wings and cracks his knuckles, stepping closer to them. + +The Marauders aim their weapons at him, but he shakes his head in disappointment. "You fuckwits made a huge mistake comin' here and startin' shit. You ain't leavin' without a harsh lesson." + +He raises his right arm and reaches behind him, pulling out a massive six foot long two foot wide multicolor wavy long-sword, looking like a solid strip of fire in steel form. He aims its tip at their feet, causing them all to flinch, and states with malicious intent, "I CHALLENGE THEE." + +From Aodaghan's feet expands a magical golden energy ring that spreads to a width of about 50 feet, surrounding himself and all of the Marauders. Once it finishes expanding, you see a golden energy arise from it, producing a transparent gold magic wall. + +You get to watch all the Marauders panic and punch, kick, spellcast, & sling things at the magic wall, but nothing and noone is getting through. They are all trapped in there with him. + +Aodaghan slams his blade into the ground, getting everyone's attention. "Here's your challenge: SURVIVE!" + +What you witness is the most brutal, bloody, one-sided beatdown you have ever seen. Every swing of a weapon gets deflected, every spell gets tanked, every attempt to defend gets punished. More flames than a house fire, more screams than a haunted house, and more bodies flying through the air than a paratrooper squadron. + +And scarily enough, he only ever used the flat side of his massive sword. + +By the end of those 38 seconds, the charred, battered, and bruised bodies of ten Marauders are lying in a smoking heap. Several of these bodies now have wavy blademarks bruised and seared into their skin, permanent reminders of everything that just happened. + +Aodaghan jams his blade straight down into the ground and rests both hands atop the handle. "Well whaddya know... I WIN." + +The gold circle fades away, and Aodaghan walks toward a nearby pile of broken wood. He reaches behind it and picks up (Lana) an Asp woman running one of the stands by the back of her white flower shirt, causing her to scream in fear. + +She immediately shuts up when she is face to face with Aodaghan, whimpering a bit nervously. He states as quietly as he can, "Go... get... th' Thunda Force." + +The woman quickly nods, eyes wide as dinner plates, before she is suddenly released. Her ass lands on the ground first, but she quickly picks herself up and darts for the gate. + +He walks back to your group, and cracks his neck VERY loudly. "Well I feel better.. now where were we?" + +*REGALIA* +"Fucking seriously?! URGH... Okay, I'm gonna go nice an' slow. See this sword? This is a Regalia. It's my symbol of rule in this Demense. Ev'ry Demense Masta's got one, an' ev'ry fucker wants it. But you gotta earn it by CHALLENGIN' th' current Holder." + +*GOLDEN CIRCLE* +"THAT was a CHALLENGE ring. Any legit Regalia holder makes or receives a CHALLENGE, it makes one o' those circles. Once it goes up, you either win, lose, surrender, or DIE. Otherwise, Noone goes in, Noone goes out." + +*IF THEY WANT TO FIGHT* +"Well tough titties, I ain't doin' that shit today. I just worked through my break. Besides, you pissants almost melted unda th' heat o' the lava pool. Come back when you got actual muscle on ya bones an' MAYBE I'll give you a shot." + +He unfurls his wings and takes off, heading right back for the volcano cave, leaving you all in the partially destroyed town. diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Silver-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Silver-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c670bc --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Silver-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,175 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a silver magic wall, looking like a disc with a slow moving static charge going across it + +In the Academy: +https://youtu.be/VSWF1SUcmpk?si=5W8vwTvaa9sB7Stt + +In the courtroom: +https://youtu.be/RPkHu8M_U4c?si=OclLJb7Cj4lhX8d2 + +## Upon exiting the SILVER gate, +you are immediately greeted by the smell of ozone, sounds of orders being barked, and feel the faint rumble of small explosives. + +Welcome to the **TEMPLE** demense! + +*BEHIND YOU* +The gate itself is bound to the middle support column of a staircase that leads to a statue of a weight scale, one side holding a lightning bolt. Behind said statue is a massive marble fronted building you recognize as a courthouse facility. + +*TO THE LEFT* +Behind a tall fence lies what might be the largest and most terrifying military grade obstacle course you have ever seen. + +*BEFORE YOU* +You see an almost exact copy of the Thunder Force branch office in Diadem, except MUCH larger. + +*TO THE RIGHT* +You see a plain grayscale brick prison building, surrounded by a VERY tall barbed wire fence, filled with dozens of Thunder Force officers AND people in orange jumpsuits. + +----- +- COURTHOUSE +- OBSTACLE COURSE +- THUNDER FORCE +- PRISON +----- + +*THUNDER FORCE OFFICE* +The inside looks EXACTLY like the Branch office as well, except significantly larger. The immediate entrance is just a pair of prep rooms, as well as a service desk with a clerk (a leopard woman with red hair in a bun and a silver namtag stating LIZ). + +The left hallway is the bathrooms, locker rooms, break room, training hall, and doorway to the obstacle course you spotted outside. + +The right hall is the three Commanders' offices, the conference room, and the interview offices. + +And right in the middle is an isolated evidence room, surrounded on all sides by the hallways. + +----- + +*TRAINING GROUNDS* +This area has no entryway from the outside, but you can see one clear as day on the far right area attached to the Thunder Force office. But the inside looks even more terrifying when you take a closer look, and it is split in two segments. + +The closer segment is an Assault Course, filled with climbing walls with ropes & window holes, barbed wire & pipes to crawl through, wood beams & planks to balance on, and apparently hidden explosive charges, based on the smoke trails. + +The farther segment has a SEVERELY worn out brick building used for simulated combat entry, several scorch marks and bullet holes sticking out like sore thumbs against its beige paint. + +----- + +*PRISON BUILDING* +The three officers at the front entrance are a bit confused by the presence of random people at the front gate. One of them approaches you, a Jaguar with a blond buzzcut and a nametag reading BRENNAN, both hands on his rifle. "Can we help you?" + +*AFTER THEY SAY ANYTHING* +He asks you to hold on a second and makes a quick call on the personal station phone, stating they have visitors and giving a basic description of all of you. Within moments, the gateway opens from the inside to reveal Second Commander Valeos with a look of surprise in his reptilian eyes. "At Ease, officers, they are most definitely welcome here." + +He guides your group inside and offers a very basic and minimal tour. Inside is a pretty drab and boring facility, mostly long hallways of locked doors they won't allow you into. The sparse Thunder Force agents salute your group as they pass by, but otherwise pay you no mind. + +You eventually come to the biggest part of the facility, the jail house. A four floor building of nothing but barred cells on the three topmost floors and a cafeteria on the first floor. + +He jokingly offers to let you try the food, but based on what you can see and smell, it doesn't seem particularly appetizing. + +----- + +*COURTHOUSE* +Inside the courthouse is a mix of white marble walls, bright red carpets, massive wooden doors, and silver colored flag patterns scattered throughout, mimicking the colors and overall theme of the Thunder Force themselves. + +There are several people walking through the halls, most of which are either judges, attorneys, Thunder Force, or citizens being guided and spoken to by one of the prior three. + +You are suddenly approached by a curious onlooker, a garter snake woman with brunette hair to her shoulderblades in an all pink suit over a white dress shirt, her silver nametag reading PAMELA. "May I help you?" + +*IF COURT SESSION* +"Oh you're here to testify on Marauder crimes? Excellent, come with me please." + +She will walk over to a nearby desk and pull out a clipboard with various names and dates on it. "Now when did this crime happen, and do you recall the aggressors' name or species?" + +*MENTION THE RAM* +She lowers her clipboard and stares at your group, then sits on the corner of the desk. "You're here about LUCKY? He's been in and out of here so often, he has a coffee mug with his name on it." + +She scrawls your names on the paper and heads over to an intercom, pressing the button. "Excuse me ma'am, we have another group for the Marauder court case today. And they're here for Lucky." + +In a matter of seconds, a set of doors burst open, and a frantic First Commander Jensen marches her way to the desk, calming down immediately when she sees it's your group. "You know... I should've expected it to be you. Welcome to the Temple of Justice." + +*AFTER QUESTIONS* +Jensen will comment "So since you're also Regalia Hunters, you're gonna be VERY interested in whom is handling the court proceedings. Speaking of, we should probably head in." + +She brings you all the way to the back of the main hall to the last set of wood doors, taller than the rest. She opens them, revealing a fairly standard courtroom. Wooden rows of seating, wooden gateway, wooden walls, all fairly standard. Except, there is no jury box. + +You are guided to the front row of seats, alongside a group of other citizens and Thunder Force officers. Jensen salutes your group and marches to the front of the courtroom, waiting with her arms behind her back, staring at the door. A minute later, Valeos comes in and joins her, as does a small squad of Thunder Force officers. + +Once the time reaches the top of the hour, Jensen steps forward. "All Rise! Court is now in session! The Honorable Judge Fulmo presiding." + +A door to the side of the room opens, and in steps a raccoon man with a black and silver fur pattern in banded rings, his fluffy tail sticking out the back of his judge's robe occasionally zapping the open air with electrical discharge. His spiky silver hair draws attention to his electric blue eyes as he looks out to the members of the courtroom, and you can feel the hint of static in the air when his gaze drifts toward you. + +He takes his seat at the podium, grabs his gavel, and gives it one test smack, but the impact has a thunderously loud impact. "Thank you, Commander. Thank you everyone for attending, I am Judge Fulmo Uncial, Demense Master and Chief Justice. You may be seated. Please call the first case." + +What comes next is about 90 minutes of very quick and simple proceedings. +- A supposed criminal is brought out in handcuffs +- Fulmo reads a list of charges, and asks how they plead for each +- Members of the audience stand and state they were witness and/or victim to their crimes +- Fulmo renders verdicts based on the testimony given rather than letting it go to any form of deliberation +- If they are found innocent, they are freed then & there, with advisement to be more careful to avoid a repeat offense +- If they are found guilty, their punishment is declared based on the crimes and are taken away by as many Thunder Force officers as needed +- Rinse and repeat every 5-10 minutes + +Some of his punishments are rather... odd. You hear the usual fines or jail time, but in one instance, he orders them to work off their debt as an employee of the business they helped destroy in lieu of jail time, under strict supervision. + +In another, he orders a group of college students responsible for destroying several classrooms at the trade school to endure a prison sentence on weekends, specifically so they can still attend the classes they pay for on the weekdays AND still keep the jobs they do in the evenings, essentially taking away all their free time until they graduate. + +And in one instance with a minor, he orders them to go home and talk out their rebellious issues with their parents. + +Finally, the last case is called, and out steps Lucky, grinning ear to ear. Judge Fulmo refers to him as a repeat offender for multiple counts of property damage, petty theft, and assault & battery. But when he calls for witnesses, the entire courtroom is dead silent. + +*NOTICE/INVESTIGATE ROLL* +Everyone in the courtroom is nervously avoiding eye contact with Lucky AND the judge, some of them wiping sweat from their foreheads. + +*IF NOONE SPEAKS OUT* +Fulmo sighs a bit through his nose. "As noone can attest to his involvement in the crimes, we will therefore have to default on this charge due to lack of evidence. You are free to go." His handcuffs are undone and he walks away like nothing happened, whistling a jaunty little tune. + +*IF THEY SPEAK OUT* +Fulmo nods toward those that spoke out. +"Thank you for your testimony/evidence in this matter, it is duly appreciated. This man has been accused and disciplined for multiple instances of vandalism and criminal mischief in the past, but has been shown leniency." + +"However, he has proven he either cannot change or refuses to, so leniency is no longer available to you. I find you guilty of vandalism and criminal mischief in the first degree. Based in the sheer frequency of the charges AND full value of property damage, I hereby sentence you to LIFE in Diadem Prison, with a possibility of parole based on good behavior no sooner than 25 years. Take him away." + +A very angry LUCKY is hauled off by Valeos and Jensen, glaring at each of you that spoke out with white hot intensity. "THIS AIN'T OVER! YOU HEAR ME?! KING WILL SEE YOU ALL DEAD IN THE STREET!" + +His head is pushed down as two more officers grab and shove him out the back entrance, almost running into Officer Harken just outside the door, whom is VERY surprised to see LUCKY being taken away. + +Fulmo clears his throat. "That is the last case... +- before Lunch, court is now in 30 minute recess. - for the day, thank you all for attending." Fulmo stands from the podium and steps down, sliding a pair of thin rim sunglasses on. He heads to the wood gate, but is stopped by Harken to chat for a moment. + +----- + +*IF CONVICTED* +You can barely make out Harken's muttering of shock that LUCKY was convicted after the LAST incident. + +----- + +They finish their chat quickly, and Harken walks back out the main courtroom door in a hurry. Fulmo turns to your group, arms folded behind his back as he approaches. "I understand you are here for Lucky? Shall we... walk and talk?" + +*IF YES* +He doesn't WALK so much as STRIDE right beside you all, casual as can be. "Truth be told, it is frustrating seeing him walk in and out of my courtroom so often." + +*WHY SO OFTEN* +"He puts fear in anyone whom wishes to speak out against his crimes. The first few times he was convicted, he specifically harassed those that spoke out at his earliest convenience. After a few attempts, he simply stopped having witnesses to his crimes. So now him coming and going has become a... frustrating routine." + +*ASKS ABOUT JURY BOX* +"My courtroom is the only one without a jury box, because it is not required for me." He will pause and pull down his glasses, showing those electric blues and how they are slowly warbling with magic silver energy. + +"I can see the electricity the mortal body runs on, and have learned over time exactly what parts of their bodies light up when lies are told, be it small fibs or practiced tall tales." + +*DM/REGALIA* +"I see... as pedestrian as it seems, I am very serious about my duties as a judge here, and am not available at the moment due to my duties. However, if you would be willing to arrange an engagement on a future date, I will accept your challenge then." + +He will offer to shake each of your hands to prove he is on the level, and each hand he shakes, all of your hair will suddenly fill with static and start to levitate. "And THAT... is why everything in my courtroom is wood." + +He will then turn and walk down a different hallway, leaving you at the front desk with Pamela, as well as an eagerly waiting Jensen & Valeos. Jensen asks the first question. "Are you planning on challenging Fulmo?" + +*IF YES* +Valeos chimes in. "We obviously voice caution when it comes to him, he is the reason the Thunder Force exist. We emulate him to a great extent in our magic AND fighting prowess." + +Jensen cuts back in. "Which is why, if you're planning on FIGHTING him, we might be able to help." + +Valeos responds. "Since everything we are and do is based on him and what he does, we could offer combat training, if you're interested." + +*IF YES* +Jensen is clearly excited. "Well good, we promise not to go TOO hard on you. Obviously this won't be TODAY, but at some point when you think you're ready, stop by the Thunder Force branch office and ask for either one of us." + +*EITHER WAY* +They both give your group a salute, and Jensen states with all seriousness, "We must return to our duties now, but it was an honor to see you all again. Good luck against the Marauder threat." + +They turn away and march out the door together, leaving you with Pamela to arrange a 'future date' for this encounter. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Violet-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Violet-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58bf658 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Violet-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,264 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a violet magic wall, displaying a field of flowers + +Out on the farm: +https://youtu.be/nDbE6Z5b8TM?si=RH_6wMk5Gi6zQMpV + +Doing farm work +https://youtu.be/6LI-yCnA2UM?si=7jXv4WZIHlOjA2t0 + +## Upon exiting the VIOLET gate, +you are immediately surrounded hy the sounds of farm animals, the smell of fresh cut grass & hay, and the sight of acres of farmland surrounding a dusty dirt road that stretches for miles. + +Welcome to the **Countryside** demense! + +*BEHIND* +The gate itself is attached to the side of a red and white barn, and right next door, you spot a trio of burly cow men sitting back in rocking chairs, all playing music together. One on harmonica, one on guitar, and one on concertina + +*TO THE LEFT* +The left side of the road looks to be all animal farms, each one filled with dozens of a single species of animal, like each one is a specialty ranch. + +*BEFORE YOU* +The dirt road doesn't have an immediately visible end, and seems to stretch for miles + +*TO THE RIGHT* +The right side of the road is filled with multitudes of crops in their own dedicated fields, and they are in PLENTIFUL supply. + +----- +- MUSIC PLAYERS +- FARMS +- DIRT ROAD +- CROP FIELDS + +*MUSIC PLAYERS* +The yellow one puts his harmonica down, stands up, and approaches your group. He tips his brown cowboy hat in greetings, his purple nametag on his blue shirt reading MONTANA. "Howdy, ya'll new to these parts?" + +*ASK ABOUT REGALIA/DM* +"Ah, yer lookin' fer everyone's fav'rite farmhand. Ain't seen 'im today, but we got a shipment to deliver to the market. Why don't ya'll come with, we can ask around an' see if anyone spotted 'im?" He gestures to his wagon sitting in the barn the Gate is attached to. + +*IF THEY ACCEPT* + +His two companions jump in to help with the prep work as well. While Montana grabs a pair of massive sacks, the taller blue steer (Dakota) wheels the cart out of the barn singlehandedly, and the Holstein (Kid) lassoes up a pair of horses, guiding them to the cart. + +In a matter of moments, the cart has been hitched up, the massive sacks loaded up, and Montana is now situated as the driver. Dakota stands at the back of the cart to help each of you up & in with relative ease. + +(If there are any women in the group, Kid the Holstein will try to flirt with them and show off. (Make a Grade A Beef joke.) After, Dakota will pick Kid up by the back of his shirt, tilt his hat & say 'ma'am,' and walk away with Kid in tow.) + +Montana snaps the reigns likely, and you all travel down the dirt road in the back of the cart. It doesn't move especially fast, but it's definitely faster than walking. + +----- + +Montana turns to the group a little, still eyeing the road. "Forgive me fer bein' nosy, but it ain't ev'ryday someone asks ta see our best farmhand. Ya'll got business with 'im?" + +*MENTIONS DM/REGALIA* +"Oh, ya'll's a bunch o' then Regalia hunters, are ya? We don't get too many o' yer types around 'ere, most people that come around are lookin' fer work." + +*ASKS ABOUT ARLEDGE* +"Well, Arledge is a bit of an oddball. He may not look it, but he's tough as nails, quick as a whip, and swift as lightnin'. I'd say at least half the work around here's done cuz o' him. He don't even ask fer pay, guy's a real charity case in th' best way." + +----- + +*ON THE FARMS* +Each farm has both an actively slow spinning windmill, and a few farmhands tending & feeding their individual livestock. Most of them pay you no mind, aside from the occasional friendly wave. + +As you pass, Montana calls out to ask if they've seen their favorite farmhand lately. All of them say no, but a few say he's supposed to come by in a little bit to help out. + +*IN THE CROP FIELDS* +Several farmhands have paired up and are carrying large wheeled baskets back and forth between the tree or crop of choice, each pair pulling them together to & from, and then working as a chain to load it from said plant onto the cart, and unload it from the cart to a nearby storage shed. + +A few of the younger people realize the cart is being driven by Montana, drop their crops, and run over to trot beside the cart. He asks if they'd seen their favorite farmhand today, and one eager boy points out he spotted him early this morning, grabbing some breakfast from the garden. + +*IN THE FLOWER FIELDS* +There are a few farmhands out picking different varieties of flower, each one with a sizeable crop that would make any florist you've ever met jealous. + +You spot a smaller wooden cart along the way, parked and facing the opposite direction, and beside it is a beautiful red-haired cow lady, dressed in an eye catching purple showgirl dress with a bouquet of flowers in one arm and three golden bracelets on the other. + +Montana stops the cart this time, and hops off to talk to her for a moment. He turns to your group. "Everyone, this here's Miss Lily, she runs the saloon back in Diadem." + +- + +*WHY IS SHE OUT HERE* +"One of Cody's tudors passed away, the poor dear. I came to pick some fresh flowers fer the (casket spray/headstone saddle)." + +Montana takes off his hat and places it over his chest. "I just spotted Calf Pint on the way over, I don't think he knows yet." + +She nods a bit and adjusts her hold on the huge bouquet. "Well I'll grab him and tell him myself, and he'll probably wanna come with when he finds out. He really liked Mr. Tarbh." + +- + +*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +Lilly seems surprised. "Ya'll're looking fer Arledge? I spotted the sweetheart headed to the market, cart in tow full of supplies like ya'll are carryin'." + +Montana straightens his hat and smiles. "Then I s'pose we'll be on our way. Take care, Miss Lily. And give the family my regards." + +"Same to you, Moo." She leans up, gives him a kiss on the cheek, and saunters off toward her own cart. + +----- + +In the distance, you spot a large farmer's market sign, advertising fresh produce and meats for everyone. And there are just as many stalls inside selling meats as there are farms, plus a few extras for fruits, veggies, milk, eggs, magic rings in a purple hue, and fresh bouquets. + +*IF ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +The sable running the (choose a food) stand, a blonde man wearing blue jeans and a red tee shirt with a straw hat and a violet nametag reading MARTY, thinks for a moment. "Huh... ya know, I did see him a couple hours ago when I opened, haven't seen him since." + +(PLAYER) suddenly feels a tug on their shirt from below, and you see an older sheep lady with her gray hair in a bun, a white long sleeve shirt, and a blue skirt, her purple nametag reading EMMA. "I couldn't help but overhear, are you looking for Arledge?" + +*IF THEY CONFIRM* +"Oh I know where he is, sweetheart is brushing down the horses in the stables right behind the market." + +*STABLES* +Behind the market looks to be the only non-produce related farm, and there are well over a dozen freshly groomed horses. Deeper inside, you see one currently being brushed down by a light purple rabbit in tight jeans and a deep purple tee, with a white cowboy hat nestled between a pair of loppy waist-long bunny ears, barely obscuring a fuzzy mop of violet hair. + +The horse reacts to your group first with a whinny, then the bunny boy turns with a warm smile, and a pair of deep blue -almost purple- eyes greet you, as does his distinctly southern accent. "Howdy! I'd shake yer hands but I gotta finish brushin' 'er down. How Can I help ya'll?" + +*IF REGALIA/CHALLENGE* +He sends the freshly groomed horse on its way, then walks to a nearby hose, kneeling down to rinse off his hands and brush. "Well, I'd like to help, but I can't. Someone already won m' Regalia a while back, and it ain't found its way back t' me yet." + +- + +*IF THEY ASK WHO* +(CONTACTS Roll)(Low roll) +"Hm.. it was about ten years ago, an' it weren't just one person, it was a team o' four... three guys and a gal... th' names escape me, but they called themselves th' Chamberlins... + +(High roll) +"Oh! One of them was a real regal actin' feller, a bird man. kinda short, purrdy shade of purple, had one of those fancy foreign names." + +- + +*WHAT DO THEY DO WHEN THEY FIND THE HOLDER* +"If ya'll find th' owner, ya'll can either challenge THEM, or have 'em give it back t' me an' win it offa me. It's all fancy pants magic rules." + +"Now I'd love to keep jawin' off with ya, but I gots a busy day today. I gotta help milk the cows, sheer the sheep, collect the eggs, feed the babies..." + +He thinks for a moment. "Wait a sec... ya'll got anywhere ya need t' be? I'd get done FAR quicker if'n I had some extra hands?" + +*IF THEY ACCEPT* +"Now that is what I was hopin' t'hear! Let's get started!" + +He runs into the stables and grabs two horses, walks them both out front, and hooks both up to a cart identical to the one you came here in. He helps each of you into the cart, takes the driver's position, and takes off. + +Your group rides down the beaten path you came up for about a minute before you stop at the nearby dairy ranch. Arledge "parks" the cart in a nearby horse stall, before helping each of you down. He guides all of you straight into the nearby barn on the property, to a series of milking stalls. + +The next several minutes is all of you occupying a stall and milking one cow at a time. There are no pumps, so all the milking is done by hand. He demonstrates by giving slow squeezes to each udder, and explicitly points out to NOT pull them. + +(RESOURCES Roll) Each milking only takes about five minutes. +(Each player milks an average of ten cows, but increase/decrease it based on the roll) + +At the tail end of it, Arledge playfully squirts (lowest roller) with a stream of fresh milk, but whistles innocently with a shit eating grin he is trying his HARDEST to hold back. + +After they're all taken care of, the ranch owner (an older terrier and his wife) both thank Arledge AND all of you, and hand him a small bag of Z for the trouble. He drops it into his hat on the back of his neck and excuses himself & your group to move to the next task. As before, he helps you in the cart, takes driver, and heads down the road a solid minute. + +Next, he pulls in and parks the cart at a nearby chicken farm, and you are actually GREETED by the farm owner, a red haired 6 foot human with piercing green eyes in a basic pair of jeans & a red flannel shirt, waving you down to pull in his brand new driveway. + +Arledge actually exchanges pleasantries, before the man realizes he isn't wearing his nametag, and he sheepishly pulls out what looks like a brand new violet nametag reading SAMSON. He guides you all to his chicken coop, filled with about fifty hens, and all of them need to be checked for eggs. + +----- + +(IF SUNNY IS WITH THEM) Sunny will suddenly start freaking out and fly after Samson, landing in his arms and cozying up to him with barely any fuss. + +----- + +Some of the hens actually peck at you a few times out of frustration, but they give up the eggs pretty easily. Each of you ends up checking an average of 10 chickens in the span of 20 minutes. + +(BURGLARY Roll) +(Each player collects an average of 25 eggs, but increase/decrease based on the roll x3) + +Once you hand over all the eggs, Samson hands Arledge a little bag of coin, which he again drops into his hat. + +----- + +(IF SUNNY IS WITH THEM) The rooster is being a bit stubborn and doesn't seem to want to leave Samson's embrace. + +----- + +He guides all of you back to the cart and re-takes the driver position, trotting down the dirt path another couple minutes as he waves back at SAMSON. + +This time, you're all taken to a wool farm attached to a sheep field. They have electric trimmers ready for you, so the shearing part will be much quicker. Arledge demonstrates how to do it and starts with the top, trims around the sides, then lifts each leg and rolls them onto the belly to finish, all in about 2 minutes. + +(CRAFT Roll) It takes the rest of you a few tries, but the sheep wool comes off for each of you clean as butter. +(Each player shears an average of five sheep, but increase/decrease based on the roll) + +In the middle of your shearing, (LOWEST ROLLER) is suddenly surrounded by a group of your freshly cleaned sheep, and start taking bites at their clothing. + +----- + +(ATHLETICS Roll)(LOW ROLL) +You struggle to try and get away, but they chase you clear across the ranch and back. By the time you get out, your clothes have fairly large holes in them. + +The ranch owners (a middle-aged pair of bluejays) are laughing a little, and offer you some fresh clothing to replace them as payment for all your hard work. + +*IF THEY ACCEPT* +Unfortunately, the only clothing they have that fit you perfectly is a basic white long-sleve shirt and a pair of blue jean overalls. + +(HIGH ROLL) +They chomp a few times at it, but you manage to hop the fence and JUST escape their reach. + +The ranch owners (a middle-aged pair of bluejays) thank you all for your hard work, apologize for their sheep, and offer Arledge yet another bag of coin, which he drops in the hat with the other two. + +----- + +You all climb back into the cart, Arledge reclaims the reigns, and you all head back toward the market, but he turns off to the side a building away from it. He parks into a lot marked 'petting zoo', and parks in a rather long lot already half full of other vehicles. + +Arledge hops out first and rubs the back of his neck with a grin. "Okay so, I might've fibbed a bit with this'n. It's not so much that I need to feed th' babies as it is just makin' sure they all get fed." + +The individual pins are full of ponies, baby goats, piglets, chicks, and many more types of animals, all separated by size of the species so they don't hurt each other. And, the spaces inside are elevated just enough so the animals can each be fed by hand over the fence without risk of them escaping. + +You see several families with children wanting to pet and play with the animals. At a nearby table, Emma has appeared with dozens of small cups, each with some odd looking food pellets, a funky color mix of brown, green, and orange. + +Each kid grabs a cup and quickly goes to the animals, feeding them the pellets from their hand, each one giggling when the animal pecks, licks, or nibbles on the pellet with no restraint. + +Arledge walks over with (player # +1) cups of those pellets, holding them out to your group, and keeping one for himself. "Ya'll can join in th' fun if ya like." + +He takes a pellet from his own cup and flicks it straight up into the air, munching on it happily like it was candy. "Mm!" + +*ASK ABOUT THE FOOD* +"These're them fancy handmade fusion food pellets full of vitamins, protein, and plenty o' roughage. I order it special from th' pet store in Diadem, only place I can get 'em. But fer th' more discernin' taste, we got fresh produce." + +He points out a separate table full of fresh cut fruit & vegetables and various cups of fruit juices. "It's just as much fer us as it is them. Help yerselves, ya'll!" + +After a few minutes of munching and making sure all the animals in the zoo are getting an equal amount of food each, you all finally get a chance to relax. "Thanks a ton fer th' help. I'm sure ya'll're probably keen on that challenge thang, so I won't take up anymore of ya'll's time--" + +He is interrupted by a loud bellowing roar in the distance, making all the animals hide and the children rush back to their parents. "... oh shoot, that's a problem." + +He bolts for the market, and runs back out with two burlap sacks. "C'mon, I need yer help fer one last thang!" + +He runs over to the cart, loads up both sacks, and ties them down. Once everyone is aboard, you all head in a fast gallop back out beyond the market for a solid five minutes. "Okay so, there's one other baby I gotta feed, an' I was gonna do it after ya'll took off, but I might need ya'll's help with--" + +He pauses when you come within eyesight of a small mountain in the distance with a rather large cavern surrounded by large chunks of rock. He stops the cart, looks around for a moment, then looks upwards, and spots something in the distance. "Sheeeiiit... Azar is not happy." + +The large body descends and lands before you with a massive THUD, revealing itself to be a large red dragon with golden underscales, whom then proceeds to screech at you. "Oh he's gonna go after th' market if'n we don't calm 'im down..!" + +He will hop out and try to call the dragon's attention toward himself, but AZAR thwacks him with his tail and send him into the cart with a HARD thud, rocking the entire cart under you. + +He will sit upright and groan a bit, noticing his arm is severely red. He will look to your group reluctantly. "Fellas, I know it's alot t' ask, but I need ya'll to wear Azar out. I hate violence, but I don't see much of an option." + +He will slowly climb his feet, his free hand holding his injured arm and surrounding it in a violet magical energy, causing it to slowly heal itself in front of you. "I'll keep ya'll in fightin' shape!" + +*The fight will begin with your team facing Azar in front of you with Arledge behind you. The dragon is treated as a LV5 25HP creature that interchanges between a 2DMG CLAW-CLAW ATK, a 3DMG BITE ATK, and a 2DMG FIRE BREATH ATK that hits 4 ZONES like a LV2 spell* +- FIGHT & ACADEMICS ARE 1 HIGHER THAN TEAM LV +- ALL OTHERS +1 +- Immune to FIRE +- Resistant to MELEE (INFUSED is normal) +- Weak to WATER + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +Azar bellows out and flops over against the grass with a dull thud, exhausted but still breathing. Arledge walks over to Azar and places a hand on his side, attempting to heal him. Azar growls and grumbles as his wounds slowly heal. "There now, ya big baby. Now what's got yer scales in a snarl?" + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) You find a large cut and a series of scales missing from Azar's left leg. + +Arledge is taken aback for a moment. "Well I'll be... Sumthin' done attacked 'im, cut clean through his scales. That prob'ly spooked the li'l guy and got 'im all flustered." + +He looks closer and tries to heal the cut itself, but the cut seems to... eat the spell itself, and starts leaking gold dust of some kind. Arledge looks visibly disturbed, taking a step back. "That... that ain't right... whatever did this ain't normal... I mean it ain't a deep cut, but healin' magic don't work on it... ya'll seen anythin' like this?" + +*EITHER WAY* +"Well, I'll keep an eye on 'im, come back later and make sure he's okay. Meantime, it's gettin' late, I'll give ya'll a lift back to th' market." + +He leaves the two sacks beside Azar's head, which he slowly sniffs at for a moment, and begins chewing on one of them. "Well at least it ain't affectin' his appetite.." + +He reluctantly leads your group back to the cart and heads to the market, looking back at Azar back and forth the whole ride. + +Once you all arrive at the market, he keeps up a brave face and lets everyone know everything is okay. He turns to your group, pulling out the bags of coin from the errands you all did, and holds them out to you. "Here, ya'll can have it. Consider it yer pay fer a hard day's work." + +(Each bag has 50z worth of coin) + +*ONCE THEY FINISH* +Montana steps up to your group with a smile. "I'm assumin' yer business is done, so how's about a lift home?" \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/White-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/White-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e95abcc --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/White-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,323 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a white magic wall, looking like a slow falling of snowflakes + +In the snow: +https://youtu.be/Tkn3YVh4wu8?si=8Ackzr_TD9qwpX49 + +On the snowball field: +https://youtu.be/qD2ahwiPRBk?si=sMQ2yPCv_X6BI5tr + +## Upon exiting the WHITE gate, +You are immediately struck with the sensation of cold, the sound of crunching as you step into ankle-deep snow, and the sight of a nearly pure field of white, sparsely interrupted by snow-covered trees and snow-capped hills in the distance. + +Welcome to the **Tundra** demense! + +(Dont penalize the players for not having warm clothes the first time, just make them experience cold-like symptoms.) +(The second time they step out, THEN start penalizing them with either HP damage, the FROZEN status effect, or anything else you deem appropriate) + +You're not alone though, there are dozens of other people here enjoying the winter wonderland. + +*BEHIND YOU* +The gate itself is attached to a snow-capped Evergreen tree, beside which sits a massive wooden cabin, easily large enough to hold dozens of people + +*TO THE LEFT* +There is a singular beaten path into the snow full of hoofprints and tire tracks leading deep into the distance, beside which sits a massive igloo being constructed by a team of people + +*BEFORE YOU* +There are a few groups of people wearing ice skates, mostly couples, dancing and gliding across a frozen river of ice + +*TO THE RIGHT* +Several children have grouped off for a good sized snowball fight, being overseen by (you'd assume) their parents + +----- +- CABIN +- IGLOO +- BEATEN PATH +- ICE SKATING +- SNOWBALL FIGHT +----- + +IGLOO + +Eight different people are all working together to craft the igloo brick by brick, compacting the snow and shaping it together rather than just extending the dome wall out of a random hill of snow. Once they make a brick, two more people pick it up and set it in place, packing it in with more snow like cement. At the moment, they are mostly finished with the overall dome and are just extending the entryway. + +*APPROACH* +You can't really tell who or what the people are under all the winter wear, but one woman of a canine nature in ski goggles and a blue heavyduty coat stops building a block to talk. "Hey there!" + +*ASK LITERALLY ANYTHING* +She takes one look at you all, top to bottom, while you speak. "Oh uh.. hang on." + +She elbows her neighbor, a man in a thick black snowsuit ensemble, and yells toward him through his earmuffs that she's taking a break to talk to the new guys. He gives a snow-covered thumbs up through his mittens and resumes working, while she guides you into the igloo. "Come on in, we can talk easier in here." + +It is SIGNIFICANTLY warmer inside the igloo, partly because it was made genuinely well, and partly because of the roaring bonfire in the middle, its smoke leading straight up and out through a convenient hole in the roof. She unzips her massive coat to reveal a thinner thermal jacket inside, sighing happily. "Much better... too much weight for my liking. Now what were you asking?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Oh jeez, uh... haven't seen the Guardian out and about today, no. We've been working on the igloo pretty much all day." + +(ALLOW THEM TO MAKE A CRAFT ROLL TO HELP BUILD THE IGLOO AS WELL) You spend a few minutes in the snow and ice, using your (uncovered) hands to help build a few blocks, and... +(High roll) ... you craft a solid brick of snow, perfect for the entryway +(Average roll) ... the brick isn't exactly great, but they take it and combine it with a half completed brick to finish it +(Low roll) ... your brick unfortunately crumbles in front of you + +(EITHER WAY) +The builders thank you for your efforts, and head back inside the igloo together, inviting you inside if you wish + +----- + +SNOWBALL FIGHT + +This is a surprisingly well coordinated event. There are clear boundary lines forming an arena, a cleared space in the dead center for easier movement, and multiple two-foot-tall snow walls closer out to the far ends for defense. And there are about twice as many adults watching from the sidelines. + +*APPROACH* +A couple adults, a pair of Saint Bernards in matching dark gray coats & red scarves with red winter caps, notice you coming and make room for you to stand nearby. The woman remarks "You have good timing, they just started another round." + +True to her word, you see six children appear from both sides and see snow FLYING through the air in a combination of wild arcs and slightly offcenter straight shots, but every strike that matters leaves a visible white explosion. The round itself lasts about a minute, but you know those kids had an insane amount of fun. + +*DM/REGALIA* +The man speaks this time. "Ya know, I was just noticing the Guardian wasn't here today. Usually shows up about the time the kids show up so they can play together, and usually brings that uh... special friend." + +The woman stares at him in disbelief at what he said. He is taken aback. "WHAT?! You saw how the two of them acted, what would YOU call them?!" + +She just rolls her eyes and returns to the game as the next round starts. + +----- + +ICE SKATERS +Most of the people out on the ice are relatively adept at slowly gliding across the ice together in pairs, but you do spot a couple people in the distance wobbling around in a vain attempt to maintain balance, while the one showoff in the center is doing Outside Forward Spirals into backward skating. + +*APPROACH* +One of the nearby skaters, a feline woman in a thick set of white and pink winter clothing, splits off from a nearby friend and slides her way to your group. "If you're getting on the ice, you're a little under-equipped." + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Nah, the Guardian doesn't come out to the ice much. Might have better luck asking at the cabin. Might also get some better clothes while you're there." She quickly skates away, rejoining the friend she was skating beside. + +----- + +*CABIN* + +The entrance is a giant set of heavy wooden oak doors, and when you open them, you see a second identical set with a sign on them saying "CLOSE DOORS BEHIND YOU, 'THEN' OPEN DOORS BEFORE YOU." + +When you open the second set, you are immediately struck by the warmth of a large cozy fire, the soft sounds of winter style jazz, and the warm scents of burning hickory wood & hot cocoa. + +The massive one room building is centered around a colossal roaring fire, contained inside a black metal cage leading up to a metal pipe through the ceiling. Surrounding it are several rounded rows of wooden seats built into the floor. + +In the far corners farthest from the door is a pair of kiosks, and the left one has a longer line than the right. Right between them is a slightly elevated stage with a live jazz band of four people. + +----- +- SEATS +- LEFT KIOSK +- RIGHT KIOSK +- JAZZ BAND + +----- *SEATING* +The seats are all thickly woven cushions built into a wooden rounded frame surrounding the giant pitfire in the middle, designed to act like massive warm couches. The seats AND the wood are all warm to the touch, and some have spaces in between large enough to place drinks. + +-----*LEFT KIOSK* +A white fox man with silver hair tied back in a clean ponytail in a white dress shirt, black vest, and white nametag reading OUJA is running the kiosk expertly, casually strolling between two different hot drink machines. + +He quickly hands off two cups of cocoa & a plate of cookies to those in front of you, and smiles to your group when they walk away. The overhead menu shows he is selling multiple varieties of hot chocolate, coffee, fresh baked goods, and even meat treats like jerky. "What can I get for you?" + +-----*RIGHT KIOSK* +An eight foot creature you can only describe as a white-haired ape-bear (yeti) with a slicked back white hairdo in a white dress shirt, black vest, and a white nametag reading BODHI is running this kiosk, handling snow gear. + +He trades a small bag of coin for a snowboard to those in front of you, and flashes you an ape-ish-ly toothy grin when your turn comes up. The menu in front of the stand shows he is selling coats, hats, gloves, magic rings in a white hue, and rentals for snowboards and sleds. "HOW CAN I HELP YOU?" + +----- *JAZZ BAND* +The group don't look entirely like professionals, but they clearly enjoy what they do and really bring the atmosphere. All of them ARE wearing identical outfits of deep blue pants & sports coats over white button front shirts and sunglasses. + +- On Baritone Sax is a pretty young Harp Seal woman with long brown braided hair, her white nametag reading PIPER +- On Trumpet is a heavy Saint Bernard man in a deep blue fedora, his white nametag reading RAMONE +- On Bass Guitar is a slim Musk Ox man in a deep blue fedora sitting between his horns, his white nametag reading ZIMRI +- On Piano is a young human boy with visible white hair under an Indigo fedora, his white nametag reading CAELUM + +*APPROACH* +The song ends when you step up, and everyone around you gives the jazz band some well-earned applause. Ramone (the Saint Bernard) announces in a gravely voice they're going on a fifteen minute break, and he, Piper, & Zimri all walk off stage. Caelum picks up a small lizard off the piano and puts it on the top of his fedora, turning to walk away before he notices your group. "Uh.. what're you guys doing here..?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Uhm.. haven't seen the Guardian today, but I haven't been looking." + +*WHY ARE YOU HERE* +"I.. kinda.. like playing piano." + +He quickly walks off to go wait in the food line, petting his little lizard the whole way. + +----- + +*BEATEN PATH* +As you begin the trek down the path, you hear the faint tinkling of bells & the clip-clopping of hooves in the distance, and you spot a pair of horses approaching. + +A horse-drawn carriage pulls up right beside your group, easily big enough to hold ten people, pulled by two VERY healthy Clydesdale horses wearing weatherproof blankets. The driver leans over, a rather large ice-blue & white Husky man under a thick tan winter coat, his white nametag reading EXILE. He speaks with an energetic Russian accent. "Hello comrades! You are new of the faces in this demense! Are you in need of guide dog perhaps? HA HA!" + +*ASKS ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +He will shake his head. "Sorry, I have not seen Guardian in some time, tends to be secluded. But I know where house is! Come, Exile escort you to cabin. Get you warm, get you dry, then get you to Guardian house! All for small cost of 5z each!" + +You didn't notice at first, but there is a sign on the side of the carriage marketing 'Exile's Carriage Rides, 5z per person, kids ride free' + +*IF THEY ACCEPT* +He gets everyone inside the sealed-in carriage out of the elements, and trots down the beaten path. And while the cart may not be super warm, it is definitely warm enough to get the feelings in your digits back. + +The view is something out of a Christmas card, snow as far as the eye can see speckled by a few sporadic trees, all surrounding the massive frozen lake. After about five minutes, you hear a knock on the window of your carriage. "Good news, Guardian is home today!" + +*IF THEY ASK HOW HE KNOWS* +He points out the window, and you see one particular spot in the distance where the snow is falling VERY hard in this otherwise barely flurrying area. "Where Guardian goes, surely it snows. Is reactisya, uh.. reflex, keeps people away." + +It takes a few minutes, but he eventually stops at the top of a snow embankment at about a 45 degree angle leading into a small flat valley from a good 10 foot drop. + +The snow in front of you is at its thickest, collecting into the valley heavily, but you do see something of a path in the distance leading to a somewhat obscured house. + +You spot a few other vehicles in a nearby clearing JUST outside the edge of the heavy snowfall, and they all look occupied with various couples, and a few of them look to be enjoying each other's company. + +"This is far as I go comrades, Guardian house is on opposite end of valley. This path only way in or out. You want I wait here for pickup?" + +He extends a paw and wiggles his fingers, clearly suggesting a down payment. + +(EITHER WAY) +He leaves your group in front of the inclined embankment, the snowfall piling up by the second. + +*WHOEVER SLIDES DOWN* +You slide down the embankment into the open path, and now that you're closer to it, you spot two rows of snowmen surrounding the path, totaling (# of players x5 +1). And they're all facing the center of the path. + +*APPROACH THE CENTER* +(ATHLETICS Roll) +(Lowest roller) is suddenly STRUCK in the back of the head by a solid impact of cold before a shrill voice pops out from an angle you aren't looking at, screaming ATTAAAAACK!!! + +Suddenly every snowman head explodes open, and your group is struck by five attacks each, to which there is unfortunately NO save due to the circumstances, and each one does... +(ROLL DICE FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT) Zero damage. +*Because you were pelted with snowballs.* +*Thrown by a gang of small children.* + +After the initial excitement, the children see their victims and suddenly become upset, climbing out of the snowmen. One little brown bear girl in a pink coat & matching hat walks up, pouting a little. "I'm sowwy, we tawt you was someone else.." + +*IF THEY ASK* +She points to the house in the distance, the same house you are headed toward. "The nice people pway with us aww the time, so we wanted to do a supwise." + +She sniffles a bit as she heads back over to the snowmen and her friends, all of whom are now remaking the snowmen one at a time. + +*IF THEY OFFER TO HELP* +(THEY WILL DO CRAFTS ROLLS TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SNOWMEN THEY MAKE AND/OR HOW GOOD THEY ARE) + +After a few minutes of walking, you spot a pair of people in front of the house, having a conversation like the cold doesn't bother either of them. + +One is a tall dark cat woman with long dark hair in braided twin tails, in a spacious and open red robe-like dress trimmed in thick white, cinched with a gold bow, over a tighter blue leotard. + +The other is a younger looking deer boy (you think) about a foot shorter than her even WITH the antlers, in a black sweater stopping above the knee and thick black boots stopping below the knee, both of which are trimmed in white fluff. + +They spot you approaching, the deer hiding behind the taller cat woman while she smiles warmly, arms crossed. "Well hello there, new faces! How can we help you?" + +*DM/REGALIA* +"Guardian..? Oh! Well if it's the Demense Master you're after, them look no further! My name is Morana, and this is..." + +She turns behind herself to see the deer has disappeared, replaced by a rather large chunk of snow. "..the best disappearing act you never saw! Apparently!" + +She looks around for a moment, then points to a nearby tree and launches an ice spike at one of the high branches, causing a pile of snow to fall from it, as well as the very deer that disappeared a moment later. "There's the little darling~" + +She waltzes over and grabs the deer, carrying him over her shoulder, before looking back at your group. "Let's get out of the cold and chat, shall we?" + +Morana invites you into their home, a spacious two story log cabin. The inside is quite lavish, the walls a warm blue and the floor is wooden aside from a large circular deep green carpet. The living room has two dark red couches and a pair of chairs surrounding a coffee table near a roaring fireplace. + +She places the deer in a seat on the couch and takes the other, reaches over, and starts petting him between the antlers, no differently than if he were an actual pet. + +"Now, let's try this again... My name is Morana, and this is Whitaker, the Demense Master~" + +*IF THEY RESPOND IN SHOCK* +Whittaker will flinch hard, pouting a little and nodding slowly. + +*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA* +Whitaker whimpers a little, hanging his head in shame, as Morana reaches down to pet him again. "Please forgive him, he's very upset with himself. His Regalia was taken about a month ago." + +"He was overseeing a snowball fight, and the Marauders started harassing the children, something about starting their misery early. He fought his hardest to protect them, but someone in a motorcycle helmet took one as hostage. He traded the Ice Regalia for their safety." + +"Funny thing though, they didn't actually CHALLENGE him proper, so they don't get all the little perks of HAVING the Regalia. Without them, it's just a white shortsword. An unbreakable one, but still." + +(CONTACTS ROLL) You remember seeing a sword matching that description in the hands of LUCKY when you came here on your first day. + +"After they let the kids go, they ganged up on him when he couldn't defend himself. Beat him down, destroyed his clothes, ransacked his house... And since the children were around, he didn't want to scare them, so he just kinda... had to let them. I wasn't around to help him at that moment, but if I had been, those snowbanks would've been painted red." + +"This is something that just keeps happening to him, long before the Marauders were even around. From what I can tell, he keeps getting picked on because he's small and shy, and seen as weak." + +"One of those incidents was how we met. About five years ago, I was hanging out at the cabin down the road, and a flock of sad & angry children came flooding in, screaming & begging for help. I offered to go see what happened on a whim. Glad I did too, he was an absolute mess." + +"When he woke up, the first words out of his mouth were asking if the children were okay. Didn't even care about himself. Then he realized someone was in his home and... well... he wasn't exactly thrilled." + +"It took some coaxing, but I earned his trust with some warm meals, helping clean the mess, and giving him some of my old clothes. He eventually opened up, and... The stories he told me... they're not mine to tell, but some of them are genuinely horrid. It's the main reason he buries his home in snow, so people won't get to him as easily. He's developed a fear of people." + +"So, I made him an offer. I would pretend to be the Demense Master in his place, help protect his home AND the children more carefully. In exchange, he lets me stay here with him and help him re-acclimate to being around people again." + +"It took alot of... gentle persuasion, but here we are. Barring this most recent incident, things have been pretty quiet over the last few years, unless some--" + +She is suddenly interrupted by the same little bear girl from before, barging into the house. She heads straight for Whitaker, making hyper little child noises, grabs his hand, and pulls him toward the door. You could swear you saw a smile cross his face as he went outside. The door shuts, and Morana continues, "...unless something like that happens." + +She waltzes over to the window and invites your group to watch. + +Whittaker gets dragged into the same pathway surrounded by snowmen, and is then hit by the same children's surprise snowball attack. But when they hit HIM with it, he bursts into laughter and starts a snowball fight with all of them. + +"The little darling is afraid of people... except for children. No matter what happens to him, he always protects them, advocates for them, and cares for them, & they adore him for it. Even when he was King, they were always his priority." + +*IF THEY ASK ABOUT KING* +She smiles at your group. "Oh, you were never told, were you? All the Demense Masters were Kings, in a sense.. a fun little bit of trivia about Diadem's history I picked up while moonlighting as a college teacher. Tell me, which of the Demense Masters have you met so far?" + +----- + +Aodaghan the King of Rage, believing in hard work. He helped construct the whole town, and expects commitment to labor. + +Conroy the Curious King, believing in knowledge. He maintained the town's history, as best he can & could. + +Zahir the King of Joy, believing in happiness. He believed the peoples' smiles were paramount above all. + +Corentin the Calm King, believing in serenity. He was devout in the stillness of mind and flexibility of form. + +Dorrin the King of Sorrow, believing in patience. He encouraged unwavering stoicism, even behind an ocean of tears. + +Arledge the Compassionate King, believing in generosity. He desired a bountiful harvest and longevity of life for all. + +Miranda the Intimate Queen, believing in relationships. Be it physical or emotional, she wished for everyone to find closeness. + +Fulmo the King of Judgment, believing in the Law. He was adamant about enforcing strict yet fair policy for basic society. + +Thanatos the Grieving King, believing in ceremony. He valued the life and memory of everyone that ever came. + +Cassius the Gloomy King, believing in duty. He gave a powerful example of doing what needed to be done, even if the people fear him. + +Tlaloc the King of Hope, believing in strength. He embodies the idea that a rock-solid mind and body can weather anything. He just has issues articulating it. (She circles her mouth with her finger) + +----- + +"And Whittaker the... Timid King. He advocated for those that couldn't speak for themselves, mainly the children. He is their Guardian Snow Angel." She sighs a bit and watches him from behind the window with a smile. + +"You know... now that I think of it... if you're really serious about defeating the Demense Masters, whom were all technically former Kings, and taking their symbols of rule... that would mean you aim to become... Kings of Kings~" + +*DONT WANT TO FIGHT HIM* +"If you're worried about hurting him in one of your little challenges, you don't have to be. Demense Masters heal crazy fast physically. Emotionally, well... that's another matter." + +*IF THEY WANNA HELP* +"If you mean his Regalia, there won't be much you can do, unless you can find it and return it. But if you mean helping HIM..." + +She watches the children build more snowmen with Whitaker through the window. "..are any of you good at building things? Because I bet if you were to go out and make things in the snow for the kids..." + +----- + +The players can earn his trust by playing in the snow with Whitaker and the children +- FIGHT/SHOOT/STEALTH for snowball fights +- CRAFT/RESOURCES for snowmen and igloos +- EMPATHY/RAPPORT after each activity to earn trust + +----- + +AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS + +At the top of the hill in the distance, you see a group of adults all calling out to the children, and all of them give a resounding AWWWW. It's their parents saying it's time to go home. + +Each one of them comes up and gives Whitaker a massive group hug, and you see him give them the most heartwarming smile you ever saw. All the children then start shuffling their way off to their parents in the distance, climbing that incline with relative ease, aside from one or two stumbling a bit. + +----- + +(AVERAGE THE ROLLS) + +*IF THEY ROLLED OVERALL POORLY* +Whitaker will maintain that warm smile until he turns to your group, rubbing his arm nervously. He will give you a small timid wave and the softest smile before heading back to Morana, whom is waiting for him at the front door. + +*IF THEY ROLLED OVERALL WELL* +Whitaker will maintain that warm smile until he turns to your group, rubbing his arm nervously as he approaches (highest overall roller) slowly. + +He will open his mouth to try and convey words, but finds he can't get them out, so he instead gives (highest overall roller) a tight hug. + +He only holds on for a few seconds before running off, jumping right into Morana's awaiting arms. They both wave your group off from the door, but Whitaker still hides behind her a little out of reflex. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/03 - Demense/Yellow-Demense.txt b/Story/03 - Demense/Yellow-Demense.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b8efb68 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/03 - Demense/Yellow-Demense.txt @@ -0,0 +1,260 @@ +This gate is a golden ring with a yellow magic wall, and it is unusually bright + +On the beach: +https://youtu.be/yy0701OyeRo?si=H_9WEeAvScDcXAJ0 + +Inside the festival: +https://youtu.be/75q8Krpw-R0?si=isT0RYZ1oQVxQAHz + +## Upon exiting the YELLOW gate, +You feel warmth beaming down on your heads, you hear a few seagulls chirping in the distance, and you see the rolling waves of the ocean washing on the sandy shore of the beach right beneath your feet. + +Welcome to the **Beach** demense! + +(BEHIND YOU) +The gate itself is attached to a sturdy pair of palm trees crossing across each other near the tops + +(TO THE LEFT) +Elevated by a few wooden steps, you see a massive stretch of walkable boardwalk full of shops and stands + +(BEFORE YOU) +You see a pure yellow sandy beach stretching for miles, filled to the brim with beach bodies + +(TO THE RIGHT) +There is a rolling ocean as endless as the sandy beach, ALSO filled with beach bodies + +----- +- BOARDWALK +- BEACH +- OCEAN +----- + +*BEACH* +The beach sands are a surprisingly clean golden yellow, and within the few miles you can see, you spot dozens of beach bodies young & old lying back on towels & soaking in rays, or making sandcastles or other sandsculptures of impressive design, and you can clearly smell burgers & hot dogs being grilled on charcoal barbecues. + +A plastic disk flies low through the air and lightly bonks (player) in the knee. You see a dozen beachgoers waving at your group and asking you to throw the frisbee back. + +(FIGHT/SHOOT/PHYSIQUE Roll) You toss the disk as best you can and... +(high roll) it lands right in the hands of one of the nearest beachgoers +(low roll) it lands just short of them in the sand at their feet +...which makes everyone in their group cheer, and one of them asks if you AND your friends wanna join in! + +----- + +*IF THEY JOIN* + +A lemur girl with tied back blonde & black dreadlocks in a purple bikini introduces herself as AMOY, and declares this to be a game of Ultimate Frisbee. Everyone splits into two teams of seven, and all (# of players) of you are thankfully selected to be on the same team. + +The rules are simple: Toss the disc into the endgoal to score a point, you cannot run with the disc in hand, and you have ten seconds to pass it to someone. + +These guys seem like easygoing beachgoers, but once the game starts, they reveal themselves to be literal Frisbee warriors. They are tossing disks backwards, in midair, upside down, and at one point, Amoy makes a powerful shot with her feet! + +(Make a few FIGHT/SHOOT/PHYSIQUE ROLLS) +(The NPCs playing all have stats at +1) + +EACH HIGH ROLL EARNS THEM A POINT, +EACH MATCH EARNS NO POINT, +EACH LOW ROLL EARNS THE NPCs A POINT + +After about thirty minutes of intense disk throwing action, game is finally called, and (whichever team) pulled out a victory. + +Everyone is laughing and relaxing in the sun for a few minutes after, but eventually Amoy calls out. "Alright, let's pack it up! Party starts soon, and we all need to get ready for the big show!" + +*ASK ABOUT PARTY* +Amoy wipes her face off with a towel. "I assumed you were here for it, there's a party on the boardwalk later today. Hang out for a bit longer, you'll know where to go." + +----- + +*OCEAN* + +You haven't seen water as clean & clear as this in a long time, and just watching & listening to the water crash against the shore is surprisingly pleasant. + +(IF THEY GO/DIVE IN) + +The water ungulates and carries you up & down slowly, the rhythm only interrupted by the occasional wave rolling in. A few adults are playing Marco Polo with their kids, a couple are snorkeling near the water's surface, and a few are just lounging on innertubes and chilling out. You even spot a few people on skimboards, gliding by on the freshly wetted sand where it meets the water. + +You are approached by an Orangutan man in green shorts with long red hair, a shark tooth necklace, and a massive grin, pedaling through the water on a longboard surfboard. "Hey dudes and dudettes, might wanna mind your heads!" + +He points into the distance, toward a massive wave curling up and approaching your group AND him. + +He starts paddling away quickly, watching it the whole time, until the tail end of his board meets the face of the wave and he stands up, surfing on the wave all the way back to the beach. And he's not alone, about three other surfers managed to catch the same wave before AND after him. + +(WANT TO SURF) +You approach the orangutan's group while he and his friends take a break, planting the tail ends of their boards into the sand, forming a lineup. When they see you, the orangutan speaks first. "Well if it isn't the Kooks from the water!" + +(ASK TO SURF) +He turns to his friends. "Grab the spare boards from the car, brah! We're training some Barneys!" + +He introduces himself as KENOI, and spends the next 15 minutes or so explaining the physical mechanics of surfing as simply as he can, boiling it down to getting the right speed when paddling away from the wave, balancing properly, and maneuvering the board at the right angle at the drop 'alongside the wave' rather than against it. + +After, he takes you into the water and points out what to look for in the water and to wait for when it breaks to form actual waves. A minute later, the exact description he gave appears and a wave forms behind you all. + +(DRIVE, ATHLETICS, & PHYSIQUE ROLL) +*PASS ALL 3* You manage to not only catch the wave, but you ride it clean through the barrel and watch as the wave slowly overlaps your entire body in a massive circular tube of water, clear until the wave collapses behind you moments later. You ride all the way to where the other surfers meet up with you, all cheering their hearts out. + +*PASS 2 OUT OF 3* +You are a little shaky on the (failed skill), but you manage to catch the wave with some effort and ride it out for several seconds with only minimal turbulence. The others wait for you to paddle to them and give you both props and pointers for next time. + +*FAIL 2 OR ALL* +You try your hardest to match the speed, balance the board, and pilot it properly, but it just doesn't quite work out for you. Despite your best efforts, you lose control and fall in the water. When you resurface, the group shouts WIPEOUT and paddle over to you, making sure you aren't too badly hurt. + +About an hour later, the orangutan calls out to the group. "Alright, time's up! Don't wanna miss the party!" + +(IF THEY ASK) +As they pick up their boards and head back to their car, the Orangutan walks and talks with you. "Supposed to be a rocking party on the boardwalk later, gotta get cleaned and changed. See you Barneys there?" + +----- + +*BOARDWALK* +It takes a few steps to get up there, but you see dozens of people in beach attire traveling on foot, skates, scooters, bikes, and skateboards. + +Scattered along it is several miniature stores, shacks, and pop-up stands selling swimsuits, inflatables, sunscreen, towels, sunglasses, magic rings in a yellow hue, and even surf board rentals. There's also a few stands selling cold snacks like ice cream, shaved ice, frozen yogurt, and a few iced drinks. + +*IF FOOD* +As you read the menu, you spot a little drawing of a bee holding up a sign saying all the sugary foods are sweetened with all natural honey instead of sugar. + +A portly pelican man in a baseball cap and a blue tank top with a yellow nametag reading HORACE happily meets you at the counter. "Hey there! What can get I get for ya?" + +*IF SHOP* +A fashionable flamingo woman smiles and waves to your group, her light brown hair tied back and draped over her shoulder across a white polo tee, her yellow nametag reading JANICE. "Welcome in! Can I help you find anything?" + +Everything you see here appears to be the same brand, a peculiar picture of a pink flower stitched into every piece of clothing on the tag. + +----- + +(IF DM/REGALIA) +"You wanna talk to the DJ at the party. You won't have to search far, he makes himself known. It should be starting soon." + +----- + +(LATER) + +(NOTICE Roll) You spot a sudden influx of oddly dressed people walking in from the gate. Alot of the guys are shirtless and alot of the girls are in bikini tops, but many of them are wearing bright neon mesh clothing, including their pants and shorts. + +You ALSO begin to hear a deep repetitive thumping in the distance, like someone is banging on a huge drum. And it looks like all these oddly dressed people are heading for that noise. + +*FOLLOW THE NOISE* +You see them all heading toward a large building in the distance, what looks like a repurposed warehouse. When anyone opens the doors, that pounding noise doubles in volume and you see an intense amount of flashing light. + +*OPEN DOOR* +Your ears are met with the thunderous BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM of music, a repetitive thud so deep and powerful it makes your whole body rumble. + +*STEP INSIDE* +There is a MASSIVE hexagonal plate glass panel floorspace, lit up and flashing multiple different colors and filled with people bumping, jumping, grinding and vibing to that powerful beat, their neon clothes glowing intensely in this low light. + +You have entered a rave. + +Sitting around the doors on the left and right are tables of clothing and accessories. + +Dozens of people are walking around in the audience, talking as best they can over the music, dancing to the beat in a myriad of styles, and overall just being VERY friendly. + +You can also see a VERY vibrantly yellow person manning the DJ table in the back of the room, and he is having the time of his life. + +*MERCH TABLES* +- The table on the left has glowsticks galore, neon shirts & wristbands, and beaded accessories of many different styles, ran by a flamingo woman with light brown hair tied back and draped over her shoulder across a white polo tee, her nametag reading JANICE +- The table on the right has a few bowls of yellow punch with a distinct aroma of honey, as well as tall paper cups full of the same stuff or just plain water, ran by a portly pelican man in a baseball cap and a blue tank top, his yellow nametag reading HORACE + +*IN THE AUDIENCE* +(NOTICE Roll)(Lowest to Highest) +- A hand FIRMLY grabs a handful of (player)'s ass, and you have no clue who did it amongst the sea of dancing bodies +- (Amoy) A lemur girl with blonde & black dreadlocks dances backwards right in front of (player), only wearing a purple bikini top and some cutoff jean shorts with glowsticks around her wrists. She just waves at you before booty shaking her way back into the audience. +- A tall white tiger woman with black hair tipped in white bumps hips with (player), wearing baggy black pants with reflective orange stripes and a black crop top, and she is grinning at you VERY playfully +- You spot SOMEONE near the door in a motorcycle helmet & matching outfit, but instead of joining in, they just walk back out the door. + +*DJ STATION* +You approach the six foot high stage carrying a set of massive speakers thumping and rumbling around a DJ station. A yellow butterfly man with short black hair operates the turntable expertly, wearing a VERY loose white tank top (so his wings can slip free) and a pair of large headphones around his neck. + +When the current track finishes, he picks up a nearby microphone, his voice carrying a slight echo. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT! IS EVERYONE HAVING A GOOD TIME?!?!" + +The entire audience cheers at the same time as loud as they can. "NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE MAIN EVENT! GIVE IT UP FOR THE MAN YOU'RE 'REALLY' HERE TO SEE, MY MENTOR AND THE DEMENSE MASTER HIMSELF, DJ ZAHIR!!!" + +The audience starts to cheer again, but it starts dying down as the lights around you AND in the floor all dim at once. The speakers start to release a low hum, building a slow methodical beat over a few moments. + +Over the stage, you see a swirling yellow light, slowly expanding in arching waves into a massive yellow flower made of light. The flower petals open wide and reveal a glowing neon yellow honeybee man inside, lying upside down in the petals and stretching his four arms over his head. + +When you hear the beat drop, his four arms CLAP, causing the flower to explode into millions of particles of light, floating outward in every direction. The bee man zips downward and waves happily at everyone from just overhead, laughing happily as everyone reaches back up to him excitedly. + +His hair is a frazzled dirty blonde around his two antennae, and his glowing outfit of a black tee, black jerkin, tight black pants, black boots, and black elbow-to-wrist bell sleeves is all outlined and laced with neon yellow along the belt, zipper, laces, and inner & outer edges. + +As he hovers over the audience, he rights himself and begins to spin around, pulling all the light particles back around himself. For a moment, the entire overhead resembles a visualization of a slow spinning galaxy. + +He stops and throws his hands up, sending the light particles to the ceiling, decorating it like a starry sky for a moment before the light particles finally fade away, and the lights slowly return jntk the room. + +He flies back over toward the DJ station, taking the microphone from the butterfly man, speaking loudly into it with a youthfully energetic tone. "FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I WELCOME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO SHIIINEDOOOOOWN!!!" + +Applause and cheers ERUPTS from all sides. +"I INVITE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, FOR ONE NIGHT, TO LET YOURSELVES GO, SHARE IN THE JOY OF THOSE AROUND YOU, AND LET YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOULS SHINE LIKE THE FUCKING SUN!!!" + +And that is when the doors to the building get kicked open, causing the music to cut out. A group of Marauders march their happy asses inside, all grinning ear to ear. The leader pulls out a golden pistol and aims it at the ceiling. "Aight you bunch of new-age hippies, party's over!" + +Dozens of footsoldiers come pouring in right after, carrying baseball bats and swinging chains. They immediately surround everyone and start smashing lights, cutting cables, attacking speakers, and flipping tables. Several of them head straight for the stage, aiming for the DJ table. + +(TEAM STEPS UP) +Music suddenly starts up with an IMMEDIATE hard flourish of sound, and several of the Marauders on stage go FLYING over everyone's heads, one landing in front of your group on their back. Zahir is standing behind the DJ station, grinning ear to ear as you hear the same thumping beat that brought you here begin to play. + +The people in the audience start talking amongst themselves, start tapping their feet, start to groove again, much to the irritation of the Marauders leader. The party people all start grinning at each other too, like they all just had the same idea. + +The second you hear that beat drop, you see a hundred eager party people jump the surrounding Marauders and fight back against them all on their own, leaving the more powerful group in the middle... to you and yours. + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +Around the time you finish your fight, all the partygoers are laughing and high fiving each other, having finished around the same time as you. You see all the other Marauders tied up with various pieces of cabling, clothing, and even their own chains. + +Zahir approaches the center of the room, eyes wide and one set of hands over his mouth, the other crossed over his stomach. Despite everyone's best efforts, in the ensuing chaos, the speakers were destroyed, the tables are smashed, the food & merch was ruined, and several light fixtures were busted out. + +The leader of the captured Marauders starts laughing at you and everyone else in the room. At some point his mask was removed and revealed a mosquito man with a black ponytail, although he is bleeding from the forehead. "Mission accomplished! The party's over!" + +Zahir's head suddenly turns to a creepy degree to look at the Marauder leader dead in the eyes, smiling wide. "What makes you say that?" + +... "we downed your lights, broke your speakers, and killed your vibe. Sure looks over to me!" + +All four of Zahir's hands begin to glow a soft yellow light as he slowly and methodically walks toward the Marauder, touching the shoulders and hands of people he walks by, leaving stains of pure light on their bodies. + +His smile just widens. "Let me shed some light on this for you. If the vibe is dead, would they all still be here?" The leader realizes not a single person has left yet. + +Zahir continues, dramatically cupping two of his hands around his ears. "If the speakers are dead, why do I hear music?" + +The people whom are glowing have started singing, in a gospel choir type of way where it's all vocalizing, but its a beautiful harmonious note. More and more people are starting to glow as they touch each other's hands and shoulders. A couple extend their hands to your group as well. + +(IF THEY ACCEPT) +The yellow light harmlessly washes over your body in a matter of seconds, but from inside the center of your chest appears a glowing sphere of light, pearlescent in hue, now visible to everyone. You have the opportunity to offer the same to another person near you. + +Zahir stops walking and crouches down in front of the Marauder. "And if the lights are dead, why is it so bright in here?" + +By this point, everyone in the room is glowing like night lights, and more than half of them are vocalizing. The Marauder scoffs at him. "You're the one doing that, you idiot!" + +"Oh, all I did was open the blinds. Most people can't see it through their fleshy bodies, but I see it in them, and these people here... they all learned to see it in each other." + +He slowly steps around behind the Marauder, placing his hands on his shoulders. "I see it in you too. It's dim, but it's there. It's the one kind of light you can't break. It's their beautiful souls!" + +He points at the podium on stage and releases a laser of yellow magic against the front of it, going up in a perfect zigzag pattern. Sparks fly off the podium until it pops open and two doors slowly swivel out to reveal a set of hidden internal hexagonal speakers, fully covering and obscuring the busted ones, glowing with RGB style lighting. + +Zahir rests his chin atop the Marauder's head. "Lights and speakers are just things, break them all you like. But you can't break the people so easily. The people ARE the party. They can sing. They can dance. And they can shine. Like the fucking. Sun." + +The marauder is just confused and disappointed at this point, but in the middle of that thought, Zahir steps back and rears back all four arms. "Now it's your turn!" + +Zahir slams all four hands into the Marauder's back, palms together, flooding his body with magical light. The Marauder's shirt is blown completely off, and when Zahir removes his hands, the Marauder's back now has four handprints on it, each with three digits but the palms lined up in a circle, looking like a 12 point sun. The Marauder's eyes are glowing with multicolored light, and he is both enamored and dumbfounded. + +Zahir steps out from behind this Marauder and starts walking around toward the others on the ground tied up, touching each and every one of their heads and imbibing them with the glow as well. "That light is stronger than the mightiest weapon, the strongest spell, the deadliest virus! And the more of us there are, the stronger it grows! So long as their souls shine bright, THIS PARTY WILL NEVER DIE!!!" + +Everyone in the audience NOT humming that tune cheers at the same time, lighting the warehouse with magnificent light AND noise. + +The Marauder is in awe, everything looking like a kaleidoscope through his eyes as that magic takes hold of his senses. In his mind, he can see all the magnificent lights radiating out and mixing together into a majestic glow of colors, like their energy and excitement is mixing into one giant powerful light. + +From the outside, he looks like he is tripping balls. His hysterical laughter is slowly becoming infectious, even to the other Marauders in the room. + +Zahir picks the leader up bridal style, and flies him up into a dance cage near the center of the ceiling. Thanks to that light magic coursing through him, he is illuminating the whole place as well as any light fixture ever could. + +The music starts coming from the new speakers, harmozing with the vocalization at first until it completely overtakes it. The second that beat drops, the audience is dancing like the party never stopped. + +Zahir flutters overhead in a wide circle as the party picks back up, giving everyone a fly by high five. Or high three in his case. He comes to your group and lands in front of you, offering each of you high fives, handshakes, and fist bumps. "Hey there, new faces! Crazy night for your first party, am I right?!" + +*DM/REGALIA* +He laughs a bit. "I'd love to, but I think you all deserve a fun night after laying the THmackdown on those guys earlier. What say we enjoy the party tonight, and you come by another day?!" + +(IF YES) +"Great! Now smile for the camera!" + +He turns and flutters behind your group, revealing the butterfly man with an older style of camera, aiming it at your group. + +Zahir laughs happily and takes a goofball pose, saying CHEESE as the camera flashes and captures this entire night in a single photo. "That one's going on the shelf!" \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/04 - The Mole/The Mole.txt b/Story/04 - The Mole/The Mole.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..de0e1d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/04 - The Mole/The Mole.txt @@ -0,0 +1,116 @@ +THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE SIX DEMENSES HAVE BEEN VISITED + +The scene opens early one morning with a phone call. (player) answers, and it is Nash. He cheerily asks for your group to come see King Akarui at your earliest convenience, as there is an urgent matter he wishes to speak with you about. + +----- + +Upon arriving, you see a perky Nash flagging you down to his desk. "There's our new town heroes! King Akarui is waiting for you, I just need to buzz you in." + +Right before he hits the button, you see King Akarui's doors burst open, an angry stout Doberman marching out, followed by a Puma man in Thunder Force attire. + +You recognize Third Commander Harken, but the other one... + +(IF THEY VISITED THE WEAPONS STORE) +...is Jerras, owner of the Weapons store. + +Harken grabs the doberman (Jerras)'s shoulder, stopping him. "Jerras, stop. I understand you are upset." + +He turns to Harken, growling lowly. "Upset?! That son of a bitch tried to lowball me on that deal and you know it..!" + +Harken removes his sunglasses, revealing his deep brown soulful cat eyes. "Jerras, you have to understand, he is not made of coin, and the Thunder Force's budget is tight. Not to mention the morality issue--" + +Jerras groans in annoyance, rolling his eyes. "Dont give me that crap Harken, the man wears gold draperies like some... what do they call them out there, Arabian princess?" + +He puts his hands around his muzzle and yells muffledly in frustration, then takes a deep breath, sighing a bit. "I refuse to be taken advantage of. This could have been the deal of a lifetime for me." + +Harken places a hand on his shoulder. "It still CAN be. The coin is one thing, but the publicity of your name attached to the Thunder Force will be great marketing. EVERYONE will know your name." + +He just sighs out of frustration. "Yeah... I guess... thanks... either way, I owe you one for talking him up to where it landed." + +Harken extends his hand toward Jerras with a stern look in his eye. "Friends don't hold debts over each other, you know that. But... you spot me for lunch and we will call it even." + +Jerras accepts the handshake with a soft smile, then notices your group. + +----- + +- *IF THEY DID NOT MEET YET* +"Hey wait a sec, I recognize you... aren't you the latest batch of newbies turned heroes?" + +*IF THEY CONFIRM* +"Well this day just became better. Name's Jerras, I own the weapons store in the Business District. If you're ever looking for something bigger and better, look me up." He then slips you a business card with black lettering that mirrors everything he just told you, before heading out the door and looking significantly happier. + +- *IF THEY MET* +"Well look who it is, my favorite customers. You hear to see King birdface too, huh?" + +*IF THEY CONFIRM* +"Well he ain't in a charitable mood, so good luck to ya. Yer gonna need it." He chuckles a bit and heads out the door, looking significantly happier. + +----- + +Harken steps toward your group. "I understand you have a meeting with the King? I'll be attending with you. And I apologize for his... outburst." + +*ASK ABOUT JERRAS* +"He came to broker a deal to outfit the Thunder Force with weapons. King Akarui lowballed him when he realized Jerras resells weapons pawned off to him from the Marauders and other questionable sources. The situation was... what did that book call it... An Unfortunate Series of Events, morality wise." + +*THAT IS STUPID* +"THAT... is what Jerras said. But there are many whom believe 'a weapon used in cold blood is stained eternally.' We worked out an agreement that paid significantly more than street value on all the weapons, but Jerras is... prideful when it comes to coin." + +"In any case, we have a meeting to attend. Shall we?" + +Harken escorts you to the meeting, holding open the door for all of you, then following you in and locking it behind himself. + +Akarui is at his desk signing paperwork, but when he sees your group, he immediately puts the pen down. "Welcome back, heroes! And thank you for coming to see me so promptly." + +*WHAT IS THIS ABOUT* +He holds up two digits. "Well this is a dual purpose meeting. Firstly, I wanted to see how you were all faring so far. Normally after the welcoming in, I would just leave you to your own devices, but unlike the others that came the last several times, you've been more... 'active' in public, making a name for yourself." +(I believe that name is... Kings of Kings?) + +*AFTER THEIR RETORT* +"Well keep up the good work, I appreciate you dealing with those Marauders so efficiently. And cleanly, according to Harken here. The expense to repairing all their property damage was REALLY starting to hurt our city's budget, but now our finances are stabilizing again." + +*WHY NOT JUST MAKE MORE* +"And shoot the value of our currency in the foot? Certainly not. We craft a set number of these coins every month, mostly to replace damaged ones, and partly to accommodate our increasing population, nothing more. To produce more just for OUR needs would do nothing but harm the long term value." + +"Our second topic is a bit more pressing... I'd dare call it urgent. We think there may be a mole in the Thunder Force." + +*AFTER THEY COMMENT* +Harken steps up. "We've had several strange occurrences within our organization since long before you arrived. Calls sending us to the wrong locations, incorrect records on reports, evidence disappearing from our inventory. It's happening too consistently to be a coincidence, but we cannot identify the perpetrator." + +*DOES HE WANT THEM TO SEEK OUT THE MOLE* +"Personally I would be thrilled to see the bad element rooted out, but I cannot authorize such a mission. Nor Harken. You CAN keep an eye out for suspicious behavior if you are so inclined, but I'm not going to ask you. Quite the contrary actually, this is a direct and clear warning." + +----- + +- IF THEY APPLIED +"I understand you have recently applied to join the Thunder Force. I have your application paperwork on hand, and I'm willing to approve it right now. But I need to know that, even with the knowledge of a corrupt agent somewhere in this, you are still interested in making a difference. You wouldn't be the first vigilantes turned Thunder Force afterall." He and Harken mirror an amused glance. + +- *IF THEY HAVENT APPLIED YET* +"The Thunder Force has open tryouts coming up soon, and it would be a disservice of me to not forewarn you of this, provided any of you were interested in applying. You wouldn't be the first vigilantes turned Thunder Force afterall." He and Harken mirror an amused glance. + +*WHAT DO THEY MEAN* +Harken slips his sunglasses on. "Akarui and I were part of a four-man team that immigrated here a decade ago. Once we understood the circumstances of the island, we all agreed to make a difference, whether that was to be King or Thunder Force." + +----- + +*IF THEY WANT TO JOIN STILL* +"I admire your dedication. (Once you officially apply,) I will get your paperwork filed as soon as possible and we will likely see you on the field within the week." + +*IF THEY DONT WANT TO JOIN* +"I completely understand. (I will have the paperwork removed from the active personnel file.) Despite this, I hope it will not dissuade you from doing what you've been doing up until now. You don't necessarily NEED to be Thunder Force to fight for what is right, afterall." + +----- + +*EITHER WAY* +"It should also be noted that this information is strictly confidential. Until now, the only ones who knew about the potential mole were myself and Harken. And since you've done so much for the town, we felt you'd earned a little trust." + +"Thank you for your time, heroes. Harken will see you out." Harken will nod and open the door for you, leading you out the front door of the building. + +(NOTICE ROLL) Nash is no longer at his desk, a small sign sitting on it saying "back in an hour" with a drawn picture of a cheeseburger attached. + +Once outside, Harken will turn to your group. "I will see you around, I'm sure." + +(Harken will slide his sunglasses back on,) +the silver parts of his uniform will start to glow, and he will disappear from view, leaving only a scorchmark on the ground and a lingering stench of ozone. + +(NOTICE ROLL) +You spot Jerras in the distance, leaning on a nearby shady tree, and he is handing a bag of coin to someone in a dark trench coat. That person then hands him a heavy looking duffel bag, before stepping out of view. Jerras then walks away as nonchalantly as possible. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/05 - The First F-ACE-/The First Face.txt b/Story/05 - The First F-ACE-/The First Face.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5eae8a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/05 - The First F-ACE-/The First Face.txt @@ -0,0 +1,411 @@ +THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE ALL TWELVE DEMENSES HAVE BEEN VISITED + +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- + +The scene opens early in the morning with a phone call. (Player) answers, and it is Nash. He seems to be in a bit of a rush, but he tells your group King Akarui is requesting you come down to City Hall for a special meeting. + +----- + +Upon arriving, Nash flags your group down to his desk again, his demeanor seeming a bit more serious. "Right on time! Let's get you inside." + +He grabs a nearby clipboard, guides you to the meeting room, and opens the door for you. You see King Akarui and Anais already in the middle of a heated discussion. + +Nash will turn around and freeze in place, looking like he just saw a ghost. But before he has a chance to go back out the door, Akarui points at him. "You. Wait right there. I'll be with you in a moment." + +Nash visibly gulps and moves a little more inward into the room, standing almost militantly at attention, partially hiding behind his clipboard. + +King Akarui sighs and returns to his prior conversation. "Anais, you can't expect people to follow these nitpicky rules. Fence color restrictions, hedge height requirements, heavy volume level regulations... I don't care how many complaints you've received, this is nonsense and I won't enforce it." + +Anais will reply with a whiny tone. "But think of how much it'll beautify the Gated community! It'll be so much more pleasant for the seniors to see, plus you'll get to see a much cleaner and quieter neighborhood!" + +Akarui will just stare at her deadpan in the eyes. "Okay one, the seniors face the opposite way. Two, I practically live HERE. And three, the people who own those properties can do what they want as long as they don't set them on fire. " + +Anais will slam her hands into the desk. "Sir, I respect your authority, but I need you to at least take this seriously. The noise complaints and slow self destruction of these properties are going to drive down the value of the district! We'll start losing money when noone wants to live somewhere so ugly!" + +Akarui will continue to just... stare at her. "You've been reading too many real estate novels. The only places to live are the Gated homes, Residential houses, and apartments. We set those values and you know damn well they won't fluctuate." + +Anais will try to respond, but Akarui will raise a hand. "That being said... I will have the noise complaints investigated and the general condition of the neighborhood therein given a thorough look. We can discuss the rest on another day. Will that suffice?" + +Anais will pause for a moment. "... I suppose. But if I get one more noise complaint--" + +"--I'll be the first to hear about it, yes. Just like the last seven. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to with our local heroes. Or should I call them... 'Kings of Kings?'" + +She turns away, and glares at your group on the way out the door, giving an indignant HMPH. She slams the door behind her, leaving Akarui alone with your group. Akarui sighs in frustration, rubbing the bridge of his beak. "My apologies for that one, she is always in some kind of mood when it comes to the Gated community. Thinks it should be some pristine living community." + +His gaze will immediately turn to Nash. "Now Nash, we've had this conversation before. You know you're supposed to announce anyone coming my way, even if it's just you, specifically for situations like this." + +You see Nash's ears droop a bit before Akarui continues, "However, your inadvertent interruption gave me the perfect excuse to get out of THAT meeting, so I'm going to let it go. This time." + +Akarui will smirk a bit. "Just... don't let it happen again." + +Nash will smile a bit before heading out the door and closing it behind him with a sigh of relief. You hear a sharp YELP from behind the door, then silence. + +Akarui rolls his eyes. "Great... I was hoping I'd given him enough time to dodge Anais..." + +Akarui clears his throat. "On to business..." + +----- + +(IF THEY JOINED TF) +"First, allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your acceptance into he Thunder Force. After all the contributions you have made to this city, it makes me proud to see you dedicate yourselves by donning the uniform. In fact, Commander Harken and I had a discussion regarding your first assignment." + +(IF THEY HAVE NOT) +"I understand you are technically an unaligned team of 'vigilantes' for lack of a better term, but you've proven to the public that you are here to help. The fact you haven't joined the Thunder Force is a curiosity to many, but I'm sure you have your reasons. Either way, I would like to ask you to work with them on a special assignment." + +----- + +"The R&D lab in the ESSENTIALS district has requested extra security for an upcoming delivery. There is an important shipment for a special project we need to keep safe. And we have reason to believe the Marauders might come after it. Problem is, the Thunder Force are a little shorthanded at the moment." + +*IF THEY ACCEPT* +"Thank you. Harken will brief you on the mission at TFHQ." He pushes his intercom button, asking Nash to escort your group out. A minute later, a disheveled Nash opens the door. + +His hair is a mess, his shirt is crumpled, and his pants pockets are inside out. For all intents and purposes, he looks like he got mugged. But he keeps his eyes to the ground and simply holds the door open for you all quietly. + +He walks down the hall with you, fixing his outfit the whole way. His fur and particular choice of long covering clothes does well to hide it, but you spot a few bruises hidden under his fur. + +*IF THEY ASK WHAT IS WRONG* +He stammers some before sighing with frustration. "Anais is very... easy to frustrate. She uh... demanded my assistance in cooling down." + +*IF THEY RETORT* +He realizes what he said. "She just kinda... used me as a punching bag. I'll be fine, she doesn't hit THAT hard, but I might need to visit the tailor on my way out." + +His eyes widen and he suddenly hides behind you all as you head out of the lobby, passing by a brown wolf girl in a lighter brown postal worker outfit. She is wearing sunglasses indoors, she is blowing a bubblegum bubble, and she is wearing a gold nametag that says COCO. + +(CONTACTS ROLL) You don't really RECOGNIZE her, but you spotted her delivering mail in the past. + +He desperately ushers you all forward to get out of the building as quickly as possible. + +Once he is out of sight range, he will breathe a heavy sigh. "And SHE just scares me." + +Once you are out by the doors, you see him scurry to his car and take off out of the parking lot in a hurry. + +----- + +*AT THUNDER FORCE HEADQUARTERS* + +The second you arrive, Harken appears at the front door, clearly waiting for you. "Kings of Kings... please follow me." + +He guides you through the branch office to his personal office in the back, holding the door open for you. Once you are all inside, he closes he door carefully, but flips the lock audibly loud. "Please have a seat, this won't take long." + +He sits down in his office chair behind his desk, coated in a foot high pile of paperwork and folders across every inch of it. "I'll be blunt. I would prefer to leave protection assignments to fully trained officers, but we are a bit shorthanded at the moment. Plus..." + +----- + +*IF THEY ARE TF* +"As you have prominent combat experience before even joining, Akarui and I felt this would be a suitable assignment for your group." + +*IF THEY ARE NOT* +"The people know you now, and you have earned a modicum of trust on our end. As such, I wish to deputize you for the day, specifically for this job." + +----- + +"Your assignment will be to go to the Research and Development Lab in the Essentials district. We have a large shipment of steel, copper, aluminum, and brass coming in from the Red and Brown demenses, for a special construction project. You simply need to guard it until the end of the day to ensure it is kept safe." + +"You are expected to arrive in one hour, work an eight hour shift of hourly building inspections one at a time, and otherwise are to stay inside with the containers until the end of your shift. They will be picked up and transported at the end of the day. Afterwards, report back to me here." + +He will reach into his desk and pull out several small bags full of coins. "Of course, we wouldn't expect you to do legitimate work for free. You will be paid the same as any Thunder Force agent starting out. 25z an hour, 8 hours of work, that entitles each of you to 200z, all paid upfront." + +"AND, since you are with us, you have access to our uniform selection. Pick some up on the way out, free of charge." + +"Dismissed!" + +*WANT UNIFORMS* +You are met by agent Binx the Cat, whom escorts you to the wardrobe area, with multiple tables full of gear to match all shapes and sizes. + +- The first table is full of chrome colored bracers and chest covers +- The second table is full of black slacks, boots, and short & long-sleeved shirts +- The third table is full of chrome bottom-half face masks, black sunglasses, and folded black & silver long coats +- The fourth and final table has chest armor holders and several pieces of replaceable plate armor (but you are each only permitted one) + +----- + +(AT THE R&D BUILDING) + +The facility is more of a compound, as its fenced in area is essentially four smaller buildings wrapped around one. The buildings themselves aren't particularly distinct, all painted the same aqua blue walls with a deeper blue metal roof. + +You spot a sign behind the sporadically scorched chain link fence, pointing in five directions. +- BASIC RESEARCH (LEFT) +- APPLIED RESEARCH (LEFT) +- EXPERIMENTAL LAB (RIGHT) +- SHIPPING & RECEIVING (RIGHT) +- OFFICE (STRAIGHT AHEAD) + +*BASIC RESEARCH* +You spot several people in white labcoats through the windows, many of whom are grouped of and writing formulas or designing mechanical layouts on chalkboards. As you pass by, you ARE noticed, but they pay you no mind. + +*APPLIED RESEARCH* +You spot a mix of people in white labcoats working with people in coveralls or overalls with helmets and toolbelts, both working together to physically build several objects of varying shapes and sizes. + +*EXPERIMENTAL LAB* +You witness several flashes of light from within the windows. When the blinding light subsides, you see a myriad of scientists, mechanics, people in suits, and even Thunder Force officers inside. They look to be testing different pieces of equipment and objects for multiple purposes. + +*SHIPPING & RECEIVING* +This looks like your standard loading & unloading vehicle dock you've seen a million times before, except that it has six different ports available for vehicles, all of which are currently closed behind a steel roll-up door. + +*OFFICE* +You don't see any windows on this particular building, but it is the only one with a door you can access. + +Inside is very simple, just a concierge desk and a few doors leading further inside the building, as well as doors marked BASIC on the left and SHIPPING & RECEIVING on the right. The walls are a basic white, but the room is well lit, and there is someone waving you down at the desk. + +A chameleon man with short blonde hair in a red dress shirt greets you at the desk, his eyes flicking back and forth between all of you, his gold nametag reading ELEAZAR. "Oh good good, you made it! Appreciate your time, Officers. Please follow me." + +He walks you through the door marked SHIPPING & RECEIVING, where you see a large open concrete space with yellow and white guiding lines, as well as several large wooden crates. He walks over to a nearby kitchen table, right next to a small kitchenette built into the corner, complete with sink, cabinets, and fridge. "Your station is this table, the fenced in area is your patrol circle, and this is your main point of focus." + +"I'd like you to do one round an hour, paired up preferably, while the others stay here and watch the delivery. I assume you brought your own food, but there is free coffee & doughnuts if you like. And feel free to partake of any other foods you are offered, if you feel brave enough." + +Right on cue, a large flatbed truck-like vehicle suddenly backs in to the facility up to a nearby garage door, and a group of four muscled oxen men unload ten wooden crates, each one emblazoned with a burn mark in the shape of a hand. + +(NOTICE ROLL) You spot Nash with a clipboard on site, scribbling down information with a smile on his face. And he hasn't seemed to notice you. + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +When he sees you, he LITERALLY jumps three feet in the air screaming "OH FUCK" and flops on his back. "Owww..." + +*HELPING HIM UP* +"Jeez, didn't expect YOU guys to be here... wait, are you the security detail for the shipment?" + +*IF THEY CONFIRM* +"AWESOME! This is so perfect! I don't care what anyone says, Akarui is AWESOME!!!" + +He realizes he is acting a fool and straightens himself out. "Sorry, I uh... may or may not have overheard about that 'mole' situation, and since you didn't show up until AFTER that started, I gotta assume it's not you guys." + +"Those intercoms we use are kinda junky, so I hear alot of those private meetings without meaning to. Among other things..." + +He will lean in and whisper to your group, "...Apparently the King is trying to supplement his height with platform shoes on the sly..." + +*ASK WHAT HE IS DOING THERE* +"Oh, uh, right... so this is kind of a secret, but you know how we got those hydroelectric generators giving Diadem power, right? Well, my dad was an engineer here. He helped create the hole through the Diadem floor like 10 years ago, and he had a dream we MIGHT be able to use that to escape from this place." + +"But since we're on an island in the middle of the ocean, going out through the hole is a bit of a suicide mission. So, we need a safety vessel. Some scientists and I proposed this idea about two years ago to King Akarui that we could build like... a test submarine and see if it could descend far enough to get out, make it to some nearby land, and then get some actual help!" + +"And he finally approved it a month ago! Full ride budget and everything! This here is the last of the shipments of raw material we need to make a test sub. We're thinking a twenty man vessel would be enough to get ourselves into the outside world. Can you believe it???" + +"All I gotta do is get this to the secure location this evening, and we can finally finish building it. We might just be making history." + +*WHY NOT SOONER* +"You would be surprised how hard it is to rent a truck in this city, let alone an industrial flatbed big enough to handle THIS workload. That jackass that runs the dealership is such a pain." + +He looks up to a clock on the wall. "Oh shoot, I'm out of time. King Akarui only gave me an hour to come check on stuff. I'll see you guys later!" He pauses and turns around with a cheeky grin. "...or if this works, maybe not?" ;D + +----- + +The shift itself goes completely smoothly without a bump in the road. The crates sit there completely untouched the entire time, and you get to meet a few of the mechanics & scientists as they pass through to check on other shipments coming and going. + +Your rounds are completely uneventful, but the scientists at the facility are nice, at least those that notice you. The mechanics on the other hand give some of you some... 'flattering compliments.' + +Around 5:30pm, you see an all new flatbed truck pull in to the docking area. This time, you see a dozen much more normal sized men approach, with a human in a leather jacket and slicked back brown hair walking in front. "We're uh.. we're here for the special shipment?" + +(EMPATHY ROLL VS DECEIVE ROLL) +*IF PLAYERS PASS* These guys are not dressed right, are fidgeting like hell, and the one in front can't even look you in the eye properly. + +One of them will suddenly pull out a gun, aiming it right at (Player who beat roll)'s forehead. All eleven of the others will run in, going for the boxes. + +*IF THEY RESIST* +They will hear a familiar voice shout "DON'T EVEN TRY IT!" + +They will turn to see LUCKY the ram with the chameleon in his arms, a gold dagger against his throat. "YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP, BUG-EYES IS DEAD." + +*IF THEY RESIST A SECOND TIME* +A familiar scent of burning ozone will appear behind (player), a gun pressed against (PLAYER's) back. "Braver than I expected. Unfortunate." + +The rest of the party sees someone new behind you, a man inside of what looks like a modified motorcycle outfit. The shoulders, arms from elbow down, and legs from knee down are layered in thick blue padding ridges. The rest is standard black, including the elongated motorcycle helmet with a white letter A on the front above the shaded eye visor. + +*IF THAT PLAYER PLAYER RESISTS* +The new person will counter, pinning that player to the ground with lightning speed. He will quickly turn to the others and shout "HURRY UP!" + +*IF ANYONE ATTACKS HIM* +(Make a legit ATHLETICS roll, but if they do poorly, recommend they spend a FATE point to improve or redo the roll, you need them to either hit or match this one) +He tries to block your attack, but because he was a bit distracted, he wasn't quite able to perfectly stop it. It smacks the front of his helmet, cracking it open to reveal part of his face. + +You see dark fur, possibly brown or black, and you see a deep brown eye with a small rounded scar under it. + +He covers his face quickly, then speeds to the truck, the Marauders finished getting the crates inside. The truck peels off into the road at lightning speed, almost hitting a few other vehicles along the way. + +However, they have left LUCKY behind, still holding the chameleon hostage. "... they just left me..." + +He suddenly lowers himself onto his knees, staring at the place the truck used to be. "I did everything they asked... I escaped prison multiple times... and they STILL left me behind..." + +He finally releases the chameleon and the knife, just staring at the floor. "He promised he... he was gonna get me off the island... and he just left me behind... again..." + +*THE GUY IN THE OUTFIT?* +"NOT ACE, HIS BOSS! OUR BOSS! EVERYONE'S BOSS!" He slams his fists in the ground in frustration. "HE PROMISED ME MY FREEDOM!!!" + +*WHO IS HE* +He will look up to your group, tears streaming down his cheeks. "The Crooked King." + +(Let them determine how the sequence of events goes from here) +(Recommend they contact Harken to send troops for a pickup) + +----- + +THAT EVENING +THUNDER FORCE HEADQUARTERS +HARKEN'S OFFICE + +Harken is pacing behind his desk, deep in frustration. "This task was supposed to be simple. Material arrives, we guard it, material gets picked up. Instead, tomorrow's headline will read that a hostage situation resulted in the theft of the entire shipment of research and building materials under our watch." + +IF THEY OBJECT +He somewhat loudly places one hand on the desk, rubbing his eyes with the other. "I know what happened. Fact is, you followed your orders perfectly to a tee, you defended an innocent from harm in a hostage situation, and you proved you value lives over cold hard metal. You even re-captured LUCKY, AND got him to cooperate for the first time ever. He has literally given up, and told us everything he knows." + +He pulls out a folder, slaps it on the table, and pulls out a few documents. "We finally have a genuine profile of LUCKY now. His real name is Levi, and he is the younger brother of the HOA representative, Anais. Which she never mentioned in any of her personnel files, so we are assuming he is estranged." + +"We also have solid intel on their organization. What we thought were random acts of thuggery were coordinated and strategic from the start. Their overall goal is to cause colossal amounts of property damage in pre-arranged strikes across the city, specifically to spread forces and finances thin on the cleanup. Based on this, we assume their goal is to either bankrupt the city or make it uninhabitable, possibly both." + +"We have confirmation of an active general, the man with the A on the helmet. ACE, as Lucky calls him. He uses lightning magic to move same as we do, and eyewitness reports claim he physically mirrors our combat style. It is safe to assume he is also the mole within the Thunder Force." + +"They purposely keep their numbers small and easy to manage, forty actual members, including these Generals, all under the Crooked King. Levi says it's a numerical tier system between two and ten, with no more than four per number. They treat it like a goddamn game." + +"They send groups of four with the same number as teams with a new entrant in tow, and sometimes add a wild card member. Usually Levi because he has a Regalia, and rumor has it one of the Generals has one too." + +*WHY NOT ONE TO TEN?* +"They refer to ONEs as entry level rookies, they don't even count as members. ZEROs are Non-Marauders, like being a part of them makes you inherently better. And if you're arrested, you're considered a ZERO and have to start all over again." + +*WHERE IS HIS REGALIA* +"It's in evidence. I know you need it to complete your mission, and we will get it to you soon." + +"The biggest issue is this... Crooked King. Noone knows who he is, but he is the mastermind behind the Marauders. He picks whom to recruit & when, supplies the coin for their weapons, coordinates every attack, dictates the ranking system, and provides them with THESE." He places the gold dagger LUCKY had on the table inside a glass evidence container. + +"This is career defining evidence. If it were anyone else, you would have a fucking parade in your honor. But due to these... unfortunate circumstances, the public will choose to ignore those positives, as will the media. And I theorize that was the Marauders' plan, to force the population to lose faith in you." + +IF THEY ARE NOT TF +"Worst of all, given you were wearing our uniforms, they will assume you are with us, which doubly complicates the matter." + +"(Regardless if you are Thunder Force or not,) They will expect some form of punishment for your 'failure' to protect the shipment. And as third commander, I have to take some form of action, if nothing else to show we are not showing favoritism. 'Firing' you would be too harsh, and a slap on the wrist would be too easy." + +He grabs a handful of papers, quickly scribbles some information down, turns them around, and passes them to your group. "This is a form stating you are being taken off active duty and placed on two weeks paid leave, effective immediately." + +*IF THEY INTERRUPT* +"During this time, all activities, including but not limited to any & all criminal syndicate altercations, cannot and will not be associated directly with the Thunder Force. They will instead be seen as the activities of a group of rogue REGALIA HUNTERS working to save the people of Diadem from their imprisoned fate, no different than those that attempted before." + +"And if, within those fourteen days, you manage to gather them all and free the people, well... I doubt anyone would care about this debacle anymore, and you may even become... heroes again. But THAT is information I, and the Thunder Force, cannot and will not be responsible for OR associated with during your two week paid leave." He gives you something of a sly smile. + +*IF THEY ARE TF* +"Now this does mean I will require your badges for the next two weeks." + +He will walk behind you and open the door for you. "You are all dismissed." + +When you step out of his office, you see the entirety of the Thunder Force now standing at attention, forming two lines on either side of your group, all facing inward shoulder to shoulder, aiming right for the door. + +Harken stands behind you, in a militant pose. He doesn't say a word, but instead gives a good old fashioned salute. And the other Thunder Force officers around you have joined you in the same salute. + +Once you leave, the doors slam behind you, leaving you as free agents with a convenient paycheck. + +(IF THEY GO TO ANY BUSINESSES, THE PEOPLE MAY TREAT THEM DIFFERENTLY) +(THAT WILL BE UP TO YOUR DISCRETION) + +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- + +(START THE NEXT DAY WITH THIS SEGMENT) + +You are met with a phone call the next morning. + +*IF THEY ANSWER* +It is a female voice you don't recognize, asking you to come to the Capitol and meet with the King. He has a favor to ask of you, and requests your presence ASAP. Before you get more than two words out, she will hang up. + +Upon arrival, you are greeted by a Parakeet woman with a long swooping head of blond hair in a lime green dress sitting at Nash's desk, her gold nametag reading CIRCE, and she does not look happy. + +"I assume you to be the Kings of Kings, yes? Please follow me." She marches you quickly through the office area and right to King Akarui's door. No kindness, no nonsense, just professionalism. + +Once inside, you see a concerned Akarui stamping documents. Circe practically pushes you in the office, and shuts the door. Akarui pauses for a moment and drops the stamp, looking up to your group. "Oh good, you're here. So... I heard about what happened at the hostage situation. And your 'punishment' for it." + +*COMPLAIN* +He raises a hand. "I know exactly what happened, and frankly, I'm pleased with what you did. You saved an innocent life, and the life of every person in that facility. The metal can be replaced, albeit it'll take some time. Budget and all that. Which, ironically, brings me to the reason you are here." + +"Kings of Kings, I know this is a bit pedestrian of me to ask of you, but I'd like you to do a wellness check on Nash. He's not answering the phone, and the Thunder Force has their hands full with actual criminals." + +"When he came in this morning, I let him know the metal for his project was stolen, and... well, he looked like the sound of glass hitting the floor. I gave him the rest of the week off, but based on what I saw... I'd love some peace of mind." + +----- + +*WHY DOES HE CARE SO MUCH* +He grips his chair arm tight enough to make the wood creak. "It's complicated... did I mention I'm an immigrant?" + +"My team and I, the Chamberlins, came here ten years ago. There was no Marauder threat at the time, so the Thunder Force was just a police force. There was so little to do, they encouraged us to interact with the Demense Masters on slow days. We begged for an actual assignment instead of these do-nothing tasks." + +"Six months later, we finally got our first REAL assignment. We were asked to guard a pair of scientists, a Mr. and Mrs. Raposa, whom were working on a special project with a small team of other scientists." + +"When we got there, they asked us to keep an eye on their son, an angsty Goth punk of seventeen. Their words, not mine. I personally took that responsibility, and tailed him everywhere he went. And he was SURPRISINGLY good at getting away from me." + +"That day... something went wrong... they turned it on, and it exploded... it took both Raposa's lives... And their sone disappeared... I thought he was gone too... In every way imaginable, I failed my first mission... Sound familiar?" + +"He turned up a week later, in his own home. And he was... different. He looked... broken. But I promised his parents I would keep an eye on him, and him reappearing that day meant I still had a chance to do that." + +"I walked away from the team, decided to be something far more influential. Ended up in the running to be the next Ruler. It let me have an active hand in all future projects, so I could minimize the risks of THAT ever happening again. And... every ruler needs an aide." + +*YOU GAVE HIM A JOB AS YOUR AIDE* +"He didn't NEED my help for that one, he earned that one fair and square. But I do let him slide on things from time to time." + +----- +*IF THEY DONT LIVE IN THE GATED COMMUNITY* +He hands you a folded document with a stamp on top reading FROM THE DESK OF KING AKARUI. "The guards there are likely to be an issue. This will get you in. Please don't lose it." +----- + +- GATED COMMUNITY +----- +*IF THEY DONT LIVE THERE* +As you approach, you see the massive neighborhood from outside the ten foot metal fence. The homes closest to the gate are all at least TRIPLE the size of the homes in the Residential district, as are the properties they sit on, and they only get bigger as you look closer to the center. The lawns are trimmed, the fences are painted, and several have animal-shaped ornamental bushes being maintained by landscapers right now. + +You finally find the one and only gated entryway, guarded by a pair of Doberman Thunder Force, one brown and one black, both with neatly shaved black hair and sunglasses. They both see your group coming and the brown one asks in a German accent, "How may ve help you today?" + +*IF PRESENTING PAPER* +The brown one will open it so they can both read over it and start sniffing over it excitedly. The black one will wince a bit and shake his head. "Vell, ze scent matches ze king bird, so zis is legit. Danke for ze papers, you may pass." +----- + +The guards pull open the steel gate on wheels for your group, waving at you as you go by. + +(EITHER WAY) +Before you go more than ten feet inside, Andrei (the black one) calls out "VAIT! (Are you here to visit ze Mr. Nash?!)" + +He waves a slip of paper at you with a different address than the one you were given. "Ze Mr. Nash is at ze family home due to renovations." + +Bruno (the brown one) adds "He asked us to tell ze delivery people." + +They both chuckle at each other with big shit eating grins, and Andrei comments "Ja ja, especially ze pretty little wolf girl~" + +They chuckle before clearing their throats before Bruno comments "Uh but.. given ze circumstances, I am sure ze Mr. Nash vill understand." + +----- + +When you reach the property you are looking for, all the other homes are put to shame. + +The house is easily three floors, has a colossal front yard, a massive bird bath, perfectly trimmed bushes along the immaculately painted fences, a multiple car garage with Nash's car parked in front of it, and even a chandelier style light hanging from the porch. + +*IF THEY KNOCK* +It takes a few seconds, but you eventually see Nash greet you at the door, and he looks exactly like how King Akarui described. + +His ears that were always perked are slumped against his head, his chipper smile looks like it was manually pulled downward, and you could even swear his fur looks less colorful. But at least his hair looks brushed, sorta. When he sees your group, he perks up slightly. "Oh.. hey guys.. you wanna come in?" + +*INSIDE* +The place looks almost too immaculate, the cushions on the furniture all look borderline unused, and there is zero dust on anything that you can see. But the lights are on, even if it is just the living room. + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) There are no pictures on the walls either, even though there is clear evidence there used to be. The only real furniture is the roaring fireplace and a couple pillows & large couches in front of it. + +"Sorry about the mess, I uh... kinda just... didn't feel like going upstairs to any of the bedrooms." + +*MENTION KING WAS WORRIED* +"He was.. worried about me? I just thought he didn't wanna deal with me being upset, but.. huh. That... makes me feel better knowing he cares." + +*ASK ABOUT HOUSE* +"Well technically it's not MY house, it was my parents'. I inherited it when they died. It's a bit much for me, so I stay at my own place down the street. But I come here once in a while to keep the place clean and... ya know... remember." + +*WHY SO UPSET* +"My dad... he was an immigrant here, and when he found out he was trapped, he made it his life's mission to get out. One based in science and technology, not magic. He despised the rules as much as Akarui does. He and my mom made the first drill to get out of Diadem. + +But during their first actual test, the drill... exploded. And they both died. I made it my life's goal to resume his plan, if for no other reason than in their memory. And after the theft, well... the entire project is on hold for a bit until they get a replacement shipment. + +I just... I waited so long, ya know? I got the approval, then the supplies started coming in, I was so happy. Finding out they got stolen... It was crushing. I fully planned to work through the pain too, just like before, but... I guess King thought I needed a break instead. And he might've been right." + +*WHY HERE & NOT YOUR HOUSE* +"I was having my home renovated, wanted one of those underground car garages put in. I'm afraid my car might get stolen, even in here. The noise complaints Anais has been jumping on Akarui about... those are her trying to get me in trouble." + +*WHY GET YOU IN TROUBLE* +"Got me, but I think it bugs her that Akarui is lenient with me, but treats her poorly, comparatively. She works hard, but she's also a bitch and a control freak. Uh... but you didn't hear that from me." + +*NO MORE QUESTIONS* +"Well... thanks alot for stopping by guys, I honestly feel alot better getting all of that out of my system. I'll give Akarui a call later and apologize. But for right now, I think I just need to... ya know... sleep this all off." + +He stands up and walks you guys to the door, offering a handshake to anyone that wants it. + +(NOTICE ROLL) Through the nearby window, you can see him slowly shuffle his way back to the pile of pillows and flop into them face first. + +*IF THEY WANNA SEE NASH'S REAL HOME* +You spot a house in the direction Nash pointed out with several stacks of metal sitting in front of the hole. Each one is covered by a fabric tarp of some kind, and the hole in the ground is easily twice as big as the vehicle he drives. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/--OPTIONAL-TF-COMMANDERS.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/--OPTIONAL-TF-COMMANDERS.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8009dc4 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/--OPTIONAL-TF-COMMANDERS.txt @@ -0,0 +1,82 @@ +*THUNDER FORCE* +*OPTIONAL BOSS* + +The facility is relatively unchanged. Officers walking around inside and out in various manner of uniform, the smell of ozone lingering on clothing & in the open air, and plenty of people wearing sunglasses indoors. + +----- + +(If branch office) +You get the attention of a deer man with a red buzzcut & trimmed antlers, his silver nametag reading MUSA. "Hey, aren't you the Kings of Kings?" + +*LOOKING FOR COMMANDERS* +"If you're looking for the three Commanders, Harken is in his office and is not to be disturbed. Something about a break in the Marauder case. But Jensen and Valeos should be at the main office in the Temple Demense running training drills." + +----- + +(If main office) +The second you step through the gate, you hear yelling and gunfire coming from your left, in the training grounds. + +You spot Commanders Jensen and Valeos, barking orders at a group of trainees currently crawling through the obstacle course, many of whom aren't doing very well. Many are tangled in ropes, stuck in barbed wire, or just can't quite get over the wall. + +When the Commaners spot your group, they call out "TRAINEES, LINE UP," causing them all to stop their various activities and form a line, arms at their sides and staring forward. + +Both commanders slowly walk around the group of trainees in opposite directions, but Jensen speaks first. "Compared to how you did during your interviews, you are all showing marked improvement. But improvement does not equal ready." + +Valeos chimes in. "You are all expected to wear your uniforms with pride and confidence. These people depend on you for not just countering the Marauders, but also for maintaining the peace. Be the reason they are confident in all of us." + +They both speak in unison. "DISMISSED!" Half the trainees run straight for the building while the other half collapse on the ground in exhaustion. The commanders begin to glow silver across their uniforms before disappearing from view, leaving streaks in the open air and landing right behind your group. + +Both of them smile and extend their hands to shake all of yours, as Jensen comments "Good to see you again, Kings of Kings. Decided to drop in on our training session?" + +*CHALLENGE FIGHT* +You see Valeos grin and turn to Jensen. "Looks like you owe me 50z." + +Jensen just rolls her eyes and pitches him a coin, before he catches it and continues. "We were expecting you. Come inside, the training grounds were just broken in." + +You didn't notice before, but there are some minor differences. The metal in the obstacle course is fresh, the barbed wire looks brand new, and the wood has been re-treated for weather. The wall on the far side for breaching simulations even has a fresh coat of paint. + +Jensen stops your group in front of the freshly painted building and smiles. "So here's the deal. We REALLY wanted to get Harken in on this, but he has been under a mountain of paperwork with these Marauder incidents." + +Valeos chimes in. "Well that's what he gets for stationing himself in the branch office." + +Jensen rolls her eyes and continues, "So your opponents will be the two of us. And since we're such nice people, we thought we'd offer a little incentive." + +Valeos chimes in. "You manage to beat us, we let you raid the storage area of confiscated and impounded effects that were never reclaimed. We usually auction them off and put the proceeds toward the city, but they'd probably be better in your hands than someone else's." + +Jensen follows up. "Don't think that means we'll take it easy on you, either. We both have a decade of combat experience in Diadem alone, AND were trained by the Demense Master himself." + +Jensen pulls out a rifle and Valeos pulls out a pair of tonfa, both taking combat positions. "Prepare yourselves." + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +(IF THEY LOSE) +Jensen and Valeos both stand before you, panting and shaky, covered in all manner of bruises and blood. Jensen puts her hand on Valeos' back, both supporting him and using the little mana she has left to give him some meaningful healing. + +The two walk forward together, but Jensen speaks. "It genuinely surprises me you didn't bring those skills to the Thunder Force sooner. HRG..." She pauses to cough hard and spit up a mouthful of blood. + +Valeos pulls out a healing potion and forces her to drink it, himself healed enough to stand up fully. "I believe we are in need of a trip to the hospital after that one, just to be safe. Would all of you like to come as well? At the Thunder Force's expense, of course." He gives a toothy grin, revealing he is missing a few teeth after that fight. + +(IF THEY WIN) +Both Commanders lie on their backs in the dirt, both still breathing, but in TERRIBLE shape. You hear Valeos manage to turn his head to your group. "Damn... we haven't fought that hard since basic training with Judge Fulmo..." + +Jensen continues to stare at the sky. "Got that right. I can't feel my legs anymore..." She struggles to laugh but winces and shakily holds her stomach. + +From behind you, the sudden yelling of DOZENS of voices approaches rapidly. + +You see a literal ARMY of Thunder Force, charged with emotion AND electricity, heading right for you. And they do NOT look happy. And the sky is mirroring their energy, as a rumbling storm seems to be following them. + +Just before they reach you, an explosive bolt of lightning strikes the ground between your group & the approaching officers, leaving Fulmo behind as it dissipates. This time, he's wearing casual clothing of a grayscale turtleneck sweater over black pants and basic dress shoes. + +This IMMEDIATELY puts a stop to the advancement, causing every able bodied officer to stand and salute. Fulmo looks to your group, removes his sunglasses to reveal his electrically charged icy blues, and sighs a bit. "I do not enjoy watching my men fight needlessly, nuch less lose, but that was a spectacle to be admired. You all fought with conviction and pride, and I commend you for that." + +He looks down to the two commanders lying in a heap, weakly attempting to salute him from on the ground. "As for you two... my only complaint is you authorized them to take confiscated items without clearing it with me first. There will be repercussions for not following code of conduct. But, that will be a discussion for another day." + +He approaches them both and picks them both up, carrying each one easily on each shoulder. "I will deliver them to the hospital. You have my authority to use our nurse's station to treat your wounds, then you may claim your prizes." + +His body charges with electricity and he disappears from view, leaving a scorch mark several yards long, right through the gate. You can't even see how or when he hopped the fence. + +The nurse's station largely resembles a high school nurse's office, except the other Officers are the ones running it. You find multiple first aid kits & various singular supplies from them, as well as multiple healing potions in a cabinet. + +(When it comes to them finding the weapons and items they may claim as prizes, offer them new weapons that are 1DMG higher, magic rings, shields, and/or any other wearable items) + +(If they are not satisfied with this, offer them a vehicle 'conveniently' housed in a secondary space) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/-BODYGUARDS.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/-BODYGUARDS.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff03206 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/-BODYGUARDS.txt @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ +(THESE ARE TO BE USED IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE, BUT ARE MEANT TO HAPPEN AFTER WINNING THEIR FIRST, THIRD, FIFTH, SEVENTH, NINTH, AND ELEVENTH REGALIA) + +(AFTER THE CONVERSATION, INVOKE/COMPEL THE "REGALIA HOLDER" ASPECT(S) ON THEIR CHARACTER SHEET(S), AND OFFER A FATE POINT IF THEY ACCEPT, BUT OFFER TO SKIP THE FIGHT NARRATIVELY IF THEY WANT TO SPEND A FATE POINT INSTEAD) + +(ALL ENCOUNTER CHARACTERS ARE SET AT LV2 (BARRING CHILDREN), BUT IF THE PLAYERS ARE AT LV4, ADD +1 TO EVERY ROLL TO SIMULATE LV3 (BARRING CHILDREN)) + +(IF THE PLAYER(S) LOSE, THE CHALLENGER(S) WILL TAKE THE REGALIA. IF THE REGALIA IS FROM THE DEMENSE THEY ARE FROM, THEY WILL RETURN IT TO THE DEMENSE MASTER, AND THE PLAYERS HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMENSE MASTER AGAIN TO EARN IT BACK. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL NEED TO SEEK OUT THE PERSON THEY FOUGHT AND FIGHT THEM AGAIN.) + +----- GARUN & LANCER + +You hear a pair of clicks and two of you each feel... something long and metal pressing into your backs. One voice calmly states "Don't move." + +A second voice speaks. "We are looking for the Regalia hunters known as the Kings of Kings." + +*CONFIRM* +Both metal objects are taken away, and two people step around your group. You see Garun & Lancer, the bodyguards of Miranda herself, putting a pair of pistols away. Lancer speaks first. "Oh... it's you. Had we known YOU were our targets, we would have used a different approach. + +- (IF THEY HAVE STAR SCOURGE) +Garun follows up. "We understand you have acquired Madam Miranda's regalia. I'm sure you understand how valuable such a treasure is, and for someone in our line of work, we are obligated to keep it safe, no different than her." + +- (IF THEY DONT) +Garun follows up. "We understand you have acquired a regalia of your own. Understand that we have spent an excessive amount of time by Madam Miranda's side, and do not agree with the idea that YOU are the most qualified to handle an item on par with hers." + +- (EITHER WAY) +They both pull out their pistols and aim them at your group, and Lancer speaks. "As such, we are here to challenge you and put it back in the more capable hands of its rightful owner." + +LANCER | 20HP | 20MP | 1 MVMT ++5 ACADEMICS ++4 FIGHT ++3 MANA ++2 ATHLETICS PHYSIQUE ++1 CONTACTS EMPATHY WILL +(RESIST WATER / WEAK FIRE) +ONLY USE WATER SPELLS +PISTOL (2DMG)(DUAL-WIELD) +BATTLEAXE (3DMG)(TWO-HANDED) + +GARUN | 20HP | 0MP | 2 MVMT ++5 FIGHT ++4 SHOOT ++3 ATHLETICS ++2 DRIVE PHYSIQUE ++1 CONTACTS EMPATHY WILL +(RESIST FIRE / WEAK WATER) +MACE (2DMG) (FLEXIBLE) +PISTOL (2DMG)(DUAL-WIELD) +BATTLEAXE (3DMG)(TWO-HANDED) diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/-CHILDREN.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/-CHILDREN.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ee72ea --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/-CHILDREN.txt @@ -0,0 +1,72 @@ +(THESE ARE TO BE USED IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE, BUT ARE MEANT TO HAPPEN AFTER WINNING THEIR FIRST, THIRD, FIFTH, SEVENTH, NINTH, AND ELEVENTH REGALIA) + +(AFTER THE CONVERSATION, INVOKE/COMPEL THE "REGALIA HOLDER" ASPECT(S) ON THEIR CHARACTER SHEET(S), AND OFFER A FATE POINT IF THEY ACCEPT, BUT OFFER TO SKIP THE FIGHT NARRATIVELY IF THEY WANT TO SPEND A FATE POINT INSTEAD) + +(ALL ENCOUNTER CHARACTERS ARE SET AT LV2 (BARRING CHILDREN), BUT IF THE PLAYERS ARE AT LV4, ADD +1 TO EVERY ROLL TO SIMULATE LV3 (BARRING CHILDREN)) + +(IF THE PLAYER(S) LOSE, THE CHALLENGER(S) WILL TAKE THE REGALIA. IF THE REGALIA IS FROM THE DEMENSE THEY ARE FROM, THEY WILL RETURN IT TO THE DEMENSE MASTER, AND THE PLAYERS HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMENSE MASTER AGAIN TO EARN IT BACK. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL NEED TO SEEK OUT THE PERSON THEY FOUGHT AND FIGHT THEM AGAIN.) + +----- FIVE CHILDREN + +(NOTICE Roll) +You hear child-like voices laughing nearby and hear small footsteps running around. There's a group of five children running around, playing swordfighting with sticks in the road nearby. + +*IF THEY ASK* (DO NOT SAY THE NAMES) +- Abigail: Gazelle girl with red hat & blue shirt +- Wally: Blonde wallaby boy in orange hoodie +- Kuki: Black hair Crane girl in green sweater +- Hogarth: Hippo boy in blue shirt & aviator mask +- Nigel: Bald seal boy with shades & red shirt + +The seal boy and wallaby boy are fighting at this moment, while the two girls are watching and the hippo boy is acting as referee. + +Despite it being children, it is a decent spectacle. The seal is running around and shooting marbles from a slingshot, while the wallabee is dodging some and knocking the others away with a pair of sticks. + +The seal boy dives in with a kick and breaks both sticks on impact, which makes the wallaby boy mad, and they go full fist fight. You could ALMOST swear they knew kung fu by the way they move, as neither one is landing a decisive hit. + +Until the seal boy launches one last kick and the wallaby boy throws one more punch, both hitting each other hard enough to knock them back. Which is when they stop, realizing they have an audience. IE, your group. + +(Seal boy will be off-put they are adults) +(Hippo boy will be curious about their weapons) +(Crane girl will compliment any females or mages) +(Wallaby boy will get excited seeing a FIGHTer) +(Gazelle girl will call any STEALTH user cool) + +The seal boy eventually gives in and introduces themselves properly. Nigel stares at your grup intensely for a moment, pulling down his shades to finally reveal his eyes. He finally recognizes you all and blurts out "THEY'RE THE KINGS OF KINGS!" + +This excites ALL the children and they start bombarding you with questions, as though they were your biggest fans. + +Hogarth asks what that cool looking weapon is, referring to your Regalia. + +These children stare in awe at it, commenting they've never seen one up close, and want to use it for themselves. + +*IF THEY SAY NO* +The children all pounce on the one holding it, each one hanging on to a different limb, while Nigel attempts to pry the regalia from your hand. + +*AFTER THE FAILED ATTEMPT* +All the children line up together in a weird battle formation, and they all seem mad or disappointment. Nigel declares "Fine! If that's how it is, we'll fight you for it! + +(ALL CHILDREN ARE LV0 AND HAVE SKILLS ALL AT +0) +(BUT EACH HAS 5HP & THE FOLLOWING ARE ALL AT +1) + +NIGEL | +1 SHOOT & ATHLETICS | SLINGSHOT +- STUNT: SHOOT SLINGSHOT AT ALL ENEMIES + +HOGARTH | +1 CRAFT & DRIVE | SMALL VEHICLE +- STUNT: MAKE STICK WEAPONS FOR TEAM + +KUKI | +1 ACADEMICS & MANA | 1HP BAND-AIDS +- STUNT: DODGE ONE FIGHT/SHOOT/ACAEMICS FOR FREE + +WALLY | +1 FIGHT & PHYSIQUE | FISTS & FEET +- STUNT: ATTACK + JUMP TO NEXT ZONE + +ABIGAIL | +1 STEALTH & RAPPORT | THROWABLE HAT +- STUNT: DUAL WIELD WITH STEALTH + +GROUP STUNT: BATTLESTATIONS +- Make a single FIGHT roll against all opponents +- This roll has a base FIGHT score of +5, 1 per child +- This attack does 3DMG on HIT or 1DMG on MATCH + +(GIVE THE PLAYERS A CHANCE TO SAVE THE KIDS) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/-COWBOYS.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/-COWBOYS.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a5ad7e6 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/-COWBOYS.txt @@ -0,0 +1,102 @@ +(THESE ARE TO BE USED IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE, BUT ARE MEANT TO HAPPEN AFTER WINNING THEIR FIRST, THIRD, FIFTH, SEVENTH, NINTH, AND ELEVENTH REGALIA) + +(AFTER THE CONVERSATION, INVOKE/COMPEL THE "REGALIA HOLDER" ASPECT(S) ON THEIR CHARACTER SHEET(S), AND OFFER A FATE POINT IF THEY ACCEPT, BUT OFFER TO SKIP THE FIGHT NARRATIVELY IF THEY WANT TO SPEND A FATE POINT INSTEAD) + +(ALL ENCOUNTER CHARACTERS ARE SET AT LV2 (BARRING CHILDREN), BUT IF THE PLAYERS ARE AT LV4, ADD +1 TO EVERY ROLL TO SIMULATE LV3 (BARRING CHILDREN)) + +(IF THE PLAYER(S) LOSE, THE CHALLENGER(S) WILL TAKE THE REGALIA. IF THE REGALIA IS FROM THE DEMENSE THEY ARE FROM, THEY WILL RETURN IT TO THE DEMENSE MASTER, AND THE PLAYERS HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMENSE MASTER AGAIN TO EARN IT BACK. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL NEED TO SEEK OUT THE PERSON THEY FOUGHT AND FIGHT THEM AGAIN.) + +----- MONTANA + +You hear thunderous footsteps approaching in the distance. No... not thunderous, more like... stampeding? + +From around the corner you see three familiar looking cow men on horseback galloping toward you, only slowing down when they are a few yards away. The riders step off, revealing themselves to be Montana, Kid, and Dakota. Montana steps up first. "Howdy, been a while since ya'll stopped by!" + +- (IF THEY WON ARLEDGE'S REGALIA) +"We thought we'd stop by and congratulate ya'll on winnin' our favorite farmhand's regalia. Thang's been outta his hands fer... ten years and change? Ain't seen it before m'self, any chance we can take a peek at it?" + +- (IF THEY HAVENT YET) +"Word on the street's ya'll're makin' a name fer yerselves. Huntin' regalia an' such, even winnin' a few. That true?" + +*CONFIRM* +"Well sunuva gun, that's mighty impressive. Won't lie though, I'd love ta try my hand at earnin' one o' those myself. Fancy givin' an ol' sheriff a shot at the big time?" + +He pulls out a pair of unusual looking pistols, each with a tall & narrow barrel. "Let's Rodeo!" +(these are shuriken revolvers that fire tin stars) + +----- + +*IF MULTIPLE CHARACTERS WANT TO FIGHT* +Kid suddenly marches in. "Now hold yer horses, that ain't a fair fight!" + +Dakota walks in beside him, arms crossed. "Kid's Right. Fer Once." + +Montana re-holsters his pistols. "As it says in the Code of the West, 'give yer enemy a fightin' chance.' How about we even the odds? All of us against all ya'll?" + +*ACCEPT* +Kid gives an enthusiastic YEEHAW and pulls out his lasso, as Dakota cracks his knuckles loudly enough for your group to hear. + +----- + +MONTANA | HP 25 | MP 0 | MVMT 2 ++5 SHOOT ++4 ATHLETICS ++3 PHYSIQUE ++2 DRIVE RAPPORT ++1 EMPATHY WILL + +(RESIST LIFE / WEAK DEATH) +HORSE (NAME: CYCLONE) +STAR SHOOTER PISTOL x2 (2DMG)(DUAL-WIELD)(RELOAD-UNLIMITED) + +STUNT: TRICK STAR SHOT +- Pay 1 MVMT: cover (SHOOT SCORE) ZONES in star caltrops +- Deals 1DMG when a player enters/leaves zone + +STUNT: DISARM SHOT +- SHOOT ATTACK action, does not do DMG +- Removes weapon/item currently being held on HIT/MATCH +- Weapon/Item now pinned to ground, requires 1 MVMT to pick up + +----- + +DAKOTA | HP 35 | MP 0 | MVMT 2 ++5 PHYSIQUE ++4 DRIVE ++3 ATHLETICS ++2 EMPATHY FIGHT ++1 CONTACTS WILL + +(RESIST LIFE / WEAK DEATH) +HORSE (NAME: REBEL) +FISTS (1DMG)(DUAL-WIELD) + +STUNT: STRONG BUT SILENT +- Add PHYSIQUE score to FIGHT rolls + +STUNT: HIS PRECIOUS HAT +- Every 5HP he loses increases his FIST DMG by 1 + +----- + +KID | HP 20 | MP 0 | MVMT 2 ++5 ATHLETICS ++4 DRIVE ++3 PHYSIQUE ++2 CONTACTS EMPATHY ++1 DECEIVE RAPPORT WILL + +(RESIST LIFE / WEAK DEATH) +HORSE (NAME: JEZEBEL) +LASSO/ROPE (1DMG)(TWO-HANDED)(REACH) + +STUNT: LASSO TACTICS +- ITEM ACTION : ATHLETICS VS ATHLETICS/STEALTH +- HIT/MATCH : Bind enemy in a lasso (Hogtied style) +- BOUND Target cannot use AIM action until YOUR next turn + +STUNT: SWING YER PARTNER +- PHYSIQUE ATTACK action using BOUND player as REACH weapon +- HIT/MATCH: Deals (BOUND character's LV) on HIT/MATCH to TARGET & BOUND CHARACTER +- BOUND TARGET automatically freed after + diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/-JEKHYRA.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/-JEKHYRA.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f7bf18a --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/-JEKHYRA.txt @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ +(THESE ARE TO BE USED IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE, BUT ARE MEANT TO HAPPEN AFTER WINNING THEIR FIRST, THIRD, FIFTH, SEVENTH, NINTH, AND ELEVENTH REGALIA) + +(AFTER THE CONVERSATION, INVOKE/COMPEL THE "REGALIA HOLDER" ASPECT(S) ON THEIR CHARACTER SHEET(S), AND OFFER A FATE POINT IF THEY ACCEPT, BUT OFFER TO SKIP THE FIGHT NARRATIVELY IF THEY WANT TO SPEND A FATE POINT INSTEAD) + +(ALL ENCOUNTER CHARACTERS ARE SET AT LV2 (BARRING CHILDREN), BUT IF THE PLAYERS ARE AT LV4, ADD +1 TO EVERY ROLL TO SIMULATE LV3 (BARRING CHILDREN)) + +(IF THE PLAYER(S) LOSE, THE CHALLENGER(S) WILL TAKE THE REGALIA. IF THE REGALIA IS FROM THE DEMENSE THEY ARE FROM, THEY WILL RETURN IT TO THE DEMENSE MASTER, AND THE PLAYERS HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMENSE MASTER AGAIN TO EARN IT BACK. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL NEED TO SEEK OUT THE PERSON THEY FOUGHT AND FIGHT THEM AGAIN.) + +----- JEKHYRA + +(NOTICE Roll) +You see someone yank a door off the hinges (of the *BUILDING THEY ARE GOING TO*), holding it in midair like it was no heavier than a balloon. And based on the look in her eyes, this is NOT the first time this has happened. + +*APPROACH* +Jekhyra turns to your group, and smiles wide. "Well look who it is, been meaning to meet up with you guys." She drops the door and extends her arm to fist bump. + +- (IF THEY HAVE CLIFF BREAKER) +"Well first off, congrats on winning the Cliff Breaker, meant to tell you sooner but uh... wanted to make sure Tlaloc was okay, ya know?" + +- (IF THEY DON'T) +"So word across the grapevine is you beat a demense master or two recently. AND got their Regalia. Congrats to you by the way." + +- (EITHER WAY) +"See what I don't get is, you guys aren't really super strong or anything, or at least you don't look it. These things are 'supposedly' really hard to win, but here you all are carrying it around like you bought it at the convenience store." + +She slams her left fist into the door lying on the ground, picking it up and carrying it in both hands like a large axe with no handle. "Whaddya say to a quick challenge match? One on one?" + +30 HP | 0 MP | 1 MVMT ++5 FIGHT ++4 PHYSIQUE ++3 SHOOT ++2 ATHLETICS RAPPORT ++1 EMPATHY PROVOKE WILL + +(RESIST EARTH / WEAK WIND) + +STUNT: BURLY BRAWLER +STUNT: SECOND SWING +STUNT: HEAVY GUNNER +- Can carry one 3DMG SHOOT weapon in one hand +STUNT: UNNATURAL WEAPON (3DMG) +- Can make a 3DMG melee FIGHT attack without a weapon +STUNT: KNOCK KNOCK +- Can choose to strike with a door as a two-handed FIGHT weapon in two ways +(HORIZONTALLY does 3DMG on a HIT) +(FLAT does 2DMG + 1 zone knockback on a HIT, or just knockback on a MATCH) + diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/-MORANA.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/-MORANA.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d3ddb37 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/-MORANA.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15 @@ +(THESE ARE TO BE USED IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE, BUT ARE MEANT TO HAPPEN AFTER WINNING THEIR FIRST, THIRD, FIFTH, SEVENTH, NINTH, AND ELEVENTH REGALIA) + +(AFTER THE CONVERSATION, INVOKE/COMPEL THE "REGALIA HOLDER" ASPECT(S) ON THEIR CHARACTER SHEET(S), AND OFFER A FATE POINT IF THEY ACCEPT, BUT OFFER TO SKIP THE FIGHT NARRATIVELY IF THEY WANT TO SPEND A FATE POINT INSTEAD) + +(ALL ENCOUNTER CHARACTERS ARE SET AT LV2 (BARRING CHILDREN), BUT IF THE PLAYERS ARE AT LV4, ADD +1 TO EVERY ROLL TO SIMULATE LV3 (BARRING CHILDREN)) + +(IF THE PLAYER(S) LOSE, THE CHALLENGER(S) WILL TAKE THE REGALIA. IF THE REGALIA IS FROM THE DEMENSE THEY ARE FROM, THEY WILL RETURN IT TO THE DEMENSE MASTER, AND THE PLAYERS HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMENSE MASTER AGAIN TO EARN IT BACK. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL NEED TO SEEK OUT THE PERSON THEY FOUGHT AND FIGHT THEM AGAIN.) + +----- MORANA + +You all feel a chill run up your spine, and you see your breath for a moment as the room cools significantly. (Player) feels a sudden tap on their shoulder. + +Morana smirks and stands behind you, arms crossed. "You people are surprisingly hard to find." + +"I'm gonna be straight with you, I wish to challenge you for the Mocha Verglas. I can't bring myself to challenge Whittaker for it myself, but I have no such issues with challenging someone that won it off him..~" \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/-VILLI.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/-VILLI.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..553da2a --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/-VILLI.txt @@ -0,0 +1,54 @@ +(THESE ARE TO BE USED IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE, BUT ARE MEANT TO HAPPEN AFTER WINNING THEIR FIRST, THIRD, FIFTH, SEVENTH, NINTH, AND ELEVENTH REGALIA) + +(AFTER THE CONVERSATION, INVOKE/COMPEL THE "REGALIA HOLDER" ASPECT(S) ON THEIR CHARACTER SHEET(S), AND OFFER A FATE POINT IF THEY ACCEPT, BUT OFFER TO SKIP THE FIGHT NARRATIVELY IF THEY WANT TO SPEND A FATE POINT INSTEAD) + +(ALL ENCOUNTER CHARACTERS ARE SET AT LV2 (BARRING CHILDREN), BUT IF THE PLAYERS ARE AT LV4, ADD +1 TO EVERY ROLL TO SIMULATE LV3 (BARRING CHILDREN)) + +(IF THE PLAYER(S) LOSE, THE CHALLENGER(S) WILL TAKE THE REGALIA. IF THE REGALIA IS FROM THE DEMENSE THEY ARE FROM, THEY WILL RETURN IT TO THE DEMENSE MASTER, AND THE PLAYERS HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMENSE MASTER AGAIN TO EARN IT BACK. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL NEED TO SEEK OUT THE PERSON THEY FOUGHT AND FIGHT THEM AGAIN.) + +----- VILLI + +You suddenly get the feeling you're being watched. + +(NOTICE ROLL) +You spot a pair of eyes staring at you from high (on the side of a building / in the tp of a tree) watching your every move. + + +(LET THEM FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BRING THEM DOWN) + +It's Villi, the horse rancher from the Grasslands Demense, and she looks bothered. "So... are the rumors true? Did you really win a regalia all on your own?" + +*CONFIRM* +"Show me." + +*PRESENT REGALIA* +She takes a stunned step back. "That... shouldn't be possible... Noone has won one of those in ten years... tell me how you did it. No... better than that. I want you to show me." + +She jumps back and suddenly flares nine fox tails, each one glowing lightly with a different color of magic, and pulls out a dagger, holding it underhanded. "I want to know what makes you so special." + +HP 15 | MP 30 | MVMT 1 ++5 ACADEMICS ++4 STEALTH ++3 MANA ++2 DECEIVE NOTICE ++1 CRAFTS PHYSIQUE WILL + +(RRSIST WIND / WEAK EARTH) + +(SPELLS) +LV5 EARTH +LV4 FIRE WATER +LV3 GOLD LIGHT DEATH +LV2 GOLD DARKNESS WIND EARTH +LV1 GOLD FIRE WATER LIFE SPACE + +KNIVES x10 + +STUNT: ADVANCED AWARENESS +STUNT: SHADOW STRIKE +STUNT: ASSASSINATION +STUNT: TRICKSTER FESTIVAL (DOUBLE CAST SPELLS) +STUNT: DEMON FOX'S ANNIHILATION +- ALL SPELLS TREATED AS GOLD + ANTIMAGIC +- ALL SPELLS DEAL 1DMG ON MISS/MATCH +- CANCELS ONE HIT OF EACH COLOR IN HER SPELL LIST \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Aodaghan.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Aodaghan.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..862e013 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Aodaghan.txt @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +RED + +Upon returning to the RED demense, you see the broken storefronts are rebuilt, the destroyed crops were replanted & replaced, and all the injured people seem to be okay now. There IS still a circular scorchmark in the middle of the road though. + +*DEPENDING ON WHO THEY SPOKE TO* +- Garsen the boar sees you in the distance, rotating a pig on a spit. He hands it off to someone else, and approaches your group, arms crossed. "Well if it ain't the Kings of Kings." +- Culver the yellowjacket does a doubletake when he sees you, puts down his hedge clippers, hops over the fence line, and walks up beside Garsen, staring at your group in awe. "I hoped you'd come back someday!" +- Lana the Asp waves off a nearby group of people and notices you, her smile replacing itself with a look of pure shock. She steps out from behind her shop display, cautiously approaching your group. "I am... SO shocked you're still alive after last time..." +- Kyong the bearded dragon steps up to you, ukulele in hand. "Good to see ya! Care to join us for some good food and good tunes?" He starts laughing and strumming random notes. + +*ASK FOR AODAGHAN* +Everyone's faces drop in shock, they look at each other, and simultaneously point at the Volcano. Garsen gives you a warning. "Aodaghan has today off, so be careful. He won't have his work to distract his anger." + +*VOLCANO* +(NOTICE Roll) +When you reach the entryway, you hear someone whistling, a tune you can't quite place but you could swear sounds very familiar. + +(HIGHEST ROLLER(S)) +You recognize it as TWISTED NERVE by Bernard Herrmann, the whistling song from Kill Bill + +*IF THEY ENTER* +The pathway inside is unchanged, but that whistling gets louder as you walk in, echoing off the walls slightly. + +The mining & smithing area looks empty, aside from the anvils and pickaxes scattered around the smoky magma pit. The pit is still pushing the pillar of smoke up into the air, but the whistling seems to be coming from behind the smoke. + +Inside the smoke, you finally spot the source of the whistling, Aodaghan. He is casually lounging in the magma pool up to his chest like it's a hot tub, staring at the ceiling and letting his arms rest around the lip of the pool. + +His head bows down slowly, until he finally looks you all in the eye, his green eyes no longer carrying that heat or red glow. "Well look who it is. Excuse me if I don' stand an' shake ya hands, I'm free ballin' in 'ere." + +*CHALLENGE* +His eyes suddenly turn sharp, and he sits upright in the magma, the molten rock clinging to his feathers for a moment before slowly dripping off like water. "You saw what happened to that pack o' Maruder fucks, an' dat was me havin' fun. You sure you're ready fer me at my best?" + +*IF THEY CONFIRM* +He stands up in the pool, the lava stopping just below his waist. "Yer funeral. Follow me." + +He steps out of the pool, the lava trailing down his body like slow water and leaving scorching wet footprints behind him. + +(If anyone asks, his naked ass is covered by his wings and tail feathers) + +He steps over to a nearby wall and yanks a chunk it to the side, opening a very physically rough stone door with a grating grinding noise. An even deeper heat wave surges through the room, but Aodaghan jumps right into it with no hesitation. + +Behind the door is a series of bedrock stairs, and they spiral DOWN deeper into the volcano. You can't immediately see the bottom, but you CAN see trails of lava slowly falling down guided pathways by these stairs, illuminating the path down. + +*DOWNSTAIRS* +Halfway down, yo finally see a large stone circle waiting in the middle of an even larger lava moat, and a fully dressed Aodaghan standing in the center, his hands resting on a massive sword handle. + +He now wears a dark red longcoat with three chains holding the front together over a black sleeveless shirt and matching loose black pants held up by a red rope belt, but still no shoes. His hands are resting on the very end of the handle one over the other, and his gaze has regained its red glow & heat, even in this hellish underground arena. + +"Took you fucks long enough." He grabs the massive sword by its handle with one hand, picking it up like it's weightless, and aims the blade at your group. "Time to do this right. Aodaghan Panthrandu versus a bunch of gagglefucks with a death wish." + +"I CHALLENGE THEE." + +----- + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +He stands before your group shakily, his sword jammed into the ground to help him stay upright. He spits a glob of blood to the side, which catches fire when it makes contact with the ground. "Well fuck me runnin', you little shits ain't half bad." + +He grabs his shoulder, jerks it upright with a pained grunt, and cracks it back into place. "Come back when you got a little more to offer." + +He extends his wings and attempts to fly off, wincing at the first few flaps, but eventually jumps into the air and out the doorway. + +*IF THEY WIN* +He grumbles as he lies facedown on the ground, before slowly picking himself up wobbily, using the sword as a support. "Shit... been a while since I lost a fight.." + +He jams his sword into the ground a good few inches, then uses it to stand up and right himself. "Well... ya won fair an' square. Here's my Regalia, the Flint Flamberge. It's yer prize fer beatin' me, Kings o' Kings." + +He shakily lets go of the sword, then slowly walks his way over to your group, and grabs (player that did the most DMG) by your shirt. He lifts you up to his eye level, the red glow and heat in his eyes now gone, and pulls you in close. "DONT. YOU. DARE. LOSE. MY. SWORD." + +He releases you, stumbling backwards toward the stairs, and grabs the nearby wall to steady himself. You see him slowly climb them one at a time, but ater ten steps up, he collapses on the stairs, out cold. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Arledge-or-Akarui.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Arledge-or-Akarui.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aaf301a --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Arledge-or-Akarui.txt @@ -0,0 +1,149 @@ +THERE IS NO REASON TO RETURN TO THE VIOLET DEMENSE, SO INSTEAD THIS WILL BE WHEN THEY CHALLENGE AKARUI FOR THE PURPLE REGALIA + +When you enter the city hall building, you see Nash running around like chicken with its head cut off, carrying stacks of papers and folders almost as tall as he is in multiple directions. + +*GET HIS ATTENTION* +"Kings of Kings?! What're you-- I don't have you in the schedule!" He suddenly loses his balance and flops over, his two foot stack of folders flopping across his desk. + +He wobbles a bit as he stands up, shaking his head rapidly. "Sorry, we're kinda buried under mountains of paperwork, budget issues and all that... so uh, how can I help you?" + +*SEE THE KING* +Nash inhales through his teeth. "That... might be an issue... is it urgent?" + +*ANYTHING OTHER THAN NO* +He sighs and flops into his seat, hitting the intercom button. "Sir, I know we're not supposed to bother you, but uh... the Kings of Kings are here, and they say it's urgent." + +You hear the garbled voice reply SEND THEM IN, I'LL MAKE IT WORK, and Nash grabs his clipboard. "Best to not keep him waiting." + +*KING'S OFFICE* +You find Akarui furiously scribbling across a series of papers, signing off on each one of them with perfect calligraphy. He drops the pen after a solid minute, and you could almost swear you see steam rolling off the tip. He sighs and flops back in his chair, gripping his writing hand by the wrist and flexing his digits. + +"My apologies, Kings of Kings, I am quite literally buried under paperwork. New project budgeting, noise complaints, property damage repair orders, I have alot to do. I'll have to be rude and ask you to make this brief. What can I do for you today?" + +*MENTION REGALIA* +His eyes will suddenly widen, and he reaches for his intercom button. "Nash? Please hold all my calls, paperwork, and meetings until further notice. This just became a top priority meeting." + +He shuts off the intercom, leaning forward in his seat. "So... I'm guessing you talked to Arledge before you came here." + +----- + +*ASK FOR EXPLANATION* +He opens his desk drawer, pulling out a six inch violet ankh-shaped pendant with a golden sleeping bunny surrounded by darker purple flowers attached to a necklace string. "When my team and I arrived ten years ago, the prior Ruler told us about the island's rules IMMEDIATELY. We were... very enthusiastic about getting everyone out of this death trap, in our minds." + +He hangs the pendant around his neck, and when he looks at your group again, his eyes have a faint violet glow. And, wherever his gaze goes, your body feels slightly more reinvigorated. "We didn't go in blind, we did a tremendous amount of research between shifts on the Thunder Force. Based on what we read, Arledge seemed to have the least combat experience, so we started with him." + +He walks around his desk, eyes on his writing hand while he flexes his fingers, causing them to pop softly at the joints. "We were right, and wrong, at the same time. He was a pacifist by nature, but he was still a MONSTER. Our fight went for a full hour, four against one, and we still barely won." + +He hops on top of the desk and has a seat on the edge, picking up his pen and twirling it in his fingers with perfect fluidity. "When he handed me the Regalia, he said he was happy he was the first I fought, because the rest will be far worse. And he was right. Every Master we fought after that one, we lost. These Masters are NIGHTMARES." + +He grips the pen tightly in his hand, crushing it into tiny pieces, except for the ink cartridge, which is perfectly intact. "The closest one we came to beating was Conroy, and we ended up fighting each other more than him. We blame ourselves for being headstrong and stupid, but I'm not joking when I say that was only one percent of our loss." + +He places the destroyed pen pieces on the desk, his eyes turning downward. "A few months later, the incident with the drill occurred, and it made me really sit down and reevaluate what we were doing. The others were content with being Thunder Force, but I realized others would come along and do the same as us. And based on what I learned, we were extremely lucky to walk away as intact as we did." + +The look in his eye changes to ferocity and he holds up three fingers. "I made the decision that day to protect the people in three ways. One, to lead them in developing this land into the most prosperous and comfortable city I could possibly manage, until we could find a safer way out." + +"Two, I would deter the people from going after the 'hokey magic ritual' challenges against the Masters, and hope my words are enough to change their minds." + +"And three, if they DID defy my warning, I would train every single day to improve myself and become a proper protector of the Regalia, so I may protect it AND those that challenge me for it at the same time. That is how I show compassion, in Arledge's name." + +----- + +*CHALLENGE* +He sighs deeply and lowers his head. "Even after everything I told you and everything you've been through, you still want to risk it all..." + +He raises his head a moment later, his eyes full of conviction. "So be it. Kings of Kings, I accept your challenge for this Regalia." + +He thinks for a moment. "As a matter of fact... would you be opposed to making this a public spectacle? Everyone has been feeling the stress of the Marauder threat, but seeing a fight from their ruler AND the most courageous group of heroes this town has seen in YEARS might be the perfect morale booster." + +*IF YES* +"Perfect. Meet me in the Sports Zone (later today / tomorrow morning), at the Combat Arena. I need to gather my supplies and prepare for what I can only assume to be war." + +----- + +The Sports Zone is a unique environment in Diadem, more than half of it occupied by stadiums for every major sport you can imagine, as well as storage facilities for each. But what YOU are looking for is the Combat Arena, located farther back. + +There are roughly a dozen combat areas around, each one represented by a giant square of stone more than 50 feet across. Out of all of them, one is occupied by a guy sweeping the stone slab clean, and one other is occupied by Akarui. + +And he is dressed for WAR, now wearing high quality (if not a bit old fashioned) military garb. All black, just as a scout is supposed to wear. The second he sees you, he tugs down his black gloves and straps them on tightly. + +"Kings of Kings! I hope you brought your A Game today, because I know I brought mine!" Just as he says this, at least a hundred people suddenly start pouring in from all corners, surrounding the arena and cheering for their amazing King Akarui. They are all carrying purple and gold banners, signs, and cardboard cutout faces on sticks being swung around. And their numbers grow by the moment. + +Akarui seems surprised. "This is... a bit more than I was expecting, but..." + +He turns to the audience and switches to a more 'entertainer' style of speaking. "The bigger audience we have, the more people get to see the most spectacular show in Diadem's history, AM I RIGHT?!" + +Everyone responds with an ABSURD amount of cheering. Nash pushes his way through the audience and hops onto the arena, carrying a microphone with a small orb of glowing green magic inside. As he speaks, the green magic warbles and glows brighter, his voice broadcasting like a microphone. + +"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Today is a once in a lifetime kind of show! For the first time in years, we have the honor and privilege of watching a Challenge between several of THE most influencial people in all of Diadem!" + +"To the left we have the Challengers, the all-new immigrant rookies turned heroes, the Kings of Kings!" +(GIVE EACH OF THEM AN EMBELLISHING TITLE AND DESCRIPTION) + +There is actually a small group of people chanting and cheering for YOU. You see several of the people you've met in the various Demense you've visited, as well as a small group of children, all holding up signs with crowns and painted caricatures of your faces. + +"And to the right we have our ten year running unopposed leader, the violet bird of paradise himself, and the former scout warrior of the Chamberlins, you know him, you love him, he signs my paychecks, KING AKARUI!!!" + +Akarui laughs proudly at the glamorous introduction, but gives Nash one of those "you're gonna pay for that" looks, which he just shrugs off. "And ladies and gentlemen, this isn't just ANY challenge either, this is a true to life bonafide challenge for the Regalia of the Violet Demense, the legendary Chrys Cross!" + +Everyone seems stunned by that comment, and it seems they had no clue Akarui had this Regalia in his possession. "Now that the stage AND the stakes are set, it's time to begin! Are both sides ready?!" + +*IF YES* +Akarui reaches up and grabs his Regalia, raising his other arm to point at your group, causing Nash to literally dive out of the arena in a hurry. Akarui proudly declares "On behalf of Arledge Tannifila, I CHALLENGE THEE!" + +The magical golden circle will appear from his feet (as well as anyone else's if they hold an earned Regalia), circling the group and glowing a bright gold. "The challenge is a fight, your entire group against me! If I take all of you down, I Win! And if you cause me to kneel, you win!" + +The circle solidifies with a violet flash before turning a solid gold, signifying the stage is set. Akarui will bend down a bit, left leg forward and arm-wings expanded, taking a swift style battle stance. "May the best Regalia Hunters win!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +Akarui will (stand / kneel) before your group, panting heavily, wiping the blood from his beak. "Well... I guess that means I (win / lose)." + +The magic circle will dissipate, and the entire audience cheers for their victor. And without a moment's hesitation, they rush in to congratulate the victor. + +Before anyone can reach them, the Thunder Force appear and force everyone back to a safe distance. Jensen with her rifle, Valeos with his twin tonfa, and Harken cracking his knucles will all be at the forefront, backs facing your group as they keep the crowd at bay. + +Akarui will stare at them all in confusion. "Thunder Force? I don't recall asking for any protection." + +All three will turn their heads to him with a smile, and Harken will respond, "Actually your highness, we are not here for you this time." + +From behind your group, someone will step in from seemingly nowhere and place their hands on two of your group's shoulders, casting a healing spell large enough to get everyone in the arena back on their feet in moments. + +Akarui is a bit stunned. "Arledge?! What are you doing here?!" + +Arledge just grins a bit. "Now come on, ya'll know th' gossip in this town spreads like wildfire, and I ain't about to miss a fight over my own Regalia! Specially when a certain someone did such a good job keepin' it safe fer me all this time!" + +----- + +*IF THE PLAYERS LOST* +King Akarui walks over to your group, and extends a hand. "All of you fought valiantly and bravely, and you gave that fight everything you had to offer. I thank you, not for just showing us what you can do, but for reminding me of the kind of person I was before I was a king. I haven't had this much fun in YEARS!" + +Akarui laughs a little, sighing before wiping a tear from his eye. "We will definitely have to do this again sometime, especially if you plan to collect all twelve. But for now... I have alot of paperwork to get back to." + +----- + +*IF THE PLAYERS WON* +King Akarui walks over to your group, and slowly removes the Regalia from around his neck, handing it to you. "I have safeguarded this treasure, what I consider to be one of the most important relics I have ever owned, for ten years years." + +"And now, I proudly present it to you Kings of Kings to continue safeguarding in my place." + +He turns away, eyes to the sky. "Now as much as it begrudge me to acknowledge it... I do have my duties to return to." + +Arledge will suddenly step in front of him, placing a hand on top of his head. "Now hang on, I know fer a fact yer prob'ly STARVIN' after all that fun! What say you an' yers come back to my place fer some food, eh?" + +Akarui sighs a little in defeat. "Do I get a choice in the matter?" + +Arledge grins cheekily. "Nope!" + +Akarui rolls his eyes. "Then it's a date!" + +Both of them burst out laughing as they walk off, leaving the audience to disperse themselves at the "suggestion" of the Thunder Force. + +Arledge will turn to your group AND the three Thunder Force commanders. "Ya'll're welcome too. Not ev'ryday the Kings o' Kings an' th' Chamberlins're all together!" + +*IF THEY ACCEPT* +Your group receives a literal police escort by all three Thunder Force commanders, all the way to the Violet demense. + +Inside, you see that Montana's little ranch near the gate entrance is filled with picnic tables, as well as a couple grills (one of which HE is operating), and your noses are IMMEDIATELY bombarded with the fresh scent of grilled meat and veggies. + +(ANY FOOD YOU WOULD FIND AT A BARBECUE OF ANY GRADE IS AVAILABLE TO EAT) + diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Cassius.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Cassius.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..532f6e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Cassius.txt @@ -0,0 +1,182 @@ +Upon returning to the BLACK demense, you see there has been a significant change. The trees have regained their color and foliage since the last time you were here. You can now see it in its full splendor as a lush green nighttime forest, sounds and all. And, the area is literally crawling with animals and insects. + +You ALSO see a FAR more clear cut path through this dense forest, where it appears several dozen trees have been cut down and removed, in the exact same direction of where your encounter with Cassius occurred. + +*BEHIND THEM* +The lumberyard has also changed, as you see the pallots of rotten wood are now gone, many of them replaced with brand new wood. + +----- + +*LUMBERYARD* +The uniforms inside are clean, the tools are all recharged, and there are some paper punch cards lying on a rack on the wall saying people have come in and out almost every day since your encounter. + +You DO spot some old claw marks in the walls of the building, large and deep in the concrete and metal. But other than that, everything else seems to be in order. + +----- + +*TOWARD CASSIUS' HOME* +For the most part, the creatures around you (that you know are watching you) seem to leave you alone as you travel down the "beaten path." You will see an occasional bat or snake cross your path going from one part of the forest to the other, but they overall pay you no mind. + +It takes significantly less time this time to make it to the clearing, where you now see a brand new 2-story cabin, complete with a full front porch, open wood windowsills, and lit candles illuminating the living room. + +The back side of the house directly connects to a thickly interlaced wall of trees, acting like a natural fence. + +(INVESTIGATE ROLL) +The inside looks surprisingly normal, almost unsettlingly so. Everything is made of wood, including the floors, and everything looks master level handcrafted. + +*CHECK THE DOOR* +The door doesn't have an actual lock, and is easy to push open. But inside the door is pitch black nothingness, a complete contrast from the view in the window. + +*ONCE THEY GO INSIDE* +The door slowly closes behind you all with a soft clatter, and everything around you is pure darkness. + +You see a small flickering light in the distance, the tiniest of flames, and it is approaching slowly. + +It is a flame of a candle on a handheld candle stand, being held by Striker. And he is wearing a blue and white vertical striped night shirt with a matching nightcap. You can also smell the strong aroma of coffee coming from a cup you just noticed was in his other hand. + +"Oh, if it isn't the Kings of Kings, gracing my Master's brand new home in the dead of night, completely uninvited and unannounced... you missed the housewarming party~" + +*DM/REGALIA/CHALLENGE* +"Oh, then your time couldn't be better~ He awoke when the sun went down, and is out back working on... something or other." + +He steps past your group, revealing a single wooden door behind him in the distance of the seemingly infinite darkness. "A bit of free advice, tread VERY carefully from here. My master's home is not so kind to tresspassers..~" + +His candle suddenly goes out, and you are left in the darkness, your only company the door that you can SOMEHOW still see. + +*OPEN THE DOOR* +You find yourselves surrounded by forest once again, but this time feels a bit different. The trees are much closer together out here, some of them mere inches apart, seeming to form walls. And in this manner, you can sort of see there is a pathway leading through the trees, revealing itself to be a tree labyrinth. + +*IF THEY LEAVE THROUGH THAT DOOR* +You find yourself back out at the front side of the house, and the door shuts behind you. Now, you physically cannot pull it open at all. + +*FOLLOW THE PATH* (WILL ROLL) +As you walk through the path, you notice several sets of beady little red eyes following you, and they all seem to be glowing. You see a thick gathering of these eyes inside the wall of what appears to be a dead end, and (lowest roller) is feeling a little... off. + +(THIS IS A COMPEL EACH PLAYER WILL DO) +*THE PLAYER WILL SEE AND HEAR THINGS* +*THEIR TROUBLE WILL MANIFEST AROUND THEM* +*THEY MUST NOW CONFRONT THEIR TROUBLE DIRECTLY* +*WHOLE TEAM FIGHTS IT TOGETHER IF POSSIBLE* +*REPEAT FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST ROLL* + +*AFTER CONQUERING* +You turn the corner, and you find a large wooden door surrounded by trees, the first sign of any kind of change you have seen since you started. AND, it resembles the wooden door you walked through when this journey started. + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +(NOTICE Roll) You hear loud and squishy footfalls in the distance behind you. + +Around the edges of the trees, you see a slowly creeping forward puddle of inky blackness. It moves like tar, slowly coating everything in its touch, and you see the familiar sight of the trees losing their color as it approaches. + +*PUSHING ONE AT A TIME* +The door is straining but will not budge. + +You spot a large black limb round the corner, stepping into the ooze it itself is coated in. And you see what resembles a head, but it has no face. + +It is exactly what it looks like. + +*ALL PUSH ON THE DOOR TOGETHER* +The door suddenly pops open, and your group falls into a field of grass, the door slamming behind you all right in front of the creature. + +*BEHIND THEM* +You watch the wooden door bow out form a sudden slam, clearly the creature running into it. You also recognize the general pattern of the house attached to it as Cassius' cabin, closed off by a tight wall of trees, which means you finally made it into his backyard. + +*ALL AROUND* +The yard itself is well maintained. The grass is lush but cut low, the trees in the yard are formed up in such a way that resembles a natural fence, and the tops of the trees have a clear and open pathway to the nighttime sky. + +You also spot a large campfire in the center of the yard, its smoky trail leading straight up and out of the opening at the top of the trees. And there is plenty of open space to sit around it. + +You hear soft repetitive scraping noises from the opposite side of the fire, a person sitting behind its open flame just out of view. + +You find Cassius sitting behind it, a large chunk of wood leaning against him and a draw knife in hand, scraping away at the wood & letting the scraps fall into the flame. There is also a pile of pre-carved wood pieces a few yards behind him. + +He looks a bit different this time, no longer looking emaciated but still overall on the lithe and lanky side. He now wears a Gothic style shirt with an open V in the front & bell sleeves just past the elbow, the left half black and the right half white. The black half blends in perfectly with the matching black pants and shoes, his fur offsetting the fabric with a moonlit sheen. + +*IF THEY APPROACH / CALL OUT* +He pauses to look up at your group, his gaze empty and uncaring. He then resumes carving away at the wood, but he at least acknowledges you. "I see you found my new home." + +----- + +*WHAT WAS THAT LABYRINTH* +"You have your home defense, I have mine." + +*WHAT WAS THAT CREATURE* +"You would call it a... guard dog." + +*WHY ARE YOU CARVING WOOD* +"It... used to fill the void." + +----- + +From within the light of the flame, you see Cassius' shadow extend and pull itself off the ground, wrapping itself around the piece of wood leaning against him before lifting it into the air. + +It reaches out to grab each piece of wood in the pile as well, lifting them into the air, pulling them all together in an organized fashion. + +Cassius stands and steps away from the flame for a moment, as his shadow lowers a brand new masterfully crafted wooden throne behind him, the backrest and seat made from handcrafted wicker. + +He sits in it and lies back, immediately propping his head on one fist while its elbow rests on the chair arm. "State your business." + +*REGALIA* + +He leans forward in his throne. "You dare to tresspass on the property of Cassius Summus, disturb my work, and take away the modicum of peace I only JUST reclaimed... to challenge me for my Regalia." + +He stands as his shadow stretches out from behind him again, envelops his new throne, and pulls it straight down into the ground, through a large black shadow portal. He pulls his black dagger out, holding it underhanded, taking a loose combat stance. "Consider your impending loss... MY compensation." + +----- + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +He stands before you, both arms hanging in front of himself loosely, his hand barely holding his blade. "You are... stronger than you appear." + +His body cracks and crunches in a terrifying manner, his limbs and joints jamming themselves back into place, until he resumes a normal stance. "I intended to end you all tonight... but... I have been convinced to show mercy." + +He walks past your group, heading toward his home. "You may see yourselves in OR out of my home safely... for now." + +----- + +*IF THEY WIN* +Cassius suddenly kneels, dropping his weapon at his feet, doubled over in pain. "This... is unexpected..." + +His eyes will suddenly glow bright red, staring you all down. "I intended to remove each of your heads upon your defeat." + +He closes his eyes, opening them to reveal their normal yellow hue. "But... you have bested me. I am honor and duty bound to follow the rules I have been tasked with." + +His body will begin to crack and crunch in a terrifying way, his shoulders popping into place and his joints crunching loudly, until he resumes a normal stance, although his outfit is now in shreds. He picks up his weapon and pitches it directly at your group, causing it to land between (PLAYER)'s feet. + +"The price to keep this Dusk Kris safe form the Crooked King was a year of endless pain and solitude. Do not waste either mine or Striker's efforts." + +He walks past your group, opening the door of his home. "You may exit the way you came. Safely. For now." He walks through the door and lets it shut behind himself quietly. + +----- + +*EITHER WAY* +*IF THEY USE THE BACK DOOR* +This time, you actually see the inside of a relatively normal log cabin. All the furniture inside is there, there are candles every so often to light the way, and there is a fairly clear path leading to the door. + +As you walk through the living room, you spot the throne-like chair Cassius made sitting in the living room. You also spot a massive spider web hanging from the ceiling, and Striker lying within it, smiling wide to a creepy degree. + +His web is horribly off pattern, his mug is lying on the floor bone dry, and his breath reeks of coffee. "Oh ho ho, you made it out alive, that's so greeeaaat~" + +He hiccups, shaking his head quickly to clear his thoughts. "I thought for sure Master Cassius wouldn't let you walk out of here alive, or at least would throw you to his guard dog~" + +*WHAT WAS THAT* +Striker will awkwardly turn so he is hanging from the web, slurring his words a little. "Mm.. when you entered Master Cassius' home, you were confronted by the manifestations of your own nightmares and insecurities, were you not?" + +*IF YES* +"That is exactly what it was. A manifestation of a nightmare, tamed and turned into a guard dog~" + +*CASSIUS' NIGHTMARE* +Striker suddenly bursts out into laughter, rolling around in his web for a moment before it breaks and he flops into the couch with a heavy THUD. "OEUF... that's one way to sober up..." + +He sits upright and looks up to your group, sighing softly. "Master Cassius has no nightmares to speak of. He is incapable of experiencing fear. Or sadness, or joy, or... anything at all. His body, mind, and soul are as barren and empty as the dark magic he commands." + +*WHO'S NIGHTMARE* +"Is it not so obvious?" + +*STRIKER'S NIGHTMARE* +"I am the closest thing Master Cassius has to a friend. As such, I feel it is my responsibility as a piece of him to... experience such things for him. And he made use of my one and only nightmare as his guard dog. Which means he still has use for me, in some small manner." + +*THAT IS HORRIBLE* +"You wouldn't understand. I am not a being like him or you, I am a magical construct given consciousness that has outlived his purpose. He could end my existence and reclaim what has been given to me with a thought, and yet he hasn't... curious, is it not?" + +"So long as I have the privilege of existing, I intend to live it fruitfully on my own terms. Spinning my physical & verbal webs, earning coin for my own selfish desires, and enjoying my Master's company, whether he likes it or not." diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Conroy.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Conroy.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3084861 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Conroy.txt @@ -0,0 +1,277 @@ +Upon returning to the Orange demense, you see everything is more or less the same, still the infinite expanse of sand and the three pyramids around you. Except this time, you remembered the stumble you had the first time, and actively avoided doing it the second time. + +*INSIDE MAIN PYRAMID* +You see Conroy pushing a cart around the corner of one shelf, putting books away. He will see you and immediately pause, smiling wide. "Welcome back, friends! What can I do for you today?" + +As you all talk, he will casually continue to wheel the cart down the aisle, putting books on the shelves and cleaning messes he finds the whole way. + +*ASK ABOUT DM* +"Demense Master? Is that the title now? Bit pretentious if you ask me." + +*ASK IF HE IS DM* +"You caught me! Not that I was hiding it or anything. But yes, I am the Master of this Demense. Though I just prefer being called the Librarian." + +*WHY DIDNT HE TELL THEM* +"Well I can't answer a question you never ask! That'd be like knowing a story before you read the book!" + +----- + +*WHY DIDNT YOU DO MORE TO HELP* +He suddenly shoves the book cart down the seemingly infinite aisle until it is no longer in view. "Well THAT is a bit more complicated... I kind of... Couldn't. It'd be easier if I simply showed you." + +He has you follow him into the front of the library, goes behind the counter, and opens a secret floor panel, leading down to a staircase that you can only see a few feet of before it fades into the darkness. "Onward and downward, as it were?" + +The pathway down feels like it goes on forever, and you can barely see your own hand in front of your face after a minute. + +You eventually reach the bottom, and you barely see a rack with several unlit wooden torch sticks on the wall. + +(NOTICE ROLL) +(Read these off based lowest to highest) +You also spot hanging on that rack: +- A brown fedora +- A blue & white baseball cap +- A brown leather whip + +Conroy grabs a torch, lights it with a match from his coat pocket, and the hallway before you is lit well enough that there is just more stone walls and floor, but there IS one path straight ahead, maybe about 50 feet deep and ending in a separate room. + +You pass by two open doorways as you go, one on the left and one on the right, but he is heading straight through to the end of the hallway. + +(If they look) +The left room is a bedroom, simply decorated with black and gold bedframe, dresser, chest of drawers, and closet filled with multiple copies of the same white coat Conroy is wearing. And, the bed is perfectly made. + +The right room is a fully functional kitchen, complete with golden trimmed countertop, table, chairs, and a fridge with wiring running through the walls. +(If they ask, there are solar panels along the higher part of the pyramid that power everything) + +The hallway ends at an internal chamber with a completely separate set of bookshelves made of stone lined with old cloth. The walls are the same stone, but look virtually untouched. + +The books themselves however are absolutely destroyed. Covered in cuts and scorch marks, most of them physically unable to be useful just at a glance. You DO see the book he brought to you the first time he asked sitting by its lonesome. + +"Now you see what I mean... someone destroyed almost everything about Diadem's history, and that one book was all I had left, damaged as it was." + +*CAN THEY REPAIR IT* +Conroy shakes his head a bit. "I'm afraid you can't, nor can I. Everything here is based on contribution, we would need someone with intimate knowledge of Diadem's history to contribute again. And most of those people are gone." + +*WHY NOT HIM* +"The type of chronomancy that ritual performs doesn't work on Demense Masters. I've tried. It needs to be a mortal." + +(CONTACTS ROLL) You suddenly recall SOMEONE in the ice demense that was well versed in Diadem history, someone who moonlit as a teacher. *MORANA.* + +----- + +IF MORANA IS WITH + +After stepping through the ORANGE gate once again, Morana smiles and takes off her shoes, letting her bare feet sink into the sand for a moment, eyes closing slowly. "Mm.. feels like heaven.." + +She looks down at Whitaker with a playful smile. "Sorry, but a girl can only handle cold toes for so long~" + +*INSIDE* +She walks into the library with your group, and smiles in amazement. "It's been a long time since I came here.. I wonder if that old sabertooth pain in the butt still remembers me?" + +Morana laughs a bit to herself, before a pair of striped orange hands suddenly slide over her eyes. "Guess whooo?~" + +She gasps playfully. "Conroy you absolute ass!~" + +He laughs and gives her a big bear hug, the two nuzzling cheeks like you'd expect cats to. + +After a few moments, Conroy spots Whitaker standing nervously by his lonesome. He offers him a warm smile, lets Morana go, waks over, and kneels before Whittaker. "Hello.. old friend. You're looking better." + +Whitaker just stands there, staring at him with wide eyes, arms crossed against his chest defensively. Conroy waits patiently before extending his arms wide, and continuing, "Got one for you right here.." + +Whitaker immediately runs into his arms and hugs him tightly, burying his face into Conroy's shoulder, sniffling softly. Conroy holds him tight and runs a hand through Whitaker's hair slowly. You see faint glows of orange form in Whittaker's hair, small particles of sand falling onto the floor. + +You see a single tear streak down Conroy's cheek. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... you didn't deserve ANY of that..." + +----- + +*IF THEY TOUCH THE SAND* +When your finger touches a grain of sand, you see what looks like a video reel of someone else's point of view within your own eye. It looks perfectly normal at first, you're in a snowy field collecting random berries and pinecones. + +But at some point, you are surrounded by angry... THINGS, all yelling at you and carrying torches & pitchforks. And you almost swear you feel every time they use them on you. Every deep cut, every broken bone, every burn seared into your skin, and you hear yourself scream... and scream... + +You see similar scenes with every grain of sand you touch. Sometimes it's a smaller group, other times it's a town-sized mob. Sometimes it's just fists and feet, sometimes it's swords and guns and spells. With every grain you touch, you hear a voice get louder and louder in your mind, of a very scared young man asking WHY... + +*WHY DOES EVERYONE ATTACK WHITTAKER* +Conroy sighs a little. "It's not just him... We've all dealt with the same thing. People see us and think us monsters, demons, evil, you name it. For reasons that are obvious, and some that are not. Took a lot of time and effort to get people to stop." + +"Whittaker is... special in that regard. People either love him or hate him, there is no middle ground. The children love him, Morana adores him, and... well... I'm sure you yourselves felt it as well." + +Conroy ruffles Whittaker's hair a little bit, causing him to sputter and shake his head. "The worst part is this timid little man is incredibly powerful, he can do things with ice you can only dream of, but... he doesn't want to frighten the children, and they take advantage of that hesitance. Remember that if you ever decide to challenge him." + +----- + +Conroy stands up, holding Whitaker's hand in one of his own and taking Morana's in the other. "I thank you both for stopping by, this'll be exciting for everyone involved, I'm sure~" + +He guides you all back to the laboratory pyramid, humming an excited tune the whole way. Once inside, he leads you all to the chamber he asked you to enter before, and steps in front of the stone panel. "Alright, just step onto the platform for me and--" + +Morana releases his hand, stepping onto the platform before he can finish. "I remember from last time, just close my eyes and wait." + +He smiles and nods, taking the hand holding Whitaker's and placing both on the panel. The orange sand from before glows with magical life, swirls around her for a few moments, (a sight YOU never saw from the outside) and shoots off into the library at an incredible speed. + +Conroy waits for Morana to step out and hands her Whittaker's hand, then disappears in a puff of sand, running back toward the library. You can hear his ecstatic squee from whre you are. + +He comes running back in with a book titled 'The Diadem's Chronology.' "A brand new mint condition reprint! And you're the first to see it! I'm so excited!" + +He walks to a nearby table, pushes everything off it, and places the book on it with a heavy THUD, then backs away, reclaiming Whitaker's hand. + +*IF THEY OPEN IT* +The pages inside this freshly created book are completely barren of any text. Conroy snickers a bit. "Juuust give it a second~" + +*IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO* +Morana smiles and steps forth, opening the heavy book with a bit of effort. "Alright, let's see what we... have... uh... these pages are blank..?" + +*EITHER WAY* +You see the pages flutter a bit as a single grain of orange sand begins rapidly tracing out letters on the page, the "ink" starting a glowing orange before settling into black. Once the book stops writing itself, it turns to the first page or the reader. + +----- + +In the beginning, the universe itself was nothingness within nothing, existence without existing. Nothing is, was, or will be, and all was simply possibility. It was only in the instance that that miraculous first event occurred that created the very first thing within it: The Word. + +But it did not stay as such for long. The Word became complicated, unfolded, expanded, evolved one could say. One word became many, became sentences, explanations, definitions, and then concepts. The first concept created in this clean, untouched emptiness was the pinnacle of all balance, EQUILIBRIUM. + +From that moment, that simple power bore witness to the birth of the concept of the NOTHING all around it, but recognized the potential of ALL to keep that balance. And from that, more concepts came to be. +- That which had a BEGINNING, surely had an END. +- Those that ended were DESTROYED, and those that did not, ENDURED. +- Resistance beget MIGHT, yielding bore FEXIBILITY. +- Activeness beget SWIFTNESS, passiveness beget SLOWNESS. +- Recognition of surroundings beget WHEN and WHERE. + +Twelve of the simplest concepts were formed, the basis of everything that was to come to pass for the foreseeable eternity. + +Despite these humble beginnings, all these concepts assumed themselves the predominant force in this new demense they all found themsleves in, even with a direct counterpart. + +As such, a mediator was needed, one with an identity beyond itself, with an understanding of the concepts, and with the potential for genuine intelligence and learning for the sake of handling current and future struggles. + +As the EQUILIBRIUM was their source part, and was naturally as influencial as the twelve concepts COMBINED, it took that role to be a neutral mediator. With this rule defined, the thirteen in one concepts learned to balance themselves with each other and the core between them. + +And, once the balance was established, they took on a collective identity: ZEROTH, that which exists before any other. + +Thus the concepts worked together to create everything in this universe in a harmonious manner from that point forward for many MANY eons. Until the most recent one, when ZEROTH spotted a most curious planet. A speck created by natural influence around it like any other, harboring the dredges of early life like many others. + +But unlike the rest, THIS one's life was progressing, becoming more complicated, evolving, much like itself in a microscopic manner. ZEROTH was fascinated in witnessing something that acted so similar to how it itself had begun, and decided to bring itself to that planet's surface to take a closer look. + +But that was ultimately a mistake. The existence of this concept of equilibrium caused a shift in development. Had the planet remained untouched, the species within would've developed separately, humans as a primary species fighting for its independence and superiority. + +Instead, it caused the multiple species to form an unexpected alliance in its presence. These creatures began to adopt each other's minor traits and mannerisms to become more at ease with each other, work together easier, evolve alongside each other until the two were almost indistinguishable from each other in only a few dozen generations. As the eon stretched forward, the animalistic humanoids became the norm! + +ZEROTH was mortified with its accidental tampering of the natural flow of events, and removed itself from the equation immediately. Thanks to that, circumstances were otherwise unharmed. Cave dwellers grew and developed homes, societies, ecosystems, not dissimilar to that initial timeline. + +ZEROTH spent that time during that eon exploring the rest of the universe for any sign of existence with even a REMOTELY similar circumstance. Despite its attempts to leave it behind, it could not detach from the memory of that one little speck of space dust, ever so fascinated by its unique results. During the tail end of the most recent Eon, ZEROTH felt it had learned from its mistake, and felt confident enough to chance a second appearance, with a small twist. + +First, ZEROTH separated the twelve concepts from itself, intending to make itself weaker so the chances of its immense power and presence influencing events would be minimized as much as it could allow, but still maintain its status as the equilibrium force amongst the other twelve. + +Second, to ensure the newly separated entities of power were not running rampant across the planet (or anywhere else for that matter), ZEROTH created a consciousness for each of the twelve concepts. Each one was given basic intelligence, emotions, and anything else it learned from the mortals it encountered the first time as a basis, in hopes it would give them enough logic and reason to NOT make the same mistakes. + +They were then instructed to disguise themselves as the same types of humanimals the planet now bore so they may walk amongst the people together, still within close proximity of ZEROTH Itself but not suffocatingly so. ZEROTH hoped giving them the freedom to explore with some minor restrictions would allow them to learn self control, and possibly learn alongside him. + +But even with all of ZEROTH's preparation and hard work, this was ultimately a failure as well. Since these were concepts given consciousness and only knew of their own nature up to that moment, AND they all lacked his comprehensive learning ability (instead being given a fraction of that potential), they revealed themselves as being far more than just mortal, to the point many of them were feared, revered, and recognized as beyond mortal entities. + +Throughout the following centuries, as recorded history became the norm, they were all noticed and added to the analogues of history AND lore. Just to name a few: + +- ZEROTH became King Midas +- The entity of WHERE became Queen Cleopatra and inspired the Sphinx +- The entity of SLOWNESS became many cryptids of lore +- The entities of LAW, DESTRUCTION, & MIGHT became Zeus, Aries, & Hercules +- All thirteen entities were the guests of honor at the Last Supper + +If that was all that changed, the story may have corrected itself enough to continue, but this time, their interaction resulted in an additional unintended consequence. + +Much like how ZEROTH exposed the creatures of this planet to the pure unfiltered concept of EQUILIBRIUM, they also exposed the people to their mastery of the concepts that made up the universe. Over time, these mortals learned to replicate these abilities themselves, through a concept they called MAGIC. + +Eventually, the utility of magic became so prevalent, it ended up side by side with the development of technology, rather than abandoning the former to pursue the latter as history should have been. + +- Charging devices with SWIFTNESS electricity +- Extinguishing fires with ENDURING water +- Illuminating paths with ALL powerful light +- Cooling and preserving foods with SLOW ice + +ZEROTH was at an impasse with this entire experiment and learning experiment. He was an entity of untold ability, designed to be a balancing force among the dozen other concepts. And neither ZEROTH, nor they, could be anything less than what they were. + +So he decided that, instead of putting himself and the others down to the MORTAL level, perhaps the mortals could be elevated to HIS level? + +----- + +Morana (if she read this) pauses and turns to Conroy and Whittaker, staring at them in bewilderment. "I read over that passage so many times and never put it together it was referring to you two.. that would imply the two of you are... what, pieces of God?" + +Conroy and Whittaker hold each other's hands tightly, nodding solemnly. Conroy speaks first. "Something to that effect.. we wanted to say something, but we were forbidden.. part of his rules are you must learn and understand who and what we all are on your own, as well as Zeroth himself." + +Morana smirks and hands Conroy the book. "But as the librarian and keeper of the books, you would know what is written here and could 'read it to us' from memory, yes?" + +Conroy gives an amused laugh and puts the book under his free arm. "Attagirl." + +----- + +(THE PLAYERS CAN NOW ASK HIM WHATEVER QUESTIONS THEY CAN THINK OF, WITHIN REASON) + +*WHAT IS THE ISLAND / DIADEM* +"The island is a piece of Zeroth's own power given physical shape and purpose. It acts as both our home and as a living test to your willpower, to see if you can resist the allure of a paradise you would call a Garden of Eden civilization." + +*WHAT ARE THE DEMENSES / ARE THEY REAL PLACES* +"They are vast, unending subdimensions, the raw form of the elemental and magical concepts each of us are attuned to. They also double as... habitats, in a sense, and we chose to share all that it is to all of you, as a means of peaceful coexistence." + +*WHAT ARE THE REGALIA* +"The regalia are pieces of our own power given physical shape and purpose. He wished for anyone whom was victorious to experience a fraction of his own Godly power, as it were, and act as incentive to gather more after the first." + +*WHO IS ZEROTH* +"Zeroth is, for lack of a better term, what you would refer to as God. The source of all that is, was, and will be." + +WHERE IS HE* +"I can tell you he is definitely near. He is simply lying in wait." + +*WILL ZEROTH REALLY APPEAR WHEN THE REGALIA ARE COLLECTED* +"THAT is the one thing I can guarantee will happen, yes. Beyond that, I don't know what will come of it." + +*WHY DONT YOU REBEL / LEAVE* +"Despite him weakening himself by separating us from him, he is still stronger than all of us combined. And he is VERY... convincing." + +*ARE YOU UNDER HIS CONTROL* +"No, we are fully of our own free will. Zeroth is a BALANCING force, not a CONTROLLING one. But we all know if we disagreed or rebelled, he could... well..." + +Whitaker speaks in a soft nervous tone. "He's... scary..." + +----- + +She takes Whitaker's hand in her own. "Well I... think that's enough reality shattering news for one day. I think its time for us to go home." + +She waves at your group with a smile and heads back out the door. Conroy smiled a bit and leans against the machine, arms crossed. "You know... at the end of the day, Whitaker really is quite lucky to have her. She might be the one person to help keep him in one piece." + +----- + +*IF REGALIA* +"I see... I assume you wish to challenge me to fisticuffs and the like, yes? + +*YES* +"Well I'm not one for violence, but truth be told, I'm curious to see how far you have all come compared to how you... used to be." + +*IF THEY DIDNT GO THERE ALREADY, HE WILL GUIDE THEM TO THE BOOK MAKER* + +He reaches down, grabs the orange stone panel on the front of the machine, and attempt to yank it off. "You see I've-- oh, um.." + +He attempts to yank it again and again, speaking all the while. "I've been USING... the POWER... of my REGALIA..." + +He turns and grabs it at a different angle. "To SPEED UP... the DE-VE-LOP-MENT... of new BOOKS!" + +The panel suddenly pops off the front of the machine, and Conroy flops onto his back in the middle of the floor. In only a few seconds, that same chunk of stone comes flying down and lands right on his stomach. "OEUF!" + +He will jump back up with the panel in hand, resembling an orange chunk of rock attached to a handle grip and an arm strap. "I can still do this without the Regalia of course, but it takes a bit longer." + +"Now we can't rightly have our fight in the lab. Follow me please." He will guide you back out of the lab and toward the third pyramid, leading you all in much the same. + +Inside this one, it is pretty much empty. You see a giant square in the center roughly 100 feet wide, and beyond that resembles rows of stone bleacher seating. This pyramid is a giant stone coliseum. + +He will stand in the center, slip on the stone buckler, and take an odd fighting stance, left arm out with hand raised. His eyes are now glowing a mystical orange, and when he gazes in your direction, you hear the faint sounds of your own voices in your mind, saying things you KNOW you haven't said. + +He crouches slightly, his other arm behind his back. "Conroy Kaksteist versus the Kings of Kings. En Garde!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +IF THEY LOSE +Conroy will stand before them, wobbling heavily. "I'm not even a true fighter, but I know strength when I see it. And if it becomes even slightly more refined, you will be a force to be reckoned with." + +He wobbles forward out of the pyramid, hopping along tenderly on one foot, muttering Ow Ow Ow every time he steps with the other. + +IF THEY WIN +Conroy will stumble back a bit, panting as his glasses fall off his face and clack onto the floor, revealing his full yellow feline slitted eyes. "Well done... THAT was a fight for the history books..." + +He leans backwards and flops onto the floor, panting heavily. He shakily raises his arms, removes his buckler, and places it on his chest. "Your prize is the Sanskrit Chronicle.. Good luck on your journey, Kings of Kings.." + +He turns his head to you all with a tired smile. "If you fight the others as hard as you fought me, then Victory will surely be yours..." He slowly closes his eyes, and has passed out. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Corentin.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Corentin.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..742a205 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Corentin.txt @@ -0,0 +1,63 @@ +Upon returning to the GREEN demense, you see that things are relatively unchanged. The grass & leaves are rustling a bit more than before, and you feel a HEAVY breeze pressing against you, enough to blow your hair back and your clothes around. + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) You see something swirling around in the sky, and you could almost swear it looks like a bird with a REALLY long tail. Best you can judge, it's in the direction of the treehouse. + +*IF THEY GO SEE VILLI* +Villi is watching the whole thing from a pair of binoculars on top of the same rock you found her on. "Came to see the Landlord again? Cuz he's a little preoccupied." + +*IF ASK ABOUT COMMOTION* +She gives a soft nasal laugh and hands you her binoculars. "Target practice took a weird turn, all the kids are taking shots at Corentin." + +The binoculars help you see Corentin flying in circles, being shot at by colorful arrows in rapid succession. Your vision of him keeps getting flashbanged by random glares of metal he seems to be carrying glinting off the sunlight. + +*SHOW REGALIA* +She will be taken aback a little. "Oh... shit... you actually found it." + +She hops off the rock and immediately takes your group to the stables. "I'm putting these on your tab. You need to get that to him NOW." + +When you arrive at the tree house and put away the horses, you don't see anyone immediately, but you hear plenty of excited cheering and laughter of all ages from behind the massive tree. You also spot a school bus parked a few yards away, and it looks empty. + +Behind it is a group of adults watching behind their own sets of binoculars while a group of teenagers all shoot toy arrows at Corentin, the kind with heavy suction cups. Each kid has a different color bow and matching arrows so they can tell each other apart. + +After a minute, a teenage boy in an indigo hoodie stands up and waves his arms around. "Aaand time!" + +All the kids stop firing their arrows, giggling amongst themselves excitedly and talking about how many times they hit 'the pretty snake man.' Corentin swoops down and lands cleanly before the children with a flourish of his scaled emerald colored wings. + +He looks a bit different this time, wearing stylish deep green armor. He bears an oval-shaped leather piece draping down just over his pecs and across his shoulders, a strap underneath each side to connect to the thick belt at where his waist WOULD be. You also see a matching pair of quivers on his hips, a matching pair of bracers on each forearm, and a surprisingly brilliant headdress with stripes of black & gold, all topped with gorgeous green quetzal feathers. + +Corentin raises his arms, his voice bearing insane volume despite speaking softly. "I hope all you children had fun practicing against a moving target, as you all did incredibly well." + +He holds out a hand full of multicolored suction cup arrows, which makes ALL the kids cheer and high five each other happily. "Do remember that the Aztec warriors were more than just bowmen, they also used a variety of other tools, including arrow flingers and blowguns for ranged options alone." + +Corentin turns to see your group, then returns to the children. "But I'm afraid that is all the time we have today, I have another appointment to keep. Back to school for all of you, but remember, you can always learn more at your local Library." + +The children all shuffle their way over to their parents and head toward the bus as one big group. Corentin makes his way to your group, waving at the children on his way over. "It is good to see you again, Kings of Kings. To what do I owe the pleasure of your return?" + +*IF THEY ASK* +"The elementary school discussed a field trip to my demense, if you'll pardon the pun, and they were becoming a bit bored... I offered them some activity to pass the time." + +*HOW WAS HE SO LOUD* +"The air is a... magical compound. I am no scientist, but I know that sound is carried through some particles in the air that vibrate and carry the sound. It is simple to amplify such vibrations in my element." + +*RETURN REGALIA* +He will graciously take back the bow, smiling a little at the sight of it. You watch as a swirling vortex of air suddenly encompasses his entire body, the leaves on the tree & the grasses rattling much more loudly, as do the feathers on his headpiece. + +He looks to you, his eyes now holding a faint green glow, and wherever his gaze touches fills the area around it with a light breeze. "I thank you for returning my Zeph Arcus... truth be told, if it were my decision, I would simply hand it to you now as a sign of gratitude, but the rules dictate it must be earned in a challenge." + +He lares his green wings again, aiming the bow low and horizontal in his let hand, his right holding the string. "Corentin Tasnyak hereby accepts your challenge, Kings of Kings. I believe you know the magic words?" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +Corentin pants raggedly, his scales glistening with sweat in the sunlight as he puts his reclaimed bow upon his back. "Kings of Kings, you have put up a valiant fight, and I applaud your efforts. I know full well that I am not your traditional enemy, but take it to heart when I say, your potential has nowhere to go but up." + +"When you are ready to try again, you need only to seek me out. I will be waiting." He collapses his wings fully and slithers his way to his treehouse, climbing by the nearby hanging rope and disappearing from view. + +*IF THEY WIN* +Corentin suddenly slumps over, using the bow itself to keep himself upright as he groans in pain from all the hits he took. "A magnificent show, Kings of Kings... you have more than earned my Zeph Arcus, both for the amazing battle AND for the honor you have shown me in returning it in the first place." + +He slithers closer and places the bow in the hands of anyone whom accepts it. "I hope you find what it is that will bring you the peace you deserve." + +"Now, if you will... excuse me..." He slowly slithers his way over to the tallest part of the grass around you, easily three feet high, and spreads his arms wide before flopping back into it. + +"Mm... the grass in this demense is as comfortable as any bed I've ever rested in..." It only takes a few moments before his eyes are closed and he simply falls asleep. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Dorrin.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Dorrin.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c742a8f --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Dorrin.txt @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +Upon returning to the BLUE demense, everything seems about the same as before. Same shops at the south, same boats docked on the east and west, same fishermen on the north, and same storage shacks in the middle. + +*IF THEY SPEAK TO ANYONE* +When they see you, they do a double-take to recognize you. "Oh! It's... it's the Kings of Kings!" + +Behind you, you hear someone else say the same thing, and then two more, then four, and it rides all the way across the wharf island. It takes a minute, but now, everyone around you has stopped and is staring at you with knowing grins. + +*IF ANYONE SAYS ANYTHING* +You hear someone in the background shouting "DOR RIN! DOR RIN!" And slowly more people join in on the chanting, only taking about a minute before the entire island is chanting his name. From within the storage area, you see a tall figure approaching. + +Dorrin marches his way across the dock, harpoon carried across his shoulder in his left hand. This time, he wears a double breasted deep blue suit, complimented with a red pocket square to match the red tie against his bright white dress shirt, and a matching fedora with a red hat band. + +Everyone quickly moves out of the way for him, the chanting slowly dying down. When he reaches you, he slams the butt of his harpoon onto the dock, and leans down slightly. "I owe you all something, something I should've given you when you first came here." + +He extends his beefy right hand down, offering you a handshake. "My name is Dorrin Dodici. And I welcome you to my demense, Kings of Kings." + +The second someone shakes his hand, everyone around you cheers their hearts out. Dorrin slams his harpoon into the pier again, getting everyone's attention. "I assume you have come to challenge me for my Regalia, correct?" + +*IF THEY CONFIRM* +"Then may the tides of victory be ever in your favor!" Everyone starts cheering again, but he slams his spear into the dock a third time, reclaiming everyone's attention. + +"BUT FIRST! I still owe you a debt of gratitude for finding out my daughter is alive. Before our challenge, please join us in a meal of the finest seafood our demense has to offer!" + +*IF THEY AGREE* +Everyone cheers louder than before, the entire south side of the demense suddenly in a frenzy. In a matter of moments, a long table and several chairs have been produced, white tablecloth and everything, as well as plates and silverware. There are even glasses of wine being poured for everyone. + +From the East & West docks, you hear sizzling and smell the distinct scent of fish cooking, several people grilling a different type of fish for anyone's selective appetite. From groupers to flounders, from tuna to trout, the entire wharf is engulfed in the biggest fish grill imaginable. And Dorrin is ordering one of everything. + +From the north side, you see multiple people walk over carrying instruments, led by Gallon with a violin in hand. There are also a few women dancing to give something of a visual spectacle while the first round of food is placed on your table. +- They are playing Il Canto di Malavita, the kind of song you recognize from Italian movies + +And you may be the only ones seated, but everyone around you is eating as well, enjoying the festivities. + +*AFTER THEY ALL EAT* + +Dorrin stands from the table, looking visually no different despite eating twice as much as your whole group combined. He slams his spear into the ground twice, getting everyone's attention again. "The time for our Challenge is nigh!" + +Everyone backs away and cheers them on as the table and chairs are suddenly pulled away. The shops are slowly but surely all picked up and pulled back & to the sides several yards. There is now an appropriately sized fighting space, mostly on the solid ground and partly on the dock. + +Dorrin removes his coat and tosses it to the audience, revealing his INCREDIBLY firm physique under his white shirt. He does the same with his hat, tie, and cufflinks, in that order. He takes his fighting position, spear gripped in both hands, and declares, "Give me your best shot!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +Dorrin stands tall, battered and bruised with his suit in shreds, gripping his harpoon tightly. He steps closer to your group, standing in such a way his head blocks out the sun from overhead so you cannot see his face clearly. + +"You all fought valiantly. Learn from this experience, grow stronger from it, and fight me again. Whenever you feel you are ready." He will slowly walk away, using the harpoon as a cane, until he is out of sight. + +*IF THEY WIN* +Dorrin sits on his knees, panting hard, both hands gripping his harpoon tightly to keep himself upright. "You are all little monsters, you know that?" + +He slowly climbs up to his two feet, almost falling over. "And I know a thing or two about raising a little Hellian." + +He cracks his neck in both directions, wiping blood from his mouth. "I fully admit and acknowledge my defeat. You have earned the Tide Turner." + +He turns the spear around and jams the sharp tip into the ground, leaving it embedded and free standing in the wood of the dock. He tries to take a step and stumbles a bit, the people from the audience suddenly rushing to help lift him up. + +Gallon steps forth, arms behind his back with a grin a mile wide. "Yer Daughter'd be proud of ye, Dorrin." He then presents a brand new bottle of wine to him and a bucket of ice. + +You could swear you saw Dorrin smile a bit as he grabbed the bottle, drinking the whole thing down in a solid second. You watch the two walk away, Gallon spouting fisherman-isms the whole way, followed by a good dozen other people fascinated by the conversation. diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Fulmo.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Fulmo.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..34580cb --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Fulmo.txt @@ -0,0 +1,64 @@ +THIS WILL BE SET UP BY APPOINTMENT + +Upon returning to the SILVER demense, the air is thick with the scent of ozone and rich in the sound of thunder. You see dozens of Thunder Force officers standing around, dumbfoundedly staring up at the sky. As are several people on the steps to the courthouse. And pretty much every prisoner in the yard. + +(NOTICE Roll) +- You see one MASSIVE dark storm cloud looming overhead, but not a drop of rain +- You see flashes of lightning every second, paired with a clap of thunder +- You see someone's shadowy outline in those clouds with every clap & bolt + +Second Commander Valeos approaches with a smile. "Good to see you again, Kings of Kings. I assume you are here for your challenge?" + +*WHAT IS THAT* +Valeos laughs a little and casually points into the sky. "THAT would be Fulmo. He advised us this morning he would be doing some... warm-ups before his challenge today. Speaking of which, I'm under orders to alert him when you arrive, so if you'll excuse me..." + +He steps away and kneels down, his body crackles with electricity, and he LEAPS into the air. He lands on top of the Thunder Force office, then takes another grand leap to the top of the courthouse's highest flagpole, and makes a mighty third leap straight into the sky. + +You get few moments of silence, before a bolt of lightning strikes the ground a few yards from you. The bolt dissipates as quickly as it came, and where it struck, you see Valeos standing beside Fulmo, in a much more combat-ready outfit. + +Fulmo has a high-collar silver shirt, nicely contrasting against the black denim longcoat and black cargo pants. His boots are polished black & bound by vibrant silver bootstraps, and his sunglasses wrap around his face perfectly, but do little to hide the charged blue eyes behind them. His hair, while mostly slicked back, is spiked in a uniform pattern, and each hair is crackling with energy. + +Everyone stares at him in stunned silence for a moment, then all the Thunder Force officers salute him at the same time. He dismisses all of them with a wave, then approaches your group, his tail discharging small amounts of electricity into the open air. + +"Kings of Kings, let it be known that I have not engaged in a challenge in some time. But I know full well my duties as a Demense Master include accepting challenges from Regalia Hunters, and I intend to take this challenge seriously. Do not expect me to hold back." + +The inmates suddenly start hooting and hollering at your group AND Fulmo, all making comments about which one would be the biggest loser. + +Fulmo becomes engulfed in electricity and disappears from view, reappearing inside the inmates' fence, directly behind them, causing them all to freeze in place. + +"I would advise you pay close attention to this. For if I win, then my status as Lawbringer will be unquestionable. But if I lose, then that means THESE PEOPLE are more powerful than your JAILER." + +And every single criminal suddenly shuts up right quick. Although you DO hear one in the back yell 'may the best man win!' + +All the Thunder Force officers are trying their hardest to not laugh, but Valeos snorts a bit. + +Fulmo simply leaps over the twelve foot razor wire fence, and lands beside your group. "On that note, I believe we are ready to begin, yes?" + +*IF YES* +He raises his hand over his face, and quick as a flash, his head becomes engulfed in electricity for a moment before disappearing, his sunglasses replaced by a helmet of black and silver, molded after an old fashioned 8-point police cap with an over-the-eye visor attached to a silver bottom half face mask. + +He then pulls out a pair of immaculate silver revolvers, his body charging with crackling electricity as he spins the chambers without even touching them. "Then let this battle be the finest these brave soldiers have ever witnessed." + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +Fulmo will stand proudly, his outfit in tatters, both guns aimed at your group in shaky hands, panting heavily with a trail of blood drooling from behind his mask. + +He slides both guns into his holsters, and winces from the pain after. "Kings of Kings, speaking as an entity of electricity itself, I can safely say you are a force of nature. I genuinely believe my victory was nothing short of luck today. I know you will all likely wish to challenge me again sometime, and I openly invite and welcome the opportunity." + +He slowly limps away from the battlefield, as the Thunder Force officers all around you salute him as he hobbles his way inside the Thunder Force main office, the doors slamming with an audible thud. + +Valeos stays behind, kneeling in front of your group. "That was a hell of a show you put on. You should be proud." + +*IF THEY WIN* +He collapses onto his knees, dropping both guns as he falls onto his hands, his helmet & mask falling onto the ground to fully reveal his face again. + +He will look up to your group, electricity seeping out from around his eyes like a flow of energy, almost looking... angry? But he will close his eyes and sigh deeply, reopening them as they return to their original cool blue orbs. + +"I have no excuse, you have defeated me fair and sqare before these witnesses. And you were all magnificent. As per the rules, you have won my Rai Revolvers as your prize." + +He picks up both guns and stand up, swaying a bit as he does, and places them on the ground before you with their holsters. He shakily stands back up and aims a finger gun at your group. "Aim true, Kings of Kings. You have many battles ahead of you, and you will need to make every shot count." + +He slowly turns and limps his way to the Thunder Force officers, but trips a few feet away, and Second Commander Valeos catches him. Valeos carries him over his shoulder as the two walk up the stairs together, surrounded by other concerned Officers the whole way. + +Before they walk through the doors, Valeos turns back to your group and gives you a thumbs up and a wink, then carries their injured leader inside. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Miranda.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Miranda.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b3b4dc3 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Miranda.txt @@ -0,0 +1,90 @@ +Upon returning to the PINK demense, you will see things have definitely changed. Where there was once a well crafted runway for the fashion show, there is now a professionally crafted boxing ring approximately 50 feet across, and several rows of chairs surrounding it on all sides. A large portion of those chairs are already filled with people, all excitedly chattering about the upcoming event. + +There are concession stands in the left & right halls selling popcorn, drinks, hot dogs, burgers, and every kind of snack food you can imagine, all ran and sponsored by local Diadem restaurants. + +"Welcome back, Kings of Kings." You see Caelum standing at a podium on a stepping stool, meeting you at eye level easily, but this time with his hood up and clipboard in hand. + +*WHAT IS ALL THIS* +"Miranda promised a show, and she does not skimp on the chance to show off. Ever." His delivery is a bit flat at that one, like he's said it a million times before. + +*WHERE IS SHE* +"Miranda is in the craft room, preparing her outfit for the night. Just go around the back of the audience, second door on the left. But uh... be careful, some of these fans are looking for you guys. And they want more than autographs." + +(STEALTH ROLL) +As you walk by, several audience members spot you, and excitedly jump out of their chairs to rush you and beg for autographs or souvenirs. +(Low Roll player(s)) unfortunately couldn't sneak by quickly or quiet enough and get grabbed, but +(High Roll player(s)) are able to stay juuust out of sight enough to get to her room without being jumped. + +Once you reach the craft room, you see the door is partly open. Inside is indeed Miranda, as well as ten different spools of thread hovering in the air and several patches of fabric, all faintly glowing pink. + +Miranda is standing in the middle of it all, wearing a black denim crafting apron, and based on what you can see, not much else underneath. She waves her hand and fingers around, causing the pieces to come together and the threads to weave between them, creating a brand new corset right before your eyes in a matter of moments. + +"You can come in if you like, I promise not to bite~ This time~" + +*IF THEY ASK HOW SHE KNEW THEY WERE THERE* +She laughs a sultry laugh and puts the remaining pieces on a nearby table, folding the top and placing it on a clothing rack with an identical set of boots and pants. "I am an entity of space magic. Not just the magic of outer space, but physicality as a concept. Knowing where people, places, and things are is my bread and butter. Speaking of..." + +She raises a hand toward the door and opens a magic window, showing your teammates currently being borderline assaulted by ravenous fans. "I recommend you grab them and pull them to safety, before they get hurt... that's my job~" + +*PULL THEM THROUGH* +The magic gateway closes, and your teammates' clothing is in shreds. Miranda tsks a few times. "Well that won't do..." + +She waves both hands in the air this time, a series of fabric patches and spools of thread hovering overhead again, and they all lurch forward into the their clothes, stitching up every piece good as new in a matter of moments. "Presentable~ Although we REALLY need to talk about getting you some new outfits sometime." + +"I certainly hope you're all ready, we have quite an audience out there~ I made sure to sell this as an event for the ages~" + +*IF YES* +You hear a knock at the door to the craft room. "Come on in, join the party~" + +Caelum steps inside and shuts the door behind him, walking up to Miranda. She happily ruffles his hair. "I assume it's time?" + +He squirms and makes cute huffy little noises before nodding. "Yes Mom." + +"Lead our guests outside and introduce them first. I need a minute to change." Caelum nods again and leads your group outside quietly. He asks you all to wait here in the shadows by the door so you don't get attacked again, as he heads for the stage first. + +In only those few minutes, almost all the seats have completely filled. You spot several familiar faces in the audience, including King Akarui, several members of the Thunder Force, and even Striker. Although HE just seems to be taking bets. + +Caelum walks out onto the stage, microphone in hand and hoodie pulled back. "Ahem... LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I GIVE YOU TODAY'S MAIN EVENT, A REGALIA CHALLENGE BETWEEN MADAM MIRANDA AND THE KINGS OF KIIIIINGS!" + +The audience immediately starts roaring with applause. "FIRST IS TONIGHT'S CHALLENGERS!" + +He will then give a slightly corny introduction for anyone participating in this event, and let each one step up on the arena one behind the other. + +Once everyone is introduced, he will guide them to a far corner to make room. "AND NOW FOR THE CHAMPION YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! THE FASIONISTA QUEEN OF DIADEM, THE STELLAR MAGE AND MISTRESS OF THE SATELLITE DEMENSE, MADAM MIRANDA BAARAH!!!" + +From the distant corner of the room, a spotlight shines down and an explosion of bright pink smoke and confetti erupts. A pair of wings bursts from within it and blasts it all away, revealing Miranda from within. + +She struts forward in a black leather outfit comprised of a halter top, tight miniskirt, and knee length boots, ending in three inch black stilettos. Her lips and nails are painted black, her neck carries a thin black collar you can barely see under the plumage, her forearms are covered by black bracers, and her right hip carries a whip on a buckle holster. + +She makes her descent down the pathway, wings spread wide, and everyone starts losing their goddman minds. Even Striker is reaching out toward her with a photo and a marker, asking for an autograph, which she gladly signs AND punctuates with a lipstick stained kiss. And she does so several times for several others before she makes it to the stage. + +Once she is finally done SLOWLY climbing the ropes, Caelum hands off the mic to her and pulls up his hoodie, trotting off stage quickly. "Thank you all for coming out tonight! It's been ten long years since the last time my Regalia was put on the line, so we're gonna make this a spectacle you will all remember forever!" + +Everyone cheers in excitement as she steps toward your group, pitching the micophone over her shoulder and pulling her whip off the clasp, striking the open ground between you both. "Let's give these people a show!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +Miranda will proudly raise a fist in the air as the audience cheers their hearts out. Her outfit is in tatters and she's covered in bruises, but you hear Caelum over the mic stating "AND THE WINNER BY KNOCKOUT IS MADAM MIRANDAAA!!!" + +Caelum tosses her the microphone, which she catches as she approaches your group. "Kings of Kings, I thank you for giving this event everything you had! This was a fantastic show, and even though you did not win..." + +She pauses to increase her volume, "you impressed each and every one of these people who came out tonight!" And just to prove the point, everyone starts cheering hysterically. + +"I extend an open invitation to The Kings of Kings to rematch me! Any day, any time, name it and we can do this all over again!" + +The idea of another chance to watch this kind of spectacle excites the audience all over again. She tosses the microphone to Caelum again and steps off stage, doing her whole walk up routine in reverse. + +*IF THEY WIN* +Miranda collapsess back onto the stage, arms over her head and wings sprawled beneath her. The entire audience goes completely silent, many people staring in sheer disbelief, eyes wide and jaws hanging. + +Caelum will run out and give her a concerned look, and sees she is okay, just VERY badly nbanged up. Caelum looks out to the audience and states as loudly as he can into the mic, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION, THE KINGS OF KIIIIINGS!!!" + +It takes a moment before the disbelief wears off, but everyone starts screaming and applauding, and you can hear comments in the audience of that being a fantastic show and they were insanely impressed. Miranda sits up slowly with Caelum's help, spits out a gob of blood to the side, and smiles wide at your group. Caelum holds a mic down to her mouth for her. + +"Well done, Kings of Kings. You brought everything you had and it paid off magnificently. You have more than earned my Regalia, the Star Scourge. Take it with my blessing!" She extends an arm with the whip she used in battle toward your group. + +She stands up with Caelum's aid and grabs the microphone. "Thank you everyone for coming out and making this show just as special to me as I hope it was for you! Drive Safely and Good Night!!!" + +She drops the mic on the stage and shakily walks away with Caelum's help, leaving you all to your adoring audience, all of whom now want your autographs and to interview you. But unlike last time, they aren't trying to rip you apart. Yet. + diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Thanatos.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Thanatos.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3e38fbf --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Thanatos.txt @@ -0,0 +1,103 @@ +Upon returning to the GRAY demense, it appears relatively the same. Graves as far as the eye can see, everything beyond in a graying mist, one solid brick path leading ahead. + +But you can't help but feel like something is a different, and you can't quite put your finger on it. + +(INVESTIGATE ROLL) +You see the gravestones closest to the front are all dated within the last few days, meaning the ones closest to the path are NEW graves. + +As you look through the next row, you see the time between their dates is only about a week apart from the front row, and THOSE graves you vaguely remember the names written on them. + +The graveyard is expanding from the path you are walking on outward. + +(NOTICE ROLL) +As you start walking down the path, you hear: +- a slow methodical drum beat from within the fog +- a male voice singing alongside it +- (PLAYER WITH GIFT) A female voice joining into the harmony a few moments later +- A minute later, you hear an additional, much younger male singing another song on top of the first one in a Creole accent + +(CONTACTS ROLL) +- The first song is Wayfaring Stranger, a sad and mournful tune from the 1850s about a soul's journey home +- The second tune is Ain't No Grave, a gospel song being sung in a soulful manner + +You reach the cathedral building, just in time for the songs to reach their cresdendos. The doors are wide open, but there is no sign or schedule for upcoming funerals. + +*INSIDE* +There have been some changes since you were here last time. The pews and stage are the same, but the stage now carries rows of collapsible metal risers, the kind for a choir to stand on. + +Thanatos stands behind a podium in front of these risers, in the same dressy clothes as before but this time sporting a dark gray cloak. "Now dhis is a surbrise, dhe Kings of Kings have graced us widh dheir bresence once more." + +On the choir steps is (Caelum) a young boy with very pale blond hair, sporting a deep gray choir gown with indigo piping along the edges, as well as an indigo undershirt showing around the chest area. He is accompanied by a little lizard, resting atop his head like his hair was a bed. + +When he sees your group coming, he looks a little flustered, clearly not expecting company. + +(PLAYER WITH GIFT) You didn't spot her behind the boy at first, but you spot the red robin woman (Rowena) from the funeral you attended, in a similar garb as the boy (Caelum). Her feathers look more gray than you remember, but she waves at you with a smile on her face. + +----- + +*IF GIFTED PLAYER MENTIONS ROWENA* +Thanatos will turn to you all. "Now dhad is quide dhe coincidence, we were jusd discussing a song dhad Rowena is a fan of, a haunding melody of a wayward soul redurning home. Quide abbrobriade for my demense, wouldn'd you agree?" + +----- + +He turns back to the risers and sighs softly. "Abologies, bud I believe dhad is all dhe dime we have. I have a new abboindmend do addend do." + +(Caelum) The boy will nod quietly and heads for the door, but in passing, you notice a sad look in his eye. He opens the door, and just stands there, staring out at the misty graveyard. + +*IF THEY ASK* +Thanatos steps down next, standing before your group. "Caelum is a unique child, blessed much like us Demense Masders do never exberience death. Bud in his eyes, he sees id as a curse. He yearns do know and undersdand how id feels do age, grow, and exberience dhe end of life." + +(PLAYER WITH GIFT) Out of the corner of your eye, you see Rowena quietly sneak around behind your group, CLEARLY trying her hardest to not make a sound. She stands beside Caelum in the doorway, looking outside with him, resting a hand on his shoulder. + +Thanatos pauses and sighs softly. "Id does nod helb dhad he wadched someone he liked bass away very recendly, bud he feld id was his dudy do come and sing, for dhe ceremony." + +----- + +*WHEN WAS THE CEREMONY* +"Abologies, bud I'm afraid you jusd missed id." + +*WHO WAS IT FOR* +Thanatos will wipe a tear from his eye, looking to (PLAYER WITH GIFT) with a solemn glance. "Do you wish do say id, or should I?" + +*IF THEY SAY ROWENA, OR* +*IF THEY TURN TO THE DOORWAY* +Caelum will now be by himself, facing out the doorway & away from your group, and you could swear you hear him sniffling a little as he wipes his face with his arm. + +(PLAYER WITH GIFT) Rowena is gone, but you see a small cloud of gray mist where she once stood, and you can faintly hear her voice singing a few melodic words. + +Caelum slowly walks forward, pulling the door behind himself shut with a soft click. + +----- + +*IF REGALIA/CHALLENGE* +He nods solemnly, reaching for his hood. "Dhen led us begin dhe ceremony of combad, and bray do whadever God you believe in dhad you are vicdorious againsd Thanatos Ondogon." + +Under the cloak, all but his arms are now obscured. He reaches behind himself and pulls out an old style scythe, three foot blade on a five foot gray pole with a golden wolf skull across the top. + +The room slowly fills with that gray mist you kept seeing outside, obscuring your view a little. You hear the heavy wood of the pughs creaking, lifting off the ground slightly before suddenly rushing toward the walls, leaving the center space open. + +(PLAYER WITH GIFT) You see that, within the mist, there are several men and women in varying shades of grayscale quickly working together to move the pughs away. + +He reaches under his cloak and pulls out a mask in the shape of a wolf skull, placing it upon his face, now the only thing you can see from under the hood. "May dhe odds be ever in your favor." + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +He slams the bottom of his scythe into the ground, using it to hold himself upright. "Id has been some dime since I have exberienced such an ubhill fighd.. you are all mighdy warriors." + +He hobbles past you, hefting the scythe over his shoulder as he heads out the door. "Should you desire a remadch, I will be waiding." + +The door slams shut behind him, leaving you alone in the empty church. + +*IF THEY WIN* +He kneels on the ground, staring at the floor. "Magnificend... an honorable loss, do be sure... If I could die, I would be sadisfied if my lasd acd was do lose do you all in combad." + +He slams the scythe's blade into the ground, the handle sticking up at an angle. "You have more dhan earned my Grimm Requiem, Kings of Kings. Dake it widh my blessing." + +You see the pews around you rumble a bit, before they launch into the air and rearrange back the way they were when you arrived, the doors to the building quietly swinging open. Thanatos slowly hovers up and off the ground, righting himself on his own two feet. + +(PLAYER WITH GIFT) Inside the mist, you see grayscale people of all ages and sizes helping Thanatos back to his feet, dusting him off and straightening his outfit for him. + +"I will dake my leave now and... lick my wounds, as dhe saying goes... Bud I wish you luck on your journey. And do remember dhis place if you ever need a venue for your... ceremonies." + +He slowly walks out the door, limping the whole way as the door closes behind him, leaving you alone with your prize. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Tlaloc.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Tlaloc.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4c3ed9b --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Tlaloc.txt @@ -0,0 +1,100 @@ +Upon returning to the BROWN demense, everything appears the same at first glance. Same valley, same trees, same lake, same gym & store combo. + +----- + +*GYM / STORE* +You see a large sign in the window of the gym half of the building, stating "CLOSED FOR PARTY." The store half is still open, and you can see Bunji sitting at the counter, looking like he's about to fall asleep. + +*APPROACH BUNJI* +Bunji jumps in his seat a bit, now VERY much awake, and smiles at your group. "Oh? Well if it isn't the Kings of Kings. What brings you by?" + +*WHERE ARE THE GYM PEOPLE* +Bunji points out the door toward the opposite side of the valley, sighing a little. "They closed early for the day to throw Tlaloc a 'get well' party. They're having fun at the lake and the hot springs." + +*WHY ARENT YOU WITH THEM* +He shrugs. "Not a good swimmer, not a fan of hot water matting up my fur. Either way, it makes me look like a demonic Schnauzer." + +----- + +*LAKE* +You see several of the people from the gym swimming around in th water like it's a giant public pool, and several others either hanging out & drinking the mineral water, or just lying back and enjoying the view. + +Jehkyra steps out of the water, wearing a bodyskin swimsuit that hugs EVERY inch of her muscular form from the neck down. She grabs a towel from nearby and quickly dries her face, which is when she finally spots your group and waves you down with a smile. She turns to her friends and shouts "Hey guys! The Kings of Kings are here!" + +All the people in & around the water stop what they're doing and march their way over to your group, and all of them ask essentially he same question: "ARE YOU HERE TO CHALLENGE TLALOC?" + +*IF YES* +They all hoot and holler like a bunch of drunk frat boys, but Jekyra gets them all to simmer down after a moment, before turning back to you. "Your timing couldn't be better. Tlaloc's at the hot springs, and he's all healed up. We're all celebrating his quick recovery, despite the whole... gold... blade... dust... thing. Do you know what that's all about?" + +*ANSWER* +"Gotcha... well either way, I'll be rooting for you. Now if you'll excuse me..." She pitches her towel behind her and takes off running for the water, jumping in JACKKNIFE style and splashes everyone within ten feet of her with water. + +----- + +*HOT SPRINGS* +You hear several voices talking from within the walls of the hot springs, but none you can distinguish as Tlaloc immediately. + +*WALK IN* +A dove woman greets you at the door, her body covered in a white yukata style bathrobe and her brown nametag stating YUKI, smiling and waving. "Welcome in! Party of (number of players)?" + +*ASK ABOUT TLALOC* +"Oh you're here for his party? Then your admission is free, let me get you your supplies." + +She lays out a basket with a robe identical to hers in what you assume is your size. "Tlaloc is in the unisex hot spring, and his party is already large, so do be careful when trying to join in." + +*AT THE SPRINGS* +The whole area is filled with people you recognize from the gym (and the climbing area out back), all completely nue aside from some of them wearing towels or submerged in the water. + +It takes no time at all to spot Tlaloc, as he is currently occupying the largest pool in the area. He is submerged up to his neck in water, his towel neatly folded and resting atop his head. His eyes are closed, and he is grinning ear to ear. + +*APPROACH* +Tlaloc opens his eyes hearing you approach, and he gasps in happiness, immediately standing up in the pool and causing the water to lower by at least two inches. "FRIENDS! JOIN! WATER! GOOD!" + +The deep gash on his chest has apparently completely healed up, not even leaving a scar on his stony mucular skin. + +*IF CHALLENGE* +Tlaloc's eyes will widen with excitement, and he will throw his clawed arms up in the air, yelling CHALLENGE at the top of his lungs, catching the attention of everyone around you. + +Everyone around you in the hot springs starts cheering and chanting, clearly exited to finally get the result they wanted from before. But everyone goes silent when they aee the door to the building slide open, a very angry Yuki standing in the doorway and glaring at everyone. "Please keep the noise down, you are disturbing the other guests." + +The door shuts, and Tlaloc waits a few seconds before looking to your group and stating very quietly "GO. LAKE. CHALLENGE?" + +*LAKESIDE* +The entire congregation of people a the hot springs decided to follow your group, most of whom you recognize from the gym, and a few you don't. Once you reach the lake, everyone sees you with Tlaloc in tow, and immediately knows the Challenge is happening soon. + +Tlaloc turns around to face ou, grinning ear to ear. "CHALLENGE... FIGHT?" + +*IF YES* +Tlaloc reaches behind himself and pulls out a massive tree limb of wood, grabbing it in both hands and slamming the opposite end of it into the ground before you. Attached to the other end is a massive rock, wide at one end and pointy on the other, coated in small rune markings. This isn't just a rock attached to a tree limb, it is a rudimentary warhammer. + +He suddenly hefts the thing up onto his shoulder with one hand like it weighed nothing, then holds his fist out in front of him. "READY! FIGHT!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +Tlaloc raises his arms in triumph over his head, bellowing out in joy as the audience around you all does much the same. Once the circle dissipates, they all rush in and cheer with Tlaloc, but he instead steps forward and kneels down in front of your group. + +He puts on the best dopey smile he can and pats each of you on the back with a dull thud of those heavy arms. "TRY. AGAIN. LATER." + +He will then stand and rejoin the others, who all chant their way back to the gym & store building, singing some chant about Tlaloc still being undefeated. + +*IF THEY WIN* +Tlaloc stands before your group, clearly beaten to a pulp under all that rock armor, panting heavily. He lets go of the massive hammer, causing it to THUD into the ground hard enough to shake the ground beneath you. He slowly falls forward, landing on his face with an even heavier thud. Tlaloc has admitted defeat. + +The gold circle dissipates, and everyone in the audience stares in horror at their superhero of a Demense Master lying in a pile of dirt and grass. Tlaloc suddenly rolls over onto his back, and he seems... oddly happy. He lets out a deep unsettling rumble of a chuckle, before finally declaring "FRIENDS! WIN!" + +The entire audience begins to boo your group in a fit of rage, not believing you to be the winners at all. + +Tlaloc suddenly sits upright and silences the entire group with the angriest look you have EVER seen someone like HIM generate. "ME! LOSE! THEM! STRONGER!" + +You can see the heartbreak across their faces hearing that, but he's not done. "GET! STRONGER! BE! BETTER!" + +The audience is actually shocked at the thought of him getting stronger, but Jekhyra finally appears and steps between Tlaloc & his friends. "Alright, alright. Look, we all saw it with our own eyes. These guys beat Tlaloc fair and square. They are now the rightful owners of the Cliff Breaker." + +She points at Tlaloc's massive hammer, and finally turns to your group. "Take it with both our blessing, Kings of Kings." + +She interrupts when you try to grab it, a grin on her face. "But know this. Tlaloc's gonna use this loss as a driving force to get even stronger, and next time, it won't be so easy." + +She helps Tlaloc get back on his feet almost singlehandedly, holding him up by his shoulder. "So you better get stronger too, ya hear? If that Regalia winds up in his hands again, you won't win it a second time." + +Tlaloc slowly extends one of his beefy hands in a fist, grinning wide. "FRIENDS! VISIT! REMATCH!" He is offering a fist bump and a promise as a goodbye. diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Whittaker.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Whittaker.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e4ae0f --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Whittaker.txt @@ -0,0 +1,106 @@ +(ATHLETICS Roll) Right before you enter the gate, a snowball launches at (lowest roller) from within, slamming right into your face. + +Upon returning to the WHITE demense, you see dozens of snowballs whizzing by in every direction imaginable, screaming ringing out from every corner, and children lying in the snow. You entered an active snowball fight war zone. + +- You can see dozens of children AND a few adults flinging snowballs on the left, led by a boy in an indigo hoodie +- You can't seem to make out whom is throwing them on the right, but you DO see a consistent flurry of them flying out from the branches of multiple trees. + +*IF THEY APPROACH OR CALL TO HIM* +Caelum does a doubletake realizing you are there. Not even a moment later, he is struck in the side of the head, knocking him off balance and causing him to flop face first in the snow. + +He stands up after a moment, shouting OUT toward the battlefield, before turning back to your group. "Didn't expect to see you here today. C'mon, let's go inside." + +He guides you inside the cabin, where BOHDI the yeti is standing to the right of the door, stacking VERY large warm towels on a rack. He picks one up and drops it on Caelum's head with a toothy grin, which covers him like a massive blanket. From underneath, you hear Caelum utter a muffled THANKS. + +The snow fox from the cabin (Ouja) is walking around with a fresh tray of hot cocoa for anyone that wants it. He holds out the tray to your group for a moment, and Caelum snags a cup before he heads out the door. "And thank YOU." + +*WHAT IS GOING ON* +Caelum sits down on a bench, wearing the towel like a cloak and nursing the cup of cocoa. "So the short version is, the kids wanted to do a snowball fight and invited Whitaker to join in. Problem is, it's him against a hundred enthusiastic children. Personally it feels a bit uneven." + +*UNEVEN FOR WHITAKER* +He laughs softly. "I meant for the children." + +Ouja hops back inside the door, his tray now full of empty cups. "They're making their final push, if you want to watch the ending." + +*IF THEY LOOK* +The battlefield looks surprisingly sparse compared to two minutes ago. There are only six children left, all looking around with snowballs in hand ready to go, standing back to back in a circle, giggling excitedly like they have the greatest strategy of all time. + +Five snowballs fly through the air at perfect arcs from completely different trees and smash right into the top of their heads, each one flopping over in a giggle fit. + +The last one, a finch boy in a blue igloo coat, realizes he is the sole survivor. He starts throwing snowballs frantically in random directions and making more as fast as he can. + +At some point, he accidentally throws one so hard in the air that he stumbles and flops into the snow, that same snowball falling and smacking him in the back of the head. + +Whittaker magically jumps down from seemingly nowhere, kneels down in front of the kid, and touches his head with a snowball, smiling kindly. + +This time, he is wearing a tight white vest with a ring of black around the midriff & a matching black choker, white jean shorts with a black belt, long white furred snowboots, and white arm warmers. He also has what looks like a snow white feathered backpack. + +You hear a soft sigh from beside you, and Morana steps forward, sipping on her own cocoa. "Guess the snowball fight is over, for today. So what brings you by?" + +*REGALIA* +Her eyebrows raise seeing the little sword in your hands, and she points to Whittaker. "You might wanna take that to him. Right now. + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +Whittaker is surrounded by the excited children asking him endless questions about how he hides in the trees and throws snowballs so quickly. And Whittaker is rubbing the back of his head with a nervous laugh at all the attention. + +His ears flick a bit, immediately stepping in front of the children defensively, his mirthful appearance going away. "Can... I help... you..?" + +*PRESENT REGALIA* +He flinched at first, but upon recognizing his Regalia, he reaches out slowly and takes it back, hugging it to his chest as he stares up at you all, his eyes now glowing a soft white. "Th-thank you.. Kings of Kings.." + +Morana steps out from behind your group, and kneels down beside Whittaker, petting his head again. She looks to the children. "Sorry kiddos, it's time to go home, the adults have things to talk about." + +Every child goes 'aaawww' at the same time, but they all hug Whitaker before trotting off through the snow. Morana smiles and stands behind Whittaker. "Thank you for returning his Regalia, Kings of Kings. I think I speak for both of us when I say we owe you a significant debt." + +*CHALLENGE* +Whitaker's eyes flare open, staring at you in fear at the possibility of what this challenge might entail. Morana walks between him & your group, smiling wide. "Well I think that is more than fair, that's why you came here in the first place. What do you think, Whi--" + +She realizes he is gone again, a pile of snow left in his place. "...I should have seen that one coming." + +She will turn to your group, grinning a bit. "You know.. catching that little ninja of mine would be quite a CHALLENGE, if you catch my drift..~" She gives your group a playful wink. + +She turns and launches an ice spike at a tree, causing him to fall out of it all over again into the soft snow. She looks back to your group and nudges toward him as she runs to get behind him. + +She will walk up to Whitaker and pick him up from behind, setting him on his two feet and dusting the snow off him. "Sweetie, I know you're scared, but this is part of your responsibility as the demense Master. Now go and do your absolute best." + +*IF CHALLENGE IS MADE* + +Morana kisses the top of Whittaker's head and jumps just far enough to not be caught inside the circle growing from his feet (AND yours). He will frantically look around, realizing she is gone, gripping his weapon tightly. + +And he will sudddenly remember he HAS it, staring down at it intensely. He pulls it out of its sheath slowly, a flurry of snow and ice dancing around him in a tight spiraling column. He clacks the sword back into its scabbard, causing the snow & ice to blast outward in all directions. + +He slips it onto the back of his waist, resting a hand on the handle. He takes a deep breath and tries his absolute HARDEST to look serious. "M-my name.. Is Whitaker Tormet'i, a-and I accept your challenge!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +Panting tiredly, legs shaking, Whitaker sheaths his sword and flops onto his knees in the snow, staring at your group silently, deep in thought. + +Morana will step in behind him and just pick him up like he weighs nothing, carrying him bridal style with a smirk, much to his blushing surprise. She walks him over to your group and sets him down on his own two feet. "Go on, tell them~" + +He bashfully nods a bit and turns to your group. "Th-that was.. I-I mean um.. mnh.." Getting frustrated with himself, he forces himself to take a calming breath and actually talks with his full volume voice. + +"Thank you for being n-nice to me and bringing back my Regalia and if you want to try again you can!" + +Morana grins down at him. "What he said~" + +The two stand up and walk away hand in hand toward their shared home in the distance. + +*IF THEY WIN* + +Whittaker flops into the snow on his back, his blade jammed straight down into the powder. Exhausted, battered and bruised, he stares into the sky, and you can see him smiling a little. + +When the gold circle dissipates, Morana walks up and smiles down at Whittaker with a Cheshire grin. "Well? Did you have fun?" + +Whitaker will sit upright after a moment, nodding a bit. "I-I did.. it was scary and tough, but.. it was alot of fun.." + +He slowly gets to his feet, wobbling a bit as he does. Morana reaches down to help him up, but for once, he holds up a hand and stops her, much to her surprise. He slowly walks over, picks up his weapon, cleans it on his vest, and slides it into the scabbard on the back of his waist. + +He then hobbles to your group, taking the weapon off his waist entirely, and plants it into the snow, scabbard first. "I-I don't wanna let this go, but.. I feel better knowing it's in.. ya know.. YOUR hands than stolen, so.. take the Mokha Verglas..~" + +He lets go of the weapon with both hands at the same time, slowly standing back up and walking over to Morana. And she is absolutely delighted to see this change in him. Morana takes his hand in hers, Whitaker smiling up at her, then your group. + +Morana comments, "I think I speak for both of us when I say, you are welcome back anytime~" + +Whittaker nods happily and waves at your group with his free hand, both of them walking toward the house together, before Whittaker trips on a thick pile of snow and flops over, pulling them both down. And they both just laugh and laugh. + diff --git a/Story/06 - Challenges/Zahir.txt b/Story/06 - Challenges/Zahir.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..90400fa --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/06 - Challenges/Zahir.txt @@ -0,0 +1,115 @@ +YELLOW + +Upon returning to the YELLOW demense, you see everything is pretty much the same. The beach is still golden yellow, the waves are still rolling, and the boardwalk is still standing. + +But, there are far fewer people out and about in the sand and water, and the few that ARE there are all heading in the same direction: To the far end of the boardwalk, toward Zahir's warehouse building. + +The stores and shops are still open, but there are signs in the windows declaring they are closing early today. + +*IF THEY GO TO THE STORE OR FOOD SHACK* +(Horace the pelican / Janice the flamingo) is in the middle of putting some of their merchandise in cardboard boxes, but stops to see you coming and immediately hops behind the register. "Oh hey, it's the Kings of Kings! How can I help ya?" + +*WHERE IS EVERYONE* +"DJ Zahir's having another party, and everyone's invited. I'm heading there too, I wanna sell some goodies sooner rather than later." + +----- + +*IF THEY FOLLOW* +The people are definitely going inside that same building, but the lights are much less blinding this time around. + +(NOTICE roll) +- The music is also much less rave-like, and much more electro-pop-style. +- You could almost swear you hear the song "Sweet Little Bumblebee" + +*IF THEY ENTER* +The overhead spotlights are focused in the center of the massive floorspace, surrounding a huge group of people cheering excitedly in a massive circle around that illuminated spot, chanting ZA HIR! ZA HIR! ZA HIR! + +As you wade through the crowd one person at a time, you eventually see Zahir, panting and dancing rhythmically as he waves all four arms in the air. There is also a second person flopped on the ground beside him in exhaustion. + +Six of the hexagonal floor tiles are lit up bright yellow in a circle with arrows pointing out in six directions. The DJ station has a VERY old and VERY large wood-frame TV sitting atop the table with a Dance Dance Revolution display on the screen. + +The song finally ends, and the TV declares Player 1 Zahir as the winner. He turns around as the audience cheers in excitement, cheering alongside them for a moment. He then leans down and offers his opponent a hand up, the same butterfly man that ran the station during Zahir's prior show. + +Zahir pulls him straight into a four armed hug, thanking him for the fun. He hands his opponent off to a nearby group of people, before he is rushed by the crowd in excitement. He gives high fives & fist bumps to everyone, until he spots your group in the crowd, waving at you all excitedly. "HEY HEY! It's the Kings of Kings!" + +He launches himself straight up into the air and lands behind your group, giving (highest NOTICE roller) a massive four armed bear hug. "Didja come back to visit li'l ol' me?" He giggles a bit excitedly. + +*IF REGALIA* +"Ohhh, you're here for the THMACKDOWN, are ya?" + +*YES* +"Well fine by me, I'm all warmed up!" + +He launches into the open air overhead with a line of yellow light trailing him Tron style, spinning in circles around the station where the TV is. In a matter of moments, the TV setup is gone AND the station is back to how it was during the party before, ready for someone to operate it. + +He grabs the mic and flutters in the air for a moment before loudly speaking, "ATTENTION PARTYGOERS, WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY A RETURN APPEARANCE OF THE KINGS OF KINGS! AND THEY ARE HERE TO TAKE ON DJ ZAHIR ONLARLA IN AN OFFICIAL CHAAAAALLEEEEENGE!!!" + +Everyone in the audience suddenly explodes in cheer, backing up and giving your group plenty of space. Zahir floats down and pitches the microphone toward the DJ station, and it is caught by the same butterfly man he just won against. + +Zahir clangs his topmost two fists together, and you see he has dawned a pair of metal gauntlets in the shape of large bees with mandibles for knuckle guards. "The stage is set! The lights are just right! It's time to show you how I fight!!!" + +AFTER THE FIGHT + +*IF THEY LOSE* +Zahir is panting up a storm, but is also laughing heartily, very much enjoying this whole encounter. He cups all four hands around his mouth and shouts "EVERYONE GIVE IT UP FOR THE KINGS OF KINGS!" + +Everyone cheers with excitement, and once the gold circle dissipates, the audience helps you get back onto your feet slowly and carefully. Zahir continues, "LET IT BE KNOWN THEY HAVE A VIP PASS TO EVERY PARTY FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF TIME!!!" + +Everyone cheers their heads off and suddenly goes full mosh pit, lifting your group into the air and parading you around the entire facility as the music picks back up. They dance around d with you all in their arms for a song or two, before letting you down near the building entrance. + +"You guys did amazing, and you put on a great show! Feel free to come back for a rematch, and next time, I know you'll do even better!" + +*IF THEY WIN* +Zahir flops onto his knees, legs splaying wide anime schoolgirl style, and throws his head back, flinging beads of sweat back at the audience. + +"THAT.. WAS.. AMAZING!" He throws his hands in the air. "I HAVENT HAD A FIGHT THAT GOOD IN AGES!" + +He slowly stands up, pulling off his gauntlets with slow pained difficulty, and offers them to your group. "You've earned my Nova Knuckles, AND my respect!" + +He turns to the people before announcing, "GIVE IT UP FOR THE KINGS OF KIIIIINGS!!!" + +Applause erupts from the audience for several seconds, before Zahir flops back onto the ground in exhaustion. "I think for the first time in a long time, I need a break..." + +He closes his eyes, smiling wide as he rests. The other partygoers fall silent, looking toward each other in conformation, before slowly gathering around Zahir to pick him up as a group and carry him off outside the facility, mosh pit style. + +*IF THEY ASK* +One of the partygoers, a human woman with a black ponytail in neon green and black clothing, tells you they're taking him home. + +*IF THEY FOLLOW* +You see in the distance what looks like a normal wooden beach house, the walls painted an amber yellow and the roof is a brick red. The home is fenced in with a small front yard & much larger backyard, and you see what looks like man-made beehives in that yard. + +The people carrying him coordinate opening the front door for him and carry him inside. + +----- + +*LIVING ROOM* +The building itself is surprisingly normal. Basic yellow walls and brown furniture, some bee and honeycomb shaped knickknacks all around, nothing too out of the ordinary. + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) You see an entire shelf of framed photographs, each one showing a different party he has thrown with different guests of honor. You all find the one he took with your group last time you visited the Demense, but the one beside it catches your eye. + +- You find a group photo of Zahir with the three commanders of the Thunder Force and King Akarui +- The photo couldn't be more than a year old +- The scar under Harken's eye is missing + +----- + +*BEDROOM* + +The light is low, but you can see a king size bed in the far corner, a few encouraging posters on the walls making various bee puns, and a desk covered in tools, scraps of metal, various wires, and other pieces of electronics. + +(INVESTIGATE roll) +- There are hexagonal plates on the table +- They are connected to light fixtures +- LIGHT magic is glowing from the power units + +----- + +*BACKYARD* + +The entire yard is full of fresh produce, bright flowers, and SO MANY GODDAMN BEES SWARMING AROUND A MASSIVE WOODEN HIVE. There is also a sign that says WARNING: Melipona beecheii + +(ACADEMICS Roll) +- You recall this as a type of bee without stingers but they bite STUPID hard +- Their honey is smooth and a little sour, but has medicinal AND psychedelic proerties +- The Mayans had a male god associated with this species of bee called AH-MUZEN-CAB + diff --git a/Story/07 - The Crooked King/The Crooked King.txt b/Story/07 - The Crooked King/The Crooked King.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ee03383 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/07 - The Crooked King/The Crooked King.txt @@ -0,0 +1,196 @@ +THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE THEY HAVE EARNED THEIR SIXTH REGALIA + +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- + +You spot a postcard half sticking out of the mail slot of your home, addressed to 'Kings of Kings, 513 (Fave DM last name) Avenue.' And the photo on the front is from the Ocean Demense's island. + +*READ IT* +There is no name listed as to whom sent it, but it states in some scrawl of red ink, "TODAY, 5PM, POST OFFICE" + +----- + +*IF THEY TRAVEL BY VEHICLE* +(NOTICE Roll) You hear a pair of motorcycle engines behind you + +There are four people riding suspiciously close, two each on a pair of motorcycles, wearing open-front helmets, sunglasses, and bandanas, and are aiming guns at (each of) your group's vehicle(s). You are being chased by Marauders. + +- The 4x4 grid will be treated as a two-lane stretch of highway that constantly progresses, and they will have to avoid incoming cars & motorcycles +- While on the motorcycles, the DRIVER will use MAGIC attacks with ACADEMICS or ram the vehicles with DRIVE, and the passenger will use SHOOT, THROWING, or FIGHT attacks when close enough +- Occasionally, the Marauders hop into the wrong lane of traffic and purposely cause an oncoming car to make an emergency turn & risk hitting the players' vehicle(s), which will deal 5DMG on a HIT (DRIVE roll) +- If the players' vehicle is desroyed, the fight will resume on foot instead, with the Marauders keeping their motorcycles. +- If they beat a motorcycle, it automatically defeats both Marauders riding on it. They win the fight if both are defeated. + +----- + +*POST OFFICE* +You arrive at the post office on time, but everything appears to be shutting down for the evening. Workers are starting to pour out in droves, all of them laughing and groaning in varying degrees. The OPEN sign on the front of the building will flip to CLOSED right before you show up. + +*THE SECOND ANYONE COMPLAINS* +An explosion occurs right behind your group. The warehouse building right across the street from the post office is now a pile of rubble, and a literal fleet of Marauders are pouring out, carrying multiple wooden shipping crates in groups of four. + +Out of the smoke steps a new individual, wearing a modified motorcycle outfit of mostly black with gold sleeves from the elbows and knees down, a waist length gold cape, and an elongated motorcycle helmet with a crown emblem on the front. He tightens his black gloves a bit, turning to see your group. "Well this is a surprise, the Kings of Kings came to greet us at our latest acquisition." + +AT ANY REMARK +"Riiight... so I literally have anything better to do than play with you, so I'm just going to... yeah..." He will attempt to walk away. + +----- + +WHEN CHALLENGED +A golden circle radiates out from under the feet of the challenger AND the man before you, overlapping to form one. He just chuckles and shakes his head slowly, pulling out a gold cutlass from behind himself, aiming the tip at your group. "Your CHALLENGE is... DENIED." + +He turns around, swings his arm downward, and cuts through the circle's boundary with a swooping slash, causing it to pause in place, flickering and flashing for a moment before completely shattering around you like glass. He finishes his wide swing and faces your group again, aiming the tip of his sword in your direction again. + +"Niiice, right? I call it my Crooked Cutlass. This little beauty fucks with those fancy gold magic circles made by the Regalia. I just have to get REALLY REALLY pissed off to do it. And standing before the ASSHOLES interfering with my plans makes that so goddamn easy." + +----- + +SHOOT ATTACK +As the projectile approaches, it is suddenly caught inches before it lands in his helmet, resting in the hand of an identically dressed man, except his outfit is black with BLUE accents, and his helmet bears the letter A. The same man from the incident with the metal theft. + +K: Allow me to introduce you to my speed demon of an assistant, Ace. He handles all the things I dont care to dodge. + +A: We've met, sir. + +K: Is that right? Were they the ones that busted your helmet the other day? Damn... I'm gonna have to take that expense out of your paycheck. + +A: ... Unfortunate. + +----- + +MAGIC ATTACK + +(LV3 or lower) +As the spell approaches, you see the familiar sight of a wave of gold magic absorbing, eating, and canceling the spell. + +(LV4 or LV5) +Before the creature you summoned has a chance to attack, a separate summon appears directly beside it in (magically opposite color), and immediately dives after the creature, causing the two to fight independently of your group. + +A new, shorter person steps out from directly behind King, this time VERY much obvious it is a woman, but her suit is black with WHITE accents, and her helmet bears a smaller, more petite crown. + +K: Oh where are my manners? A king is nothing without his Queen, and she just HAPPENS to be one of the most powerful mages in the land. + +Q: You flatter me, my King.. But I refuse to let anyone damage what I consider my property. Or my paycheck for that matter. + +K: Your dedication to your craft is just so... so appreciated. + +----- + +MELEE ATTACK + +(ALLOW THEM TO CHANGE THEIR ATTACK ROLL INTO AN ATHLETICS ROLL) + +*IF YOU PASS OR MATCH* +You stop your attack just in time to brace for impact as a massive studded bat swings in and slams face first into your body, sending you flying back into your group. But since you made your ATHLETICS save, you don't take damage, you are just a little stunned as you land on your feet. + +*IF YOU FAIL* +You stop your attack just in time to brace for impact as a massive studded bat swings in and slams face first into your body, sending you flying back into your group. You skid into the feet of your group, having taken a solid four damage hit. + +Standing before you is another man, slightly taller and much beefier than King, this time in a black outfit trimmed in yellow, and bearing a simple letter J on his helmet. + +K: Now no self respecting leader would ever go anywhere without some hired muscle, isn't that right Jack? + +J: Got that right. Gave me a chance to test out my latest acquisition as well. + +K: And a fine addition it is. + +----- + +THROWN ATTACK + +As the projectile heads toward him, a hand reaches out and catches the object. A woman in the same outfit but in black with RED trimming and a helmet bearing a clown face casually strides forward, thumbing with the thrown item. "And that... was... close." + +K: Impeccable timing, Joker. + +JK: Shove it, asshole. I never agreed to go by that name. + +K: Your attitude and wit simply brightens my day every time I hear it. + +----- + +*WHAT IS YOUR GOAL* +King steps forward. "It's simple. I'm leaving." + +He pulls out a golden revolver in his left hand and pulls back the hammer. "I found out this place's grand secret. I know all about the Diadem, the purpose of the Demense Masters, and the pot of gold supposedly at the end of the rainbow. And surprise surprise, it just might be a crock of shit." + +"So I plan to take myself and my most loyal employees here off this island first chance I get. And just because I can, I'm gonna make a pitstop to every Demense Master, plant a round between their eyes, and tell them to 'kiss my ass' on the way out the door." + +You all hear a sudden click, before everyone turns to see Joker holding an elemental potion grenade. "Alright... that's all I needed to hear. Deal's off, chump." + +She suddenly drops the grenade in front of the enemy group, before stealthily disappearing right before everyone's eyes. King suddenly screams KILL THEM!!! before the potion hits the ground, coating everyone on his team in a splash of black magic, acting as a smokescreen. + +In that one brief moment, you see Joker reappear in front of your group, and she tells you to follow her, then takes off running into the closest alley. + +*IF THEY FOLLOW* +She runs down a few alleyways until you reach the Residential district, grabbing the door on a seemingly random house, and yanking it open, telling you all to get inside. + +Once you're all in, she slams the door, locks it behind her, bars it up with a nearby couch, and takes a quick breath, releasing a deep sigh. "Okay... I don't think they followed us... follow me." + +She guides you down to the basement door, walking down first and clicking on the light. + +The basement is very minimally furnished with a couch, a bed, a table covered in coin & small bladed weapons, a coat rack with a green longbow hanging from it, a small fridge, and a small half bathroom. + +She sighs heavily and flops onto the couch, looking up to your group. "Not gonna lie, thought you might not even show." + +She quickly removes her helmet, revealing a matting down of dark brown hair and fur. She quickly shakes the sweat out and reveals her hair fully, revealing herself to be a dark furred wolf woman. + +(CONTACTS Roll) The same dark furred wolf woman that delivered that package to the Capitol. The one NASH was afraid of. You wanna say her name was... Coco? + +But when she opens her eyes, you see they are a blatantly pure red. Crimson, one might say. "Alright... let's talk." + +(REGARDLESS OF WHICH TOPIC) +She cracks open an energy drink and slurps it, shaking a bit in her seat as it hits near immediately. "HOO yeah, that's the shit. Ahh..."" + +----- + +*WHAT HAPPENED* +"Few months ago, I got blindsided and kidnapped by the Marauders. When I woke up, I was in some random-ass jail cell, in a building, in the dark, surrounded by those fuckheads. They nabbed my weapons, my poitons, and had me tied up eight ways to Sunday." + +"That day, Crooked King paid me a visit. Long story short, he made me a deal. I work for him, he leaves my dad's demense alone. I agreed, with the condition if he made even the SLIGHTEST hint of a push against Dorrin, his ass is grass." + +----- + +*WHY IS SHE BROWN* +"Nasty ass fur dye. Doesn't last very long, but it disguises my scent, makes it so I can walk around safely." + +----- + +*ASKS ABOUT IDENTITIES* +"Crooked King knows who we all are, but none of us have a clue who he is, and he's done a damn good job keeping it that way." + +She drops a handful of photos onto the nearby coffee table. "He calls us the FACES, has us each watch the four Districts. I got the Essentials district, watched for changes or developments he could find useful for his master plan." + +"Queen watches the Gated District. Gave an in-depth look where everyone of 'higher value' lived that might be an asset or an issue down the road." + +"Jack's got the Business District. He keps an eye for any new businesses we might be able to raid for unique supplies." + +"Ace has the Residential District, fucks with the calls made and received so the Thunder Force couldn't make it in time to certain Marauder incidents." + +(IF THEY MENTION THE MOLE) +"Well at least they're not unaware." + +----- + +*TAKE HIM DOWN* +"You wanna collapse his empire, you gotta take down the FACES first. I've been working on a strategy for just that." She walks over to a nearby corkboard covered in papers and strings. + +"Queen's a ranged fighter, keeps people far away. Mostly spells, sometimes guns. You get up close, she will fold like paper." + +"Jack is all about up close and personal, plus the new hammer's a pain. Either keep your distance or, if you're either really brave or really stupid, you go toe to toe with him and PRAY he misses." + +"Ace is tricky. He's got combat experience, Thunder Force training, and who knows what else. His go-to is mid-range so he can move around freely. You disable his movement, he should be easy pickings." + +"The Crooked King is gonna be the biggest issue. Gold weapons break on their own, but the two he uses are reinforced. Challenging him is worthless, his sword can eat magic, and we have never seen him in an actual fight, so we have no combat strategy. BUT... I have a theory that without the gold weapons, he is an absolute pussy." + +----- + +*WHAT IF THEY COME AFTER US* +"Good news is, I know they won't come after you at your place, or they would out themselves as either really desperate or openly admit you are a threat. And as Marauders, that would be a BAD image." + +"But if worse comes to worst, my base is your base." + +----- + +(IF THEY DONT ASK ABOUT BOW) +(CONTACTS ROLL) You suddenly recall someone mentioning something about a missing bow from the GREEN demense. + +"Oh that? Stole it to prove myself to the cause. Crooked King actively DESPISES the Masters and their Regalia, so he just lets us all fuck with them however we want." diff --git a/Story/08 - The Faces/The Faces.txt b/Story/08 - The Faces/The Faces.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..174730e --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/08 - The Faces/The Faces.txt @@ -0,0 +1,431 @@ +THIS IS TO BE TOLD ONCE ALL TWELVE REGALIA HAVE BEEN EARNED + +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- + +You receive a call very early in the morning. +You hear Vivid, and she is panicking. + +"Guys, something's wrong! I'm in King Akarui's office and he's not here! Have you--" The line suddenly goes dead. + +Within seconds, you hear and feel a rumbling sensation from your living room. Anyone who WASN'T awake would be fully awake at this point. + +*IF THEY LOOK* +You can see the remnants of a massive fireball and a smoke trail coming from the center of the city. + +----- + +*AT THE CAPITOL* +The center Capitol building has a massive burning hole in the backside of it, and the ground is littered with flaming debris & burning paper. Noone appears to be hurt severely, but a few people have some scratches and burns. + +(INVESTIGATE Roll) +(HIGH Roll) You spot a pile of broken bricks with a furred arm sticking out +(LOW Roll) You spot a badly damaged file cabinet with a pair of legs sticking out, wearing badly burned motorcycle pants and heavy black boots + +----- + +- FURRED ARM +- PAIR OF LEGS +- SPLIT TEAM + SAVE BOTH + +- *FURRED ARM* +You manage to pull an unconscious wolf woman out of the debris. Though covered in dirt & scorch marks, she has neck-length black hair, black fur across most of her body except her white limbs & face, and tight sunglasses wrapped around her face. And although badly damaged, she is wearing a basic black spaghetti strap top and tight black pants. + +She sits upright after a moment, groaning in agony, and looks up to your group. "Urgh... what happened..?" + +*ANY RESPONSE* +She suddenly does a doubletake and twists herself around into a pounce position, diving right over your group and punching a man in a motorcycle outfit standing right behind (lowest roller) with all her might, knocking the assailant backward into the rubble. She then collapses from the pain, bellowing in agony. + +The attacker slowly sits upright, and you see them wearing the outfit associated with the person you know as JOKER. But this person is taller and more masculine than the JOKER you remember, and their outfit is all black instead of accented in red. + +----- + +*PAIR OF LEGS* +You pull an unconscious Joker from the pile of debris, except this person is taller and more masculine than the JOKER you remember, and their outfit is all black instead of accented in red. + +The "black joker" sits upright, groaning in agony and holding their motorcycle helmet-clad head. "What the fuck happened..? Wait, WHERE IS SHE?!" You KNOW you've heard that male voice before. + +From behind, you see a black and white wolf woman with shoulder-length black hair and sunglasses pounce onto the back of 'black joker,' getting them immediately into a strangle hold, before suddenly throwing them back into the debris. The woman then screams out in agony and collapses into a heap. + +----- + +*SAVE BOTH* +(High roller(s)) pull(s) out an unconscious wolf woman. Though covered in dirt & scorch marks, she has neck-length black hair, black fur across most of her body except her white limbs & face, and tight sunglasses wrapped around her face. And although badly damaged, she is wearing a basic black spaghetti strap top and tight black pants. + +(Low roller(s)) pull(s) out an unconscious Joker, except this person is taller and more masculine than the JOKER you remember, and their outfit is all black instead of accented in red. + +Both of them come to after a moment, badly injured and visibly in pain. But they take one look at your group, then turn and see each other. They both immediately take combat poses and rush each other in rage. + +(PHYSIQUE Roll to keep them each from attacking each other) +(Both will have a +1 PHYSIQUE for this roll due to physical condition) +(Player(s) will succeed even on a MATCH for this one) + +- *Wolf woman passes, Black Joker fails* +Both people struggle against your (collective) grip(s), but the wolf woman manages to escape with some effort and dives after Black Joker, immediately landing a double kick into their chest and knocking them clear back into the debris. But the wolf woman crumbles onto the ground, bellowing in agony. + +- *Black Joker passes, wolf wman fails* +Both people struggle against your (collective) grip(s), but Black Joker breaks free and immediately takes a swing at the wolf woman with all their weight into it. But she simply grabs his arm and swings him around, throwing them clear back into the debris. But the wolf woman crumbles onto the ground, bellowing in agony. + +- *Both fail* +Both people struggle against your (collective) grip(s), but neither can seem to break free. Both of them slowly sink onto their knees, their injuries severe and their struggling only making things worse. + +The woman manages to take a deep breath and screams "LET ME GO! HE ALMOST KILLED ME!" This is the voice of Vivid, but she is no longer wearing her brown fur dye. + +"AND I'M GONNA FINISH THE JOB WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!" This male voice you definitely recognize. + +----- + +- *EITHER WAY* +The smell in the air suddenly mixes with the stench of ozone, and moments later, the Thunder Force finally arrive, four specifically arriving to grab Vivid and Black Joker, two each. But when they grab Black Joker, they yank off his helmet and reveal the fluffy sheepy visage of LUCKY. And unlike before, he has deep black rings under his eyes, like he hasn't slept in a week. And he is giving Vivid a look of absolute bloodthirst. + +----- + +You hear a blaring horn sound and see a pair of boxy vehicles pull up, one red and one white. + +Within seconds, you see a fleet of firefighters run out and start blasting the exploded office with water spells, while a fleet of white coated & uniformed men & women all set up special tents, and start helping various people inside to treat any injuries. + +The two Thunder Force officers help carry Vivid carefully into one of the tents, while the other two VERY strongly guide Lucky into the opposite side of the same tent. And for safety, they tie him down to a makeshift table so he doesn't attack anyone else. + +Two male nurses walk into the tent, an Alpaca with poofy brown hair & a gold nametag reading MICAH attending to Vivid, and a black (Vietnam forest) scorpion man with a pale blonde buzzcut & a gold nametag stating KITIA carefully doing the same to Lucky. And 'for some odd reason,' Lucky is VERY interested in holding still. + +----- + +*WHAT IS GOING ON* +Vivid sighs a little in relief as she feels the healing magic taking effect. "I spotted the FACES in the Gated community, they kidnapped the fox guy and stole his house for their temporary base." + +"They're getting ready for the next step in their plan. They're gonna destroy the hydroelectric generator and cripple the city's power, then blame it all on the King's negligence." + +Lucky suddenly starts yelling. "THE KING IS TO BLAME FOR EVERYTHING! HE REFUSES TO TRY HARDER TO GET US OFF THIS FUCKING ISLAND!!!" He suddenly winces a bit nervously seeing his nurse's scorpion stinger hovering so close to his body. + +*WHY ARE YOU HERE / DIDNT YOU GIVE UP* +"After I was abandoned at the R&D building, I gave up everything I had and everything I knew. Not just about the Marauders, just... I gave up on everything. The 'I was gonna sit in my cell and rot for the rest of my life' kind of done." + +"The day after I was put behind bars, the Crooked King broke in and paid me a visit. He offered me my freedom, and I turned him down. Told him what I just told you. And he told me that if I was ready to give up on the world... then why not watch the world burn. And he gave me the Black Joker outfit." + +"he said all I had to do was either capture or kill King Akarui, even game me a squad to work with. I had them wait outside his house for him when he left, and they would either capture him or make him run in a panic. He'd get to the building and I'd set off my explosive trap. + +"He'd either die in the explosion or be too injured to fight back and I capture him. But since he never showed... That means my advance team got to him first! TAKE THAT, BITCH!" Right when the word 'bitch' leaves his lips, the scorpion's stinger finally pierces his shoulder, a very irritated scorpion staring back at him. + +He thrashes for a few seconds before finally stopping moving altogether, aside from breathing very deeply and slowly. He turns to everyone else in the tent and sighs a bit. "Before you bitch... my venom's a paralytic. He's gonna be fine in a few hours." + +----- + + +(IF THEY LOOK TOWARD THE GATED COMMUNITY) +You see an almost straight line of smoke trails from the entryway of the Gated Community and ending about halfway back. + +----- + +*GATED DISTRICT ENTRANCE* +You see the entrance guard shack is on fire and the gate is completely destroyed. You also see three Marauders, as well as ACE, all waiting around. He tightens his gloves and sighs. "Looks like King was right again..." + +He reaches out to two of the three Marauders, and smashes their heads together, before the third one turns around to face him, and he punches that one hard enough to knock him out. "Call me old fashioned, but I prefer a one-on-one fight." + +(ACE is challenging ONE member of the team) + +- *WHY HE IS DOING THIS* +"I'm an immigrant to this land. United States military, deployed here ten years ago. My mission was likely the same as yours, (1) find out what makes this place so specifically indestructible, (2) see if it could be replicated for military purposes, and (3) discover what happened to the soldiers sent in before me. + +We carried out our mission as best we could, and our conclusion came down to a unique magic we simply could not pin down the nature of. But being unable to leave AND being unable to defeat the Masters meant our mission was ultimately a failure. + +So we dissolved our group and became members of society, some of us in the Thunder Force, myself included. When the Marauders became an active threat, I did everything I could to stop them. But nothing we did was ever enough. + +Every time we put one away, two more would appear. These were not just new people gone criminal either, these were the citizens I was supposed to protect. It became very clear that so long as they were stuck here, they were their own worst enemy. + +I infiltrated the Marauders and attempted to bring down the entire organization. And failed. But I earned an audience with their Crooked King. He helped me reach the conclusion that the island itself is to blame for everything. + +They stay prisoners on this island, attack each other out of misery, promote that attitude to the next people, and more join in to spread the misery. An unending cycle that will only grow, unless we all get off this island. So we struck a deal. + +I helped him craft their organized ranking system to coordinate & track their forces, fudged information on reports, and misdirected the Thunder Force during deployment calls. In exchange, he frees the people from this accursed island. + +----- + +Running further inside, you see the black and yellow Jack, sitting on his massive kanabo like a chair. Some of the houses have their standalone bushes on the edges of the property set on fire, almost giving it a kind of gladiator arena feel. "Sure as shit took you long enough... I had money riding on Ace not stopping you... looks like I win the bet." + +(JACK is challenging ONE member of the team) + +- *IF THEY ASK WHY* +"I've run into fifty different immigrants to this land, and seen every kind of currency they carry. Do you know how many of them use magic infused coins? ZERO. We literally have the single rarest currency in existence here in Diadem. Not because it's scarce either, but because we exclusively hold the ability to make it. + +Do you have any idea how much that information is worth? I could take ONE of these coins to any nation on the planet and be set for life. And the Crooked King promised me my weight in Z once we are free. He even paid half up front! It's honest business, nothing more." + +----- + +You reach the front yard of Nash's family home, the bushes set on fire and clear evidence of explosions. This time, you are met by Queen, casually leaning against the doorway of Nash's invaded home. "Hilarious, Jack wasn't worth a single Z he was paid. Oh well, guess that means I get to finish you off afterall." + +(QUEEN is challenging everyone left) + +- *IF THEY ASK WHY* +"Oh honey, it's all in the title. I'm a queen, tandem to his being, my King. But a king and queen are nothing without their kingdom to rule. And my kingdom is, was, and always will be DIADEM ITSELF! + +Once his plan is fulfilled and King no longer needs Diadem, the queen shall rule in his stead! The entire island will be mine to do with as I please! I can establish any law, any structure, any taxation rate I wish! And as the queen, I will decree that everyone either get on board or get out!!!" + +(If it wasn't obvious, she is a control freak.) + +----- + +The bottom floor of the house consists of a grand entrance hall, living room, dining room, library, kitchen, and laundry room. Every room your group explores will be in destructive disarray, but you see no people around. + +(INVESTIGATE ROLL) The most material and damage appears to be in the upper floor. + +There are crates and bags all around one of the bedroom doors. + +You find it to be locked, but you can hear muffled yelling from behind it. + +(FIGHT/PHYSIQUE ROLL) Once you break into the room, you see Nash lying on the ground, tied up with rope and blindfolded & muzzled by torn up rags. He hears the door open and starts thrashing, muffledly screaming for help. + +*IF THEY REMOVE THE BLINDFOLD* +He seems genuinely shocked to see you all here, but he starts turning himself around to show his tied back arms. + +*UNTIE HIM* +He picks himself up and runs to the closet door, yanking and pounding on it. "KING AKARUI IS IN HERE!" + +After a few moments of trying, he will make a mad dash for the bedroom door. "YOU TRY TO GET IN, I'LL GET THE KEYS!" + +*OPEN THE CLOSET DOOR* +The bedroom door slams shut. And you hear several heavy objects barricading the door. And you see fire seeping in from under the door. You are trapped in the burning bedroom. + +*INVESTIGATE ROLL* +The room is pretty simple. Bed, dresser, chest of drawers, cabinet, closet, window, walls, barricaded door. + +*JUMP OUT THE WINDOW* +You are on the second floor, but you can jump down without much difficulty. + +*ONCE THEY ESCAPE* +You land in the back yard of the house, and see flames beginning to escape the window. The entire house is slowly catching fire, starting from the room you were all in and working its way down. You hear a loud wailing in the front yard, from a male voice. + +*FRONT SIDE OF THE HOUSE* +The Crooked King is standing in front of the burning house, cradling Queen in his arms. "You people couldn't just curl up and die, could you? It would have made my job SO MUCH DAMN EASIER." + +(NOTICE ROLL) You spot in the distance JOKER carrying ACE and JACK on her shoulders. + +Joker sets the two down and approaches him, arms crossed. "Face it fucknut, they beat you fair and square!" + +King doesn't move an inch. "I suppose I have you to thank for this too..." + +He turns and hands QUEEN to JOKER, then kicks her in the stomach and pushes them both away so they fall beside ACE and JACK. Ace is visibly disturbed by what he saw. "King, that is enough! She's right, they beat you at every corner. Whatever this insane plan of yours is, it won't work anymore." + +King turns to them. "Oh no, my plan is very much salvageable. See, Akarui isn't here, which means he was captured by my first wave of men. Otherwise he would've either been caught by the explosion at his office I had LUCKY plant, or he survived it and came straight here to deal with us." + +"Either way, be it captured or dead, noone is running Diadem now. Which means..." + +ACE takes a pause. "You cannot be serious." + +KING laughs a bit. "Oh I am very serious." + +He walks over to ACE and leans in real close. "We all know what happens to a kingdom without a competent leader." + +Even JACK is shocked at this revalation. "You mean we did all of this JUST so YOU could actually be the KING OF DIADEM?" + +KING shrugs a bit. "Only for a short while. The King's throne, as it were, is the second to last step of my plan." + +He turns to your group, both gold weapons in hand. "The only thing stopping me at this moment is my competition, the so-called Kings of Kings. ANY of you could be the next King of Diadem, if you so desired, and the people would back any one of you 100%. And I can't have that." + +He places the back of his sword on his shoulder and aims the gun at your group. "Once you're gone, everything falls into place." + +----- ----- ----- ----- ----- + +HALFWAY THROUGH THE FIGHT + +The Crooked King's helmet shatters, and you see Nash panting heavily, blood dripping from his forehead and mouth. His eyes hold a bloodthirsty rage you have NEVER seen on him. "I am so... God damn... SICK... of you people. This was a two year plan. TWO! YEARS! And all you had to do was literally NOTHING but leave it alone." + +----- + +QUEEN suddenly shrieks "WHAT THE FUCK," pointing at Nash in disbelief. "YOU?! HOW COULD YOU BE THE CROOKED KING?!" + +JACK is tilting his head a bit. "Damn, I lost that bet." + +QUEEN is furious. "THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! YOU KNEW WHO I WAS UNDER THE HELMET, AND YOU STILL LET ME BEAT YOU UP ALMOST EVERY TIME I SAW YOU?!" + +NASH just rolls his eyes. "Please, your never hit me THAT hard. Besides, if you knew, you wouldn't have followed me." + +ACE turns to QUEEN. "He has a point." + +"SHUT IT!" She yanks off her helmet, revealing herself to be Anais of the HOA, and throws it on the ground. "YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO GIVE ME THE ISLAND, WERE YOU?!" + +JACK removes his helmet, revealing himself to be JERRAS. "And what about my payment?" + +ACE pulls his off, revealing himself as Harken. "I assume you didn't intend to free the people either." + +Jerras and Anais turn to him. "HARKEN?!" + +JOKER is laughing her ass off in the grass. "This is the best day of my life!" + +She sits up and yanks her own helmet off, revealing herself as VIVID in her original fur colors. "The leaders of the infamous and terrifying Marauders are the king's secretary, the third in command of the Thunder Force, the weapons dealer, and the Wicked Bitch of the HOA!" + +You hear a gunshot and see a smoking hole right beside Vivid's head, which shuts her right up. And an identical trail of smoke from Nash's gun. "For the record... I missed on purpose." + +He pauses and picks himself up a little. "Also for the record, I DID plan to give you all exactly what you asked for, as an end result to my plan." + +----- + +*WHAT IS YOUR PLAN / WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS* +"This is all so I can leave this dead end rat's maze. Nothing More. I've lost my friends, my family, and my future to this place. And I want OUT." + +I told you my father was an immigrant and an engineer. Built the drills that dug the hole down through Diadem being used for the hydroelectric generators. And I told you the drill exploded and killed my parents. But it wasn't an accident. + +The drill exploded because it came in contact with this fancy golden magic metal. It runs through the entire underside of the island. And as I learned, it gets volatile when it's hit hard enough. + +That explosion killed my parents, AND scattered huge chunks of this metal all over the place. Once I regained my sense of thought from watching my parents die, I collected the metal and looked into why it was there in the first place. + +I spent eight years in college, job hopping until I wound up as the King's aide, all the while trying to figure out what the gold metal was and why it was there. And I couldn't find SHIT. + +But ya know, eight years of fruitless efforts wears on a guy's soul, and I started to think I should move on with my life. I met my best friend in college, I had a good paying job, I owned a nice home... hell, I owned two! + +But I wasn't allowed that luxury. My friend and his friends were making a movie about Diadem's origins, and he found information I missed. The island was made by someone named Zeroth, to elevate mortals to a higher plane of something or other. Ancient ramblings from some whacknut in days of yore type stuff. + +After the movie was done, he and I worked hot & heavy to find more information for his sequel. He wanted to return the book to his source and had me come with him. Turns out he borrowed it from a Demense Master I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED. + +And when he returned it, that... BASTARD... split him in two... I watched that little MONSTER rip Sunny right down the middle... Just like that, I was alone all over again..." He is visibly shaking. + +"I ran home and dug out my father's old lab notes. The drill, the submarine, all the plans he made for the great escape. I couldn't trust the Masters' stupid rules, not after that. Never again. + +I proposed my father's submarine plan to Akarui the next day, poured my heart and soul into the presentation. He said he would consider it. Waited a week. Then two, a month, three months, nothing. It wasn't bad enough the island took my parents and the masters took my friend... the people had to take my hope. + +In a fit of depression and rage, I took some of that gold metal to the Volcano Forge, to make a poetic weapon out of it and "hand deliver it" to the king. I found out it can't be melted down like normal metal. But, it could be bent, sharpened, and whittled. It was delicate, couldn't take more than a couple hits. + +But the edge itself? Sharper than any blade and packs a HELL of a punch. The first shitty one I ever made accidentally cut through an anvil. AN ANVIL. BY ACCIDENT. I also found out 'by accident' that it eats magic and raw mana, and spurts out gold dust. Which is SO MUCH FUN. + +I spent six months making versions, and eventually into tubes for guns. The tiny pieces I couldn't use for THAT went into those gold magic shields (like the one you're wearing), made a killing selling those through Jerras. + +I took my largest piece and poured my heart & soul into making THIS Cutlass. It cut so cleanly, glided so smoothly... But I lacked the material to make a proper handle. + +I grabbed my dad's old biker gear and went to the Forest Demense in disguise. People didn't go there at night, figured I could harvest some wood for a handle in peace. And apparently Cassius is fucking psychic, because he came out of nowhere and scared me shitless. + +Words were exchanged, I fumbled a bit and called myself the Crooked King, kinda ran with it. And since I had some pent-up rage and frustration against the Masters already, I decided to challenge him and see what my weapons could really do. + +I kicked his ass eight ways to Sunday AND made his ink demon of a pet go ballistic. I went to claim my prize, but when he hid his Regalia, I got pissed and started screaming things I was... VERY grateful noone else was around to hear. + +I got so mad, I kicked him through the supposedly unbreakable magic barrier. I didn't realize until after that the SWORD was GLOWING, and it... changed the rules so things COULD go through the barrier, but only one way. I... decided to NOT press my luck and ran off with the wood. + +I kept replaying everything that happened in my head over and over, and none of it made sense independently. But I noticed a pattern on everything I hadn't before. + +Gold magic metal under Diadem, gold magic barrier around Diadem, gold magic barrier circles, demense masters and their regalia with bits and pieces of gold on them... it's all connected. Everything here shares a common magic source and design. + +And then it hit me. IF... If this is all from the same source, then everything about this place must be made by the same person, ZEROTH. He made this island, put people on it, lined it with magic eating metal, surrounded it with an inescapable barrier, and has them challenge his twelve henchmen for God powered trinkets. + +But then I realized something horrifying. According to the legend, once you get all twelve in the center of town, GOD HIMSELF is supposed to appear and reward them with some fetters of mention of a god tier prize that FIVE HUNDRED YEARS WORTH OF TEXT CAN'T SEEM TO GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER ABOUT?! + +THIS IS ALL JUST SOME STUPID GAME! The gold metal is the cardboard walls of this magical rat maze, and we're the lab rats! The demense masters are glorified referees, and their Regalia are promotional incentives! + +The wish, the freedom, the power, whatever prize that was offered was just the fucking piece of cheese at the end of it all! Which means I lost everything and everyone I ever cared about to some COSMIC SCIENCE EXPERIMENT! + +Well when I figured that out, I decided I had enough of playing by ZEROTH's rules, and I started my own game. + +First I destroyed all the knowledge I had up to that point, including the books in the library and bookstore. If I could figure this out, someone else could too, and I couldn't risk anyone stopping me. + +Then I started the Marauders, a band of Freedom Fighters sick of being stuck in Diadem, whose sole mission was to distract King Akarui by inflicting directed attacks on certain strategic locations, all funded by my magic shield profits. + +But I'd keep the mortality casualties to a minimum because I AM NOT A MONSTER. Mostly just irritating property damage, unless a point needed to be made. Or, in one particular instance, a... very... unfortunate accident..."" + +(WHOMEVER HAS THE EYES) +You don't even need to try and activate it, the suffocatingly thick black aura seeping off him is so potent you can just SEE it like it was always visible. And it looks identical to the black aura you spotted at the funeral. + +----- + +- *YOU KILLED HIM* +"I just went to destroy the books... Warton saw me and realized what I was there to do... He begged me not to, and I didn't listen... He ran to call the Thunder Force, and I panicked, and... I tripped. His blood will forever stain my hands." + +He shakes himself back into focus. "I decreed from that day, the Marauders must NEVER take another mortal life, 'because there's no point to dealing misery if they aren't around to feel it.' But the Demense Masters, well... I had no such qualms of taking them out. + +With the Thunder Force busy, King Akarui buried under paperwork, and the Demense Masters kept occupied, the people would become unsettled! Chaos, combat, property damage, failing financial infrastructure, it's enough to drive ANYONE mad! + +It would promote the idea that MAYBE someone really SHOULD try to get us out of here sooner, without relying on some mystical playthings all being in one place at the same time. Of which, by the way, AFTER 500 YEARS, noone was able to do. + +And my plan WORKED! The submarine proposal FINALLY got approved! Supplies were coming in, the escape vessel was underway! Once it was done, the Crooked King would magically disappear, the generators in the hole would be shut down, we would send out a crew of people, and we would finally be free! + +And then, at the WORST possible time, YOU SHOWED UP. You started giving these people HOPE that their fate could be solved by your quirky can-do attitudes and following the legend's rules. AND to make matters worse, you were competent at collecting Regalia. And as a result, faith in MY submarine idea plummeted. + +So I changed it up a little, decided to send my men to kidnap King Bird Boy, then take over as active leader myself. As the king's most trusted aide, I would fill the void until the submarine was finished and we got out of here. + +He stares at Harken. "By getting us out of here the easy way, the people would be freed." + +He turns to Jerras. "You'd have all the rare currency you'd ever need AND a ticket to ANY nation you wanted." + +He turns to Anais. "And as the acting King, I'd leave you in charge after I left." + +"Everything would've been wrapped up in a nice little bow, everyone would have been happy." + +Vivid glares at him. "And what about me?" + +Nash stares back for a second. "Oh I fully intended to MURDER every Demense Master, especially the one that took my friend away from me. But I decided to call that pre-emptive hit I called on Dorrin my one attempt and leave him alone. I'm a man of my word." + +"And that officially brings us back to the here and now, where I kill each and every one of you FUCKERS calling yourselves Kings of Kings. The last roadblock in the way to my freedom." + +- *IF THEY ASK ABOUT AZAR* + +"Okay to be fair, THAT was an accident. I heard a rumor about some full blooded dragon out in the Farmlands, and had to see it for myself. I followed the purple one when he went out into the middle of nowhere to feed the thing. + +When it went out for a flight, I tried grabbing some dragon scales to see if they could make a more comfy handle, and that thing dropped out of the sky and scared the shit out of me. + +I took a swing in self defense, you can hardly blame ME for that one. It was LITERALLY fight or flight." + +- *IF THEY ASK ABOUT THE SHIPMENT* + +"That was plan B. On the extreme off chance my plan DIDN'T pan out, I had the others take the last shipment of necessary pieces to build a mini-sub JUST big enough for myself and my four most loyal teammates to bail out in." + +He will pause and turn toward the FACES. "Or at least they WERE, until they started questioning EVERYTHING I EVER DID FOR THEM!!!" + +He will sigh VERY loudly before finishing. "Good help is so hard to find, I swear." + +----- + +*IF NOONE SAYS OR DOES ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY* +All four of the faces stare at Nash for a few seconds in silence, then look at each other. Jerras is the first one to speak up. "You really expect us to believe you intended to do all of that..?" + +"I don't EXPECT anything. That is the truth, plain and simple. Your belief in it is irrelevant to the fact." He pulls out a large HP potion and chugs it quick, wiping the blood from his lip after. "And I've come too far to stop now." + +Harken speaks up finally. "You are going to kill yourself, you realize that right?" + +Nash pulls out his gun, loads it with fresh ammo one bullet at a time, and clicks it closed. "I'm not giving up until either they go down or I do. I'm willing to die on this hill." + +Anais actually stands up and walks up to him, and for once all the rage in her eyes is gone. "Do you have any idea how much I want to kill you right now?" + +"No more than them I assume--" She interrupts him mid sentence by grabbing his shirt collar, yanking him down to her level, and KISSING HIM. Right in front of everyone. + +He takes a few seconds to process what just happened. "...you are giving me really mixed signals, you know that?" + +"Shut it." She pulls out her own rifle and loads a fresh magazine. "If we make it out of this alive, you and I are gonna have A LONG TALK." + +Harken stands up and lights a cigarette, sighing a bit. "Well you can count me out. If I join either side, I stop being a neutral entity. You both have different means of achieving the same goal. Whomever wins, is the one in the right." + +----- + +ROLL FOR JERRAS + +- *DOES NOT JOIN* +"Well you can count me out too. As a businessman, I know when the coin ain't worth the effort." + +- *DOES JOIN* +"Well you can count me in. I make it a habit to see every business deal through to the end." He marches himself over to Nash's side, hefting his hammer on his shoulder. + +Vivid rolls her eyes and groans. "Fuuuck, this is such bullshit..!" + +She picks herself up and walks to your group, pulling out her sword. "Harken, you and I are gonna have words after all of this. But I know HE gave you the order to shoot my dad, so I'm gonna kick his ass TWICE as hard for the BOTH of you." + +REDO FIGHT WITH HALF HEALTH ENEMIES + +*IF THEY WIN* +Nash flops against the ground HARD, curling up a bit in severe pain. Anais slowly drags herself toward him, groaning in agony, until she reaches him. + +----- + +- *IF JERRAS JOINED* +Jerras lies on his back, half conscious. "I think it's safe to say it's over..." + +- *IF JERRAS DID NOT JOIN* +Harken takes a long drag off his cigarette. "You lost fair and square. Twice. Time to pack it in." + +----- + +"NO! I'M NOT DONE!" Nash slams his fist into the ground in frustration, and Anais puts her hand over his, holding it tight. He stops shaking for a moment, muttering a bit in frustration, and she full on hugs him tightly from behind. + +*IF THEY APPROACH* +Nash raises his arm and reveals a green potion bottle. "THIS ISN'T OVER, YOU HEAR ME?!" + +He slams the potion bottle into the ground right in front of him, causing a whirlwind explosion to send himself, AND Anais clinging to his back, flying into the distance. + +Harken just stares, his cigarette finally gone. "I'll give him this, he is persistent." + +He walks over to your group, helping each of you up. "This is going to be one hell of a report." + +(Recommend the party rests before summoning Zeroth, given their current condition) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/Story/09 - The Ending/The Ending.txt b/Story/09 - The Ending/The Ending.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f485c09 --- /dev/null +++ b/Story/09 - The Ending/The Ending.txt @@ -0,0 +1,556 @@ + LAST CHAPTER + +------------------------- + +*BRING ALL 12 REGALIA FORTH* +*CALL DOWN ZEROTH* + +The island itself begins to rumble, and all twelve gates are now shining with ethereal glows of their respective colors, illuminating the entire island. You see a thirteenth light appear from behind the welcome center, a bright golden glow that outshines the other twelve. + +The trees behind the welcome center start falling one after another with thunderous crashes. When those sounds stop, you hear the crumbling and crushing of stone, glass, and metal. In mere moments, the welcome center collapses in a cloud of dust and debris. + +From the cloud steps Reiji the Stallion, eyes shining an ethereal gold and body brimming with warbling golden energy, head held high. Every step he takes releases a soft pulse of golden energy from his hooves, causing a small crater in the concrete and asphalt as he makes a prideful march toward your group. + +He finally stops his destructive march right in front of your group, the aura around him alone applying an odd physical pressure, making the air itself feel heavier. He raises his arms and holds them out before him, a proud voice ringing out with a second-long echo. + +"Congratulations, ye warriors of might and wisdom, for accomplishing that with none could do before you. You have proven yourselves worthy and exalted members of your kind. I am here to give you that which has remained unclaimed for half a millennium, a prize beyond any other across existence itself." + +----- + +(WHAT PRIZE) +"I have watched your kind over the last eon, and your struggles are older than you realize. It is written into the fabric of your being, into the fetters of existence itself. What you are is a fragment of the universe's own birth cry-- MY birth. The echo of a cosmos' first steps into existence as something new." + +"From this first word uttered across the endless emptiness came the concepts that defined all of existence in and endless radiant spiral... and yet here you stand, a mote of that magical infinity, caught in that ancient dance, wielding that same primal force that forged you AND the worlds you occupy... yet you still tremble." + +"You fear your daily lives and struggles will consume you, and leave you as meaningless atoms in its wake. I have seen this sensation in the countless beings whom have walked before you. What I offer is a chance to exist in a state beyond that, where the tireless struggles of mortality will never touch you again. THAT... is your prize." + +----- + +(WHAT ARE YOU) +"As the name you know me by suggests, I am that which existed before anything else. The first of this universe's states of existence, he whom from which all is sourced and originated. My names are endless and infinite, some incomprehensible, but for simplicity sake, Zeroth is more than adequate." + +----- + +(WHAT IS THIS PLACE) +"The Diadem is a fragment of my own existence given tangible form, designed in such a manner to stoke the curiosities of your kind. The Diadem and its dozen rooms are each their own unique paradises, designed to allure and placate those of a weaker will, while sustaining and challenging those of a stronger mindset." + +----- + +(WHAT ARE THE DEMENSE MASTERS) +"The Masters, as you refer to them, are personified concepts. Anything and everything that is, was, or will be, is sourced in part from them, as they are sourced from me. They are the elements at their rawest and most powerful, given sentience in a manner such as myself." + +----- + +(WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR) +"The Challenges are a manner of exposure to the Masters' rawest and most potent states of existence. Through any direct engagement, they exude immense amounts of their element, as you would put it. And as I've witnessed since the dawn of time, your kind are adept at absorbing, wielding, and commanding that raw element." + +----- + +(WHAT ARE THE REGALIA) +"The Regalia are fragments of each Masters' existence given tangible form, designed in such a manner to further your adaptation to the rawest element of the Masters themselves. They are also to mark you as those whom are on the path to the ultimate reward, and exalt you above those around you, as you should be." + +----- + +(WHY DID YOU DO ALL OF THIS) +"Much as how the Masters share their own Demense with you, I am seeking entities I can elevate to an identical status as myself. Ones whom understand a different perspective of this universe from me, whom I may then share the experience of myself with them." + +----- + +(WHY DO YOU SEEK THESE PEOPLE) +His demeanor shifts a little, becoming slightly more serious and thoughtful. "Do you know what it is like to exist across infinity? To hear your oown words bounce off the walls of existence, with noone threre to answer?" + +"That is my existence, and has been since its beginning. Whether it be here on this Diadem or out in the vast emptiness of the universe, it is all and only me. Unendingly so." + +"All I've ever known is the presence of myself, raw and unfiltered staring back at me from thirteen different angles. I've sat with it, listened to it, and understood its infinite weight on what YOU would call my 'soul.'" + +"INFINITY IS A HEAVY THING TO CARRY BY ONESELF." + +----- + +*NO FURTHER QUESTIONS* + +"Then it is time we depart from the Diadem and claim your prize. I need only to reclaim that which is mine that I bestowed onto this planet so long ago." + +He places his hand on the ground, and everything begins to rumble all over again. The rock walls surrounding Diadem begin to crumble and fall to the ground with thunderous crashes, revealing clean golden magic metal walls inside. + +What remains is a massive jagged 12-point gold metal circlet around Diadem, resembling something of an extremely large crown, with each of the gates embedded into it like crown jewels. + +The gates all shift from their respective colors to gold, and every person & creature inside is suddenly forced out. When these people and creatures realize everything is shaking & breaking, they begin to scream and run in a panic, a few of them falling off Diadem into the ocean through the lowest points in the metal walls. + +*IF THEY COMPLAIN* +He removes his hand from the ground and stands back up, the shaking slowly coming to a stop. "I HAVE WITNESSED THESE PEOPLE GROW, WITHER, AND DIE OVER THE LAST 547 YEARS. I HAVE LEARNED THESE PEOPLE ARE INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO THEE. SO LONG AS YOU ARE ELEVATED, THE REST CAN BE IGNORED." + +*If they protest again* +"HMM... I MAY HAVE UNDERESTIMATED YOUR MORTAL SENSE OF CARE... I HAD HOPED IT A SIMPLE MATTER TO APPEASE TO YOUR MORTAL DESIRES." + +"I HAVE A SOLUTION. WE SHALL HOLD OURSELVES AN HONORABLE DUEL, FOR THE FATE OF THE PEOPLE OF DIADEM AND YOUR GODHOOD. BEST ME, AND YOU MAY HAVE IT ALL. BUT FAIL, AND EVERYTHING & EVERYONE WILL BE FORFEIT, INCLUDING YOUR REWARD. WILL THAT SUFFICE?" + +*THE PEOPLE THAT FELL* +"HM.. I WOULD NOT WISH FOR ANY DISTRACTIONS FROM OUR MOST HONORABLE DUEL.. VERY WELL. ALLOW ME A MOMENT." + +He will raise his hand, glowing with gold energy. Every person that fell will suddenly be encased in that same energy and lifted from the water, then placed safely on Diadem. "WILL THIS SATISFY YOU?" + +Every person in Diadem is very quickly converging on your location, slowly encircling you all and literally becoming the arena boundary for your incoming fight with God. Apparently. + +*THE FIGHT WILL LAST UNTIL THEY THROW EVERYTHING THEY HAVE AT HIM* +*HE WILL POINT OUT THEIR VARIOUS SKILLS AND POWERS EACH TURN THEY TAKE* +*HE WILL COMMENT THE STRONGEST ONE USED THOSE ABILITIES TO CHEAT* +*AND WILL THREATEN TO RESET THE EXPERIMENT UPON HIS VICTORY* +*BUT EACH SUBSEQUENT STRIKE WILL SHOW IT IS NOT JUST THEM* +*ALL OF THEM WILL IMPRESS HIM ONE BRUISE AT A TIME UNTIL HE SURRENDERS* +AFTER THE FIGHT + +He kneels in pain, panting softly. "I YIELD... YOU HAVE BESTED ME..." He looks up to your group, his tone shifting to a less loud variant. "I have witnessed this planet's evolution for an entire eon, watched the denizens of this false island for half a millennium, and none have come so far as to have the power to best me, even in my current state." + +He slowly stands and walks forward. "I will keep my word and allow these people safe passage from the Diadem. Before then, shall we discuss your true prize?" + +*WHAT IS THE PRIZE* +"Your prize WAS to be power akin to my own, but it would appear you already possess it. Instead, I offer anything else your heart desires. You could be immortal like myself or the other concepts, have unlimited power in a different matter, endless wealth from any nation, anything your heart desires." + +He bellows in anguish as he is struck from behind by Nash, still carrying his golden cutlass. And he is looking very excited. "I HEARD THE WHOLE THING, YOU SON OF A BITCH! You never intended to free us, you were gonna let us all DIE HERE! Which means I was FUCKING RIGHT!!!" + +He laughs hysterically before continuing. "Hey Zeroth, wanna know what I wish for?! I wish to sentence you to death like you just tried to do to ALL OF US!" + +He jams his whole sword into Zeroth's back, causing him to cry out in anguish, but the sword does not come out the other side. + +All the hysterical joy Nash was experiencing disappears in an instant. "What?! What are you-- NO! LET GO OF ME!!" His arm is being pulled in and against Zeroth's body through the initial cut he made, slowly becoming absorbed into him. + +With a sharp scream of terror, the two bodies fully combine. A brilliant golden flash erupts from their physical union, blinding all of you for a brief moment. When the light clears, a new entity stands before you. + +A ten foot tall prismatic fox man with flowing pearlescent hair, atop centaur legs of the same hue, stretches his arms outward, his rear adorned by thirteen fox tails, each of which is tipped in a different color matching each element of magic, the central one tipped in gold. + +The eyes open, and within shine the colors of all thirteen shades of magic, as the new creature gazes upon your group, as well as himself. His voice sounds like Nash, but with Zeroth's as an echo. "I... have assumed control of all... All his knowledge, his magic, his POWER, everything is in my grasp." + +He suddenly bellows out in anguish, his new form pulsing with energy. "This body is unstable with a humanimal element..." + +They shake their head a bit. "But it doesn't matter. I now have the power and freedom to get my revenge on Zeroth, and in the most uniquely ironic manner imaginable... I will wipe everything he and his extensions ever created. And I'll do it with his own two hands." + +They turn to your group, extending a hand glowing in golden energy. "Just because we escaped his little game, doesn't mean we escaped him... I will free us all from Zeroth, and I will start by freeing you Kings of Kings first." + +A black long sword falls from the air, glowing with red magic, slicing directly into the center of his left hand and binding it to the ground. "WHAT IS THIS?!" + +Your group's bodies land on the ground, but you feel several HP and MP vials fall into your laps as twelve familiar bodies pull forward and around you. The twelve Demense Masters have stepped forward. + +The corrupted creature slams his fist into the ground. "You would dare to defy your Master?! Your Creator?!" + +Aodaghan: We would defy the shit out of you any day of the week! + +Conroy: Not the words I'd choose, but I concur! + +Zahir: This party is over! It's not fun anymore! + +Corentin: You have disrupted the peace of this land! + +Dorrin: You'll atone for every tear these people shed! + +Arledge: We don't wanna fight ya'll, but we will! + +Miranda: We love these people like our own! + +Whittaker: We've always been careful around you, and we're done! + +Fulmo: There is no justice in your actions! + +Thanatos: We will fighd you, do prodecd dhem! + +Cassius: ... (He will just be standing there cross-armed and silent) + +Striker: What Master Cassius means to say is, we're done hiding in the dark! + +Tlaloc: WE! HELP! FRIENDS! + +Nash-Zeroth slams his free hand into the ground again, one eye shining vibrant gold only while the other maintains its multicolor glow. His voice has suddenly changed to be dripping with hatred. + +"ENOUGH OF YOUR SENTIMENTAL BULLSHIT! YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN EXTENSIONS OF ME! LITERAL FRAGMENTS OF POWER DESIGNED TO BE MY LESSER! THESE CREATURES WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT SHOWED ANY POTENTIAL TO EVOLVE AND BECOME MY EQUALS, AND THEY PROVED TO BE A FAILURE OF A SPECIES! THEY DO NOT DESERVE TO DRAW BREATH!" + +A golden sword this time falls from the sky and into Zeroth's free hand, pinning it to the ground. But attached to it is King Akarui, now wearing a military outfit. He jumps off the colossal hand and lands before your group, facing Nash-Zeroth. + +"If that's how you feel, Nash-Zeroth, then the Thirteen Kings of Diadem will fight back!" He turns back around to your group with a smile and a wink. "With a little help from the Kings of Kings, of course." + +The twelve demense Masters step forward with Akarui leading them. "Okay.. Aodaghan, Dorrin, Tlaloc, you're on offense. Hit him hard and make it hurt." +- Aodaghan flies in overhead and screeches a ball of flame right into his face +- Dorrin goes for one of the legs and punches it right in the kneecap +- Tlaloc rolls into a ball and slams into his back with a mighty THUD + +"Zahir, Corentin, Whitaker, Fulmo, you're on range. Keep him distracted so their hits are more effective." +- Zahir follows in behind Aodaghan and flashes him with blinding light +- Corentin flies over him and blasts his entire backside with wind darts +- Whitaker throws several ice blades at his legs, freezing them in place +- Fulmo runs in behind and fires lightning bolts at his flank + +"Conroy, Miranda, Thanatos, Cassius, you're all on support. Make openings for everyone else. Arledge, you back them up and keep everyone on their feet." +- Conroy suddenly binds both his arms in individual orange spells to slow them +- Miranda encases the ground in a heavy wave of gravity magic, pulling him down +- Thanatos flings a wave of necrotic energy right into his rear legs +- Cassius wraps his own shadow around his throat and squezes tightly +- Arledge hops in and suddenly slams both feet right into his head + +Their collective actions magaed to disorient and harm him enough to put him to the ground, but he is definitely struggling to get back up. + +"Hold your positions from here. I'll be preparing your reinforcements." He then runs back to your group, kneeling down and making sure you've all taken your potions. + +"Okay the Masters are amazing, but it's like Nash-Zeroth said. The masters are literally DESIGNED to not be at their level. Now I have a really stupid idea that might just work, but it all hinges on one thing. I didn't have a great view from where I was, but is there any chance Nash and Zeroth fused WITH that gold weapon?" + +AFTER THEY CONFIRM +"Okay, then this might work. I want all of you to challenge them, full gold circle, and wager the gold sword inside them. I have a hunch, and this might fix everything at once." + +Nash-Zeroth suddenly bellows out as his thirteen tails all glow with raw magic, the gold tailtip suddenly sending out a wave of energy so bright it blinds all the demense Masters for a moment. + +While they're distracted, the other twelve tails all fire magic beams at a different Master, each one hitting their elemental opposite and knocking them to the ground around him in one collective shot. + +Nash-Zeroth looks around at the twelve injured Masters, showing immense disdain. "Pathetic. I expected better from extensions of myself at the very least." + +They groan as their body begins to warble again like before, the injuries they sustained attempting to heal themselves. They turn to Akarui. "This was the best you could do? An asssult against me with my own fetters of power?" + +Akarui looks up to Nash-Zeroth. "I can do more and you know it! I know what you're capable of, and I always have! You don't scare me!" + +Nash-Zeroth leans down to meet him at eye level. "I could kill you with no effort and you know it. You've done NOTHING but impede me at every turn! All I wanted was freedom!" + +Akarui snaps back at him. "All you wanted was to make your parents' deaths mean something!" + +"DONT TALK LIKE YOU KNOW ME OR MY PAIN!" + +"I WAS THERE WHEN THEY DIED!" + +Nash-Zeroth pauses for a second. "You what?" + +Akarui sighs heavily. "I had only been here a month. The Thunder Force invited my squad and I to join their ranks, and it was our first real assignment. I met your parents that day, they were good people. Your mother was beautiful, and your father was charismatic as all hell. You look just like him." + +"Stop it." + +"I met you too, that morning. I was asked to keep an eye on you while they started the drill. Then the explosion came, and you were just gone... do you even remember that? Because I do. Very. Vividly." + +"STOP. IT." + +"When I saw you after I was thrilled to death, but... I couldn't let anything like that happen again. Tragedies happen in pairs, not singles. My greatest failure is what spurred me to be King, so I wouldn't let you OR the people be hurt like that again." + +Nash-Zeroth slams their hand into Akarui, his body skidding to your group's feet. They run toward Akarui and well past the Demense Masters, stopping a few feet away from your group. "WE ARE WELL PAST THE POINT OF THIS. I don't care about the people anymore! I have my freedom, and I'm going to use it to take my revenge against Zeroth! Only now, I'M STARTING WITH YOU!" + +Akarui sighs a bit and hangs his head. "Well then... it's all up to you, Kings of Kings. Say the magic words." + +And right before you say those words, he jumps far outside its capture range. "I JUST HOPE I'M RIGHT!" + +----- + +*CHALLENGE NASH-ZEROTH* +Upon hearing the phrase, Nash-Zeroth bellows in pain as the outline of the gold cutlass appears in his torso. The gold walls that were once coated with rock will begin to radiate with energy, before a gold circle expands from your group's feet AND Nash-Zeroth. + +Akarui lands outside the circle. "I was right! The Diadem is a Regalia! IT'S ZEROTH'S REGALIA! The gold circles are INVOCATIONS of its magic!" + +The sword was a big enough piece that it could work like an antenna! And Nash was the first one to get his hands on it AND give it a command it could work with!" + +This revelation causes the unstable Nash-Zeroth to screech in anger, clawing at the ground for a moment. "I WILL FEED YOU YOUR OWN ENTRAILS YOU POMPOUS PIGEON!" + +Akarui actually looks a little offended at that one, as Nash-Zeroth turns to your group in the circle. "FINE! ONE FINAL BATTLE IT IS! THE KINGS OF KINGS WILL BECOME THE FIRST CASUALTIES OF WAR!!!" + +AFTER THEY WIN + +Nash-Zeroth will collapse in defeat, the gold circle around you all dissipating. His body begins to warp and writhe in pain as a small gold circle appears on his chest, the golden sword from within producing its handle, awaiting the victor to grab and remove it. + +(FIGHT/PHYSIQUE ROLL) +The sword is surprisingly not giving immediately and requires more effort to pull out. + +Upon removing it, you pull an entire separate body out of its chest that is also clinging to the back of the sword by its non-bladed edge. Nash goes careening several yards away and lands & rolls a couple times with a dull thud. + +The body in front of you pulses with energy, glowing brightly and thrashing about with an ear piercing screeching noise, the body expanding like a balloon, the skin peeling and revealing golden energy in its rawest form underneath. + +You don't need to be a genius to realize that body is going critical from losing its primary mind (Nash) and is about to explode. + +*GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION* + +----- + +*IF NOONE HAS A SOLUTION* + +King Akarui will run past everyone. "ANYONE WHO HAS A GOLD WEAPON, GRAB IT AND FOLLOW MY LEAD!" + +He grabs the gold sword he flew in with, and run into the growing body, hacking and slashing it with the sword. Every cut anyone makes causes misting of the gold dust to appear as it slowly eats the magic body, and it does appear to slow the expanding with every cut made. + +(LET EVERYONE MAKE A FIGHT/SHOOT ROLL WITH THE WEAPONS & RESPOND ACCORDINGLY BASED ON RESULTS) + +The hacking and slashing has caused the massive body to go DOWN in size significantly, but it is still getting brighter over time, and is still likely to go critical in only a few seconds. + +You hear a familiar chittering from behind (PLAYER). "Hehehe.. looks like 'I' get to be the big hero this time~" + +Striker appears from Akarui's shadow and pushes him & all the other gold weapon holders away. He chuckles and pulls out all the gold weapons everyone had, as well as a few more gold daggers. "Consider this MY repayment for you saving my Master from his fate, Kings of Kings~" + +He turns to the expanding body. "I've always wanted to say this.. I CHALLENGE THEE!" + +It takes a moment, but the six gold weapons he holds AND the Diadem glow gold again as a barrier circle appears around Striker and the unstable Zeroth. With a rebellious screech, he leaps forward and stabs all six weapons into the body, causing it to burst and erupt with magic energy. Striker turns to your group and gives you all a small wave, before the light is too bright to see. + +The explosion is completely contained within the gold magic circle, but after a few seconds, it does eventually shatter like glass, and everyone is knocked back onto the ground by the blast wave. + +----- + +*REGARDLESS OF CHOICE* + +When everything settles, you see Zeroth, battered and bruised but in one piece and lying in the middle of a crater. You also see small particles of gold dust elevating from his body into the open air, like snow in reverse. + +The demense masters run to his side, Conroy gently lifting him up a bit so he can talk. "You... may not have meant to, but you saved me... I thank you... Kings of Kings." + +King Akarui calls out to you from a distance. "Guys... Nash feels cold... and his heartbeat is really slow... I don't think he's gonna make it..." + +Zeroth speaks out. "You are correct. The physical trauma of melding with me, taking on so much damage, and being ejected how he was was too much for his mortal body. His life is fading... as is mine." + +The Demense Masters all freak out hearing this. "The strain on my existence was too much... being defeated in combat, struck down by a piece of my own Regalia, fused with a mortal in such a manner, defeated again, and being at the core of that explosion has taken most of my strength..." + +*IF NOONE ASKS* +Conroy will look around. "Well if noone else will ask, I will. What does that mean for us?" + +Zeroth will shake his head slowly. "I gave you all separate lives and will, but the essence of your existence is still tethered to mine. It matters not if it is yours or mine, equilibrium MUST be maintained. If I go, then... you go with me." + +All the demense masters turn to themselves, then look to you guys before Zeroth continues. "And I do not have long." + +(Give everyone a chance to complain, cry, and be angry about it) + +Zeroth will speak out. "You truly care for them, don't you?" + +WHEN THE PARTY SPEAKS OUT +Zeroth will turn his head to your group. "I was not referring to you." + +All twelve demense Masters nod in agreement. "I see... I am not a fan of such a title, but as YOUR 'King,' I am going to give you my final order. Bring me to the one you call Nash. I wish to speak with him." + +AFTER ANY RESPONSE +"When I was melded with him, I saw inside his mind. Sifted through his memories. His deceased parents were the only people in his life that mattered to him. Without them, he was alone. Adrift amongst a sea of beings he felt no connection to, no matter how much he desired it to be otherwise. I resonate with him on that level. Please... grant me this one request." + +SOMEONE CARRIES HIM BESIDE NASH + +Akarui has been feeding him an endless stream of healing magic, not intending to let him go. It's keeping him alive, but not much else. + +He will lie beside him, lying on his back while Nash lies on his stomach. "Hello Nash..." + +N: H-hey.. you son of a bitch.. + +Z: Still alive I see.. + +N: Yeah.. gonna take more than that to kill ME.. + +Z: I wish I could say the same.. I will cease to exist very shortly.. + +N: Yeah.. cards on the table, I'm probably right behind you.. + +Z: ...do you have any regrets? + +N: Well, I... wish I hit you a little harder, heh + +Z: Hm.. all things considered, I suppose I could say the same.. + +Both of them laugh at the joke weakly, sighing a little after. + +Z: Truthfully, I.. have only one real regret.. + +N: Lay it on me, Z.. Dead men tell no tales and all that shit.. + +Z: When I found this planet an eon ago, I had a simple curiosity, to see what life was like from their perspective. A species with origins not so dissimilar from myself. For a brief moment, I was able to see it from your eyes, however corrupt. It felt... nice. + +N: Is that right? Well.. I guess it was kinda nice not being alone in my head.. or.. your head..? You get the point.. + +Z: Indeed I do... + +In the distance, you hear a young voice in the background yell out. "What the heck is going on?! The whole island was shaking!" + +The audience parts and turns to reveal Caelum, rubbing his eyes as though he was just asleep. He walks closer, takes one look at Nash & Zeroth, and his eyes widen a bit. "Oh... you're... dying..." + +Conroy approaches and kneels beside Caelum. "Caelum, I know this is sudden, but... I'm sure you can piece together what this means for us, yes?" + +Caelum looks up, eyes widening, and you see indigo colored teardrops stream down his cheeks, and he staggers backwards a step, losing his composure for a moment. "No.. all of you..?" + +Conroy is smiling solemnly, still kneeling, and nods slowly. "I'm really glad you came by.. gives us a chance to see each other one last time.." + +Caelum will clench his fists in frustration, trying to wipe his flow of tears away. "No no no! I'm not losing my family again! I can't be alone again!! I WON'T!!!" + +He will step toward Nash, looking a mix of sad and angry. "I just KNOW you're the reason this happened... but even with all this, I still can't bring myself to hate you.." + +Zeroth chimes in. "Do not blame him, Seeker child." + +Caelum will pause and look to Zeroth in shock as he continues. "The fault is mine. My selfish desires caused all of this. And it bothers me the mere touch of Nash's humanity made me recognize this." + +Caelum will be shocked by this. "How do you... wait, you actually HAVE emotions right now? That shouldn't be possible, you ripped out what little you had to make THEM." + +He points at the Demense Masters, all huddled together and seeking whatever comfort they can get from these last moments. + +Caelum has a moment of inspiration. "Wait... If you two have resonated at some level, I might be able to make that a permanent solution." + +Zeroth closes his eyes for a moment. "Seeker child, are you proposing to meld our forms together?" + +"I'm proposing I try. I can't make any guarantees of what the outcome will be though." + +Zeroth smiles slightly. "Are those not the words you told the chicken man before you split him in two?" + +"How do you even know about that???" + +Zeroth will laugh weakly. "I saw it in Nash's memories. He was Samson's associate in college. He saw the whole thing through the doorway when you separated the two, and ran away. He has been running from you, in addition to the island, since then." + +Caelum will kneel beside Zeroth. "I don't get you... I split a man into two and get no complaint, I hide in plain sight as a false Demense Master with no complaint, and now I propose you fuse with a mortal and you still have no complaint?" + +"You never attempted to ruin the project, so I made a few minor exceptions... I see no reason not to allow one more." + +Caelum moves to Nash, barely being kept alive by Akarui, exhausting every mote of magic to keep him alive. "How do you feel about my proposal?" + +Nash sighs heavily. "Well... the way I see it, it's either we both die here... or we both get a chance at living together... tough call, and I know I'm gonna hate myself for this one, heh.. (cough hard) ..but, I got nothing left to lose.." + +Z: Your bravery is admirable... Goodbye, Nash.. + +N: So long, you arrogant horse's ass.. + +Zeroth reaches for Nash's hand and grasps it as tight as he can, as Akarui finally stops healing him, stepping away with a stumble. Caelum raises his hands, emitting a wave of indigo magic across them both. You see Zeroth's body glow in an old gold aura, while Nash's begins to glow more of a pyrite fool's gold color. + +You see both physical forms dissolve in a way to become half transparent, slowly overlap atop each other, and begin to shine like before, but not blindingly so. This time, the shine is a warm New Gold glow. + +Once the shine fades, a new entity lies before you with a mix of traits of both species. The body and fur pattern is largely Nash's fox, but the limbs are cloaked in Zeroth's limb fluff. The feet end in solid hooves, the tail becomes horsehair in a fox pattern, and the ears have become stubby little horse ears. The hair has also become longer as a whole, but he mostly maintained the foxy face. + +It takes a moment, but he slowly wakes up, groaning heavily as he makes his first moves as a new being. "Urgh... my aching head.." + +He looks around at everyone. "Is... there a reason everyone is staring at me..? Is there something on my face?" + +He reaches for his face, noticing a distinct difference in the feeling of his paw. "Wait, what the..? Why are my arms so fluffy? Why is my tail so ropey?? Are those fucking HOOVES?! AM I A HORSE?!?!" + +He suddenly winces in pain, both hands grasping his head. "AUGH... WAIT... It's all coming back to me now... bits and pieces... okay, okay... I get it now... this is me now... or, US, I guess..? This is so weird..." + +Aodaghan steps forth. "It ain't much better from where we stand." + +All the demense masters are still here, Aodaghan helping the new guy to his feet. "Welcome back to the livin' world, Zeroth. Or do we call you Nash now?" + +"No... new me, new name. What did Zeroth call himself when he was greeting new people at the door? Reiji? How about... Reggie. I like the sound of that." + +IF THEY ASK +Caelum will look to them and simply respond, "Just like how you INFUSE the magic you weild into yor mortal weapons, I INFUSED Zeroth's magical essence into NASH's mortal form, with a small twist of humanimal transmutation." + +----- + +IF ANYONE ASKS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF DIADEM +Conroy speaks out this time. "That depends on what the Kings of Kings decide. They won the right to claim ownership of the Diadem in that last fight, no differently than our own regalia. So now... they are our new Kings. True Kings of Kings." + +You can almost hear the depression seeping off Akarui, but he sighs and nods. "They are right. Diadem is a giant Regalia, and you won the rights to it fair and square. This is, quite literally, your property now. So... what will you do?" + +PITCH THE FOLLOWING + +Get everyone off Diadem + +Make Diadem a legit country + +Give control to Akarui + +----- + +SKIP TO ONE YEAR LATER + +We open on the Diadem movie theater, with a brand new sign being installed while people are still watching movies. + +Inside, your group is sitting back and rewatching the events that transpired just a year ago on the big screen, as well as everything leading up to that, in the form of a brand new movie. And this time, everything was done SO much better. + +Once the movie ends, the lights come on to reveal your group is not alone. All the Demense Masters INCLUDING Reggie, Akarui, the three Thunder Force commanders, Caelum, Vivid, Morana, Striker, and several others you've met from your adventure are all sitting around, watching the movie with you. + +- Aodaghan is pissed the fight scenes were not more entertaining +- Conroy is pleased at the historical accuracy finally being decent +- Zahir loved the theatrical style lighting they went with +- Corentin is satisfied with the sound design they chose +- Dorrin is a bit miffed his daughter didn't get more screen time +- Arledge is gorging himself on the actual fresh popcorn like it's candy +- Miranda is flipping through an autograph book filled with several of the actors' phone numbers +- Whitaker and Morana are cozied up together sharing a soda with two straws +- Fulmo is impressed by the overall morality behind the story +- Thanatos sheds a tear with the phenomenal and well-earned ending +- Cassius is asleep in his chair while Striker laments Cassius didn't get more screen time +- Cliff is sitting on the ground, applauding like a toddler seeing jingling keys for the first time + +Reggie stands up first and stretches wide, cracking his back. "Now THAT... was a pretty good movie. What do you think, Akarui?" + +Akarui pouts a bit, sighing as he sinks into his seat a bit. "Did they really have to use a pigeon for my role?" That comment makes Reggie wince a bit. + +Everyone slowly piles out of the theater together, commenting on the movie as you all head toward the center of the island. And there have been a few significant changes. Firstly, the island being revealed as a giant crown and having giant magic gems has turned it into a colossal tourist attraction people can actually enter and exit freely. + +The trash zone, largely taking up way too much space, was adjusted a bit to allow room for a genuine airport in Diadem, including a helicopter pad close by. So now, the population of Diadem can freely come and go whenever they wish, as long as they are willing to pay for a basic flight. + +On the subject of money, turns out Jerras was correct about the value of their currency. Since the coins can only be replicated by their people and only at a small number at a time, the value of the coin was immediately regarded as extremely valuable. So now, a single coin would set up people in essentially any corner of the planet for a long while. The people of Diadem are essentially rich, by global standards. + +----- + +(IF THEY DIDNT TAKE KING ROLE) +Akarui resumed his position as King, but since his secretary is currently MIA (not that it's a huge secret), he decided to hire Levi as part of his parole. + +(IF THEY TOOK KING ROLE) +Akarui is actually okay with not being the King anymore, and is content with being the King's aide now. He and Nash worked close together enough to where he picked up the job pretty easily. And as part of his parole, Levi is now working right beside him as a trainee. + +*EITHER WAY* +Anais was thrown in prison for a few months as she did, in fact, conspire against the city to overthrow the current leadership in the island, but was released when Levi proposed she be given the same kind of leniency and parole he received, since he did SO MUCH WORSE THAN HER. That was the moment that actually started the repair of their family. + +----- + +While Fulmo was more than willing to pardon Harken's overall minor crimes of petty vandalism under the guise of stemming a much larger and more devastating end result, Harken still felt guilty of putting the people at risk in any regard. Turns out he, Akarui, and Fulmo had cooked up the stemming plan to keep the Marauders overall under control the entire time, which is why he never seemed too concerned about the mole. Plus, Akarui had the paperwork pre-prepared to back it up. + +Fulmo ruled to actually let the people weigh in on Harken's case in his courtroom, and they overwhelmingly ruled he should be forgiven. The biggest surprise was when Dorrin himself walked up and forgave Harken personally. + +He was then promoted to first commander of the Thunder Force, putting Jensen to second and Valeos to third. Now they rotate between the branch and main offices regularly instead of staying stagnant in one location forever, to help promote a healthier leadership rotation. + +----- + +Jerras was put in jail as well, and is still there for the moment under crimes of long-form price fixing for the nation's currency. However, now that the nation's currency is in circulation outside the island, the people realize he was actually RIGHT, and decided to reduce his sentence. He'll be released in two weeks. + +Not that being there ever stopped his business endeavors, of course. Striker runs the shop most days now, but Jerras pops in via Striker's shadow magic when he gets a minute to breathe. + +----- + +Vivid went home the day after everything was settled with Zeroth, and Dorrin ended up moving out. He now lives in a similar home in an underwater cavern, letting Vivid live her life as independently as she likes. But he still visits regularly. + +----- + +Caelum finally had a place to call home, and managed to patch things up with some of his family members, so much so he even invited some of them to live with him. + +- His brother DJ Free the fennec fox buddied up with Zahir so he didn't have to run shows entirely on his own anymore +- The twins Nako the dragon man and Noji the human woman, became Miranda's fashion models +- His brother Charon the cerberus ended up hanging out with Thanatos, and now he has help running ceremonies +- His brother Helicule, whom had a camera embedded in his head, ended up working for the newspaper as a cameraman + +He comes from a very weird alternate reality, as it turns out. + +----- + +Zeroth is still rattling around in Reggie's head passively, enjoying his new home and experiencing all the mortal ways of living. He also showed Reggie how to use his own god tier magic, including how to borrow the powers of the demense masters. It's still a learning experience for now. + +As for the rest of you... + +(GIVE EACH ONE A FLAVORFUL END RESULT BEFORE CONTINUING) + +Reggie walks with your group, regaling you all with his own personal stories of what happened over the last year. "And after all that, Anais decided to break up with me." + +"Yeah we hooked up a few times after the meld, but after a while she realized she was only into the novelty of the 'guy willing to give her an island' moreso than the guy himself. So now I'm a free man again." + +Caelum will approach your group AND him. "Hey Reggie, I meant to ask... do you still want to leave the island and go somewhere else? Ya know, like the end result of your whole plan?" + +R: "Yeah, but it's like... Zeroth showed me every inch of the entire universe thorough his memories when we combined, so it's like... there's nothing for me to see." + +C: "... what if I could put you somewhere brand new to the both of you?" + +R: "... pardon?" + +C: "I hopped through a dimension hole of my own creation to get here. I can open a new one whenever I want, now that I don't have to hide." + +R: "Are you offering to let me go to your old stomping grounds? Cuz if you left it, I'd have to assume it was for good reason." + +C: "Actually, I could put you in a completely different one, a separate reality untouched by anything like what happened here OR there." + +R: "...nothing would make me fucking happier." + +C: "Well then... how about we send you off right now?" + +He waves his hand in the middle of the open space you're all standing in, an indigo colored gate opening surrounded by a golden ring, much like the gates to the other demense. Reggie stares at it for a moment, before turning back to your group. "Send me off... ya know what, not just yet. I got one thing I wanna do before I go, and I'd like your guys' help to do it." + +"I've been figuring out my abilities over the last year, and I kinda wanna test them out before I dive into a whole new reality. How about you guys and I have a sendoff fight? No stakes, no bullshit, just a chance for you guys to give me everything you got and I return the favor?" + +*IF YES* +He claps his hands theatrically and takes a fighting pose. "Then let's get it started!" + +*AFTER THE FIGHT* + +He will flop onto all fours, spitting a gob of blood off to the side. "Fuck me running... I literally have the power of God on my side, and you guys still fight harder than I do!" + +He stands up, limping a little, but you see a soft golden glow around his body as his injuries slowly heal over and his clothes slowly repair themselves. "Got that god tier healing factor too, it seems... awesome." + +He walks his way over to you all, and shakes each of your hands. "Well, as shitty as our whole ordeal was, it's been a blast getting to hang out with you guys. Hopefully I'll meet people just as cool as you all on the other side." + +He takes a few steps away from the gateway, then turns to your group one last time with a thumbs up. "Stay gold." + +He then runs toward it and jumps in, pulling his limbs together before shouting CANNONBALL! + +And that... is how I ended up here all those years ago. Any questions? \ No newline at end of file