You are Osyki, journeyman Totemist and first line of defense for your village against the rabid Behemoths wandering the land. Your master, the previous Totemist, fell in a battle against a terrible Behemoth, leaving the duty of defending your settlement to you. You've returned from first contact with a group of outside humans, and after unleashing a truly fearsome display of elemental might, you've won their respect and trust. For the next few days, you have nothing but your own agenda to see to... whatever that may be.

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[[Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=totem

The Cast Thus Far: http://pastebin.com/uwRsEHcX

Quest Twitter: @TotemistQuest]]

Here's some goals more-or-less related to the current plot.
>Talk to Sylviannis and Mother of the Swamp about what they'd like done in order to obtain their blessing re: roads
>Sort things out on the mountain if we're going to be trading in ore

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"Amal," you say to the book in your hand, "What would some appropriate spirits for a novice Totemist be? Fire spirits, specifically."

The pages in your hands fill in with fantastically detailed illustrations and flowing script, outlining your options for Terra's familiar.

> Soot Imp
A reliable if willful breed of spirit, Soot Imps are a typical first choice for a novice Totemist. Boasting minor control over flame while being weak enough to pose no serious threat, Soot Imps are the lowest man on the Fire Spirit totem pole.

> Hearthen
A breed of living flames, Hearthen are known as minor protection spirits. They often dwell in the fireplaces of settled civilizations, living off of the heat and scraps of food left in the hearth. Hearthen offer a Totemist minor protection from heat and smoke.

> Lesser Salamander
Though a fully grown Salamander is a dangerous embodiment of flame, lesser entities of the same nature do exist. While outside of the skill range of all but the most talented young Totemists, a Lesser Salamander boasts the most impressive repertoire of abilities. Combining a soot imp's flame control with a Hearthen's protection from flame, Salamanders are also powerful enough to serve as a potential first Focus for a practicing Totemist initiate.

>>25568239
I'd say a Hearthen might be a good start.

>>25568239
It's her binding, let her decide.

>>25568284
Yeah that's fair, even though we both know which one she's likeliest to choose.

>>25568264
Withdrawn in favor of >>25568284

You turn the book around, showing Terra the assembled options. "Here are the choices," you explain. "Take a look over them and choose carefully. It's okay to start sma-"

"That one." she says, pointing, as expected, at the Lesser Salamander. She glanced at the book for, maybe, one second. "That's the one. I can feel it."

You look to Quinn, who shrugs.

"You're sure?"

"Super sure." she says.

>>25568616
Okaaaay... if we let her get a lesser salamander, it'll only boost her pride even more. She's a pretty prideful kid, and the more her own ego is swelled, the more it's gonna bite her in the ass one day. Ask her to read through each one before deciding, it's not like it's gonna kill her.

>>25568616
Welp.

Fire away, Terra.

>>25568650
Just let her take a crack at it. Worst case scenario, she gets a little burnt and learns to carve better runes.

>>25568616
"Please read the choices first. We both know it won't change your mind, but what do I say about Knowledge? And knowing what you're gettin into? and being prepard for what you do? These are the first lessons I taught you and they apply not just to being a totemist, but to everything in life. Now read the book and thn we'll see about calling up your salamander."

You give Terra a -look-. "At least read the options, first." You admonish. "We both know it won't change your mind, but what do I say about knowledge? And knowing what you're getting into? and being prepared for what you do? These are the first lessons I taught you and they apply not just to being a Totemist, but to everything in life. Now read the book... and then we'll see about calling up your salamander."

She grumbles a bit, but takes the book and reads through the various entries. A minute later she hands the book back to you, nodding. "Haven't changed my mind... but I want a Hearthen, too."

You raise both eyebrows this time. "Two spirits?"

She nods. "The Salamander's the best choice, obviously, but... Hearthens are cute. I want one."

Quinn is struggling to contain a chuckle as his Cloud Swallow whispers in his ear.

"Let's tackle one thing at a time, shall we?"

She nods.

"Go inside and get the supplies for the ritual. Here, take the Almanac. I'll wait."

She nods, scurrying inside. Quinn looks up at you as the door closes, the mirth fading from his face. "You sure this is a good idea, Osyki?" he asks.

You shrug. "Not entirely, but there's only one way to learn some lessons."

>Roll 2d100 for ritual.

>>25568893
Of course the girl wants the Charmander. Why wouldn't she?

Rolled 64, 8 = 72

>>25568893
DICE GODS

Rolled 83, 68 = 151

>>25568893

>>25568915
...We do have a lot of burn salve prepared right?

Like that seems as if it'd be common sense when playing with fire.

Rolled 73, 91 = 164

>>25568893

HEAR MY CRY, /tg/ DICE

BLESS THESE ROLLS

>>25568923
>>25568934
Why couldn't you guys have posted sooner.

>>25568957
I think he still takes the best of three.

I hope.

Rolled 44, 2 = 46

>>25568893
Hopefully she'll go for the Hearthen first. It's good to be ambitious, but you need to work your way up to the big stuff. Sure, Osyki might make it look easy when he's Rider Kicking horrible spirit monsters, but he's got a solid decade of training in the basics to back him up.

So do we still have the earth tattoos, or did that fade when we left the canyon?

>>25569006
She has potential, she might as well live up to it.

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>>25568923

Terra returns, holding the ingredients necessary for a ritual to Call a Lesser Salamander: lamp oil, charcoal, snake skin, chalk, and a wick. She looks up and you, and you shrug.

"This is your show now, Terra. You're confident enough to choose the Salamander. Prove that you're ready."

She stares at you for a moment, then nods determinedly. Sitting cross-legged, she consults the Almanac as she winds the wick through the holes in the snake skin. She fills the empty skin with bricks of charcoal, then pours the lamp oil down the packed tube. Finally, she uses the chalk to inscribe the sixteen runes around the skin, then crumbles the stick of chalk over the ritual skin.

"I'm ready," she says.

You nod.

In the rays of the mid-day sun, Terra spreads her arms wide over the ritual circle, closing her eyes. Through your second sight, you can see the ebb and flow of her spiritual energy slowly seeping outward, spreading in unsteady waves toward the circle. Her eyes still closed, she takes flint and steel and strikes them together, once, twice, thrice.

A solitary spark leaps outward, landing perfectly on the prepared skin.

(Cont.)

[[ It would seem someone is trying to fuck with us on the archive. ]]

>83

A gout of flame erupts upward as the spark catches the skin, and the fire sends it writhing and dancing across the prepared rune circle. Slowly, a shape begins to emerge from the wriggling inferno. Two, then four, then six legs creep out from the skin, and the flames licking its surface slowly shape themselves into a recognizable, reptilian construct. The Salamander glares up from the circle of binding runes, edging carefully toward them. Testing its boundaries.

It looks furious.

The hard part comes next. Rather than a bargain, as with Quinn's Cloud Swallow, or a trial of combat, the ritual of domination over the Salamander is a content of wills. You see Terra kneel down at the edge of the circle, locking eyes with the Salamander.

You and Quinn go quiet as you see her eyes begin to glow, reflecting the Salamander's crackling flame.

>68

Slowly, you watch as the Salamander is doused. The roaring inferno of its skin slowly recedes to a thin membrane of flame, and it almost looks cowed. Terra focuses in harder, leaning forward...

Almost in slow motion, you see her knee brush the edge of the circle, smudging one of the chalk runes.

Instantly the salamander explodes back into its full flaming force, surging toward the weakened gap in the circle. Terra cries out as a wave of heat washes over her, the Salamander struggling against the weakened spiritual bindings. Quinn lets out a yell and moves forward, but you throw out an arm in front of him.

"Wait."

>Strippers and blackjack
Well, not the worst thing they could've archived it as.

Though you can see Terra's skin growing red and blistered in patches from the heat, she has not broken eye contact with the Salamander. As it scrabbles against the weakening walls of the binding, beads of sweat pour down Terra's face. You see tears welling in her eyes as she forces her self to remain immobile, staring down the Salamander with a furrowed brow and an iron will.

And again, slowly, the creature is forced to dim its glow. Slowly, it retreats from the edges of the binding, cowering in the center of the ring.

"You're mine," Terra says shakily. "My spirit. We're partners now, you and me. Say it, or I'll put you out."

The Salamander remains defiantly silent. Terra's face lights up with fury beyond her years, and she leans forward further, into the circle. "Say it!" she yells.

"...Yess." the flaming lizard finally hisses. "Partnerss. Fine. I accept."

The runes flare once. Terra waits for the glow to fade before falling back, gingerly holding her burned knees and biting her lip.

>>25569441
'Atta girl.

Ask her if she still feels like going after that Hearthen.

>>25569441
See if she's still up for summoning that other spirit

>>25569441
Welp, as expected. Let's get some burn salve for her knees.

(possibly also a lecture on knowing one's limits--we knew it was unlikely she would be seriously hurt, but still...?)

>>25569441
Schoolboy error, really. She did pretty well.

>>25569441
Okay, first thing to do is grab the medical stuff we have and a salve for burns from that. It looks like she's gotten the Salamander taken care of. The Hearthen can wait until another day.

Then gently pick Terra up, place her on our bed, and start applying the salve to her knees and anywhere else that's burned. Medical care first.

"Terra, are you alright? How bad is it?

You did an impressive job and I don't want to take that away from you, you've got talent, and more than that you're extremely determined and passionate. I am very proud of you. I want you to remember this, that I'm proud of you, because I'm going to berate you for a bit to get a point across.

You have to be careful, you got hurt today because you rushed things, you rushed into this summoning and made a small mistake and that's why you got hurt, and it could have been much worse. I can't keep you from making your own mistakes, or if I try you'll never learn from them, all I can do is hope that you make your mistakes in ways that you can recover from, and help you up when you fall.

If instead of being a Salamander you thought you were ready for your first Feral Binding too early, and went after a Bone Warden too quickly you would die. I can't save you from everything, this is a dangerous profession and if you don't learn from experiences like this you may have to learn in a way that could seriously injure or kill you. You have to know your limits Terra, and you have to learn when you should push your limits, and when you shouldn't."

>>25569441
Lets get her some bandages and some salves and such, and then give her a good long lecture on attentiveness and knowing your limits.

>>25569668
>>25569554
We should at least congratulate her, that was pretty impressive for a first bind.

>>25569441
Help her out. Make it clear that we're concerned about her safety and injuries first and foremost before admonishing her on anything. Get some salves together and heal her burns.

"Remember, Terra, the most valuable tools a totemist can have are not totems or rituals. They are patience and preparedness. If we rush things, we pay the price. Only by taking our time and ensuring our own safety can we hope to protect not only the people we care about, but ourselves as well."

"That said, you did very well for your first bind. Everyone makes mistakes, but the best we can do with mistakes is learn from them. Remember: spirits are dangerous and many will hurt you if you give them the chance."

>>25569441

>>25569554
>>25569663
>>25569668
>>25569682
>>25569815

A mix of these, then once we've said our peace, gently ask her if she'd like to summon that other spirit. Don't ask as though the answer should be obvious, ask as though the decision is still up for grabs. She'll most likely say that she's had enough, but she might say that she still wants the Hearthen - if the latter, ask if she wants to try it another day.

>>25569663
>>25569815
We probably should say exactly what went wrong (her knee brushing the circle) and ask for, and then suggest, some ideas on how to prevent that from happening again. Like, obviously she needs to learn how to keep awareness while intensely concentrating, but she have also started out farther from the circle, used more chalk (or another, better material), etc.

Hello?

You sigh, moving in to pick Terra up off of the ground. The Salamander floats through the air, transfiguring into a small, marble of fiery red and yellow. You cradle her, momentarily amazed at how light she is as Quinn plucks it from the air, grimacing.

"Terra, are you alright? How bad is it?" you ask gently, carrying her toward the workshop. Her quiet sobs and wobbling lip are all the answer you need. You make gentle shushing noises as you lay her down on the bed, moving the the chest of medical supplies to retrieve your burn salve. While Quinn gently pats the thick gray paste onto her knees, you maneuver yourself to kneel beside the bed, looking her in the eye.

"Terra," you begin gently, "You did an impressive job and I don't want to take that away from you, you've got talent, and more than that you're extremely determined and passionate. I am very proud of you."

She smiles as the burn salve begins to numb the stinging in her knees.

"That being said, though, you have to be careful. You got hurt today because you rushed things.
You hold up a hand to stem her protests and continue. "You rushed into this summoning and made a small mistake and that's why you got hurt, and it could have been much worse. I can't keep you from making your own mistakes. All I can do is hope that you make your mistakes in ways that you can recover from, and help you up when you fall."

She looks away from you for a moment, clearly embarrassed. When she looks back, she nods. "I understand."
(Cont.)

"Good. Remember, Terra, the most valuable tools a Totemist can have are not totems or rituals. They are patience and preparedness. If we rush things, we pay the price. Only by taking our time and ensuring our own safety can we hope to protect not only the people we care about, but ourselves as well."

You stand up, taking the marble from Quinn. She seems hesitant to take it from you, but only for a moment.

"That salamander is your ally now. Remember what I said."

She nods. The gem in her hands stretches and grows until the salamander sits coiled in her hands, licking flames coiling arounds Terra's fingers, but leaving them unscathed.

"Now," you say, "Did you want to try for the Hearthen today? It's up to you."

Quinn frowns, but Terra shakes her head. "No, I'm okay. I think that's all for today. Once I feel a little better, I'm going to go back to the House."

You nod. "Take some salve with you, and give it to the Matrons when you arrive. They'll help you apply it tomorrow."

Quinn is regarding you with an expression that is difficult to read. He motions with his head toward the door.

>>25570204
"You did good Terra, now get some rest.

If you're feeling better you can read some, but stay in bed for now and get to know your new companion."

Give her a headpat, sit down nearby, and spend more time with Amal in the Book, have him go through some of the sections that have confused us in the past and elucidate the matter and tell us our Master's thoughts while writing that section. We need to study.

>>25570342
Diarca, do we have a readily available story about how we royally screwed up as an apprentice?

>>25570342
After she is gone say to Quinn "Spirits are dangerous. This is dangerous work, But we have to do it, and we have to get good quick. We dont have my master around.

But i still doubt my actions. Should i have interferred?"

When Quinn is gone we should look into the masters chest n stuff.

>>25570434
We almost certainly do.

However, let's get the precise nature of Quinn's concern before we launch into the storytelling, yeah?

>>25570434
What? Did we screw up as apprentice?

>>25570475
Good point.

You tell Terra to spend some time in bed getting to know her new companion. She nods, looking a little less pale, and you follow Quinn outside.

As you close the door behind you, you hear Quinn sigh. Turning to face him, he looks... remarkably unhappy.

"Was it really necessary to let a child perform a ritual like that by herself, Osyki?" he asks you, aggravation lacing his voice.

Your expression falls. "Spirits are dangerous. This is dangerous work, But we have to do it, and we have to get good quick. We don't have my master around to watch our backs while we practice."

You run your hands through your hair, slowly allowing your muscles to untense. "But I still doubt my actions. Should I have interfered?"

Quinn shakes his head. "No. Letting her finish what she started is important. But you're her teacher, and mine by extension. You shouldn't have let her take on something like that so soon. She clearly wasn't ready, Osyki, and now she's hurt. Knowing your limits is all well and good, but you've got to watch out for us, too. You've got a much better idea of this sort of thing. You know what we're ready for. You've gotta be the one to step in and stop me when I'm about to light my dumb ass on fire."

I'm catching up
Now, but I had an idea for a binding. We bind a spirit to a rope. Just any rope. Then we unbound it, tie the rope
Into a lasso, then rebound the spirit tO the rope and see if we get something different. I'm wondering if different forms of the same object change the bind in any way.

>>25570632
"Duly noted. I wanted her to get an appreciation for the dangers and her own limitations, though. She'll think twice about attempting something like that without being careful."

>>25570632
"It's easier to remember a painful lesson than it is unwanted advice, and it's better to learn a painful lesson when you're in no real danger. That being said, I'll be stricter when it comes to her first feral binding."

>>25570632
"Quinn, that's what I was doing. This was just a familiar binding, she was in no real danger. Her burns are painful, but they'll be healed within a week. But this experience gave her a taste of the risks a Totemist can expect to face. I would rather she not have gotten burned, but now that she has she's going to be more cautious in the future. Better for her to have a bad experience now when she's binding a lesser salamander than when she's doing her first Feral Binding and decides she can take on a drake without difficulty."

>>25570632
"You're right. I've been a teacher for a short amount of time, and I'm learning things as quickly as you are. Still, my inexperience is no excuse. I talked to her about preparedness and patience when I was neglecting them myself. Next time, I will ensure that she is prepared before she attempts something like this again - and next time, I will be ready to say 'no' should she get ahead of herself."

You place a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "Duly noted. "It's easier to remember a painful lesson than it is unwanted advice, and it's better to learn a painful lesson when you're in no real danger. That being said, I'll be stricter when it comes to her first feral binding"

He sighs, and you can see him relent. "Alright, Osyki. I know you know what you're doing. It's just, sometimes, it seems like you forget that you're a kid yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for advice, alright? You don't have to do all of this alone."

He smiles at you, fraternal fondness clear on his face.

>>25570912
He is pretty bro. We should ask him if there are any totems or focuses he's had his eye on.

>>25570912
"Thanks, Quinn. That means a lot to me. Anyways, while we're talking Totemist business, do you have an idea for your next binding?"

>>25570912
Would be fun to spar with Quinn

[[ What is the plan moving forward from here, Totemist? You still have half the day available to you. Do you want to train more with your co-temist, or on your own? Visit some townsfolk? Or perhaps something outside of the village? ]]

>>25571171
Train with co-totemist!

>>25571171
Training sound good

>>25571171
I would like to look into the magically locked chest of our master, negotiate with the spirits re: roads and magically spar with our co-totemist.

>>25571188
What where the locks again? I thought one was to bind an avatar.

We should probably look into that.

>>25571171
Figured we'd talk to Quinn about his plans for his next binding and then spar. Aside from that, I don't know, maybe try binding Amal to the map to see if we can pull Ayren's memories of the city from it?

>>25571188
All of that sound good to me. We should also perhaps get around to the raising house at some point to apologize to the caretakers for Terra's burns.

"That means a lot, Quinn." you say. "Speaking of Totemist business, did you have any ideas about your next bind?"

Quinn nods. "I like the flexibility of my current Focus, but I feel like I need something a bit sturdier. I was thinking of heading up into the mountains and getting a Rock Turtle of my own. A small one, mind, not that monolith you dropped."

You grin. "Aww, but the big ones are much more fun."

He rolls his eyes, muttering something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like 'psychopath'.

"Anyway, if you're gonna take out something that big, you're gonna need some practice. Wanna spar?"

Quinn considers this for a moment. "I could be convinced of that, yeah. What rules are you thinking?"

>>25571365
We're fairly durable and BS OP compared to him if we use bindings, so suggest either one binding each, then structured hit points like in fencing.

Or, option 2. We go full bindings, he gets a good hit in once and he wins, we just play keep away.

He's going to be going up against things out of his league for a while, he should get some practice at it.

>>25571365
I am trying to think of a good way to spar without a good chance of us seriously hurting or killing each other. Limiting it to one bind or perhaps only defensive binds might be a good idea.

>>25571430
This works for me.

>>25571365
"One binding each, obviously, because I'd otherwise have a major advantage. No weapon binds, either, because once you start working with Totem weaponry lethality ramps up too fast to easily keep in check. Let's go for mobility or utility, and have the fight be hand to hand. So, considering that, standard brawling rules? No gouging or biting, no strikes to the groin or throat, grappling is fair game. Sound good?"

>>25571365
If we want to actually spar, we need to limit it to one bind each, with us probably using one of our defensive binds. If we want to have complete BS tag sessions to train him to deal with beings that outmatch him, we should use our entire arsenal and just play aroun.

>>25571365
"How about we get some blunted weapons from the armory, and I'll only use one of my binds? Fight until one person scores ten hits on the other."

Rolled 4

[[rollan']]

>>25571564
What bindings have we explored with Thane, our night stalker spirit?

"Alright, here's what we'll do," you say, smiling. "One bind apiece, either defensive or mobile. Standard brawling rules. No gouging or biting, no strikes to the groin or throat, grappling is fair game. First one to make the other submit wins. Sound good?"

Quinn nods. "Yeah, alright. But I'm calling those lightning boots of your off-limits. I'd like to actually have a chance of hitting you, and when you've zapping all over the place I'd probably get my eyebrow singed off before I caught you."

You shrug. That'll have to do.

> What binding will you take into the match?

>>25571634
Oh jeez, trying to remember all of our binds. Is there a list somewhere? The armor we have to focus on might be good.

>>25571634
Modi Magni would probably tear his shit to pieces.

I say we try out some of those sound weapons from the crystal worm binding.

>>25571634
What about the earth gloves?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

>>25571634
He might have banned the Cloudstrider Boots, but I think boot bindings would be pretty good, anyway. Cordia in our boots would still give us some impressive mobility, and with the shifting of the earth would keep Quinn on his toes.

>>25571634
So many options........ Didn't we have one that sped us up slightly? Cordia boots maybe? i forget. We need a spreadsheet to keep track of all our binds we've learned.

>>25571681
Well we're not using our Spear, we're brawling, and we're not binding him to anything else.

And we're not using a weapon, we're playing nice, it's a training match.

Let's try binding Cordia to our boots, see what happens, if it's too nasty we'll go for Velociraptor Greaves or the Turtle Breastplate Shield.

>>25571717
This

>>25571696
Going against the spirit of the spar, man.

As for the binding, since he wants to bind a Rock Turtle, best bindings would be Rock Turtle/Cordia + armor. Rock Turtles aren't the fastest, so speed boosts on our part won't be of much assistance with the upcoming fight with a Rock Turtle. Better to give him some experience with figuring out who to crack some very tough armor.

>>25571772
Excellent idea. Seconding this setup.

Binder's Log
> Rock Turtle Focus:
Mace: Thunder Hammer, causes lightning to strike what the mace does
Buckler: Stormcloud Buckler, fires lightning from the edges when thrown
Charm Bracelet: Ixion Charm, forms launchable balls of lightning
Boots: Cloudwalker Stride, enables powerful jumps [est. 20 feet straight up], safe landings
Rope: Heaven's Chain, a whip handle, forms lashes of lightning when swung
Bow: Thunderclap, Transforms ammunition into raw energy. Difficult to fire.
Chainmail: Blessing of the Elder Turtle, projects a turtle-shield of energy with focus.

> Bone Warden Focus:
Mirror: Mirror of True Sight, pierces illusions and reveals spirits
Cloak: Ribcage Wrap, conjures a sphere of darkness around you. Lightning only seems to brighten this sphere slightly.
Boots: Skeletal Step, carries walker twice as far with each step, makes noise of clicking bones
Fruit: Heart of Darkness, did not test further. Deep red fruit, covered with spines. Unbound quickly.
Amulet: Warden's Ivory, disables the wearer's ability to feel pain. Does not resist damage in any way.
Bow: Nether Storm, Fragments ammunition into a cloud of razor-sharp shrapnel. Accuracy is compromised for raw damage.

>Earth Warden Focus:
Armor: Gnome's Garb. Greatly boosts the wearer's constitution and defensive capabilities. Capable of ejecting rock shards when attacked as reactive armor.
Bow: Plummeting Stone. Sends resonant waves through pierced targets, shattering them with powerful seismic waves.

(Cont.)

>Raptor Bone Focus:
Pants: Velociraptor Greaves. Boosts Osyki's running speed, increases jumping distance. Provides a modicum of lower body protection.
Chainmail: Talon Lash. A scale shirt transforming Osyki's arms into raptor leg-like appendages: Reverse jointed, powerful, and tipped with wicked claws, but lacking in manual dexterity.
Bow: Hunter's Pounce. Tips arrows fired with curved claw arrowheads. Seems to curve arrows toward warm-blooded creatures.
Sword: Predator Talwar. A curved black blade with a deep crimson handle and no hilt. Extends a blade of invisible force a few inches from the edge of the weapon when swung, leading to assaults with a deceptive reach.
Mirror: Paranoia Shard: A mirror approximately the size of a peach which hovers in front of and to the right of Osyki at all times, reflecting the landscape immediately behind him.

> Fanged Stalker Focus:
Cloak: Nocturne's Embrace, Hides the wearer when they walk through shadows.
Bow: Stalker's Caress, Any projectiles fired from this weapon are entirely invisible until they make contact with an object. The bow makes no sound as it is fired.

> Swamp Ykree Focus:
Chainmail: Fisher-man's Wrap, The orb of light at its front acts as a swim bladder, allowing the wearer to control how they rise and sink in the water.
Bow: Snakebite Aqua, Fires bolts of poisonous essence. Usable underwater.

(cont.)

> Crystal Scale Focus:
Armor: Vestus Sonitus: Reacts to powerful blows with an equal wave of concussive sonic force.
Shirt: Vestus Quies: Muffles the sounds made by the wearer. Stepping on a twig is rendered silent, while shouting is akin to normal speech
Bracelet: Ring of Reverberation: A crystal hoop that hovers an inch off of the wrist. Records sounds made in its vicinity, can be played back by depressing the eye-shaped gem at its peak.
Boots: STOMP: Deep green leather boots. Incredibly noisy to walk in. Build a charge as louder steps are made. Charges can be expended to throw the user forward at top speed in a burst of noise and light. Energy released from this burst can shatter stone.
Gloves: Twin Din. Gloves that can produce, manipulate, and violently detonate solid sound when used in conjunction.

>>25571799

[[ Forgot:

> Earth Warden

Boots: Landslide: Ride around on a rolling carpet of earth.
Shovel: Terra Disruptor: Move large chunks of earth with great ease! ]]

>>25571799
I think you forgot the Earth Warden's Boots in there, Diarca.

>>25571634
Let's go with Blessing of the Elder Turtle. Also could this list be added to the pastebin?

Hmmm guys, we are FAR more experienced with this sort of thing than Quinn. We should give him an advantage.

Lets try a new combination and use that. Something that seems like it could be useful now.

>>25571860
I would rather like the Gnome's garb than boring Blessing of the Elder Turtle.

>>25571888
Can we control the reactive armor part? Puncture wounds are not very friendly if we hit him with it.

>>25571858
>Shovel: Terra Disruptor: Move large chunks of earth with great ease!
Haha, why not this?

>>25571888
I'd rather not hit our Cotemist with reactive armor, might hurt him, we're avoiding that.

>>25571858

[[ Double Deuce. Also forgot:

> Earth Waden

Mirror: Gnome Guard. An orbiting sheet of metal to deflect attacks. Further properties unknown. ]]

[[ Looks as though votes are leaning toward binding Blessing of the Elder Turtle. Proceed? ]]

>>25572011
I'm fine by it.

>>25572041

sure why not?

>>25572011
It's not passive, but it forces Osyki to be slow instead of the fast movement combat he's used to as well as giving Quinn experience getting past tough armor. Good teaching lesson on both sides.

Or, yeah, I'm fine with that line-up.

You work quickly to unbind your various foci, leaving only the Blessing of the Elder Turtle in place. The heavy plate weighs down on your shoulders. Quinn binds the Raptor Spine focus to his shirt, and in a flash of light, you see that a long, powerful raptor-tail extends like a warped coat-tail from the back of his now-scaled jerkin. He flexes the tail back and forth, then turns to face you.

"Ready?" he asks.

"Ready," you say.

> 1d100 and opening move, Totemist!

Rolled 37

>>25572188
Play a mostly defensive game, he'll likely be moving around a lot and using that tail to hit from odd angles. Stand our ground, block with our shield, and after a shield block try to move in for a few good hits.

Rolled 82

>>25572188
Lets just keep safe and see what his tail can do

>>25572188
He thinks we are going defensive?
WELL THINK AGAIN!
Charge him with the shield up! The unnatural distance of collision will put him off balance.

Rolled 63

>>25572188
Play a defensive game, always ready to focus on our armor and counterattacking.

>82

You settle into a low stance, ready to take the defensive route and wear Quinn down before making your move. He darts forward, tail arching upward, and as he lunges for you, you concentrate.

Instantly, a wall of shimmering electrical energy springs into being. The turtle-shell barriers send Quinn bouncing into the grass, lines of lightning wrapping his form. As he rises, he does so as though under a heavy burden. The lightning waves don't look to be painful, but they are slowing Quinn down.

"Come on, Co-Temist! Is that all you've got?" you call out.

Quinn launches himself forward again, zig-zagging back and forth across the field. The lighting web falls from him in rough chunks. As he approaches he suddenly whirls, swinging his tail around in a punishing arc.

Rolled 59

>>25572379
Move forward and activate shield. Hopefully stopping him at a distance before he gets force behind his attack

Rolled 100

>>25572379
Can we focus our force field even more? As opposed to blocking an entire area just blocking at the point of attack. Also, when we do go in for the attack do it when he is slowed by the lightning.

>>25572422
And thus we gained new abilities with the shield.

>>25572422
YES! DOMINATE THAT POOR FUCKER

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>>25572422
Jesus, dude. I'm feeling really sorry for Quinn right about now.

>>25572422
Pooor, poor Quinn.

>>25572422
So it is a good thing we have a spare apprentice lying around.

>>25572590
I don't think it'll be that bad, we went out of our way to do this sparring in a way so that neither of us would get that hurt.

>>25572641
Yeah. Even the suggestion is pretty non lethal.

> 100

You focus your mental energies, throwing a shield out as Quinn's tail comes whipping around. Just as his tail is about to slam into your face, a crackling hexagonal panel superimposes itself between you and a very hard to explain bruise. Quinn stops dead as the panel catches his momentum, falling out of the air and landing in a heap on the ground. You hear a loud "OOF!", amplified by the sound of crackling lightning.

> 1d100 for the pin! Taking the best of the first two rolls.

Rolled 20

>>25572951
Rolling.

Rolled 10

>>25572951
Rolling,

Rolled 78

>>25572951

Rolled 11

>>25572951
let's go!

>>25572967
>>25572968
HAHAHAHAHAHA

Rolled 7

>>25572967
>>25572968
Wow. So we render him defenseless, and then piss it away. Ah well, better now than in an actual fight

Rolled 87

>>25572951
you monster

> 20

You coil your body like a spring, flying into the air in a flying elbow-drop. The world seems to move in slow motion as you see Quinn push himself out of the way with his tail, rolling to the side as though throw molasses as you hurtle through the air. You land elbow-first in the dirt, and as Quinn shakes off the web of lightning he dives atop you, pressing your head into the dirt.

"Ha-HA!" he crows. "Give up?"

You huff in irritation. That was...

That was embarrassing.

Rolled 46

>>25573111
Cant we shield-push him away?

>>25573111
"I guess I've gotten too used to having speed enhancements. Well, no point in sparring if it doesn't show you what you need to work on. Good fight."

>>25573111
DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR!

Rolled 50

>>25573111

Give in, and say that trying something new may be useful but you should be careful not to get too carried away with a small victory.

Rolled 100

>>25573111
>>25573137
Force shield push

>>25573111
Start laughing our ass off.

"Almost had you, though I fucked up the grapple. I guess I'm just used to having about 3 different bindings that make me faster.

Good job with the tail though, that's a really interesting binding."

>>25573200
Or that. We could do that.

>>25573111
Well, he hasn't demonstrated some idea of how to get past shields/armor, so not yet.

Also, for Osyki, jumping's probably off-limits, and definitely ensure a maintenance of awareness at all times, even at the expense of speed.

>>25573200

You roll your eyes, focusing for a moment. "Not by a long shot," you mumble through a mouthful of dirt, sending your shield ballooning outward.

Quinn gives a yelp as he flips head over heels off of you, landing in a heap, shoulder-first in one of the many craters lining the field. "Man!" he calls. "That shield's getting real old!"

You laugh. "Wait 'till you fight the genuine article!" you jeer back, climbing to your fee-

And Quinn is -there-, leg snapping out to catch you.

>1d100

Rolled 76

>>25573405
Shield block it again

Rolled 56

>>25573405
CROSS

COUNTER

Or just shieldbash.

Rolled 33

>>25573405
Use the shield to knock him off balance.

Your mental defenses come up even as your arm does, and a wall of shell envelops your forearm as it blocks the whirling assault. You grin at Quinn, slowed and caught in a vulnerable position, and tackle him to the ground.

Once he's down, it's a simple matter of deploying your shield to squish him into the ground.

"Give up?" you call mockingly.

"Mmmph!" comes his eloquent reply.

>1d100+7 for the pin!

Rolled 33 + 7

rollan

Rolled 72 + 7

>>25573696
Let's see how this goes.

Rolled 91 + 7

>>25573696

Rolled 89

>>25573696

>>25573724
Thankyou sweet baby jesus

>>25573724

After a few minutes of struggling and many slaps to the shield with a heavy tail, Quinn finally gives in. He taps the dirt three times, and you let your shield lapse. He sits up, gasping for breath, tail hanging limply at his side.

"Okay," he says, panting, "That shield is outlawed next time, too."

You laugh out loud, shrugging. "Almost had you a few times without it, though I fucked up the grapple. I guess I'm just used to having about 3 different bindings that make me faster. Good job with the tail though, that's a really interesting binding."

He nods. "Thanks. It's one of a couple experiments. I've been writing them all down in a journal."

You nod. "Good. Documenting your work is important."

The two of you sit for a short time, shooting the breeze and unwinding. Finally, he stands.

"Alright. I'm going to walk Terra back to the raising house," he declares. "You gonna be here when I get back?"

>>25574011
"I might go see Elana, but if I'm not here my place is yours."

>>25574011
"Yeah, I'm probably going to catch up on my reading, I should be here. If I'm not here I'm with Elana so don't go looking for me.

Take care of Terra, if she needs a piggyback ride give her one."

Then get to reading from of the Amal/Journal, go through difficult sections and go over them again, with Amal's help it should be a lot easier as he both cross references things and gives us insight as to Ayren's thought at the time of writing.

I wonder if we could capture a bunch of minor nature spirits and put Amal in charge of them as head nature spirit, and then bind them all to books and have Amal like, collect all the information.

>>25574084
Seconding.

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>>25574122
Idea: Get a pantograph. It's a mechanical frame that lets you trace and reproduce images with high accuracy, and is probably within the technological capacity of our village. Enhance it with any totems of accuracy and precision we can think of, then bind Amal to it to let him copy every book Ayren left behind into one huge tome. Then we bind Amal to the new superbook and use it as the totemic equivalent of a computer database whenever we're doing research. We'd have to make a proper effort of indexing and cataloging all the books first so Amal knows where to look, but it could wind up being very useful. A long-term project, though, considering the time it would take. Not to mention all the paper we'd need to make it.

>>25574268

Holy! If the Gm let's this happen our work is going to be a lot easier.

>>25574268
One potential problem with it, given the method of making it and the degree of separation I don't think we'll get the part where Amal can tell us Ayren's thoughts at the point of writing it.

>>25574364
Yeah, but if we ever have a passage that we can't figure out ourselves, we have Amal tell us which book it was from (because the Super Tome contains an index) and rebind him to that. We'd still get a net increase in research efficiency just from being better able to tell where the confusing parts of Ayren's notes are.

>>25574084
This. Find a list of weak bindings that would be useful and not too dangerous for fledgling totemists to provide more options for Quinn and Terra next time.

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You nod, shading your eyes from the noonday sun with your hand. " I'm probably going to catch up on my reading, I should be here. If I'm not here I'm with Elana so don't go looking for me."

Quinn nods, visibly restraining himself from giving your the waggly eyebrows. You roll your eyes, patting him on the back.

"Be careful with Terra. If she needs a piggy-back, you give her one, yeah?"

Quinn nods. "Let's just hope the Matrons don't flay us alive for letting her play with fire."

You shrug. "Eh. I've got lightning boots to run away with. You, though, you're straight screwed."

He laughs, giving you a playful punch in the shoulder before standing up. You wave goodbye to he and Terra as the walk past you, then stand up and dust yourself off.

You notice a strange cloud looming over the Ikren mountains as you rise, like a storm-cloud, though out of season for such a heavy black color. It seems to be disappating, but it unnerves you a bit. You resolve to visit with the Land Guardians of the Swamp, Forest, and Mountain soon to speak with them about Mathias' proposal.

As you head back into your workshop, ideas for compendiums and new totems whirl through your mind.

Time to get down to work.

[[And that's the end of tonight's session. See you all next week on Wednesday. If there's any way to get this re-archived with the proper tags, I'd appreciate it if someone would take care of that. Good night, all! ]]

>>25574482
Thanks for another great thread!