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>>5985469
Dozers of sheets of paper are scattered across the table with bits of metal and circuitry tossed around. Mage armor deconstructed and reconstructed trying to find flaws and ways to further improve its storage capacity. As Muffin tests the energy current of the wiring smelling burnt rubber assaulting her nose as electric discharge zaps at her fingertips. Grabbing duct tape and the rubber of shoes to help cover and shield the wires against the heat and open air. While William goes over the current circuits and amplifier nodes seeing old circuitry with burnt out grid paths, broken circuits, and missing prongs. Having another thought William pops open an amplifier to see similar wear and damage on the item as well.

“Hey Muffin, how is all this working with all this damage?”
“I mend cantrip the fractured chips and work around the burnt chips and broken grid paths. I lose a lot of efficiency but use mana infusions and blood to create biological mana gates to leech magic from the leylines and power the batteries.”
“Isn't blood bad for circuitry?”
“Yes but with a prestidigitation cantrip I can clean off the blood but the mana gates and infusions stay to power the thing. Sure takes all night to charge and a slash of blood but it is well worth it and trying to get a normal current from an electric plug would overload the suit.”
“And how does blood mana gates bypass that?”
“Leylines will pump low amounts of magic for refinement and not overload the body with unrefined magic just low amounts of energy for the blood mana gates to distribute it. It kinda assumes the blood needs energy to repair things so its suppling the energy to a body for repairs or storage.”
“It is how magic circles, runes, enchantment gear, and golems works. Get a splash of blood and apply it a few times until the magic is held in place and supplied by the leylines. Giant teleportation circles for mass transit between cities for resources, megaspells for levitation helps ship building, and mining lasers to keep burning and cooling for the 24/7 production quotas to be met.”
“Huh, I didn't really pay much attention to the biology side of things.”
“It is very convoluted and I needed to learn some way to help power a patch job of armor. But still I am very proud of my work.”
“And computer chips?”
“Same design but uses very small amounts of blood to make a small section of gates to power pre-inscribed runes made by lasers.”
“Are there any more flaws in the design?”
“Plenty, the hardware is at least a decade old, normal and mana chips constantly burning out, amplifiers defective, shock absorbers need to be added, and I need stronger metal to protect against physical damage.”
“It is a miracle this thing works.”
“Miracles. I don't believe in miracles, I believe in hard work and intelligence more than in uncaring gods.” Scoffs out Muffin.
“What is the cost in maintaining the infusions and mana gates?”

Part 1

>>5985470
“Blood and all my mana reserves. I can't repair things, only maintain them till I can find replacements.”
“Hah. Oh wait I need to comb through the circuits for major mending casts.”
“You also have to rework the charge flows and grids as the energy is redirected again. But first you need to make the limbs and chest adjustments or you will have to redo the circuits all over again for the limbs if you fix the chest armor first.”
“Ahhh, fine. I will make the leg limbs next then try to pick at the chest armor later.”

>9d20 DC 10/20/40/60 for leg, leg, chest, diagnostics, banked. Rolled 102. Banked 42 mechanical insights.

Wiring running out, rubber old and worn, metals barely having any tensile strength to absorb damage, and Muffin at the edge of her mana reserves. So many flaws but so many opportunities to improve. Leg armor gives amplifiers another area to trade energy back and forth lowering the risk of static discharge and overheating the suit. Steel tipped shoes resoled again, repainted, and added more padding to help muffle the sound while adding silent motor servers to bear the weight. Another area to hide amplifiers from attacks to the body or arms to ensure if a section gets ripped apart then the rest of the suit can still work and be repaired. Amplifiers broken down, searched, mended, reassembled back together with less wasted energy as the chest armor and mana gloves get a much needed decentralization upgrade. Pulling important equipment further away from each other now with increased energy output from the chips being mended back in place or reforge by magic. While still weak and outdated still manages to squeeze out a little bit more performance out of the suit making sure every small advantage is taken advantage of. Giving a quick check over the rest of the mage armor making sure the leg and arm limbs hook up to the power sources and amplifiers ready to transfer the energy to where its needed.

>Gained motor servo enhanced legs. +10 attack mods also keeps the sneak mod of +5.
>Mage chest armor energy cap raised from 10/10 energy to 20/20.

Gaining another idea William begins searching up on his phone to find other ways to further improve Muffin’s armor. Learning about small actuators inside cars that can boost limb strength, fiber optic cables for better energy channeling, and titanium strands to help reinforce the limb and spine areas to take more punishment so a broken bone does not fully cripple him.

“Yo Muffin you got ideas on fiber optics and actuators?”
“Not right now as I am busy trying to keep the chips working. They sound possible but I will need to hit the junkyard on Tuesday to see if it's possible to even find it.”

>Know what is needed to upgrade the suit to level 2 bonus to junkyard search rolls.

Part 2

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>>5985471
Several books are stacked on top of each other as William writes down notes into his book of knowledge. Pictures of leylines, ritual circles, and spell formulas filling his pages as he notes down as much of Alice's words as possible. With Alice leaning on William's back as her arms rests upon his head as she points out wrong commas and missing math notes.

“What is with the suit and cape? Did you get marked for recruitment?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“I mean no ord can afford that suit and magic weaving on the cape.”
“Then yes it was for a bet I made with High Ring. Even got this fancy shield spell on it.”
“But why white? The stains get everywhere. Plus you can never eat anything with ketchup.”
“Or mustard.”
“Ugh mustard just add onions if you want it to taste worse.”
“Alice mustard is not that bad and you can cover it up with other stuff.”
“Cover up not take out.”
“It gives it a tang.”
“Sure a tang and mayo gives it consistency. Also, is that your grimoire?”
“My what?”
“Your personal book contains your knowledge of magic.”
“Don't grimoires need to be magic or something?”
“Not usually but I imagine you would get a stronger or enchanted book to avoid food staining getting on the pages. Also ink? That will discolor the papers in like three weeks if you write a lot.”
“Do you know any enchanted books lying around?”
“Ahhh well. I just use a hard copy textbook and fill it with my pages. Stains still happen but I can clean it quickly.”
“Wait, what is wrong with a notebook then? A textbook is way heavier.”
“It is not very protected.”
“From what? The ketchup stains or your loose hair.”
“It was one time!”
“Why is your hair so long? I can see a strand at the corner of my eye getting ready to strangle me.”
“It is not that bad.”
“Your hair gets in the food so brush more. Also why is it so long that you can't cut it?”
“I don't want to ruin my hair's health with random cutting and I don't have any scissors.”
“Just burn it with a fire cantrip.”
“I will rip your fingers off if you bring any piece of fire near me.”
“Fine, I won't think about fire. So I got the next batch of magic to learn.”
“Will calm down with all the reading. I am a librarian and I can't even sit still for hours at a time. Move your legs around.”
“I am a man of will and patience and apparently an arm rest.”
“I want to avoid cramps and be able to look over your notes. What is the list again?”
“I got a bunch and gave them a look over before messing with the channeling.”
15d10 +61 overflow
(Misty Step tier 2, Pass without Trace tier 2, Scorching Ray tier 2, Silence tier 2, Healing Word tier 1, Entangle tier 1, Shield tier 1, Absorb Elements tier 1.)
DC 20/40/60/80/90/100/110/120 rolled 77+61 overflow= 11 learning.

>Gained all those spells.
>Gain 11 learning overflow

Part 3

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>>5985472
“You should really start preparing the spells. Casting any of them without the mana channels prepared will cause some backlash if your body is not prepared.”
“Like a mage disgusting.”
“Hey you know more cantrips than all the Ords put together so your basically a proto-mage now.”
“I am hurted and disgusted that you said that to me.”
“I am just telling you the truth that you need to know before you go full mage on me.”
“Fine, fine I promise I won’t explode my hands.”
“I would be impressed if you somehow did explode.”

>Mage Armor mage level 4. Tier 2 spells costs 2 energy, Tier 1 spells costs 1 energy, and cantrips costs .5 energy and all spells must be pre-chosen before fights. Max spell amount 10 for now but cantrips are free.
—--------

Walking across the fields making sure no mages or ords spot him as William makes his way to his target. Finally having the time to look into the third target after surviving bullshit mage politics and distractions. Slipping under the bleachers to see a girl pumping someone's stomach as she forces food and foam out of their mouth. Dropping the druggie on the ground as she rolls him to the side while adjusting his body with his head resting on his arm making sure his throat is clear. Giving a quick once over as she casts a cantrip to clean up the vomit off the passed out student. Her head immediately perks up as she turns to face William with a bit of a spring in her step. Shaking her hands of dust as she refocuses on her new guest.

“So you're new and well dressed so exams are finally getting to you then?” Asks the dealer with a bit too much confidence.
“I am confident in my knowledge and study skills.” Declares William a bit defensively.
“Sure, sure mages are the best in their fields of magic. So the first hit is free for a lil bit of help.”
“I don-”
“It is fine I got a microdose to dip your toes in if you don't want to try the full hit. It will help you pass your week's exam and if you need more you can come by for another microdose. And before you think about it, sure you can rob the whole dose today but you will never get another dose ever again to help your exam results. And we both know you want to keep up with the rest of your friends and not get tossed out like an ords.”
“I nothing is wron-”
“It will be fine with me as your medic and dealer. I can make sure you stay as healthy as you can be for the exams. I miiiggghht need future help in getting your fix or money to help fund your future career in Astra. This drug is not easy to make.”
“What is in it?”
“Things you would not be able to understand and get you expelled for doping on exams. But what the school doesn't know won't affect them.”

>Social Rose encounter

>“I don’t want drugs, I want information.”
>“So what does boosting do to me?”
>“I am an ords not a mage.”
>“Guy going to be alright?”
>Write-in

>>5985484
>“I don’t want drugs, I want information.”

I don't touch drugs, just give me the rogue.

>>5985513
>Support

>>5985484

>>5985779
>>5985513
Carefully watching the dealer seeing she isn't a user from the lack of exhaustion, clean arms, and her confident movements toward him. Seeing her carrying an unnatural confidence and not cowering against what she assumes is a mage. Trying to think of the best way to get what he needs as he defaults to a direct approach.

“I don't want drugs, I want information.”
“No drugs? I assure you just one microdose will help you cast a spell you're struggling with. As long as you follow the health guidelines you should avoid the worst of the effects and not burn yourself out.”
“I don't want to shoot up my veins with used needles.”
“Please, my kit is constantly cleaned and replaced after each use. Getting my clients diseased would look bad for business. Plus I have an absorption pill to be placed under your tongue if you're a baby. Though it does taste awful and has lesser effects it will still maybe help with casting.”
“What kind of drug has the option for pill use?”
“Appare-it was a project to help future clients to still use a booster without leaving evidence.” States the dealer as she gives a customer service smile.
“Well it is not for me as I want to know how you got into this business.”
“That would be a long and boring back story that you will forget about.” Says the dealer as she walks over to the passed out student and pops open his mouth making sure he is alive.
“I have time.”
“I wanted money, a 9-5 job is a waste of my time, and my last job didn't have enough benefits. So I made a resume to be a drug dealer and got hired on the spot.”
“By who?”
“You are asking an awful lot of questions for a fancy dressed mage. Either you're a retarded fed or a very stupid half breed trying to intimidate me.”
“And how would you know I am not a fed already?”
“I real fed would have started throwing hold person spells or fireballs before turning the corner. Plus they aren't whiny bitches, now if you're not buying anything then leave otherwise I will make you leave.”

>“I am not asking anymore.”(Roll 1d100 DC ???)
>“What would be the cost to meet with your contacts?” (Roll 1d100 DC ???)
>“Fine I will leave.”(Hide and attempt to follow her)
>“How about we make a deal?” (Offer something for information.)
>Write-in

How good is our stealth in comparison to a normal person and a normal mage? Eh even if we did follow her, her contacts probably woukd spot us.

>“I am not asking anymore.”(Roll 1d100 DC ???)

She thinks we're a Mage so this should be effective.

Rolled 19 (1d109)

>>5986135
>>5986189

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>5986135
>“I am not asking anymore.”(Roll 1d100 DC ???)

Mac you did 109 not 100.

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>>5986216
>>5986190
>Secret DC 90. Failed, Rose social turned hostile.

“I am not asking anymore, who is your connection?” Demands William with a bit more force in his voice.
“You half breeds are all the same thinking just because you're an unwanted bastard that you’re above everyone else. Fuck you.” Growls out Rose as turns her head around while her body tenses up as she walks behind the unconscious mage making sure to have ten feet between her and William.
“Shut up and give me what I want.” States William as he steps forward.
>Rose Hold action triggered.
“Expeditious Retreat!”

Yells out Rose as she begins running away from the unconscious mage and toward either the forest as she jams her hands into her pouch. Pulling out one sheet of paper and a smoke bomb in each hand as William chases after her from behind. Pulling the paper to her mouth as she rips it apart as she slides the remnants across one of her arms before tossing the used paper toward the ground. With wisps of green magic streaking toward the ground only to be absorbed by her body giving off a faint glow. William chases after her to catch up only to notice as her other hand rises above her head as she smashes the pot in front of herself creating a thick fog as she rushes into it for cover. Losing sight of his target as William pushes himself to fully focus on running as he pauses at the edge of the billowing cloud of fog weighing his options as he taps his gauntlets with booming blade cantrip.

>Battlefield conditions
The fight is 90 feet away from a treeline.
A 20 foot radius of smoke is covering the area. Going around the fog cloud will cost 30 feet of movement, charging straight through 20 feet.
Smoke cloud is hiding Rose's position but she is in the smoke cloud. Caused Worst of 2 on attack rolls for her and William.
Smoke will last three rounds.
Expeditious Retreat: Concentration 10 minutes.

Rose will ??? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ? ?? ?? ???? on her turn. If it does not trigger, waste her turn.

>Rose Dealer???
HP ???/???
Mods ???/???
Equipment ??/??
Specials ?/?

>Walk around the fog and cut her off on the opposite side of the treeline. (Burn 35 feet and roll 1d100 DC 10 and hold action to attack her when she comes out.)
>Carefully enter the fog and search for her. (roll wo2 1d100 DC 30/60/90)
>Bluff that you will launch a fireball at her smoke cloud. (roll 1d100 DC ???)
>Activate barkskin armor for +35 “dodge” and charge through the potential trap. (roll wo2 1d100 DC 50/75/100)
>Write-in plan

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>5986360
>Walk around the fog and cut her off on the opposite side of the treeline. (Burn 35 feet and roll 1d100 DC 10 and hold action to attack her when she comes out.)

She's not going to try to fight but escape. The trees are the best way to get out. So I'll gamble on them. Don't want to gamble on the smoke being nothing.

>>5986360
>>5986482
Easier win Mac

>Cast entangle on her. It is a 20 by 20ft square. The cloud will fit inside it.

Now she can't run from us. Then we can beat on her.

Already rolled, don't know if I can change at that point.

>>5986744
Temp here so I have to rule that the mage armor is still with muffin as she is pouring over the mage armor improvements. Looking over the upgrades and finding ways to integrate William's ideas into the system so it doesn't short out and that it gets recharged during the day using her blood. Mostly so it's ready for Saturday, Sunday, Holly, and junkyard events when blood, fast movement, equipment damage, and overheating will be a real threat on the field. So she is putting in safeguards to minimize the risks. Plus William came in expecting to deal with just an ord.

Rolled 5 (1d5)

>>5986844
1 Rose flanks left, 2-4 Rose charges forward, 5 Rose flanks right.

>>5986844
Ah damn, we really need a way to know when we're missing gear. Was there a notification we missed in story?

>>5986848
No because even I forgot about the mage armor as I assumed you would only break it our on actual important events not a social or in school. Plus William and Muffin spent a few hours making sure the armor is ready for field testing on Saturday as nat 1s or heavy damage could destroy the armor so Muffin is adding infusions to keep it repairable at the cost of her blood.

>>5986848
I will add mage armor votes from now on so assume the mage armor is not on you just to be safe and yell at me mage armor since I got a lot of sheets to keep track of.

Rolled 39, 74 = 113 (2d100)

>>5986845
Also damn didn't think Rose was going to roll a 5. And I was going to reward 97 with proning her and costing half her movement.

First roll Rose's attack +30, second roll William dodge +20 on fail pop shield for +30

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>>5986855
William detours around the smoke cloud fearing some other trap might be setting itself up inside the smoke pushing to cut off Rose's escape to the trees. Repositioning to the opposite side of the cloud as he shakes his gauntlets making sure the control is still going as he brings his fists up ready to hit anything that comes out. As a green headed body rolls out of the smoke cloud with whisps of green and white smoke trailing along her arms as she looks around seeing William in front of the smoke cloud. With a snicker she pulls out a small scalpel knife as she throws the very disappointing knife at William as it whistles in the air aiming for his body. Only for William to react immediately as he brings his arm to his face letting the scalpel deflect off of his gauntlets seeing a purple fluid staining the edge of the knife. An annoyed look spreads across Rose’s face as she mutters a quiet “oh” and runs for another seventy feet toward the forest making bits of dirt trail after each step. William, refusing to be left behind, also charges forward across the flat plains burning most of his focus of keeping pace as he plans his next move.

>Battlefield conditions
Rose is 20 feet away from the treeline.
Smoke cloud left behind
Expeditious Retreat: Concentration 10 minutes.
William has ten more feet of movement.

>Use the left over movement and shoulder check Rose. Roll 2d100 first to hit to cause 2d8 blunt and boom damage, second to prone her to burn half her movement DC 50.
>Stand in front of her and force her to either charge through to trigger Sentinel Feat or move around and burn some of her movement to carefully move around. roll 1d100 DC 30-60-90
>Negotiate- Write-in
>Slide toward her legs and commit a call shot leg and trip her into being prone and in Sentinel range. Roll 1d100 DC 70-90.
>Write-in

Rolled 61, 92, 75, 49 = 277 (4d100)

>>5986844
Question then. So we can't cast anything but cantrips? If that's the case...

>Use the left over movement and shoulder check Rose. Roll 2d100 first to hit to cause 2d8 blunt and boom damage, second to prone her to burn half her movement DC 50.

Then

>ACTION SURGE

>Hit her while she's down with an additional booming blade and if we didn't prone her with the first attack. +Trip Attack Maneuver for an additional 1d8 damage and chance to prone.


And question did our damage change?

We were hitting for 2d6+2 + 1d6 boom (+2d6 if they move and explode)

And second attack would look like

2d6+2+1d6+1d8(trip attack)

Idk would it be easier if we just ran up to her and just did normal trip attack + Booming blade? Up to you qm.

Rolled 46, 92 = 138 (2d100)

>>5986862
>>5987025
+1

Better hope we don't fight more things today.

>>5986862
>>5987052

Rolled 6, 8 = 14 (2d8)

>>5986862

Rolled 83, 95, 55 = 233 (3d100)

>>5987025
This is a shoulder check so different and less damage and not a proper attack.

This would be a two round action. William has already burned his action and movement. So it would be shoulder check and followed by action surge one attack on prone plus trip damage no prone chance as she is already dropped

Also
Rose dodge +40, Rose strength save +25, dodge again +20 if prone.

>>5987168
Actually no you hit her for damage. So 83+25 save resisted being knocked down.

Willaim 75+25+20 one superiority die trip attack action surge attack vs Rose dodge 95+40 again.
(I'll just rule superiority die each gives +20 to maneuvers as I don't want to turn this to a slog.)

55+?? Rose does not panic seeing fighter levels.

>>5987168
William rushes through plans trying to find the best one to drop this bitch only to come up short from his limited stamina. Deciding now is as good as time as any he pushes against his limits as a surge of stamina courses through his body pushing into slamming his body into the dealer shoulder checking her. Making sure the gauntlet touches her first to send out the booming blade vibrating through her body. Metal slams into her back sending her forward a few feet as she rolls onto her legs and pops back up on her feet.

Having committed to the attack William uses Virgil's knowledge to aim for her legs to keep her in place. Pulling up the trip maneuver and following Virgil's advice as he swings his gauntlet toward her knee as he takes a quick crouch making sure he gets in close for the hit. Only for Rose on reflex jump over the hit as William uses the momentum to spin on his sole and gets back up ready to trigger Sentinel to keep the pressure on. A wave of fear flashes across Rose's face only to be smothered in hate as she keeps calm in the face of new information.

“How do you have fighter and battlemaster levels? They should be rare or held in secret! You're not even a half breed or mage at this point. What the fuck are you?!”

Finishing her outburst as Rosa brings up her hands ready to disengage from the fight as she takes a step back. A shockwave shakes her body as she coughs up spit as her legs shake with Willan taking a swing trying to take the free hit. A gauntlet rushes toward Rose's only for her to recover quickly as she brings up a dagger to parry the hit, blade and knuckleduster ringing out across the open plain as sparks fly off of their weapons. Rose managed to glide the fist away from her body. Sending out her own strike aiming for William's jaw forcing him to step back from the feint giving Rose enough room to avoid more retaliation.

Quickly closing the gap to the tree line and slowly sliding into the thick underbrush as her movements slow down as she makes her way into the forest. Moving a mere 45 feet into the forest passing by broken branches, thorny bushes, and thick plant life as her hands push away jagged plant life to keep her skin pristine as she mutters to herself.

“Keep calm and focus. Focus, focus, you're still good.”

>Battlefield conditions
Rose is 45 feet inside the forest and William is 65 away.
Rose is on half movement.
Forest is harsh terrain and causes either half movement or 1 damage per 10 feet of movement inside it.
William burned action surge and 1 out of 4 superiority dice.
William is still untouched.
>Special rule every 10 feet of movement gives a plus 1 to melee damage.

part 1

>>5987473
>Rose Dealer
HP: ???-18
Mods: +30 attack, +40 dodge
Equipment: ???
Special: ??

>William Fighter level 4 HP 50/50
Character: +5 from gauntlets, +10 dodge focus
Mods: +20 attack, +20 dodge.
Skin Armor: +30 dodge on a bonus action
Cape: +25 Shield cape for one round activated on B.A limit 2 per fight.
Current Total: +25 attack, +80 dodge
Battlemaster skills: Riposte, Trip Attack, Disarming Attack, and four superiority dice locked at d40s to attack rolls or d8s to damage.
2d6 melee and +1d8 boom blade

>Cast booming blade on legs and 65 feet movement into the forest take 6 plant damage and dropkick Rose. Roll 1d100 dc 80 due to flying over vegetation. Roll 2d4+8 move and boom damage if hit. No Rose dodge roll.
>Move 80 feet in the forest, take 8 plant damage, tackle rose on dc 70 slam her prone. No rose dodge roll, auto prone on hit, no melee damage.
>Shoulder check again to prone her with booming blade. Move 65 feet take 6 damage. Roll 1d100 dc 80/120 to hit against rose dodge. 1d6 +5 move and boom blade damage per dc success. She rolls to dodge and resist prone.
>Give up the chase as she reached the tree line.
>Chase after move 65 feet, 6 plant damage, open talks. (What topic?)
>Write in

part 2
QM note: I am playing very fast and loose with this combat. Before with mage fight nice simple straight forward brawl. During ord fight suddenly tactics, retreats, and equipment use. Oh no.

>>5987474
Qm quick question can we get a list of known cantrips and spells?

Can we cast 1st level spells without the armor or no?

I think she's a rogue at this point. So she'd probably have the advantage in the Forest I think. Should we cut our loses here?

She has to come back to school eventually.

>>5987484
No she cast spells... she's probably a cleric or druid desu. Since she heals people too. Nah we don't want her to get away and spread rumors about us.

>>5987484
I'm thinking chase her and throw rocks. Or hit her with a ranged cantrip but I forget what we got.

>>5987483
I think these are up to date.
Cantrips: Encode, thaumathurgy, control flames, spark, mending, presitigation, and booming blade.

>>5987483
Cast only cantrips without armor, with armor you can cast up to tier 9 with your armor energy reserves.

>>5987486
>>5987484
You guys saw her toss a smoke bomb then pull out a piece of paper to cast a tier 1 spell that is putting in so much work keeping her alive. Normal mages don't need a scroll to cast and that spell was a bonus action to cast.

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>5987474
>Move 80 feet in the forest, take 8 plant damage, tackle rose on dc 70 slam her prone. No rose dodge roll, auto prone on hit, no melee damage.

I'd rather give up but it doesn't seem well agree. So I'll go with the secondary choice.

>>5987501
Also if you guys roll it will always have an attack bonus of +25 forgot to add that to the description so its 71+25. If it comes down to it I can always roll a d2 on the options since we don't have tiebreakers and decisions during fights are very intense and dangerous.

>>5987501
>support

Thanks for the cantrip list. We really need to learn a ranged cantrip
>>5987474

We need something to negate the penalties on rough terrain. Some utility catrips like the message one.

>>5987566
We can get some magic boots. Also going ranger cancels out rough terrain debuff.

>>5987501
Seeing the green haired bitch pushed her way deeper into the forest William takes a second to decide on his plans before deciding to continue the chase not wanting to leave any witnesses that saw his training. Shifting his stance as he begins another run fully focusing on bashing the bitch as he chases after the slower Rose. Face, arms, body, and legs taking random branches cutting and stabbing into him not caring about the small amount of damage he is taking considering Rose has not even touched him once. Tapping his forearm again with booming blade as he reaches Rose and throws his body forward slamming into Rose’s back before William rolls back on his feet a mere 15 feet away from her. Seeing Rose’s face slam into the ground as vomit colored in her blood comes out of her mouth staining her shirt and chest in a crimson color. With each lung full of air choking out blood before rising back up only to take another shudder of pain as continues her action.

“You, ah, don’t give up easily huh? Well, ah, I don’t either, not after everything I had to give up and survived against.”

Wiping the stains off of her mouth as she burns half her movement to get back and gasps for breath as her body still pulses with green energy making sure it can keep her legs moving. Her gaze lingering on William as she paws a dagger on her hip but instead continues to run around William pushing another 75 feet into the forest. A few extra steps pushed forward as an errant small branch stabs into Rose’s shoulder before slowing down on the last few steps only to barely dodging getting stabbed again by a thorny vine. Clothing painted in red, green, and brown colors as sweat and grime cover Rose as she continues pushing forward as her breaths come in quicker.

>Battlefield conditions.
Rose is 120 feet into the forest
William is 60 feet into the forest
Rose is on half movement AND TOOK 13 DAMAGE FROM TACKLE, BOOM BLADE, AND PLANT DAMAGE
Forest is harsh terrain and causes either half movement or 1 damage per 10 feet of movement inside it.
William burned action surge and 1 out of 4 superiority dice.
William is still untouched.
>Special rule every 10 feet of movement gives a plus 1 to melee damage.

>Rose Dealer
HP: ???-18-13
Mods: +30 attack, +40 dodge
Equipment: ???
Special: ??

>William Fighter level 4 HP 42/50
Character: +5 from gauntlets, +10 dodge focus
Mods: +20 attack, +20 dodge.

part 1

>>5987607

>Cast booming blade on legs and 60 feet movement into the forest take 6 plant damage and dropkick Rose. Roll 1d100 dc 80 due to flying over vegetation. Roll 2d4+8 move and boom damage if hit. No Rose dodge roll.
>Move 60 feet in the forest, take 6 plant damage, roll 1d100 +25 to tackle rose on dc 80 slam her prone. No rose dodge roll, auto prone on hit, YES move and boom damage at +10.
>Shoulder check again to prone her with booming blade. Move 60 feet take 6 damage. Roll 1d100 dc 80/120 to hit against rose dodge. 1d6 +5 move and boom blade damage per dc success. She rolls to dodge and resist prone.
>Taunt the dealer and make a deal if she comes quietly she can live if she makes it worth your time. Move 60 feet, take 6 damage, write in demands.
>Write in

part 2

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>5987608
>Move 60 feet in the forest, take 6 plant damage, roll 1d100 +25 to tackle rose on dc 80 slam her prone. No rose dodge roll, auto prone on hit, YES move and boom damage at +10.

Question. Shouldn't she have triggered Sentinel? I wanted to hit her again and stop her movement.

>Also after we take the nature damage can we use our second wind please.

>>5987653
Le sigh. Should of let Mac roll.

>>5987653

>>5987473
Rose is 45 feet inside the forest and William is 65 away.

>>5987501
>Move 80 feet in the forest, take 8 plant damage, tackle rose on dc 70 slam her prone. No rose dodge roll, auto prone on hit, no melee damage.

William was 15 feet away from her so out of sentinel range. Also, if you were right on her she would have popped her action to disengage. It was how she kept avoiding sentinel triggers as she didn't want to risk full hit. I try to give options with benefits and drawbacks like auto prone but away from her or more damage at the cost of higher DCs. Its a mess but I like how involved things are getting as Rose and William are pushing their limits dealing with each other's bullshit. Even if Rose is getting her shit kicked in and chipped away.

>>5987608
>Taunt the dealer and make a deal if she comes quietly she can live if she makes it worth your time. Move 60 feet, take 6 damage, write in demands.
-The shase stops, no death and no follow up.
-In exchange for information on a rogue trainer.

Is this clear enough or should I elaborate the points?

It's risky if she continues to run but we're risking her death the more damage we do.

>>5987995
>>5987653
“Who, ah, sent you? Was it the rune, ah, knights, Animus, the headmaster and her spooks? Tell me who ratted me out?! It can’t be ords, half bloods, or normal mages. Tell me! I worked so hard, risked so much to slip up on what? Bad luck?!” Yells out Rose keeping her eyes on William.
“You know all this could have been avoided if you just helped me. Tell you what if you come quietly then the chase stops, I won’t kill you, and I won’t hunt you down. All I need is information on a rogue trainer.”
“No, no, no. You are from the government! Tha-was it the Black Arbiter? How did she find me? I should have been too small to bother with and I made sure the addicts didn’t get too addicted!” Stutters out Rose in fear before smothering that fear and keeping calm.

Seeing that she refused his generous offer and still resisting, William continued with his tried and true tactic. William charges another 60 into the fray as a particularly sharp branch stabs his leg as he shoulder checks Rose. Only to do a gravity check as the ground fills his view as he face plants in front of her before rolling with the momentum and springing back on his feet. Not tasting the ground this time Rose brings up her hands once again to the front of her body for another disengage action. Blood and leaves dripping off her body as her ragged breaths follow a rhythm trying to push the pain away from her mind as she goes back to work. A burning fury spread across her face as moves again.

William launches another fist as it meets her dagger showering the canopy with a flash of sparks and purple fluid dripping from her blade. Dagger and fist swing out in fake feints aiming for William’s neck and joints forcing him to back up from the potential danger constantly on edge as one lucky hit might turn the tide against him. Taking a few steps back to catch his breath as Rose disengages from the fight as a mutter escapes from her mouth sending a flash of green energy across her body propelling her away and behind a tree breaking line of sight and gaining cover. Putting 55 feet and a few downed trees between her and William prevented another straight charge attack. Taking a quick breath to catch a second wind as William concentrates on his body to return some vitality to it before continuing the hunt.

>Rose Dealer
HP: ???-18-13
Mods: +30 attack, +40 dodge
Equipment: ???
Special: ??

>William Fighter level 4 HP 43/50 -8 plant damage +9 second wind charge
Character: +5 from gauntlets, +10 dodge focus
Mods: +20 attack, +20 dodge.
Second wind, action surge spent.

Part 1

>>5988062
>Cast booming blade on legs and 55 feet movement into the forest take 5 plant damage and
dropkick Rose. Roll 1d100 +25 dc 100 due to flying over cover and trees. Roll 2d3+5 move and boom damage if hit. No Rose dodge roll.
>Move 55 feet in the forest, take 5 plant damage, roll 1d100 +25 to tackle rose on dc 125 slam her prone. No rose dodge roll, auto prone on hit, YES move and boom damage at +9.
>Move 40 feet, take 4 plant damage, cast booming blade, hold action to punch if she runs past or comes to you.
>Shoulder check again to prone her with booming blade. Move 60 feet take 6 damage. Roll 1d100 dc 120/140 to hit against rose dodge. 1d6 +5 move and boom blade damage per dc success. She rolls to dodge and resist prone.
>Write-in.

part 2
QM note: Yes the fight is more of a chase and not a normal DnD fight but I had to play it as a person with survival instincts and plans seeing William's level almost match her and her chipped away. It might feel annoying but I want to show the world as living and proactive.

>>5988062
>Battlefield conditions.
Rose is 175 feet into the forest
William is 120 feet into the forest
Rose is on half movement.
Forest is harsh terrain and causes either half movement or 1 damage per 10 feet of movement inside it.
William burned action surge and 1 out of 4 superiority dice.
>Special rule every 10 feet of movement gives a plus 1 to melee damage.

>>5988074
>>5988074
>Move 40 feet, take 4 plant damage, cast booming blade, hold action to punch if she runs past or comes to you.

I'm going to be conservative and try to predict her movement.

>>5988099
>>5988068
>what Mac said. Buy burn another trip attack for a chance to trip and an additional 1d8 damage.

>>5988500
Oops I missed the hold action. Nvm about the trip attack. If she attacks us though use riposte + Trip attack.

File: Hunting Grounds.jpg (517 KB, 850x601)

517 KB JPG

>>5988500
>>5988099
Keeping his position William taps his gauntlets together bringing a familiar hum of booming blade magic to his weapons as he prepares his action knowing Rose can’t keep up with this forever. Until a sudden unnatural shift in the air makes the hairs on his neck rise up as if an unseen predator has noticed him. Giving the area a quick look around as his eyes are pulled toward the disheveled dealer as she slowly walks toward him. Plant life gliding across her skin refusing to touch her body even at times gently pulling out of her way. Watching transfixed as she burns her limited time on putting on a backpack as leather and belt buckles clink together sounding like the tolling of bells in the dead of night. What once was a girl running desperately across the forest was no longer there but something similar but completely different.

>Hostile Rose Dealer overwritten by

A red double syringe is pulled out of her bag before being slammed into her heart with a quiet thud and a grunt as the crimson liquid drains into her body. Cuts, damage, broken skin, and blood immediately stitches together as vitality rushes throughout her body as she drops the emptied syringe to the ground.

>?h? ?a??e ?f t?e V?r?an? S???k??

A long, thin sword is pulled freely out of her pack crackling in purple color constantly buzzing and sizzling with bits of electricity. With multiple black lines of cable wires and plugs connecting the backpack to the hilt of her sword with smaller lightning rods infused along the sides of her blade drinking in the power. Under the dark canopy of the forest a copper lightning rod shines above her pack in a violet color as many magic etchings coat its form. Every small zap pulled away from the blade only to fade before reaching the rod as silence rings across the forest.

>Th? Ma??e ?f the V?rdan? S?r?ke?

Rose’s face now covered by a purple gas mask as she raises the pommel of her blade to her neck with the sharp edge aimed toward William. Not backing down, not retreating, not looking back, but standing tall and unbowed.

>Requirement: Bring the Enemy at least 120 feet into the forest. [Fulfilled]
>Requirement: Reach the Striker Equipment. [Fulfilled]
>Requirement: Inside the prepared terrain. [Fulfilled]
>Requirement: Only one target. Optional [Fulfilled]
>Requirement: Non-Animus mage. Optional. [Fulfilled]
>Requirement: Hunted to the Brink. Optional. [Fulfilled]

“I fought half breeds, hid from the school, butchered the desperate, stole from the hungry, sold my body, all for them. Everything was for them. Everything to hide them from Prisma.”

>All requirements fulfilled.

Part 1

>>5987995
>>5987996
Name off, fag.

File: The Verdant Striker.jpg (133 KB, 1024x977)

133 KB JPG

>>5988639
“So I won’t die here. I have a family to protect because if I don’t do it then who will? Afterall I will get my answers out of you, one cut at a time.” States the Hunter as the bloodlust overtakes the fear and doubt leaving only determination, a steady hand, and the crackle of power.

>The Mantle of the Verdant Striker activated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prvAdHXUvbs

>The Verdant Striker
HP: ???-??
Character: ??, ??
Mods: ???. ???
Armor: ???
Equipment: ???, ???, ???
Feats: ?? and ??
Special: ??/??

>William Fighter level 4
HP 39/50 -4 from plant move
Character: +5 from gauntlets, +10 dodge focus
Mods: +20 attack, +20 dodge.
Skin Armor: +30 dodge on a bonus action
Cape: +25 Shield cape for one round activated on B.A limit 2 per fight.
Current Total: +25 attack, +80 dodge
Battlemaster skills: Riposte, Trip Attack, Disarming Attack, and (spent 1)four superiority dice locked at +20 to attack rolls or +4 to damage. Dice can be stacked.
2d6 melee and +1d8 boom blade/ 3d6+2

>The Hunting Ground conditions
William is 175 feet inside the forest.
The Hunter is 20 feet in front of him.
The air feels oppressive and silent.

>Run. Move 80 feet away, take 8 plant damage, activate bark skin for +30 dodge and take no opportunity attacks from the Hunter. Allow the Hunter’s plans to go uninterrupted.
>Stand and fight. Slowly move up and shoulder check her first and second follow up with a melee attack with booming blade, move damage(2), and trip attack(4 and 1 die) roll 2d100+25, 3d6+8, vs her dodge DCs of ??? and followed by a DC 70 for her to resist.
>Running retreat, move 40 feet away, take 4 plant damage, burn your action to activate a dodge action and gain +50 to dodges.
>Move up take 2 damage and disarming attack roll 1d100+25, she rolls to dodge if hit save DC 60.
>Write-in battlemaster moves and bonus actions.

Part 2

Rolled 15 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5988642
Damn it, what class is that? Ranger?

I think it'll take three turns to get out of the forest. That's probably 11 more damage plus whatever she can dish best to stand and fight here I think.

>Move up take 2 damage and disarming attack roll 1d100+25, she rolls to dodge if hit save DC 60.

Weaken her first and minimize dmg from the Forest and later dmg from her.

>>5988673
She might be an arcane trickster. Or a hybrid of some sort.

>>5988673
Mac I think we need to rethink our combat idea. She's probably higher level than us.

I'd suggest we use our action and movement to walk away from her slowly so we don't take damage. That will get us an additional 30ft away for no damage from nature. Then we whip out our phone and call Virgil. We gonna need back up probably.

>>5988673
Ranger and an extra class that is easy to guess so she is a hybrid that spent so long clawing to survive.

>>5988685
Then she either runs from us or she has to take damage to come towards us. But we can lock her down later with virgils help or with our mage armor. We kinda fucked not having the armor atm. Tbh I doubt she can hit us with both barkskin active and us triggering shield. So I say we try to slow walk our way out and bleed her with riposte's. If we hit her we can disarming strike her if she closes on us. Take her sword and fuck her up with it.

>>5988687
Well fuck she's gonna not take nature damage then. Hmmm. Still think retreating out of the woods and calling Virgil is best idea Mac. If she knows more people are coming she might just fuck off.

>>5988642
>Running retreat, move 40 feet away, take 4 plant damage, burn your action to activate a dodge action and gain +50 to dodges.

>+call Virgil for back up.

Can I change after I rolled?

My thoughts are she'll hit us from behind + the 11 dmg she did to us.

She also likely has ways to snare us from getting out. She's doing this to silence us because she thinks we're government.

>>5988682
>>5988673
I was literally panicking when you guys choose direct confrontation instead of the usual social. And every round after that no one realized that she was calm and collected even when she was getting her ass beaten, showed anomalous properties, and only threw one attack to probe William's defenses. I just looked at her sheet and realized she could not backdown due to her backstory and current plans. So she had to pop her mantle and take a stand.

>>5988697
>when we talk to Virgil. Name drop Black Arbiter. "Tell the Black Arbiter we fulfilled our mission. And she's in the woods about 200ft in from the bleachers. And I'm going to need that strike force to come here asap."

Time to lie through our fucking teeth.

>>5988698
Sure sure just get blue anon's permission and plan it out as your guys need every advantage you can get.

>>5988700
You're good bro. We massively miscalculated is all. Hopefully we can retreat and bluff our way out. Having +130 dodge should help. +25 for shield reaction if she hits us.

>>5988642
>Running retreat, move 40 feet away, take 4 plant damage, burn your action to activate a dodge action and gain +50 to dodges.

>+call Virgil for back up.
>when we talk to Virgil. Name drop Black Arbiter. "Tell the Black Arbiter we fulfilled our mission. And she's in the woods about 200ft in from the bleachers. And I'm going to need that strike force to come here asap. And I think she figured out I'm a Rune knight. Though she doesn't realize how strong I am. *Pause* Awesome the Dimensional Door will get you within 100ft of me."

Here's the best I can come up with Mac.

I don't think it's wise to keep pushing on the government thing. She'll try to kill and escape. Asking nicely is also fucked because she won't believe.

This is ride or die now! We gotta take her here.

Also the Mc doesn't have the perk for actor so that lie against her will fall flat.

Just in case what's the roll we'd get on the lie?

>>5988716
I don't think we can. She's probably level 8 or so if not more. She's gonna wreck our shit bro. Best solution is to make her think a government task force is coming to whack her. And she needs to run and not engage since we are solely their to slow her down and confirm her identity.

>>5988722
We don't need actor. That's solely to mimic someone else. Like playing a role. It doesn't really help us lie. Just pretend to be someone else. Which isn't what we are doing.

>>5988709
I was all ready to have the final waifu introduced, add in goals to get the rogue and poisoner buffs, have the overarching plot introduced, and maybe speed up plot if a choice was made. Then I got blindsided and tried to put in as many outs as possible without trying to railroad a retreat. But I am proud of introducing the Verdant Striker this way for the oh shit moment when she stopped running.

>>5988726
Problem with that is can the Mc pull off the lie when he's been pretty bad at lying in the past?

Is she in so much of a panic she won't question why he didn't bring forces in from the start? Why they weren't near enough to assist when he went into the forest?

I think we only have two options to run or fight. If we run it's 3 turns out of the forest where she rules. She likely has ways to keep us in the Forest, plus the dmg and ranged attacks. She also planned this out, if she's decided to move now she's confident she can win before we can get out.

That's why I'm thinking weaken her and either use the chance to escape or the chance to win.

>>5988732
To be honest you played her smart. I expected her to turn on us after the smoke. When she kept running I was like oh she's just trying to dip. But no she was just making sure to kill us without witnesses. Hella smart. And definitely an oh shit moment. XD

>>5988740
We were confirming her identity. So they sent a slightly low level rune knight. To be the gopher to get a confirmation. Now we just there to keep her in eyesight to direct the strike force.

It's fairly believable.

>>5988740
Also we can't out run her in the woods. She ignores rough terrain we don't.

>>5988751
And we can't "weaken" her then run. She'll again just chase us down and kill us while we may or may not be able to hit her. The DC was 80 to hit her before it is probably much higher now. And she's got spells and a magic sword.

We're 175 into the forest that means if we attempt to run full speed we'd take 17,5 dmg before we get out. She also probably takes no dmg like we do. We'd have to go slowly to mitigate this but that gives her the chance to catch up. Am I correct on this?

>>5988741
Yeah at one point I was like wait am I playing her too smart then I looked at the backstories of Willful Ords with time and decided they needed to be smarter.

>>5988762
Well the goal is to have her run away from the fake strike team. And we'll have the dodge bonus. So she most likely won't be able to hit us with her sword. And if we move 40ft from her. We end up 60ft from us. Which means she has to burn her movement and BA to even get up to us. And she can't sneak attack us because she isn't hiding or have a enemy near us. And if she's a ranger she probably has a pet somewhere. She'll only get one hit a round unless she's over level 5 in ranger. I'm hoping she's 4 ranger 4 rogue.

>>5988762
Yes she will run you down as the plants refuse to touch her and William is deep inside the forest. Also she doesn't have terrain penalties anymore she will use her whole movement now.

Spark + control fire strong enough to burn the surrondings?

>>5988777
No definitely not sadly.

>>5988777
No both are cantrips level and at best would cause burning leaves which gets harder to start in a lush and vibrant forest without a drought. Also all you saw nearby is lush and broken branches.

>>5988777
It's basically bluff her or our death. I don't think we'd survive long enough for Virgil to actually show up to help us. At most he'd find our mutilated corpse after she tortures us.

>>5988782
If we follow our route we came in out can we uh take less nature damage?

Damn do we know what's the side effects of the drugs she used? Is she on a timer?

>>5988787
From the red color you can guess it was some kind of health potion also I forgot to add this but she still has Expeditious Retreat action for her bonus action.

>>5988786
It is all thick foliage and just covers the floor so you can make a DC 80 check to find a path for 1 damage per 20 feet.

Tempted to see the surrender and see what happens.

>>5988793
I will save you the action she will refuse it as things have gone too far for her to accept negotiations and too much of her work is at risk now.

We have catrips that throw voices and sounds right? Can we fake sounds of people approaching? And if we can what would be the check?

>>5988797
Yeah we can but she'd see us cast it... so unlikely to work unless we can break Line of sight.

>>5988797
I'd suggest doing that after we run from her and call Virgil. It'll make our dimensional door lie seem more real too. We can run from her and break line of sight cast it. But that'd be our second round.

How would anons suggestion work mechanically?

Would she have an opportunity to interrupt or attack when we pull the phone? Also is there a different phone type for government that woukd help her tell we're BSing.

>>5988809
We can't cast it. It's a 2nd level spell.

>>5988809
No we'd run with a dodge action. Then use the free use action to use the phone. And talking is free to do too.

So she wouldn't be able to stop us from doing it.

>>5988809
It would be like dnd both parties get their move and attacks and bonus actions at the same time. So it gives her the chance to interrupt and attack the phone so it will come down to a roll to dodge and call Virgil vs her attack to see if she hits the phone or hits William

>>5988818
Actually it would be a d4 on 4 she sees what your going to do and stops it on 3 or below she just stabs you since she does not know what you are doing.

Where's the closet tree to break line of sight?

>>5988822
10 feet since your surrounded by foliage and forest. Enough to break line of sight for a moment before Verdant reaches you.

>>5988824
Enough time to cast or pull a phone without interrupt?

>>5988826
ye you got movement to break sight, action to cast, and bonus action to talk

>>5988829
Though not enough time to take dodge action or active barkskin and your still deep inside the forest

If we do half movement we domt take dmg correct? So we do a fighting retreat and how many turns would that be at worse?

Can we test her defenses to get some clarity on her mods?

If we took the extra step of using the trees as much as possible for cover during the retreat does that add plant dmg or lessen the feet we traverse?

>>5988833
Half movement does not cause plant damage going your full movement does. It would be 20 feet per move and action so 4.25 turns to get out?

You could attack her and wait for her to attack you to get mod numbers.

Cover will give you +10 to dodge as your limiting one field of her movement but this is still her forest. If you take an extra 5 feet of movement okay I will let you cheese it at no damage.

>Run. Move 80 feet away, take 8 plant damage, activate bark skin for +30 dodge and take no opportunity attacks from the Hunter. Allow the Hunter’s plans to go uninterrupted.

If we take this option while trying to use cover we get a +40 dodge correct? Bonus action can still be used to call virgil?

>>5988852
+85. Fighter levels +20, barkskin +30, tree +10, shield +25. However you cannot do phone call as you need the bonus action to call Virgil as you need BA to activate barkskin.

>>5988642
>>5988856
Ok I'm going with this. She's going to run us down but I'm going to rely on dodge to avoid her damage.

>Run. Move 80 feet away, take 8 plant damage, activate bark skin for +30 dodge and take no opportunity attacks from the Hunter. Allow the Hunter’s plans to go uninterrupted.
--Use cover as much as possible

Is there any other ways to increase dodge like cover?

>>5988864
Burning an action to go into a dodge stance but you are out of all actions and need a haste spell or another action surge to stack more mods. I was not joking that combat is very lethal and social is much softer.

>>5988857
>support

>>5988870
>>5988857
Also guys how do you like the her theme song? I wanted something to reflect her terrain choice and skill.

Rolled 100, 89, 97, 96 = 382 (4d100)

>>5988870
>>5988857
>>5988876
Verdant Striker chases after William uses movement and Expeditious Retreat on bonus action to move.

Feat 1 ??? activates
Feat 2 ??? activates

>Shoulder check again to prone him. Move 110 feet take 0 damage, deal 11 move damage. DC William's dodge 50+85= 135 hit/160 prone him

First two rolls 1d100+75 best of two from Verdant Striker activation.

>Uses action to hit William with lightning sword DC 75 if William is prone/135 if he is standing.

Second two rolls 1d100+75 best of two from Verdant Striker activation.

>>5988876
Tbh I'm a scrub and I never listen to any YouTube stuff people link. But I will just for you this one time...

>>5988914
Holy fuck qm. You killed us kek.

>>5988914
And you linked the wrong YouTube video. You meant this one.
https://youtu.be/04F4xlWSFh0?si=GSiZVhzM4r6Yw1hL

Rolled 3 (1d4)

>>5988914
Shoulder check 175 crit against 160 DC
22 damage. William at 9/50

Attack 172 on DC 75. rolling 1d4+6

>>5988917
I didn't expect a nat 100 out of nowhere I fully expected you guys to have one more round to pop the phone plan and buy more time. I didn't even get a chance to play with her charge mechanics or saved spell scrolls or her extended armory.

Also William at exact 0/50 HP.

Writing up the interrogation.

>>5988919
Yeah pretty much what happened to William.

>>5988916
Thank you blue anon for your trust also click on the adds and I will totally not steal your computer information.

>>5988927
Ultimate kek. Eh I recently bricked my computer. It's a very expensive paperweight at the moment.

>>5988917
this is a net win anyways for us, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, and what does kill us makes us even stronger if we pop the demon stone lol
>>5988678
not him but this is an anon board, namefags ARE faggots and they should be reminded as such. Often.

>>5988914
Witnessing a new predator stalking the forest a surge of panic rushes through William at facing a threat that will kill him, that he pushed too far, that he didn’t notice her anomalous nature, with his survival instincts taking over as he runs. Pushing past branches as they sway into his path a nick here, a stab there, a twig stumbling his step as he feels every step is being fought against him. The air brimming with weight as the pressure slowly, glacially squeezes his body as his heart beats thundered in his chest trying to get out of the forest. Not even turning around as he slaps the center of his suit as silver wood spreads across his body, once smooth skin turning hard and cold as a wave of armor envelops his body safe under its protection.

A thought nudges his cape making sure the shield spell is ready to pop in case the armor fails to ensure he has added protection against whatever he was facing. Passing by dozens of trees each staring at him unbothered with the reverse chase occurring in front of them as William moves 80 feet out of the forest. Keeping his breath leveled as he goes through a few plans for when he gets a chance to catch his breath with the first and most viable plan coming up to call Virgil for a bluff, to breaking line of sight and casting a distraction, to even surrendering before discarding that idea seeing things have gone too far. Striding forth not feeling a single hit behind him letting him know he is putting distance between him and Rose.

Only for a quiet crackle of lightning to echo behind him as it gets closer, forcing to turn his head to the side and look behind him to see a rush of movement coming after him. Plant life bending out of her way as a green harsh glow is flashing across her body as magic steps pop underneath her legs making sure she does not deal with harsh terrain. As she drags her sword behind her as energy crackles in a malevolent violet as it arcs toward the lighting rod sizzling the air and becoming a blur as she runs parallel to him before curving into his position. Streaks of violet leaving after images as she jumps and aims her knee toward William’s face as the shield spell immediately activates to soften the blow.

Time slows to a crawl as William sees a shimmer of magic pop up in front of him as the shield fully manifests only to see the knee touch and begin pushing into the magic. A flare of green and violet colors shine on her body as her face carries a look of bloodlust and a smile as miniature cracks spread across the shield spell. Loud shattering of glass echoes inside William’s mind as he tries to turn his head away from the impact zone only to feel the full weight crash into his skull. Sending spit and a loose tooth out of his mouth as he feels a hand reach and grab the top of his jaw and pull him downward. The hunter using her momentum to swing and use gravity to guide William’s skull into the fucking ground as a quiet crack is heard as darkness takes him.

>>5988980
A dark canopy and a night sky is the first thing William sees as he feels his entire body naked as a stinging pain pulses in his ankles giving it a glance as he sees the tendons of both his legs cut. His entire body trapped and squeezed by compacted dirt to further limit his options even if it looks a bit too much paranoia on Rose’s part. With bandages stuffed in his mouth held in place by some duct tape. Making sure he can’t even run while all his equipment and gauntlets are gone giving out a sigh as he thinks on what to do before turning to his right to see Rose. Now completely covered with his suit and cape as she examines the demon stone with the gauntlets in her arms.

“For an ord you are way too stacked with equipment but that explains the demon stone. These are veeeerrryy rare and almost never stolen. So many people would do anything for them. Also if you're going to use enchanted gear at least go for something more useful than booming blade or sync it with another cantrip to boost its effects. This shoddy work is useless and all that power for just booming blade. What dumb bitch built this?” States Rose as she tosses the gauntlets back to William.
“But this demon stone and Animus favor now that is useful for things but only artificers can actually use. So we are going to start the interrogation now, try to lie and I will start cutting off pieces of you until you're a vegetable or a cripple. And do a good enough job and I will just kill you quickly and painlessly. Okay? Kay. Name.” Demands Rose as she rips the tape off of William.
“William Daylight.” Mutters out William as he pushes away the pain in his ankles.
“Who sent you and trained you?”
“No one and Virgil.”
“Who gave this stone?”
“High Ring leader.”
“Tch, fuck, fuck, fuck.” Curses out Rose as she calms down.
“Who else knows you're here.”
“No one else but Lora and Holly will also look for me.”
“Bullshit.”
“My phone’s code is 4920 and open the contact list.”
“I will gut-oh god. I just thought you stole Animus’s favor.” Says a shocked Rose.
“So yeah you can kill me but leaders of three will hunt you and they have a particular interest in me. Let me go and gi-”
“I already lost my client base, surprise elements, and secrecy of class abilities. While I can’t kill you to avoid a manhunt, at least losing the moles will be covered by the stone and Animus’s token. Fuck the government spooks will come when word of the stolen demon stone or moles will go around.”
“Then why take it?”
“Because it will help my faction and I just need my boss to leadline everything and break down the enchantments. Fine you get to live to my immense disappointment but for what it's worth you lasted much longer than other low level Astra mages. Who should I call to come and pick you up?”
“Virgil.”
“Fine but the next time I see you I will gut you in the streets.”

>>5988982
>8/50 HP
>Normal injury: Both ankles crippled for 1 week to reheal movement speed 0.
>Lose White Lotus, Cape, Demon stone, Lora’s token.
>Kept Mage gloves.
>Gained 2 XP against stronger fighter, gained 1 XP seeing utility magic, gained 1 XP from tactics and positioning, gain 1 XP survived death again, survived a named Awakened Ord gain 6 XP, 1 XP from example of long term planning and sacrifice, dealt with QM bullshit gain 6 XP, gained 2 XP from feat and equipment integration
>18 XP, 1 XP overflow= 21 free= Can evolve to fighter level 6 at next long rest.

>Ask questions
>Stay silent and skip to Saturday morning.

>>5988983
>Gain +6 XP for triggering a boss fight way too early and way too underprepared.

6 XP overflow and fighter to level 6

>>5988989
Wrong notes.

2 XP overflow and fighter to level 7 at next long rest.

>>5988983
Gained 7 XP from losing all your equipment and demon stone safety net.

3 overflow xp and fighter to level 8 next long rest.

Okay that should be everything I am sure I am not forgetting anything this time.

>>5988983
>Ask questions

>And here I thought you had an in with the gangs... I was only trying to see if you knew someone that was a rogue that could train me. You hid your persona well I thought if I flexed on you and cornered you. You'd tell me of a rogue trainer. Fuck I'm never going to survive the Animus test now. And prisma is going to gank me soon too. You think they enjoy being a girl after conversion? And For what it is worth I wasn't going to hurt you very badly I thought you'd stop running if you had booming blade on you and you got hit once. Anyway you can uh give me the demon stone back? I don't want to be killed by hellscream or really have her try to hunt it down... You seem to dislike mages as much as I do. I'll help you with a big favor. 3 Big favors if you give me the armor back... I don't think hellscream will kill me for losing it but she'd probably skin me alive then keep me that way just to parade me around in front of the other leaders... Anyway we can come to an arrangement? Whatever you think is worth my stuff. I'm just trying to not die from three faction leaders sudden interest in me and free my self from being a pet. I'm happy to help you get more client's. I'd try to only get you mages cause I hate those cunts and I feel bad for ords. Of course whatever you decide I'll keep your secret since it seems you're just trying to survive. *Le Sigh*


I'm hoping to appeal to her by the fact we're in the same boat she is. And hopefully stroke her ego about her cover being so good. And the fact that we were kinda strong so hopefully we'll be more useful to her than our stuff. And definitely emphasize that Hellscream won't stop looking for it. And that we are quite useful. And the fact that we hate mages.

Damn lost everything, I got no plan right now. I'll just go with anon. This was brutal.

>>5989006
>>5988983

Is there a Geass or something that can assure our silence that we can trade for our stuff back?

At this point I'm contemplating finding her when we're strong enough to get even but I doubt we'll survive after losing everything.

If we did the phone plan would she have backed off?

>>5989016
She would have backed down for a round or two and when she notices no mass teleportation spells she would have charged back in using her full movement at 150 feet per round. William was pretty much fucked as he was too underleveled, underpreppared, and inside her killzone.

>>5989016
I got something from anon's plan but it will be a hard negotiation fight as Rose has all the power and William only has knowledge.

>>5989019
If we had attempted to negotiate the turn before would it have been possible to deescalate?

We gotta bet on the hard roll. We're up creek without a paddle at this point we might as well give up to hellscream.

Unless there's another way to get rogue skills. That was going to be our central way to learn skills through sneak.

The deamon stone is also important to high ring so there's probably going to be consequences for losing it.

We also would have to fight an animus taking us seriously with no armor and only three catrips.

>>5989022
If you backed down before she got to the treeline she would have assumed you were actually saw her plan and would be open for negotiations. But once she was in the forest she was in her element and would refuse all negotiations.

>>5988982
William watches Rose walk back and forth during the call as she is probably waking up Virgil from his sleep as his eyes wander toward her equipment. Reading the magic etchings on her blade and rod and backpack filing into his mind for later decoding. He watches as Rose walks with a graceful agility not seen during her dealer time showing the gulf of experience between him and her. Why did he fight her?

>The Will to Stand Up.

One hand he didn’t expect an actual competent person and on the other non-existent hand he needed that information to better fight mages. To force his will on the world only for it to bite back at the worst time, on the wrong person, at the wrong place. A flare of annoyance and hatred clouds his mind at having all his work taken from him on the smallest of mistakes. His lifeline, his armor, his cape that he didn’t even have time to show off to anyone all wasted not even a day later as he gritted his teeth in fury.

>Rationality to Maintain Discretion.

Taking a breath as William calms himself knowing that much worse could have happened. Missing limbs, ransom, Prisma, Animus, Demons, lobotomies, and crippling injuries or even death could have come instead. Letting the anger fester a bit as William moves on from the thought and settles with the knowledge gained from the fight. Deciding to not let his emotions taint the silver linings of living and the personal experience of perfect combat.

>The Expectation of the Meaning of Existence x2

Every defeat showed William the breadth and width of knowledge he could reach seeing an Ord barely stronger than him somehow remained untouched, unafraid, and in complete control of the battle. His thoughts drift toward his first fight with Animus and how close to victory he was but contrast against Verdant’s fight where true skill and grit outclassed what a mage did to him. Wondering how she managed to fight so hard and desperately to beat him.

>The Courage to Protect.

Her family was the reason she fought so hard, so hatefully, so perfectly that she stood tall compared to himself that didn’t fight for anyone but himself aiming for graduation. Not for Virgil’s crippled friend, not for Muffin’s dreams, not for Alice’s situation, and not for Betty’s homes. Not his fellow students, not for his family, not his friends, but for himself. What is the point of fighting for him?

>Face the Fear, Break the Cycle.

To graduate from a hostile oppressive Academy that will continue the cycle of enslavement and suffering. With graduation itself not being a safe journey as the mages, leaders, teachers will get in the way to stop him again. Even if he graduates he realizes they will never stop from Rose’s fear of Arbiters and government agents might see him standing and becoming a threat to the academy, the arbiter, the city, the empire. They will not let him live if Rose is also afraid of them. He must become more to face the monsters of the future.

part 3

>>5989025
Progress Boon Count
You Rejected her, and the Mana Stone. But accepted her housing.
Delayed hellscream shopping for two others,
Chased down the Verdant Striker.
Will to Stand Up. 4/??. You feel a burning need to be whole.

While we're tussling, whisper to him a hint of where he can hide, back at Sycamore Hellscream's place.
Carved your own specialty Prisma mole, Animus informant
Take the total loss of a major battle against the Verdant Striker
The Rationality to Maintain Discretion. 3/??

Fought the Animus mook and learned their limit.
Survived the Verdant Striker.
The Expectation of the Meaning of Existence 2/??

Realize you have no one to fight for.
Courage to Protect 1/??

Don't you see, homes? They aren't gonna' let us be just 'cause we bend the knee.
Win your first fight.
Learn from the Verdant Striker the scale of your fight.
Face the Fear, Break the Cycle. 3/??

>Survive joining a class and beginning the fighter class
>The hope to be a better person hod. 2/??

>>5989025
>>5989016
>>5989006

“Well miss Rose I do have a few things to add.”
“I am not healing you.”
“Not that I thought you had an in with the gangs... I was only trying to see if you knew someone that was a rogue that could train me.”
“I am not answering that question.”
“Okay let me continue first. I have to say you hid your persona well I thought if I flexed on you and cornered you. You'd tell me of a rogue trainer.”
“Of course I hid it well, how else are Ords supposed to survive against level 20 mages constantly flying around? Also why would you think flexing on a drug dealer that dealt with half blood mages would ever be a good idea? That is just asking to get a surprise stabbing. Hell I am surprised I didn’t crack your skull open with my momentum alone.”
“Well I was kinda desperate to survive the Animus test and fuck Prisma is going to gank me soon too.”
“You're on their contact list, why would they want to kill you?”
“Animus wants to train me to be a better agent and Prisma is going to start grooming me next week. You think they enjoy being a girl after conversion?” Asks William as a horrified look spreads across Rose’s face.
“I thought if you're still a man and know Prisma you would at least be safe from conversion?”
“Prisma hates men so they will never allow me to slide. And For what it is worth I wasn't going to hurt you very badly. I thought you'd stop running if you had a booming blade on you and you got hit once.”
“Yeah badly after you dropped me half to death with your constant tackles.” States Rose as her horror is replaced with anger.
“Anyway you can uh give me the demon stone back? I don't want to be killed by hellscream or really have her try to hunt it down…”
“No, the demon stone is mine now and we have ways to deal with hot merchandise.”
“Hmm, you seem to dislike mages as much as I do. I'll help you with a big favor. 3 Big favors if you give me the armor back... I don't think hellscream will kill me for losing some of my stuff but she'd probably skin me alive then keep me that way just to parade me around in front of the other leaders…”
“Favors aren’t good enough for all this equipment and you can just rat me out for a mage. Also parades are a much more merciful fate than lobotomies.”
“Still can’t we come to an arrangement? Whatever you think is worth my stuff. I'm just trying to not die from three faction leaders' sudden interest in me and free myself from being a pet. I'm happy to help you get more clients. I'd try to only get you mages cause I hate those cunts. Of course whatever you decide I'll keep your secret since it seems you're just trying to survive.”
“Fat chance I will look out for myself and my family.”
“What if I accept a Geas or something to ensure my silence.”
“You want your stuff back?”
“Yes I will do or agree to anything.”

Part 1

>>5989032
“Blood Contract. You basically get enslaved by my boss and me in exchange you get your armor and cape but I keep the demon stone as that will help fund the contract and other things.”
“Fucking trading one slaver for another?” States William with an annoyed tone.
“You follow our orders, you do not speak of me or the faction, do not share anything of our methods, some other faction requirements, and if ahhh, hmm, greater restoration or curse break is attempted on you the contract will immediately multiple disintegrate spells to destroy your body and prevent resurrection. That is the cost to get some of your stuff back.”
“And when does the contract end?”
“When you die.”
“This isn’t much of a choice.”
“This is a war no one has a say.”
“And what is stopping you from just ordering my death?”
“You're useful as three leaders are looking at you. That is something that could help us in the future.”

Pick one and add an argument for it.

>Attempt to argue for extra aid. (Like training, equipment, tips)
>Attempt to argue to take off specific parts. (Get back demon stone, and lifetime contract)
>Attempt to add in conditionals for personal safety.(Add in guarantees William holds the faction too.)
>Refuse the blood contract.

>>5989033
>Well I don't actually want the stone. I'm more scared of Hellscream realizing I don't have it. So... Anyway to uh fake a demon stone?

>That deal works for me but I need training. Or I'm going to be dead in less than 2 weeks. Due to Animus trying to test me.

>To show good faith I'll tell you what I know of both Animus and Prisma (spill the beans)

>If I told you I had something much stronger to defeat mages would there be anyway my blood contract could just be to you? I respect you. But I don't know your boss so I'm a bit leery of that... Is he a worthy master? Or am I just changing collars and whose holding onto my leash?

>I want to be able to free myself and the other Ords from the oppression that is the mages. And I really want to see Laura's face when I murder the Mutt that they have test me.

>I also don't want to kill innocents. Though 99.9999% of mages don't count as that. I'll happily kill gangsters, mages, monsters or anything else. But no kids or random ords. You seem like you and your group are frying bigger fish. The whole reason I didn't take the demon stone is because I don't want to lose my humanity. Though I do realize that I will have to get my hands dirty and there is always collateral damage. I just want to get strong enough that I can protect those I care about. And minimize the collateral damage as much as I can.

Depending on what she says.

>I'd be open to telling her about the magic armor.

Basically train us, give us something that will pass as a demon stone, and try to reduce our blood contract to just her rather than to her unknown boss. Unless she says something that would have us buy into him being our master. Basically implying we are happy to kill mages or their lackeys but we aren't down for mindless killing or bullying of lessers. They aren't our target and I kind of assume they aren't her groups target either....

Idk Mac that's the best I've come up with. Any critiques or changes you want to make? Tbh I'm not too worried about the blood pact there's ways to get rid of those things if we really need too. We'd have to test but I'm pretty sure we could use an antimagic field to strip the blood pact off or just murder rose/boss to get ourselves released.

>>5989033
>Refuse the blood contract.

Nah not going to trade one slavery for another. If it was don't talk and a few favors fine but life time service. That's thr deal breaker for me.

Don't tell her about the armor, she can just take it and finish it with her faction.

All I have to say is take our lumps and hope we survive. Figure out a way then kill her entire faction when we're powerful enough for retaliation.

>>5989056
She already knows our position if she wanted information she would have asked. She wants Domination because she doesn't know us and she has hot items.

Life time service to anyome was one of the things we were trying to avoid. I also see no reason why fighting for himself is inherently bad. Sure I do wish to fight for the people who support him but I dont see it being inherently right.

>>5989130
To be fair she is half assing the interrogation as she never had experience in social where she had all the power and is not versed in full interrogations.

Does killing the geass holders break the contract?

Can we negotiate it down to just her since we haven't met her boss?

>>5989167
Spoilers stuff: Nope it turns into soul contracts because Rose faction cannot afford the contracts to break or the entire faction will get fractured from the govt crackdowns.

Blue anon is negotiating down or up with the write ins. I am just taking a while to think of her responses and worries.

So we can't get away from the lifetime slavery? Woukd we have to have become a slave regardless for her rogue training?

>>5989172
Anon blue gave a lot of arguments so its pulling out lore and making Rose rethink things. But demon stone is basically locked out as it helps her goal while William is berating her for being no better than Prisma

I don't like hunting at the mage armor at all. She'd be skeptical unless we showed proof and at which point she coukd just steal it or cut out the middle man.

Why woukd we respect her? We just met her unless you respect everyone that kicked your ass?

The Mc was fighting for himself and his graduation. OOC we may have been thinking long term but in character that reasoning doesn't make sense.

We don't have that much info on both groups to give her right now.

What we can give her is info on both groups in the future and any skills we can steal from the groups.

Can we use that to bargin? Also can mages identify soul binds like what she's purposing?

>Attempt to argue to take off specific parts. (Get back demon stone, and lifetime contract)
-information on both Anima and Prisma as we get it.
-Techniques we uncover from other factions.

She knows we have ways to get secret techs since that's part of the reason she freaked.

>>5989176
>>5989186
Is this enough of a chip for getting rid of the lifetime contract and get some rogue training?

The Demon stone if it can be faked wouks be worth giving it up.

Let me clean this up a little.

>Attempt to argue for extra aid. (Like training, equipment, tips)
>Attempt to argue to take off specific parts. (Get back a fake demon stone, and lifetime contract)
-- Future faction knowledge
--Future skills and techniques uncovered from factions.
-- Use the fact this ain't any better then the other factions she fights in press ganging.
-- if we do the contract it shoukd be to someone we actually met, her. Not some mysterious leader.

>>5989187
Anon blue argued out of the enslave contract by pointing out slavery is not all that different from what normal mages do and your refusal got the flow going enough to break the enslavement cause but the demon stone is lost as that is the one thing she is not returning.

>>5989056
>>5989126
“Damn slavers too, why not just give up and roll over for your mage masters if your no different?”
“Our literal existence is on the line if we don’t constantly maintain secrecy. Do you think its easy to hide from mages that scour the entire city and outskirts for us?”
“Sure, sure Prisma just lobotomizes my free will and gets over it you cunt.”
“We are not Prisma we at least still… I…Ahh.”
“Spit it, how are you better than Prisma if you want lifetime enslavement?”
“We uh, we are trying our best.”
“If this is your best then I would hate to see your worst. Slavery is awful so instead focus on anything else and not a lifetime of enslavement for a cause I don’t even know anything about!”
“Well I can’t exactly share specifics without a contract!”
“Then keep the silence and give me my free will that is not tied to your faction. I did not pass one collar just to hand it over to someone else that I don’t even know about!”
“Even if we just pulled it down to silence and favors we will still add the disintegration spells as we will not risk discovery or resurrection bullshit with level 20 mages. The demon stone alone will help a lot of our operations in stuffs and things that I won’t share.”
“Well I don't actually want the stone. I'm more scared of Hellscream realizing I don't have it. So... Anyway to uh fake a demon stone?”
“Isn’t that why you're fighting? To get the stone back?”
“Fuck no I want to stay human and the stone is just a back up plan if I fail. Just give me a fake stone so I don’t get discovered by High Ring for somehow losing it. Aside from the stupidly long slavery contract clause. That deal works for me but I need training. Or I'm going to be dead in less than 2 weeks. Due to Animus trying to test me.”
“Yeah, yeah being turned into a furry or something.”
“To show good faith I'll tell you what I know of both Animus and Prisma. Lora and Holly.”
“Casually name dropping leaders.”
“Shut up. I am talking. Now Lora is looking to groom me to be her second in command and wants me to play as a mole inside the Prisma faction.”
“Is she retarded? You're not a spy or not even rogue material.”
“Not spy material yet but I do have a way with getting the attention of powerful women. Heh. Hmm anyway I am in the perfect place to cause tension between both factions and have them rip into each other to get to me. Apparently natural white hair is a luxury here.”
“Mages do be defective but yeah I can see how a small war can benefit us. If I can get my hands on an intact corpse of a level 20 that will help boost everyone’s defenses for at least a few weeks.”
“If I told you I had something much stronger to defeat mages would there be any way my blood contract could just be to you? I respect you.”

Part 1

>>5989195
“The gauntlets? That shit is shoddily built and didn’t have real combat experience integrated in or enchanted with mage blood to be synced with a real doctrine. While a good first attempt to make Ord equipment they are a long way from turning it into a viable weapon. Also all contracts will be given to my boss and me as he actually knows how to properly place people and if it's to me only I would fumble the management and get you killed for overestimating your abilities.”
“But I don't know your boss so I'm a bit leery of that... Is he a worthy master? Or am I just changing collars and who's holding onto my leash?”
“He knows the cost of having a collar and tries not to pull it as he does miss freedom too. But he is the best out of all of us and owns my contract. Things could be better but I chose to get involved to make sure my family would be safe. Actually with the demon stone I can finally afford to get them out of the city and escorted out.”
“I want to be able to free myself and the other Ords from the oppression that is the mages. And I really want to see Laura's face when I murder the Mutt that they have test me.”
“You stupid dumbfucker.”
“What?”
“Don’t fucking kill mages so openly. What, you don’t think they will investigate a sudden death in broad daylight? I could get away with it as no one would notice a missing junkie or someone that wandered into the forest all alone. They move in pairs of two or three killing one would just get the other two on you.”
“Well I didn’t know that.”
“Of course you don’t you shitter. You don’t scout, you don’t have a plan, you have subpar equipment, back up or a killzone set up. Better people fought, better people are smarter, better people built and all we could show for it is some villages on the outskirts and hiding in the shadows.
“I didn’t me-”
“Shut up, I am not done. You're too stupid to do any real damage, you will get killed the moment you think you have a crumb of offensive magic, and you're just going to out the faction from some stupid plan you think is perfect. No matter what you want to do, run it by me. No wonder the boss doesn’t want to micromanage if this is the type of shit he has to watch for and vent recruits. So you want to kill you, run it by me, you want to take a walk, you run it by me, you want a nap? Guess what you run it by me!”
“This seems too inefficient.”
“Your stupidity and incompetence got you here on the ground and below my foot. The only reason I am listening to you is you somehow got to level 4 fighter and have an artificer supporter. Those people are ambitious and can make miracles but are constantly underfunded, inexperienced, and lack time.”

Part 2

>>5989199
“I am not murdering innocents though mages don’t count. But it seems like your group are frying bigger fish as the whole reason I didn’t take the demon stone is I don’t want to lose my humanity. Though I do realize that I will have to get my hands dirty and there is always collateral damage. I just want to get strong enough to stand against the world and minimize the collateral damage as much as I can.”
“The contract will have the silence clause, cooperation, disintegration spells, and be soul binding to avoid cheeky loopholes or subversion. We had a lot of time to make sure those are iron tight.”
“Like what?”
“You know anti-magic, dispel, negligence, betrayal, curse break, dream walking, plane shifting when you deal with level 20s you find ways to work around their power. We lost so many bases during the early years.”
"What about aid?"
"What specifics are you looking for as we might or might not have it?"

>Enslavement clause removed
>New contract required to report in to Rose to make sure William doesn't die doing a plan. Help the faction in someway, no betrayal, no sharing their secrets, geas of silence on their faction, soul bind contract that is immune to anti-magic, dream walking, greater restoration, plane shifting, as the major threats with a few more protections against other forms of contract breach.

>Amend the contract further, Rose will add more conditionals depending on what is asked
>Accept

Saw that coming with the kill the dog thing. It also doesn't make sense IC because of what the Mc setup. It would have endangered everything.

I don't understand the IC reason for him saying that nor the IC reason for saying he was trying to free all the Ords. It was made clear he wasn't thinking about anyone else.

>>5989200
"Oh right fake demon stone. I think I can make it but it will take a few weeks to get it made as I need materials, learn the spells, and begins the enchantment process. Usually we only have like level 1 mage stones so it will take a bit to place enchantments to fake its value."

>Gain a fake demon stone in the future.

>>5989202
Hand wave it as William also stumbling in negotiations trying to escape from enslavement as Rose is not verse in insight like Betty is.

What did we get in return here? We removed the clause but did we get the training?

What about Lora's token? Tips? Etc?

>>5989213
There was more?

I'm pretty sure the anon asked for training and it was even mentioned to her as something he needs.

Will Loras token be noticed if we dont show up with it during Animus fights?

>>5989200
“What training do you have most available?”
“Rogue, so much Rogue experience, some Alchemist/Artificer stuff, ranger, and fighter levels that I know of but if you want a bigger list you would have to meet the boss and ask him since he has more knowledge about this than me. And some feats here and there that require a lot of planning to figure out how to trigger them at all times.”
“Also where is Lora’s token?”
“Used it to get an Animus blood syringe, actually I can use the blood to cover the materials and enchantment and get the fake stone made in a day or two.”
“That is annoying but considering I always hide the token and stone I can afford not having that. So can I meet the guy?”
“Like right now?”
“No next year on my wedding night. Of course now.”
“I can introduce you to him by phone but if you want to meet him in person your taking the contract or having your memories erased to avoid you remembering the routes and safeguards we add to hide from mages.”

Can we trade for material for Muffin?

Aside from that question I can't think of anything else.

>Accept

Do we talk to her about fighting gangers?

Also damn were going to have to ask Hellscream again for healing?

What happened to the armor we lost that too? I'm pretty sure hellscream wanted us to have that as a subtle way to claim ownership.

>>5989228
Getting in contact with the faction will open up materials and help speed up Muffin projects. Though they will ask about the reason you need material and check your equipment to see what enhancements can be added as they have a specialty in modifications due to artificer back grounds.

>>5989229
If you accept you must report about the gangers.

They don't have magic to speed up healing because of the cancer risk or just take two weeks off from fighting and focus on knowledge and theory.

Armor and cape is returned if you accept as the demon stone is the only thing Rose will not budge on.

>>5989249
Also this is very scuffed negotiations as Rose and William flounder at contract law.

Anon blue do you agree or adjust or any more questions?

We can't take two weeks off right? We have animus incoming 4 weeks and Primus coming in 3 days correct?

>>5989250
Spoilers you can just text Lora the fight fucked you up good and you need to delay it as she thinks your an ord and does know you got gutted.

Saturday and Sunday can get delayed the girls will just be annoyed by being blue balled.

Holly will accommodate and depending on social choices either delay the meet, visit you, or meet her on Monday with a social lie bonus after the Animus fight.

They all don't have a reason to suspect William to lie since he is just an ord. Except Betty, Betty will always insight check you.

>>5989200
>Accept

Fuck that's the best deal we gonna get. And their goals align with ours. And there's no enslavement Clause we just have to report to her before we do anything. I'm happy with that to be honest.

>>5989229
Yes we definitely run past the gangsters hit we're going to do. And the fact we need to go to the junkyard. It will also allow us to wear our mage armor and get training from her. I say we go ranger 3 first. We need the pet and magic spells or we gonna lose to the Animus test. Rogue would sadly not help us in the test until we have our pet.

QM. New level build is fighter 6/ranger 3/rogue 3

No mac we just need her to carry us to our magic armor. We will have to show her it eventually. But once we have it on we can heal ourselves. Idk about the tendons I think qm said a week... idk if magically healing it will speed it up.

If we can get mobile again then I saybwe don't change our weekend plans. Depends on qm.

>>5989514
There's always learning tensors floating disk. We can ride that. We'd need to learn firebolt and probably toll of the dead. And we can start cranking out 2d10 or 2d12 magic damage per cantrip shot. Also since we leveled we will have two attacks per round with melee too.

And qm I know you said cancer. Does us remove disease fix that? What about regenerate spell? Or this just QM fluff so we can't fast heal? I don't really mind either way.

>>5989514
No we domt, she's calling Vergil. He can put us in our armor. That's another of trust for someone we just met. Even if we eventually have to do it she has to build trust first.

Why you down grade to fighter 6? Ask what catrips we should learn for utiliy. It's already clear we're focusing too little on utility outside of combat.

No we can't use Ranger stuff against animus. The problem is giving them an idea of our levels. I'm not even sure we can use formations in front of them. The way Ranger girl freaked out gives away how special it is having those are.

Would getting the mobility feat have allowed us to run around without dmg in the forest?

>>5989551
Yes and take no opportunity attacks. It was what allowed Rose to move unimpeded and that she didn't use during the fight as she didn't know if you had sentinel or not and didn't want to risk the extra damage till she got to the forest.

>>5989549
Bro they have a blood pact on us... and if we ever want to do something we will have to tell her about the armor or she'll just say no we're too weak...

>>5989549
We wouldn't use formations.... we would use hunters mark and the pet we get...

>>5989549
And to be honest. We can use everything but the mage armor. We will need the ranger spells. And I have a way around us getting fucked up for being stronger. We bring hellscream to the test. They won't fuck with her. She's too strong. So we body the test dude. Then use her power to block the any pushback. Then we infiltrate prisma like the Animus wanted. So Laura thinks we are strong and deserve to be her second in command. And that we are following through on our "promise" to get more information about prisma to Laura. So win-win-win for us. Hellscreams happy cause her pet put some mutts in their place.

And now we have a very good reputation with both hellscream and the Animus. We can then turn around a go to prisma and whine about hellscream. And how we'd like to convert her to prisma to get prisma off our back about converting. And show we bodied an Animus and that basically it would be a super win for prisma if they get both us AND hellscream.

We be a spider spinning webs. We need to pick up actor and alert and probably keen mind. To be an Uber spy.

Our loss turned into a pretty good win desu. QM did a good job. With the consequences I think.

>>5989590
Hellscream won't come to bat for us. She wants us to die and convert.

So what if they have a blood contract? They can always see the potential of the suit decide to take it and recruit muffin and there's not a thing will could do. This contract doesn't go both ways and Will has zero leverage.

>>5989518
QM Fluff so you have an IC character reason to look over feats, mechanics, and build combos rather than solely focusing on spells. Originally, I had R&D as an option with Muffin so you can combine cantrips, spells and enchantments together and unlock the special hidden mechanics of mage armor. Rose fight was supposed to show the integration of utility magic, artificer experience, and creative desperation that turns around a fight. Then William got one shotted and blue balled me again.

>>5989549
Yeah fighter levels is unique as only rune knights students have those and not some random ords. If any mage sees William having those levels nat 1 encounters will start dropping.

>>5989590
It could have been a terrible loss if you didn't have enough arguments and Big Mac not choosing to refuse to chip away at Rose's emotions. I was fully ready to take all the loot and upgrade her into the Summer Striker. She is still going to upgrade as she gained some milestone XP but at least she won't be a roaming hazard.

i was reading the previous thread and someone was talking about bladesong and how it was powerful but you're stuck with one song, and how magitech could possibly solve that. We could totally use that, sound is just changing oscillating frequencies, and computers do that REALLY WELL. Might also help with conserving power, since you can save energy for parts of the song. I'm not exactly sure what our magitech gauntlets do exactly, where our own power begins and ends and where the gauntlets come in

>>5989675
YES I was waiting for someone to connect the dots between mage armor having energy that transfers into magic and the fact that bladesong can switch between two songs. And mage armor can recreate any spell as long as there is energy. There are other foundations that must be learned but there is a reason why I said you must watch a rune knight to learn things.

>>5989509
>>5989228
>>5989200
“Ah, I guess this is the best I can hope for. Deal, give me the contract.”
“Kay but first you must talk to the boss so you at least get the details signed off as I kinda don’t have authority to make a contract. Mold Earth.(cantrip)” Says Rose as she places a scroll on the ground shifting away all the compacted dirt off of William’s body and limbs.
“So you were bullshitting?”
“Not entirely but I was making this up as I went. I am not in charge of blood deals.”
“Then why?”
“Hey I got beaten hard and was expecting to lose my entire projects here so a little outburst is expected.”
“You tried to enslave me.”
“Words have been said and emotions running hot but okay sorry about that but I was still very angry. Nondetection(tier 3), also here.” Rose says as she pulls a burner phone as she places a scroll of paper on it as it burns up leaving a minor glow on the phone.
“What?”
“Need to introduce the boss, hold on. Hey meteor.” States Rose as she passes her phone to William.
“Hello?” Asks William as he grabs the phone.

A thousand thoughts ran through William’s mind as he wondered who will own his blood contract. A cartel, a cult, a seedy thief, or some kind of mastermind managing this all behind closed doors. Taking a breath as William prepares himself for another tense argument against someone possibly worse than Rose. A warble of magic is heard on the opposite line as someone clears their throat to begin to speak.

“Hello this is an automated call talking to you about your car’s extended warranty.” Says some guy sounding like a bored salary man with his life and joy drained out of his soul.
“The fuck?” Asks William as he looks to Rose for an explanation.
“I am just messing with you kid. That was another OPSEC filter as no one wants to deal with automated calls. Can never be too careful with the magic bugs everywhere. So Rose rushed to recruit someone without the venting process? You either have some amazing potential or she fucked up something.”
“She kinda threatened me with enslavement contracts to keep me silent?”
“Ah, first of all I apologize for her behavior. She really cares about her family and lets her emotions get the best of her so don’t hold it against her we all have our own problems. Second, are you fine and not crippled?”
“Both my ankles are damaged.”
“Shit okay I can’t fix that and will have to give Rose a chewing out later but I can do something else. I can use some of our limited modify memory scrolls and delete this whole thing, don’t get the contract, and just let you go on your way.”
“You're a bit too lenient. What is the catch?”

Part 1

>>5989700
“I manage people. I know morale is important to doing a job. Press ganging people into working for us is just a liability and an OPSEC hole. Also people on the field have constant worries and let their emotions flare up compared to some fatass sitting behind a desk for weeks at a time.”
“I am sorry for your health.”
“It is fine the plaque has not killed me yet.”
“Are you a salesperson by trade?”
“Oh no this is another OPSEC trade voice filter from Minor Illusion(cantrip) enchanted into all our phones to hide both our identities. You sound like a girl on helium to me. Also shit I forgot we have a timer we try to keep individual phone calls below a minute to avoid log searches as they look for long call times. So any questions you have for me about the recruitment?”

>Write-in
>Accept the modify memory wash your hands off of the Bosses faction.

>>5989700
QM CORRECTION HE DOES NOT SAY ROSE HE SAYS PEACOCK INSTEAD TO AVOID DOXXING AGENTS

>>5989675
Gauntlets just let us booming blade atm.

The mage armor allows us to use actual spells.

Ffs I forgot about bladesong. We need to get that up and running too.

Welcome new fren. Join the ride.

>>5989702
>Take the blood contract.

This is a good deal for us. We need a groups help. Especially if we piss off more mages.

Mac we can get around the rune knight stuff by uh... just talking to the rune knights. I bet we can weasel our way in. Especially if we snitch of prisma doing sketchy shit.

>>5989705
Also is vetting not venting.

>>5989702
>writein
accept if we keep the demon stone and no enslavement contract, just the don't tell anyone else about us or you are disintegrated one
We're an ord that shows initative and all the major factions want us at this school, so therefore they probably want us and we can try to use this as leverage to cut our loot losses from the lost fight

>>5989818
We can't keep the demon stone fren. That's not on the table. And I don't think us snitching on rose is gonna make her like us. Plus we don't want the stone. We just don't want hellscream to figure out we don't have the stone.

Huh he gave us an out? This faction isn't as bad as I thought it was. Either that or it's a manipulation.

>>5989702
>Take the blood contract

We already payed the cost and I don't think there's another way to get the rogue training we need.

>>5990068
Enjoy your ban. Le reported.

>>5990025
>>5989818
>>5989765
“It is vetting not venting.” Adds William spotting a small error and correcting it hoping to catch some hint of its personality.
“It is? Man the sleep deprivation is getting to me.”
“I will accept the contract if I could keep the demon stone.”
“Demon stone? Hold up that will need some negotiating, also what did Peacock get involved with?”
“Okay fine you can keep the demon stone and give me a fake stone, access to training, and whatever else members get.”
“Uuhhh thank you? Rose would be in charge of training since she saw your combat doctrine so we avoid giving out agent information between more than one member. More like a master and apprentice type of thing. Wait, what are your questions?”
“I have none and accept the contract.”
“What? No. Ask some questions at least do-oh one moment the timer went off.” A click is heard as the phone hangs up and rings back up again as William answers the call.
“A home mortgage is a major commitment to enter, once you're in and make one small late payment the IRS will stop at nothing to make your life a literal living hell no matter how far you run.”
“I heard enough. I am in.”
“Damn it motherfucker, English do you understand it? It is a soul binding contract, that shit pokes your soul with disintegration spells baked in. At least ask one or two questions to get a feel of it. You don't even know me. I could be a slaver, a mage, or a spaghetti cultist. Don't pray to spaghetti or it will find you, fey shit gets weird man.”
“I mean your agent already beat me and could have just killed me rather than spending the energy on a kidnapping.”
“Okay that is a good point. But at the very least your insight checking me for any lies or holes in my story and comparing them to Peacock's story? And if you're still good after all that I can redirect escort teams to get you to me.”
“Uhhhh…”
“Have you ever once questioned what anyone has ever said?”
“Uhhhh…”
“Insight check me you dumbass even if you don't have skills in deception, you can still get lucky. One more question do you want to be inducted tonight and stay in a safe house for weekend training or do you have other weekend plans?”

Pick many for we are back in social mode and out of sudden death mode.

>Do an insight check roll 1d100 higher the better.
>Get weekend inducted push Alice and Betty plans to later. Spend the weekend under Rose training.
>Get inducted but return to weekend plans with the girls.
>Ask about benefits packages and vacation time.
>Ask if we get a uniform and equipment.
>Ask what our first mission is.
>Write-in

>>5990300
QM CORRECTION PEACOCK NOT ROSE GOD DAMN WHY DO I KEEP FUCKING UP

>>5990109
wha happen am i going to get ban

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>5990300
>“Demon stone? Hold up that will need some negotiating, also what did Peacock get involved with?”
>“Okay fine you can keep the demon stone and give me a fake stone, access to training, and whatever else members get.”
where the fuck is the NEGOTIATING we just gave that up like a pansy lmaoo aaa
rollan for insight, meta he's asking us to insight check him
>tell him we have other weekend plans and would like to be inducted later k thx bai
>>5990302
he was talking to another anon that got his post deleted by mods
>>5990301
shamefur dispray

>>5990361
I was skipping the demon stone as he would have said the same thing peacock did but would have been more apologetic. He tries not to be the bad guy but that demon will help more people than just giving it back so he was going to take it.

I have mods? They exist here? Whhat?

Also the insight thing he is an ord spook he doesn't trust his own shadow and hearing the new meat not doing the bare essentials then he has to step in to correct it before new agents die from personal incompetence.

>>5990384
yeah, there are mods here, but you don't talk to the mods, you don't hear the mods, the only bit you see of the mods on this site is content links that no longer work, or pasting a thread link that 404s and seeing the "this content has been pruned or deleted"

>>5990398
I didn't think my thread would be important enough for mods to clean after since its usually me, blue, and you for what a month now?

>>5990419
they aren't out reading every thread they have a report queue
also I'm not Big Mac, our ID tags are different

>>5990440
Betrayal.

>>5990300
>Do an insight check roll 1d100 higher the better.
>Ask about benefits packages and vacation time.
>Ask if we get a uniform and equipment.
>Ask what our first mission is.


Lol might as well treat this as a job. I just want to see what he says to some of this. We're out for a week due to injury so how will we do anything not knowledge based?

Who dares steal the Macs handle!

He can't give out a uniform since this is a secret org but is there identifiers? Signs? CANT? ETC

>>5990300
>>5990475
I didn't even know we coukd do an insight check.

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>5990300

>>5990475
They have been fighting a long, long time so they found ways to get around being crippled, hunted down, and decentralized.

>>5990476
Spoiler thieves cant but only will give out the friendly identification sign as William is a fresh agent and has a much more important first mission only he can do. That you will find out next time on S.A.Q thanks for reading.

>>5990477
While I did add the martial skills and custom sync mechanics I do try to keep the quest closer to a D&D game than a video game. If you have an idea, plan, or question I try to add it in. Also you did see Betty insight checking you all the time and rolling for it. If you see someone in quest doing something you can do it as well.

>>5990361
>>5990475
Letting out a sigh as William has to see if he can somehow spot lies on someone that is stronger than Rose. Maybe it's to establish the pecking order or to show how helpless William is in their hands. With no other option and going by their order William tries to think back to what little he knows about the boss.

Rose's words immediately pop into his head as the first real information she slipped out. At a moment of time where both were floundering with negotiations, threats, and a little white lies to help William's chances at staying alive.

>Also all contracts will be given to my boss and me as he actually knows how to properly place people

Place. Not order. Shifting manpower and not spending it. If he isn't lying that might hint at the very least he tries to conserve lives at all times.

>and if it's to me only I would fumble the management and get you killed for overestimating your abilities.”

Okay yeah the boss does try to keep people alive.

>You know anti-magic, dispel, negligence, betrayal, curse break, dream walking, plane shifting when you deal with level 20s you find ways to work around their power.

This boss is intelligent, paranoid, and experienced if he is confident enough to take in recruits.

>Insight check me you dumbass even if you don't have skills in deception, you can still get lucky

Either luck or a good memory is helping piece together a picture of an honest if a bit of a hardass boss that is trying to look out for new agents. Without a hint of lies or holes in his story between what Rose and he said, as nothing contradicted each other and the fact that frustration and annoyance is lacing his words at William's incompetence.

>He knows the cost of having a collar and tries not to pull it as he does miss freedom too. But he is the best out of all of us and owns my contract

He… Has a leash too. It's why he hated that no questions were asked before Willaim jumped into a soul or blood contract. That not once a moment of hesitation went through William's mind at accepting the contract and getting a small but loose leash on himself. He is not lying or manipulating anything, he is buying time and giving as many outs as possible. Allowing William to get out of the faction or at least put more thought into the contract.

“You're not lying about anything, the training, the contract, or the OPSEC.”
“The first thing that is the most important and fragile thing to a faction that relies on stealth to survive is trust. Yes, joining this faction will be a constant threat of discovery from al-hold on.” The boss states as he hangs up the call again as Rose smacks another nondetection scroll on the phone.

part 1

>>5991017
“Astra university has a wide range of incredible talent from the martial prodigies of Rune Knights keeping the PEACE in hallways, Coven researchers pushing the limits of technology to WATCH over all, Revelations who spread the good word and help the helpless to TIE their faith to one of the gods of the empire, Animus that guide and CONTROL the wilderness to gather bountiful harvests, High Ring that helps COORDINATE the branches with better efficiency, and Prisma that CONVERTS chaff into exceptional members of our great society.”
“How are all of you still alive fighting an entire nation?”
“I only have limited information about the whole faction since I am only an office manager for several city districts. I assume it's a perspective thing since mages wield the power to alter reality, they would be very prideful trying to one up the other factions for prestige. So they all compete, hold information, sabotage each other, run office politics in the background, and engineer vanity projects to siphon funding to their ideas. Overengineered, bloated budgets, multi-step plans with constant half assed crackdowns leaves plenty of holes for ords to flow into. While awaken ords know true helplessness, danger, and unending hatred to become better in the smallest of ways. Feats, plans, combat doctrine, equipment, and mage blood helps keep each faction cell decentralized but capable of independent sustainability.”
“How do you work?”
“Usually its reaction approaches. Mages send in detect magic sensors on major locations we send in physical disguises and like go around it. We send in assassination teams, they pull level 20s away from the outskirts. They do urban breaches, we set up bombs. We rob hospitals of mage blood and heal scrolls; they add alarm and golem safeguards. It is a constant back and forth between heavy mage power against unique plans and since we still exist I have to say we are doing pretty well. What goes on in the outskirts is above my pay grade to share.”
“There is a higher boss than you?”
“Oh yes I was only with the faction for te-short amount of years so I am just a middling low ranking manager. I only got it because of special circumstances and they couldn't send out a better manager as they would not have personal on the ground experience to manage local agents. Anything else?”
“Yes a few more things.”
“Okay shit I think Peacock is almost out of scrolls so I will rapid fire the next questions.” The phone hangs up again as William passes the phone back to Rose as she slaps another scroll on it.
“This is my last one so wrap this up.” Says Rose as she hangs the phone back.
“This is Markus Equity calling you back to talk with you about your refinancing on your home with an APR of 3.6% interest per year. Competitors have only a nationwide average of 4.5% allowing us to give you a competitive advantage in the refinancing market.”

part 2

>>5991019
“What are the benefits package, vacation time, uniform and equipment, and mission?”
“Putting me on the spot here? Uhhhh. Required overtime, no paid overtime, no salary, give us a time and two weeks notice, no uniform but a cant symbol for friendly, rogue equipment second hand but enchanted, first mission is to do whatever Peacock says and don't die. Last thing, fuck up OPSEC and a limb will go missing on the first offense. Second will be both legs. Third, I will send you to a god.”
“Which one?”
“I don't know, I am atheist. I refuse to give faith to any of them.”
“Ah wage slavery. I am now reconsidering.”
“Too late you didn't ask about the contract when Peacock and I gave you the first chance and already accepted.”
“I feel like I sold my soul to another demon.”
“No, I am not a demon, I am a bureaucrat. A demon would just kill you, a bureaucrat would overwork you so hard you kill yourself for a break before I fish you out and put you back in the mines.”
“Oh god.”
“There is no god here, only paperwork. Also being a terrorist doesn't pay the bills and we have a lot of expenses to cover. So tonight, tomorrow, or Monday where you join the other kids that yearn for the mines?”

Pick time for induction
>Tonight, try to do Betty and Alice plans
>Tonight, commit to weekend training will delay the girls' plans.
>Sunday night, try to do Betty plan and delay Alice plans
>Monday night, delay both plans and focus on Prisma danger social.

part 3

We have to do Betty's plan for actor or can we avoid Prisma meeting if we take a detor to train Rogue stuff?

Also can we automatically do an insight check each convo or is there a price to doing it?

>>5991035
Yes and you just need to call Holly and explain to her why your rescheduling and have a way to avoid saying how you got your legs injured.

>>5991036
Write-in and roll for it. It will not be automatic you have to remember to call it.

>>5991043
What's stopping us from calling for insight all the time?

Can we use the armor and a healing spell to heal off of this? Or will it cause magic cancer?

She'd just train our knowledge aspects for rogue if we accept training due to the legs?

>>5991055
Nothing just extra typing and DCs when someone does have something to hide.

Cancer. Minor, normal, major, crippling, and death injuries cannot be healed by magic mostly so there is some cost to losing fights and dropping to 0.

She can train knowledge of rogue and other aspects as they have ways around being crippled.

>>5991020
>>5991063
>Tonight, commit to weekend training will delay the girls' plans

We can't do Betty's plan with our injuries. Skip school to avoid Prisma or will Rogue girl give us enough knowledge to lie to her face?

>>5991092
You have the write-ins available and people that you can call for advice. Betty is the social and Rose has experience but both will have different solutions to the same problem. It would be mostly who do you trust more and insight check them.

>>5991020
>>5991092
Ok I'm going to change it then.

>Write In
--Call Betty tell her your injuries and would like to meet up. Ask her for advice and if she asks how state you can't tell her.
--Insight check

>>5991020
>Monday night, delay both plans and focus on Prisma danger social.
-- Prepare with Betty
-- Tell her you got in a fight and if asked we can't tell her.
--Insight check

It's basically the same thing as the write in,

Just ignore my votes. Need to think this out more. Rose in theory needs to keep us alive as a tool but we've had more experience with Betty. I'm on the fence between the two.

So OG Big Mackingtosh you need more time or you good?

Also did blue anon get nuked by the jannies? I kinda don't want to move on with the quest without him since he is part of the core.

Also where new anon did life happen to him?

No idea where everyone else is. Was hoping they'd present some different point of views to tip me one way or another.

If we do training with the rogue trainer, do we automatically prep for Prisma with her? Or do we have to choose the Prisma prep action with a write in to go to her?

>>5991826
If Monday night is chosen you can get a lot of information and can get Rose advice. Then call Betty for her advice and decide between the two for which one sounds better. I kinda forget this is not pure DnD and phones exist so you can get instant feedback from Rose and Betty.

>>5991817
Also I will wait a few more days in case they are busy before moving things along. So OG, the big mac, any thoughts on the quest so far, criticism, comments? Being my first quest I have no idea what to improve upon or what flaws in my writing I have. Oh questions about the quest?

The info dumps are probably the only thing to avoid but it's the easiest way to convey info.

The magic armor and the lack of communication that we didn't have it was an issue but ultimately didn't matter. Considering we could have turned back at any time before the forest. We still do need a way to keep track of losing or gaining an item scene to scene.

Can't think of anything more really

Thought we needed the actor trait to survive Prisma. Can we get enough info from that to truly survive the encounter?

Actually one more thing. When Will makes a decision it should be consistent. Like giving up on the demon stone. He shouldn't have mentioned it to the caller guy right after he made the decision. Same with the whole killing a animal man thing. IC it was excused but it does put a damper on things when something like that is said even when the mc already has a plan and knows it's dangerous.

>Monday night, delay both plans and focus on Prisma danger social.

Ok if they lay out their pros and cons I'm willing to go with this one.

>>5991835
Yeah still trying to figure out how to best limit the dumps or like crunch them down to a few sentences.

I will do a vote for it. Always have the armor on at all times or only wear the armor if moving to an area all alone or just have a green text on/off during polls and keep it updated in the posts.

Betty gave critical info that Prisma won't end game you on the first week of meeting them since Holly needs contact so she can better plan how to induct William. It will be a social on how much info you can leech to make future encounters against Holly easier.

>>5991835
Yeah I kinda glossed over things as I tried to integrate all of blue anons things and was rushing to get it all for the afternoon post. My bad.

>>5991835
Big Mac also another thing while we wait for a few days. What kind of fighting style with the mage armor do you want to do? Like use mage armor to only fire offensive spells, try to do R&D and get something like Rose's striker equipment that she couldn't even use, do terrain traps, debuff the shit out of enemies, or just buff the fuck out of booming blade with energy to hit harder?

>>5991867
I thought combat had us load up 10 spells before entering? Wouldn't what we preload answer that question before every fight? Or do we gear the armor to specialize and get a trait that enhances a fighting style?

If we had to pick it'd have to be something subtle we can do from stealth. A way to break line of sight, create obstacles to stay hidden and then get in close to strike. Not sure of this answers anything.

>>5992005
Yeah 10 spells. I was wondering if you guys just want default options to be the same for every fight or tailor it to each fight. So I guess the answer would be tailoring and switching spells depending on who you fight. I will just find a way to condense spell description or give a day or two for workshopping a spell list rather than a rushed vote before combat.

>>5991020
I'm back!

Uhh I thought we were crippled at the moment... right qm?

So we can't really do too much training... but if you're going to l let us train/level up/ learn feats then I'll push our weekend stuff back. We can just be semi honest with them and say we got attacked by a mage.

I don't think we'll be able to hunt gangsters. And we can't sneak or anything so getting to librarian is a bit of a no go.

>Tonight, commit to weekend training will delay the girls' plans.

Learn 5 into fighter and two into ranger from our new boss rose. Have her teach us Alert and Actor feats. Use ranger to get a new fighting style Duel for +2 damage.

>Call Virgil and tell him we don't need to be picked up anymore.

Mac hopefully after we heal we'll go do gangsters. I bet Alice will let us stay studying with her. We'll just have to get snuck in or just wait until we're finished healing.

>>5992572
I think we need to prepare for prisma before going into training. We can afford mistakes but a strong start helps us gather info to refine our approach.

>>5992633
We'll have a pet and find familiar to summon a spider or imp that can get us info on them.

>>5992663
If it were that easy everyone and their grandma woukd do it. The guys we now work for use physical disguise for a reason. They've adapted to eachother in this game of escalation. Info isn't going to be as easy as using familiars.

>>5992741
Idk mate if we skipped school idt the prisma thing will be our biggest problem. It'll probably be hellscream.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

1 big mac
2 anon

So the qst curse is real and I almost got electrocuted twice on wet dirt. Had to then deal with a broken branch on the drive way but I dodge death and phone posting now.

>>5992572
>>5991839
“Tonight might as well get this out of the way but I don’t really have insurance to cover the health bills.”
“Okay I can’t fix that so I will redirect a squad to clear your way to one of our safehouses and meet you there. Peacock should be able to car-hobble you to a subway station.”
“Why not a car?”
“It is night and mages will wonder why a car is driving out so late at night while trains always run for the late shifts. Just to be safe I am sending in a squad to provide overwatch in the train and at the meeting point in case a mage pokes their head in. Tell Peacock to ride on the Yellow line to the industrial sector and get in the warehouse on 43rd and Saint street. Codeword White Snow.”
“Am I hiring a prostitute with that?”
“Drugs, some very hard core drugs. See you soon girl and think of a name for yourself.” The Boss hangs up the call as Rose takes it back into her back as she stashes away her equipment behind some bushes before pulling out some things out of view.
“Okay first I need to get you back in your stuff and start hopping to the subway.”
“Yeah, I will let Virgil know to get back to bed as I am crashing at your place.” Says William as he phones up Virgil.
“It is more like a commons area and I have my own place further away.”
“Hmm, hey Virgil chance of plans I am crashing at my new friend’s place. So I will be busy for the weekend.”
“You got jumped by some ords is probably the weakest excuse I heard. Are you being held hostage?”
“I was literally jumped and knocked out with a knee but everything is fine now and just ended up with a few damaged limbs but I should be back to walking condition in a week or so.”
“Didn’t answer my question.”
“Don’t tell Hellscream as I got things I want to hide from her.” Sighs William having to skirt the truth a bit as Rose raises an eyebrow.
“Mage shit man okay fine I hope you're okay and not being forced to read a statement.”
“I am not worth a ransom and if things were bad I would not be getting a phone call. Trust me on that.”
“Okay see you soon then.” Says Virgil as the call ends as William texts out a message to Alice and Betty about being caught up with something this week as he gets two okay messages back.
“Also put this on.” Says Rose as she offers a black face mask and a scarf to William.
“What is that?”
“Alter Self and Disguise Self face masks. The first changes your physical appearance to anything you want and the second changes your clothes. The scarf changes your voice with Minor Illusion. I don’t have time to make physical disguises and we are moving fast so hopefully the mage night shift and the overwatch squad will keep us safe.”
“Don’t you need to know my identity to join?”
“No, it is preferred that no one knows your identity so in case one of us gets caught then the rest of our identities are safe.”
“Why don’t you have one on?”

part 1

File: Boss alter self identity.jpg (57 KB, 535x530)

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>>5994660
“Could not risk Astra half breeds spotting the magic shimmer and physical disguises take too much time to put on every morning. Also I don’t really have any morphine killers so you're going to get a lot of pain while hobbling so bite a cloth for a bit.” States Rose as she pulls out another scroll and taps onto her forehead as her body changes to a male overworked salary worker.
“I can bite my cape for this. Also what image should I pick?”
“I say go for the generic salary guy since you can always pick another identity later.”

Adding deed to word William places the mask on himself as he feels his flesh morph underneath his skin as he pictures the most stereotypical salaryman he can think of as he changes his white suit into a normal black and white. Feeling the ways of change pass through him he turns to Rose who gives him a thumbs up before stuffing passing over the scarf. Wrapping the scarf on his neck and biting down as William lets Rose begin carrying him. A blur of pain and lights assault William as he hobbles to the subway station as pulses of pain flare in his mind as his ankle burns in each step. Passing by buildings, stores, trees, and streets as he barely keeps consciousness during the trip before a few more ords in homeless clothing help lift him up during the train ride. With Rose greeting them and speaking about random topics as words turn static from the constant pain of walking before William dozes off from the effort. Waking back up in a chair wearing his armor, suit, and cape as a blanket lays on top of him with an ice pack on his head. A bit of soreness on his arm welcomes him as well as a few patches on his ankles showing up his rolled up pants where the pain is being numbed away. Looking around the room to see barely a desk and no wall decorations a far cry from the high class cartels or shows of wealth that he expected a crime faction would have. Hearing a few voices approach from the hallways having a heated talk as they enter the room.

“-ay pineapple on pizza is a crime against food and a sign of mental illness.” Says a familiar salesman.
“Says the guy that cosplays as different people.” Says an overworked salary man.
“That is part of the job you can’t fault me for that mister overwork.”
“I will stab yo-oh hey agent S. So begin the soul contract now.” Says a blonde man that enters the room holding two maracas and wearing a big hat with a smile on his face.
“The fuck?” Says William noticing his voice is higher pitch as another scarf is on his throat.
“You were out of it for the night and long enough we had to get breakfast. We still got some pizza and tacos in the back after the binding.” Adds the boss as he pulls out a knife, contract, and a vial of rainbow colored blood shining in the light.
“Sure so what is the process?”
“Take this knife, draw your blood and spill it on the contract as the rainbow fey blood gets added to seal the deal with a third party.”

part 2

>>5994662
“You know the fey?”
“Yes and do not ever make a deal with them or if you have to get to me first cause they will take your soul if you do not guard your words. So are yo-”
“Give me the knife.”
“God fuck fine.”

Drawing the blood as William lets the crimson liquid drip onto the contract as the rainbow blood is poured on the paper. A swirl of colors flash on the paper as dark green lines attach to the boss, Rose, and William as he feels a small tug on his soul pulled out to make a soul link but in a rainbow color swirling between red, white, and green instead of the normal dark green color. Feeling the contract takes effect as the contract conditions get downloaded into his mind with the main thought popping up a name of Summer’s Prince, Verdant’s Harvest, and a more distressing name called the Tooth Fairy.

“So with that out of the way it is time for training. While your physical body can’t level up we can at least do memory copy. Have you ever heard of Encode Thoughts?”
“Yes it is what I used to get fighter levels.”
“Okay that helps speed this up you an already an awaken ord. So any options you want and we got feats so what are you asking for? Oh right I also got an item to cast Dream so you can practice your combat doctrines to start building your own mantle.”

>Scrolls, what are those things R-Peacock used?
>Any problem with me fighting gangers?
>Awaken ords?
>What magic does the faction have available?
>Mantle? What do you need to make one?
>So did the contract steal my whole soul or a part of it?
>Write-in

part 3

QM note: I might be on and off as the power is still out and I am rationing my phone energy and dying from the heat.

>>5994564
Dayum. Well good that happened. we need our story monkey to keep writing! Can't free yourself that way qm. Haha

>>5994666
>Any problem with me fighting gangers?
>Awaken ords?
>What magic does the faction have available?
>Mantle? What do you need to make one?

>Looking for alert feat and Actor.

>Looking for ranger levels specifically gloomstalker

>Looking for warlock spells Eldritch blast, find familiar, antimagic zone, toll of the dead.

>Ranger spells, Hunters mark, find object, true strike,

>we need permission to do gangsters and junkyard.

>We want a longbow and training.

Also can we have a blurb of cantrips and spells know? I forget what we have learned and what's still on the too do list.

>>5994666
>>5994923
+1
Meh, don't have much of an opinion on this.

>>5994923
Which one of those are level 1 and up? If they're abive one won't they ask how we expect to use them when we don't have mage levels?

>>5995133
Ranger gives you spells...

>>5994923
I don't have the list as it was saved on my laptop and the power is still out until Monday so uh do socials for the next few days and avoid magic for now.

>>5994923
“Any problems for me to fight gangsters?”
“Which type?”
“Racketeers and junkyard.”
“For the junkyard just take Peacock with you and she can deal with it in a few seconds. For racketeers go for it as they are too incompetent and stupid to recruit. I would have sent a team but we are already stretched in resources and priorities. Just watch out for awaken ords.”
“And those are?”
“You, me, your artificer, Peacock. They are ords that know helplessness and decided to still push through gaining levels. Usually they can be spotted as normal quiet ords that have their backs completely straight, don't bow their heads anymore, and don't flinch when a hand raises against them.”
“R-Peacock how did you not tell me part?”
“I assumed you were a stupid half-blood that came at me and not an ord.” Adds Rose.
“So uh what magic do you guys have?”
“Blood magic. So everyone has magic in their blood which can be distilled and refined into concentrated magic blood for scroll making. Blood scrolls if you will. Ord blood can only make cantrip scrolls and we require corpses of higher level mages to get better stuff. Usually we pick off a level 10 mage and distill their fluids into concentrated ink and pull enough magic to cast tier 3 spells and below. The same can be done to level 20 mages but I will not put my people on that risk even if we have a prepared area.”
“Wait Alter Self, Minor Illusion, and scrolls Peacock had where all tier 3 and below?”
“Yup when you got limited magic you find ways to more creatively use it and getting a tier 5 spell is a rare treat. The outskirts have more tier spells but they get priority for that magic as they are doing more brutal fighting there. With the mage stone we can now become a logistic point for other cells for tier 3 magic equipment.”
“It is a demon stone that gives tier 5 spell equipment.” Adds in Peacock.
“Okay shit it was a lot more than I expected and saves me a lot of time. Just put in a request order and limit it to three spells a week as Peacock will be busy cranking out spells for everyone as she can skip the blood requirements and use the ambient magic of demon tools now.
“That is great and the spells can be applied to anything?”
“Anything that does not already have an enchantment or touching another one so things like your coat can't be enchanted again and enchanting your suit will interfere with your barkskin and booming blade. Too much magic together and the frequencies overlap and interfere with each other.”
“Do gauntlets count as one or two enchantments?”
“They can get two since they are not touching each other and your suit is giving a layer of protection. So one hand can have booming blade and the other a firebolt enchantment.”
“What was the thing Peacock used to destroy me?”

Part 1

>>5995204
“That would be a mantle of a field of expertise. Usually the way to make them is preparing an area beforehand with traps, obstacles, and knowing where items are placed. Turning a random patch of dirt into your lair as you know the area and how to best exploit its strengths. Using bushes for concealment, trees for cover, and knowing what tree branches are nearby to be used to block a hit.” Adds in Peacock seeing her topic being brought up.
“Just pick an area and put traps down?
“It is more complicated than that as you need to fully plan out what to do in your lair, see which feats will bolster its effectiveness, and have two more stages in reserve in case you keep a mage that counters your first plan. And to have a strong memory of why you fight to keep focus as the panic rises. You have several options for mantle builds. Zoner: harsh terrain pit falls, bombs, spike traps, snares. Armorer equipment boosting abilities and feat integration. Ghostrunning hide, misdirection, smoke bombs, assassination, hit and run. Banner team where a bunch of people get together and sync their attacks and dump all their attacks in one round. Duel attrition: mage slayer and counterspell team, poisonings debuffs, take their focus and risk them imploding if they cast teleport. Plans give you an edge as my main focus was armored with minor plans in ghostrunning and zoner. So I didn't even pull out my best build before you dropped.”
“So make it up as I go?”
“Yup it will take some trial and error but with demon tools I can make more Dream scrolls to help you simulate your mantle builds. Should take like a week or less if you find your lair spot and have a good idea on what to build.”
“Any feats to avoid getting ambushed and how to better act?”
“We do have a feat we dubbed Alert but acting we don't as we usually try to avoid meeting with mages. Except for Peacock as she only deals with druggies.”
“Any class with experience in ambushing others to hit harder?”
“Oh gloomstalker I have that.” Adds in Peacock.
“Why is it called gloom?”
“I think one of our guys was depressed and picked the first thought on his mind. But yeah I can give you that knowledge.”
“What magic knowledge can you get?”
“Anything at or below tier 5 spells now but it will be staggered as a lot of agents have pending requests that need to be filled. Might take a month as we have to request memory strings so Peacock knows how to even code tier 5.”
“Oh my god I have to study all over again.” Whines out Peacock.
“Only one or two spells at a time”
“Bullshit I have to learn an entire two, six fields of magic now. Then deal with the flood of requests to look into their death ray strike equipment again.”

Part 2

>>5995206
“Make that four months as Peacock will suffer under the education system again. Also quick note while we do have access to
magic, if you use a blood scroll and its a concentration spell you can't activate and hold another concentration spell. You can put that concentration spell to a weapon instead but will take your action to activate it as your reading off magic glyphs. So anything else?”
“Longbow training?”
“Aren't you a fist type of guy?”
“I need a range option.”
“We mostly have crossbows as that lets you free up a hand. It will take a day to get the memory strings for alert and installed and enchanted fireworks to damage flying mages but that is possible.”
“Why fireworks?”
“Big area of effect, sky option, and gives a chance to break their concentration and spell casting with fire, sonic, and shrapnel damage.”

>At the end of Saturday
>Spend 3 levels and gain ranger gloomstalker
>Gained Alert feat
>Gained crossbow weapon and enchanted fireworks
>Easy access to blood scrolls at spell tier 3 and below but tier 4 to 5 spells will take four months to be learned and issued.
>Gained Rose help for the junkyard and blessing to hit gangsters
>Know what an awaken ord looks like

Pick any
>Go with Rose to begin planning on your mantle and combat plans.
>Ask the boss why on the hat and maracas
>Ask for any tips on the Animus fight, Prisma social, and High Ring attention.
>write-in

Part 3