1. Get Construct expertise from a Construct Master in a Chirop jail
1a. Investigate Heartstone, north of Luttiim (P’orihc, Ki’stha, Raze)
1b. Help investigate Heartstone and/or burn it down (John and Lucida)
2. Investigate the upside-down tower between Teleiat and Magusalto (Vandolf, Kleigg)
2a. Escort coffin to tower
3. What did I say about talking to strangers. (Kleigg)

Magicist: "Kaniiria Juuken."

You leave the cloning building and walk into the one just south of it.

The building doesn't look very large on the outside. Entering through the main doorway, you see a desk, several chairs, a coffee table, a restroom, and some stairs leading down. Talking is coming from below, along with a sharp striking sound.

Heading down, you find yourself standing in a much larger room. Offices are to the sides, and ahead is a beefy metal door that looks like it's supposed to open by rising up. The surface is smooth, along with the metal wall it sits in save for a small panel on the wall nearby. Several Caelum mages are trying to chip away at the door's edges with pickaxes and swords, without much success.

Turning your attention back to the offices, it looks like there are eight rooms total. All of them are a bit hazy inside, smoke, with piles of ash on their floors. One of them has various newspapers pinned on the wall, still intact.

Caelum Red Mage: "They burned files, paperwork. All that's left are those newspaper clippings and a few personal notes. Door here is made of some tough AM, and an antimagic field extends a few feet out in front of it."

The mages continue chipping away at the door, slowly scratching the seam between the door and the wall.

Caelum Red Mage: "Yeah. Ricochet hazard, almost took someone's leg off."

You head over to the office with the newspaper clippings and take a look.

Teleiat ITF Uncovers Another Breeder Hideout
The Investigative Task Force uncovered another breeder hideout yesterday, hidden in the forests to the south-west. "There were 54 of them, human girls kidnapped or bought off the blackmarket," said Iikua Konai, ITF Rank Leader. "It's saddening that there are still organizations that treat anyone not of their species as livestock. The Lupus trade still exists, human and chirop trafficking are well-established and have for centuries resisted efforts to shut them down, but that doesn't mean we're giving up." The children are being cared for in a government-run orphanage until a proper home can be found. In the mean time

That's all on this clipping. There are others that are the same - reports of breeding hideouts or organizations being busted, the girls being taken in by the Teleiat government.

One clipping, however, stands out from the others.

Teleportation Experiment Ends in Disaster
Earlier this morning, the entire block of Quillion Street was devastated by a failed teleportation experiment, officials reported. The area has been known for a while for its plunges into advanced magic experimentation, but the public was not aware until the accident that teleportation was an active project. Everything within a fifty meter radius was obliterated, and the shockwave of the "teleportation ripple" heavily damaged the surrounding area. There were no survivors in the fifty meter zone, and up to 20 casualties and 140 injuries further out. The man taking the blame is Matis Emiel, a well-known constructor among magic researchers. Playing a large role in the

The clipping ends there.

Lucida: Why is this article here?

You go look for the personal notes.

Owe Til coffee

Reset Procedure - power off for at least 15 seconds, power back on

################
Stop writing passwords on sticky notes you ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Tuesday 9-8
Wednesday 12-8

Kaal owes me coffee

A director is dropping by on the 15th, tidy things up

Linna is watching the other mages slowly pick away at the door seam, building up an impressive, focused collection of scratches.

Linna: "Telepathy is up, yes."

Andrew: Done. She should be there shortly.

A minute later, you see Null walking down the stairs, in a fresh set of clothes.

Null: "Did someone need me?"

Everyone backs up, giving you space while you approach the door.

Holding Lucida with two hands, you give yourself a Power Flow and swing at the door, the white blade cutting into the metal and digging through until it gets stuck, the force of the material gripping the sides of the sword.

Wrenching Lucida out of the door, you inspect your work - looks like you got about half an inch deep, foot long gash.

Null: "My turn?"

There's no response, so after popping an Agility Flow, you begin going ham on the door with consecutive Falling Stars focused on one spot, Lucida and the door ringing loudly after each impact.

After you deplete your AP, you inspect your handiwork - a hole in the shape of a line in the door, wide enough to fit your hand through. The door also seems to be a half-foot thick and solid, probably would've taken the other guys ages to chip through.

Null: "So, you gonna squeeze through that crack?"

Null closes an eye, and you feel a twist in your gut. A loud screech of metal screams out from the door and it shoots up into the slot where it's supposed to rest when opened, and the edges of the metal entrance way wraps under the base of it, holding the heavy door up.

Linna: "Good job, Noel. And John."

Caelum Blue Mage: "No idea, the antimagic field's still up. Blocking telepathy."

Linna: "I'll lead point. Take some time to rest up, John."

Linna rushes down the dark hall while the Caelum mages follow her, spaced out a bit.

Their voices echo back as they enter rooms and check out the area.

"Dead here."

"Here too."

"They're... All dead?"

You run in, into the first room in the hall. The lights have been flipped on by one of the mages, and what greets you on the floor are several chirop bodies in white labcoats, all with their heads reduced to a pulp.

Lucida: No way we're Accelerated Repairing that.

Room after room in the hallway, chirop killed in the same manner, every machine destroyed, piles of papers burned.

At the end of the hall is a large set of double doors with a button next to it, labeled with a southward arrow.

A few feet to the side of the double doors is a regular door, leading to a stairwell.

Linna: "Wonder how deep this place goes."

Artifact (0/1):

Inventory:
-Mana Stone (Mana: 0/15.3)
-Mage Stone (Mana: 0/10)
-Mage Stone (Mana: 0/10)
-Mage Stone (Mana: 0/31)
-Mage Stone (Mana: 0/50)
-Release Stone (Output: 15)
-Release Stone (Output: 3.3)
-Release Stone (Output: 3.3)
-Release Stone (Output: 3.3)
-Focus Stone
--Course Correction (Repeat the Land/Miss on a melee attack (consuming AP), but the target has 0 Evasion)
--Propulsion Blast (Power a melee attack with a kinetic blast on impact [no AP/Mana is lost from Propulsion Blast if the melee attack misses]) (+Damage = Arcane + Mana)

-Power Flow Bracelet (Output: 0.1) (Mana: 0/1)
--Memory Stone: Use Power Flow on the wearer as long as there is mana

-Healing Lantern (Mana: 0/100)

-Gold Coin (Qty.7)
-Silver Coin (Qty. 3)
-Copper Coin (Qty. 28)

-Envelope (Roll 222)
--Handwritten Notes
--Project Heartstone Notes

-Kinetic Bolt Staff (Construct) (Security: Level 2 - Code 47) (Mana: 0/1, Output: 2)
-Cotton Shirt
-Potato Sack Pants

-Roast Bird Drumstick (+1.5 Impact)

-Crossbow Bolt (+2 Edge , +2 Impact) (Qty. 6)
-Crossbow Bolt (AM Head) (+4 Impact) (Qty. 9)
-Marble (Artificial Matter) (+0 Impact) (Qty. 1)

-Taschenblitz II (Mana: 65) (UNARMED)

-Halberd (Artificial Matter) (Security: Level 2 - Code 47) (20/20 Durability) (+15/15 Edge | +10/10 Trauma)

Equipped:
Lucida (Longsword) (+50 Edge | +8 Impact | +40 Arcane) (Mana: 380/3000) (Mana Regen: 100)
(Magic)
-Lucida Armor (Absorbs all damage) (17 Armor Resilience, 1500 Durability) (+50 Strength, +30 Evasion, +10 Speed) (Immune to Telepathy)
-Illuminate (Create light, blinding a target if strong enough) (Inflicts Blind = Arcane + Mana)
-Radiance (Create a powerful light, blinding everyone around you) (Inflicts Blind = Arcane + Mana)
-Megaflare (Unleash a white torrent of flame that incinerates) (Inflicts Burn + On Fire = Arcane + Mana, Blind = [Arcane + Mana] * 0.5)
-Haste (Single Turn Condition) (Cast at beginning of turn) (Speed up a target, increasing its Speed) (+Speed = Arcane + Mana)
-Accelerated Repair (Speed up the body’s natural healing process on a target, clearing conditions) (Turns given = Arcane + Mana)
-Fast Forward (Speed up a target, granting it additional AP) (Cannot use AP gained from FF to cast FF) (0.1 AP = Mana)
-Divine Mirror (Passive) (+100% Light magic effectiveness, Immune to Blind from light)

-Running Pants (+1 Evasion)
-Combat Boots (+1 Evasion)
-Bandages (Old)
-Bandages (Old)

-Black Mage’s Hooded Robe (5 Armor Resilience , 0/30 Durability) (+1.37/4 Physical Defense) (Armor does not take damage from Trauma)
-Padded Shirt (5 Armor Resilience , 14.3/30 Durability) (+1.9/4 Physical Defense) (Armor does not take damage from Trauma)
-Plate Armor (Artificial Matter) (Security: Level 2 - Code 47) (10 Armor Resilience , 33.3/40 Durability) (+16.65/20 Physical Defense)

-Gauntlet (Artificial Matter) (Security: Level 2 - Code 47) (Right Hand) (+5 Impact) (7 Armor Resilience , 0/30 Durability) (+15/15 Physical Defense)
-Gauntlet (Artificial Matter) (Security: Level 2 - Code 47) (Left Hand) (+5 Impact) (7 Armor Resilience , 30/30 Durability) (+15/15 Physical Defense)
-Greave (Artificial Matter) (Security: Level 2 - Code 47) (10 Armor Resilience , 40/40 Durability) (+20/20 Physical Defense)
-Greave (Artificial Matter) (Security: Level 2 - Code 47) (10 Armor Resilience , 40/40 Durability) (+20/20 Physical Defense)

Skills:
(Magic)
-(Spirit)
--(Mana)
---Deposit (Discharge a select amount of mana into a source that is in contact) (does not consume AP)
---Withdrawal (Take a select amount of mana from a source that is in contact) (does not consume AP)
---Form Artificial Matter (Create magic’d solids) (Durability: Steel) (Efficiency: 1 Mana = 2 Durability)
---Form Memory Stone (Create a memory stone) (Efficiency: Low)
---Form Mana Stone (Create a mana stone) (Efficiency: 1 Capacity = 6 Mana)
---Form Conduit (Create mana conduits)
---Form Release (Create a release crystal) (Efficiency: 1 Capacity = 8 Mana)
---Form Focus (Create a focus crystal) (Efficiency: 1 Ability = 8 Mana , Ability Strength (per ability): 100% = 8 Mana [cannot exceed 100%])
---Form Sparker (Create a Mana Sparker) (Efficiency: 1 Impulse = 0.01)
---Security Sequence (Level: 2) (Load a memory crystal with a magic sequence that protects the construct from deconstruction)
-(Kinetic)
--(Impulse) (Offensive skills lower target’s Will by 50% for Stagger check)
---Micro Meteor (Launch an object with kinetic force) (+ to Projectile = Arcane + Mana)
---Meteor Shower (Fire multiple projectiles with damage evenly distributed) (Inflicts Total + to Projectile = Arcane + Mana)
---Kinetic Bolt (Launch an orb of kinetic energy that explodes upon impact) (Inflicts Trauma = Arcane + Mana)
---Levitation (pick up and levitate small objects)
---Course Correction (Repeat the Land/Miss on a melee attack (consuming AP), but the target has 0 Evasion)
---Blast Wave (Lets out a powerful but short-ranged concussive wave) (Inflicts Trauma = [Arcane + Mana] * 1.5)
---Propulsion Blast (Power a melee attack with a kinetic blast on impact [no AP/Mana is lost from Propulsion Blast if the melee attack misses]) (+Damage = Arcane + Mana)
---Counter Force (Single Turn Condition) (Applies counteracting forces to a target, lowering strength and evasion) (-Strength, -Evasion = Arcane + Mana)
---Impulse Evasion (Evasion) (Can use Standard AP or Evasion AP) (Launch yourself with kinetics to evade an attack) (Can be used when Stumbled, can be used to recover from a Stumble) (Evasion = Arcane + MP)
--(Fortification) (If cast with Mana, Mana is only drained when abilities are disturbed/buffed attacks land)
---Stabilize (Direct Magic) (Single Turn Condition) (Lock an object’s movement relative to a target) (+Trauma Resistance = Arcane + MP)
---Lockdown (Single Turn Condition) (Lock your bones in place and petrify your skin, resisting damage) (+Physical Damage Resistance = Arcane + Mana , affected parts are unable to move [affects evasion])
---Power Flow (Single Turn Condition) (Cast at beginning of turn) (Fortify your bones and strengthen their movements with kinetics) (+Strength = Arcane + Mana)
---Agility Flow (Single Turn Condition) (Cast at beginning of turn) (Fortify your bones and accelerate their movements with kinetics) (+Evasion = Arcane + Mana)
-(Thermic)
--(Fire)
---Heat (Direct Magic) (Warm up a target, burning it with enough energy) (Inflicts Burn = Arcane + Mana)
---Fireball (Launch an orb that unleashes an explosion of heat on impact) (Inflicts Burn = Arcane + Mana)
--(Ice)
---Freeze (Cool down a target, freezing it with enough energy) (Consumes 2x AP) (Inflicts Freeze = Arcane + Mana)
-(Pure)
--(Light)
---Illuminate (Create light, blinding a target if strong enough) (Inflicts Blind = Arcane + Mana)

(Physical)
-Evade (Evasion) (Dodge an incoming attack) (Dodge successful if Evasion >= Attack Aim) (Uses Standard AP or Evasion AP)
-Intermission (Spend 1 standard AP to recover 1 Stamina and Mana, and expedite debuff recovery by 1 turn)

(Hybrid)
-Falling Star (Modifier, Melee) (Used with another attack, does not consume AP) (Leap up into the air with kinetic force and attack while falling, strengthening the damage of a single attack) (+Strength = Evasion + Arcane + Mana, Evasion is 0 for the next incoming attack)

(Other)
-Counter Strike (Counter) (Instantly attack following an enemy’s attack if your Speed Roll is higher)

Passives:
Strength: 6
Arcane: 18
Aim: 10
Evasion: 5 +2
Will: 10
Speed: 5

-Berserker (Passive) (Grants a separate pool of AP for melee attacks)
-Fortified Resolve (Grants a separate pool of AP for Fortification magic)
-Acrobat (Grants a separate pool of AP for evasion)
-Accelerator (Passive) (+10% Damage and Aim to all “Meteor” skills)
-Quick Rest (Passive) (If no action in the turn, all standard AP is recovered at the end of the turn) (Cannot be used if stumbled or in negative standard AP)
-Constitution (+15% Maximum Base HP)

Tabi: "It's been that way for a while, ever since I joined the Spiral. Always on the move."

The two of you cross the farms and fields towards Nullam.

Tabi: "Kleigg.

You've... Done a lot, for my family. And for me. I just want to tell you, that... I... I'm grateful, and... I..."

She starts to go blush here, looking down while balling her fists.

Tabi: "Think highly of you!



Um.

Thank you."

The two of you soon reach Nullam, the city alive with activity as people continue to scramble for supplies or run about the streets looking for friends and family.

Tabi has joined the party

She hesitates for a moment, hand slightly raised, before slowly reaching out to take yours.

A twitch in her lip forms, quickly spreading into an uncontrollable shy smile.

The two of you walk north east towards Luttiim, the forest path bright with the afternoon light.

Tabi: "I want to do more than travel. I want to spread technology and magic to places that lack them.

Do you know why the Spiral, originally intended to take down the Ruhe, is so heavily invested in capturing Magusalto?"

Tabi: "It wasn't for resources.

You know about gunpowder, right? Explosive. Necessary for guns. People have known about it since the cataclysm, but it's only been recently produced on a large scale.

The manufacturing of gunpowder has been outlawed for thousands of years, because it somewhat levels the playing field between mages and non-mages. Magic users can be screened at a young age and then indoctrinated into whatever religion or government that wants to stockpile them. Knowledge and production of gunpowder is suppressed as much as possible. The strong stay strong, the weak stay weak.

It's no different with rune magic. Even constructs, only a few skilled individuals are capable of producing anything noteworthy, and they're quickly taken in by those who want to stay on top. Magusalto, any construct that is to be sold has to be approved. It can't be strong enough that it would allow someone to resist the government."

She's holding one of her interface bricks in hand, staring at the blocky device with a half smile.

Tabi: "That's why the admins took interest in me. My dream of giving the power of magic to everyone, through these telepathy bricks, it was dangerous to them.
That's why the Spiral was there. Magusalto is no different than the Ruhe."

Tabi: "Yes."

The two of you reach Luttiim, busy with the panic of chirop.

Artifact (1/1):
-Caelum Earth Token (+5 Will)

Inventory:
-Silver Coin (Qty. 1)

-Note from “E”
-Small Pouch
--”Negative Fabric”
-Quill (Qty. 3)
-Inkpot
-Paper (Qty. 10)
-Mana Stone (20/20)
-Padded Shirt (5 Armor Resilience , 30/30 Durability) (+4/4 Physical Defense) (Armor does not take damage from Trauma)
-Shortsword (+5 Edge | +2 Impact)
-Potato Sack Pants
-Paper Bomb (Detonates after 10 seconds after pulling string) (Power: 100) (Qty. 1)
-Spool of Thread
-Runic Assassin Gauntlet (Mana: 0/??)
--(Magic)
---Kinetic Blade (Single Turn Condition) (Strike with a blade of cutting kinetic force) (+Edge = Mana)
---Compression Barrier (Form a barrier of extremely compressed air around self, reducing damage and becoming invisible) (Durability = Mana/2, +Evasion = Mana, disregards Critical Shot) (Consumes 1 Mana at the end of EVERY turn)
---Conflagration (The user bursts into flames, destroying evidence) (Burn = 100, On Fire = 20)

-Running Pants (+1 Evasion)
-Burlap Cloak (2 Armor Resilience , 30/30 Durability) (+1/1 Physical Defense) (Armor does not take damage from Trauma)

-Tan Coat
-Red Cloth Square

-Hair Shirt (-2 Physical Actions)

-Steel Mace (+10 Impact)
-Round Shield (Artificial Matter) (Left Hand) (+5 Impact) (+8 Strength and Aim when evading) (7 Armor Resilience , 30/30 Durability) (+15/15 Physical Defense)

-Steel Helmet (10 Armor Resilience , 40/40 Durability) (+20/20 Physical Defense)
-Steel Cuirass (10 Armor Resilience , 14.8/40 Durability) (+7.4/20 Physical Defense)

-Witched Eitulta Lamp (Skill: Stahlnacht’s Key [Requires 10 ???]) (???: 10/10)

Equipped:
-Grey Dress Pants
-Combat Boots (+1 Evasion)
-White Dress Shirt

-Hexestahl (+30 Edge, +2 Impact)

Skills:
(Magic)
-(???)
--(Mana)
---Deposit (Discharge a select amount of mana into a source that is in contact)
---Withdrawal (Take a select amount of mana from a source that is in contact)
--(???)
---Extrasensory (Detects magic in the area) (Does not consume AP)
-(???)
--(Negation)
---Nullify (Reduce the effectiveness of a magic instance, cancelling it with enough effort)
---Zero Field (Create a persistent nullification effect on a target or area) (Inflicts Null Body = Arcane + MP)
---Capture (Grab an instance of a spell or piece of Artificial Matter, storing it along with its mana)
---Release (Cast a spell that was stored with Capture [removes spell from storage])
---Delete (Delete a captured spell) (Does not consume AP)
---Reversal (Reverses the Light/Dark polarity of a magic instance) (Fire<->Ice , Impulse<->Fortification , Light<->Dark , Electric caster/user is switched) (Reverse Strength = Arcane + Mana)

(Physical)
-Intermission (Spend 1 standard AP to recover 1 Stamina and Mana, and expedite debuff recovery by 1 turn)
-Evade (Evasion) (Dodge an incoming attack) (Dodge successful if Evasion >= Attack Aim) (Uses Standard AP or Evasion AP)

(Hybrid)

(Other)
-Escape! (Roll a 5 or higher to successfully run away from a battle)

Passives:
Strength: 5
Arcane: 6
Aim: 8
Evasion: 4
Will: 12 +5
Speed: 1

-Nullifier (+20% Negation Magic Effectiveness)
-Null Body (-5 Non-Negation Magic, +5 Magic Resistance)

Magicist: "Kaniiria Juuken."
John: "Well then Kaniiria, I hope our paths cross again with less unfortunate circumstances."

Artifact (1/1):
-Caelum Wind Token (+5 Evasion)

Inventory:
-Basic Magic Theory (Book)
-Crude Mana Stone (Mana: 1/1)
-Crossbow Bolt (+2 Edge , +2 Impact) (Qty. 18)
-Cotton Shirt
-Potato Sack Pants
-Paper with Address (Arcane Suppliers - Production Manager’s Office, Magusalto)

-Crossbow (+20 to projectile) (Range: 6) (EMPTY)

-Steel Longsword (+10 Edge | +4 Impact)

-Red Stone?

Equipped:
-Bracelet
--Focus Stone (Skills: Power Flow)

-Piercing Colichemarde (Construct) (Security: Level 3) (+10 Edge | +3 Aim | +3 Defense Ignore) (Mana: 60/60, Output: 30)
--Kinetic Lance (Single Turn Condition) (Does not consume AP) (Reinforce the point of the weapon, improving its damage and effectiveness against armor) (+Damage = Mana, Defense Ignore = Mana)

-Running Pants (+1 Evasion)
-Combat Boots (+1 Evasion)

-Padded Shirt (5 Armor Resilience , 30/30 Durability) (+4/4 Physical Defense) (Armor does not take damage from Trauma)
-Grey Mage’s Hooded Robe (5 Armor Resilience , 30/30 Durability) (+4/4 Physical Defense) (Armor does not take damage from Trauma)

Skills:
(Magic)
-(Spirit)
--(Mana)
---Deposit (Discharge a select amount of mana into a source that is in contact)
-(Electric)
--(Telepathy) (Skills ignore Evasion and do not consume Mana)
---Message (Sends a telepathic message to a target/multiple targets) (does not consume AP)
---Receive (Picks up on thoughts if people are thinking hard enough) (does not consume AP)
---Trace (Find the source of a tendril from an active spell that uses one)
---Proxy (Create a fake mind at a specified location that you can direct to use telepathy)
---Mental Security (Strengthen your defense against Telepathy) (Inflicts Mind Guard = Arcane)
---Locate (Does not consume AP) (Telepathically scan the area and locate people)
---Analyze (Degrading Condition) (Probe the target's thoughts to discover its behavior and stats) (+Evasion +Aim against target = Arcane - target_Will)
---Mind Control (Force the target to perform an action) (Arcane must be higher than target's Will)
---Calling the Shots (Does not consume AP) (Successfully predict what skill [and order of skills, if performing multiple calls] an enemy will perform, and increase your Evasion by 100% of its base value to that attack. AP will not be consumed while dodging that attack)
-(Thermic)
--(Fire)
---Heat (Direct Magic) (Warm up a target, burning it with enough energy) (Inflicts Burn = Arcane + Mana)
--(Ice)
---Freeze (Cool down a target, freezing it with enough energy) (Consumes 2x AP) (Inflicts Freeze = Arcane + Mana)
-(Pure)
--(Light)
---Illuminate (Create light, blinding a target if strong enough) (Inflicts Blind = Arcane + Mana)

(Physical)
-Flight (Capable of sustained flight. It takes 1 AP to take off [but not land]. Stops Stamina regen during flight, drains 1 stamina at the end of every roll. User specifies Altitude: If user is stumbled while in flight, takes Trauma equal to Altitude) (Altitude climb per turn = Strength) (+Evasion = Altitude)
-Evade (Evasion) (Dodge an incoming attack) (Dodge successful if Evasion >= Attack Aim) (Uses Standard AP or Evasion AP)

(Hybrid)

(Other)

Passives:
Strength: 1
Arcane: 12
Aim: 6
Evasion: 7 +7
Will: 4
Speed: 2

-Edge Alignment (+10% Damage and Aim to attacks with edged weapons)
-Aerial Evasion (Passive) (Can use Flight right after an enemy attack is successfully evaded on the ground)
-Mind Guard (+1 Telepathy Resistance)
-Acrobat (Passive) (Grants a separate pool of AP for evasion)
-Multiprocessing (Passive) (Grants a separate pool of AP for Telepathic magic)

There doesn't seem to be a check-in tent, not one that you can see, anyways, so you just go for the nearest robed person.

Each of them have the same emblem on the back - an abstract rose with a bird in the negative space.



Miimas approaches one of the robed people.

Miimas: "Excuse me, can you help us out?"

Healer: "Yes? What's the-oh dear. Here, bring her into this tent."

The healer walks to a nearby tent, holding the flap open for Miimas to carry Horoma in before the healer heads in himself.

A minute or so passes before the healer exits the tent, calling another healer over, some blonde woman.

Both healers, along with an additional three, enter Horoma's tent.

Tuhota: "Should we see what's happening?"

You and Tuhota enter the tent.

Miimas is standing near the tent's wall, looking away while the healers surround the blood-soaked bed in the middle of the space, where Horoma is lying.

The healers seem to be cutting out wires and chunks of something out of Horoma, things you believe were the internal parts of her doll body, dropping the bloody twisted bits into a bucket.


Miimas: "Hey."

The Westerner is facing you now, face blank of expression.

Miimas: "She's still alive. Very alive. They're removing her old doll parts right now, the parts are interfering with her, uh, organs. Y'know, the ones she just grew."


Healer: "Leave that one, it looks like she's bound to it. Not blocking anything, anyways. Focus on the pieces in her head."

I can make some illumination, bit of heat. Basic light stuff, nothing major other than my Accelerated Repair.

Artifact (1/1):
-Caelum Fire Token (+1 Basic AP)

Inventory:
-Vranhal Guest House Key
-Folding Peasant’s Knife (+3 Edge)

-Steel Warhammer (+15 Impact , 7 Weight)

-Steel Plated Brown Cloak (14 Armor Resilience , 40/40 Durability) (+16 Physical Defense)

-Mana Stone (Mana: 22/22)
-Mana Stone (Mana: 22/22)
-Mana Stone (Mana: 21/21)

-Coin Purse
--Copper Coin (Qty. 11)
--Silver Coin (Qty. 3)

-Coin Purse
--Gold Coin (Qty. 10)

-Memory Stone Fragment

-Leather Carrying Bag
--Wooden Protection Totem (Mana: 173/205)
---Mana Stones (8/8)
----Regenerating Mana Stone (?/24) (Regenerates 1 Mana per turn)
----Mana Stone (Mana: ?/30)
----Mana Stone (Mana: ?/30)
----Mana Stone (Mana: ?/30)
----Mana Stone (Mana: ?/24)
----Mana Stone (Mana: ?/23)
----Mana Stone (Mana: ?/22)
----Mana Stone (Mana: ?/22)

-Leather Brigandine (5 Armor Resilience , 30/30 Durability) (+10/10 Physical Defense) (Armor does not take damage from Trauma)

Equipped:
-Shaman Medallion (Kyeltziv)
-Running Pants (+1 Evasion)
-Combat Boots (+1 Evasion)

Skills:
(Magic)
-(Spirit)
--(Entity)
---Meditation (Relaxes and strengthens your soul, resisting outside spirits) (Inflicts Inner Peace = Arcane + Mana)
---Spirit Channel (Let a spirit use your body to perform an action) (Consumes AP for spirit actions)
---Spirit Lance (Attack another spirit, weakening it) (Cannot miss) (-Arcane, -Aim, -Will = Will + Mana)
---Bind Spirit (Affix a spirit to a physical object with a Haunt)
---Possession Break (Forcefully detach a spirit’s bind) (Cannot miss) (Possession is broken if your Will is greater than Spirit’s will x2)
-(Kinetic)
--(Fortification) (Mana is only drained when abilities are disturbed)
---Power Flow (Single Turn Condition) (Cast at beginning of turn) (Fortify your bones and strengthen their movements with kinetics) (+Strength = Arcane + Mana)
---Agility Flow (Single Turn Condition) (Cast at beginning of turn) (Fortify your bones and accelerate their movements with kinetics) (+Evasion = Arcane + Mana)

(Physical)
-Chilling Howl (Degrading Condition) (Strike fear into enemies, lowering their Aim and Arcane) (-Aim , -Arcane = Will)
-Evade (Evasion) (Dodge an incoming attack) (Dodge successful if Evasion >= Attack Aim) (Uses Standard AP or Evasion AP)
-Delay and Evade (Evasion) (Intercept the attack to delay it, and immediately follow up with an evade) (+Evasion = Aim) (Uses [a single] Standard AP or Evasion AP)

(Hybrid)

(Other)

Passives:
Strength: 8
Arcane: 8
Aim: 7
Evasion: 5 +2
Will: 10
Speed: 6

-Sixth Sense (Passive) (+5 Magic Evasion)
-Berserker (Grants a separate pool of AP for melee attacks)
-Acrobat (Passive) (Grants a separate pool of AP for evasion)
-Inner Peace (+5 Spirit magic effectiveness, +5 Spirit Magic Resistance)
-Constitution (+10% Maximum Base HP)

You walk forward and push open the doors, entering Elizabeth's office.

She's waiting for you behind her desk, hands ready to scribble notes down with an ink pen and some paper, while the familiar armored lupus stands beside her desk and Torrent stands in his usual corner.

Elizabeth: "So, what has happened since you've left?"

Elizabeth: "I see. Care to give more details?"

She takes a moment to write down your report before replying.

Elizabeth: "What makes your plan require so much secrecy that it cannot be discussed in front of my most loyal accomplices?"

Elizabeth takes a long sip from one of the many mugs on her desk.

Elizabeth: "We've already experimented with rune magic. It won't work.

Leviathan skin is, first off, extremely durable. They're able to strike fast enough to liquefy rock and metal on contact without any damage to themselves. A direct hit would be required to have any effect.

On top of that, once a leviathan is active, it continuously releases an extremely large amount of heat, which by itself will cause anything within about a hundred meters to incinerate. We used the most temperature-resistant AM we had to test how well runes hold up. They don't make it to the surface of the leviathan's skin.

Attempts to use magic to keep the projectile cool were ineffective - too much mana is required to keep the projectile intact for even a split second once it approached the leviathan's thermal range, and it even seemed to decelerate quickly before vaporizing, and we had one of our best snipers fire it as fast as he could.

Whatever barrier the leviathan has around it, it prevents any projectile we can create from even getting close."

Elizabeth: "Our elite snipers use bolts made from AM tougher than witch metal. Vranhal was known for witch hunting before I was in office.
As for light magic, we haven't been able to produce anything close to the amount of energy that the leviathan's barrier has, and any light we do shoot into it gets refracted away. Dark magic, The Matriarch has Atra and is with the scouting team right now trying to see what works. Dark magic has been unsuccessful so far.

As for seeing what the other creatures have been doing, none of them have been able to touch the leviathan. The construct that you describe as a 'leviathan killer' has been mostly killing the witches and evading the leviathan."

Elizabeth: "Noted."

Some more scribbling on her papers.

Elizabeth: "Is that all?"

Elizabeth: "Here."

She hands you a small, heavy pouch. Inside there are ten gold coins.

Elizabeth: "Payment for your services. I have no more requests for you, so you may leave. Good luck with your training."

She gestures towards the lupus on her left.

Elizabeth: "Liam trained under them for a few years, looked pretty rough."

Elizabeth: "That's fine, yes. The guards there will determine costs of equipment."

You head south, reaching the point where the city buildings end and the fields and farms begin. Just outside of the city region is a village of white tents, with white-robed people walking about, all with the same emblem on their backs.



Healer: "Yeah, this is the Whitehawk camp. Let's get you in a tent real quick."

You follow the man into one of the nearby tents. It's pretty roomy, large enough to stand up and walk around in. There's a tall bed in the middle of the room, but it isn't really needed.

The healer walks around several times, looking carefully at your scars.

Healer: "This might tickle a bit."

You feel your skin crawl, and in a few seconds your scars vanish, regular skin back in place complete with fur.

Healer: "All done. Scar removal's pretty common, easy to do."

Artifact (0/1):

Inventory:
-Copper Coin (Qty. 33)
-Silver Coin (Qty. 5)
-Gold Coin (Qty. 7)
-Mana Stone (Mana: 16/20)
-Mage Stone (Mana: 9/10)
-Orb (Artificial Matter) (Runic Spell: Mana Storage 26) (Mana: 0)

-Coin Pouch
--Gold Coin (Qty. 10)

-Handheld Eitulta Lamp (Skill: Illuminate) (Release: 1) (Mana: 0/20)

-Short Spear (+4 Edge) (Qty. 2)
-Shortsword (+5 Edge | +2 Impact)
-Shortsword (+5 Edge | +2 Impact)
-Shortsword (+5 Edge | +2 Impact)
-Steel Longsword (+10 Edge | +4 Impact)
-Steel Longsword (+10 Edge | +4 Impact)

-Crossbow Bolt (+2 Edge , +2 Impact) (Qty. 19)

-Paper (Spirit Map Runic Spell)
-Paper (Spirit Map Runic Spell 2)
-Paper (Light Grenade Runic Spell)
-Paper (Taschenblitz) >Make a similar rune spell, one that is armed once its mana reserves increase by 0.5, like before. When it is armed, it locks onto the nearest spirit with a complexity over 30 and treats this spirit as its master. If the master spirit is within 8 meters, the spell will always do nothing. If the master spirit is farther away than that however, it will release all of its mana as light if a spirit with complexity over 30 comes within 2 meters of it.
-Paper (Taschenblitz II) >Locks onto the nearest spirit with a complexity over 30 and treats this spirit as its master. If the master spirit is within 8 meters, the spell will always do nothing. If the master spirit is farther away than that however, it will release all of its mana as light evenly distributed 0.5 meters away from the compass if a spirit with complexity over 30 comes within 2 meters of it.
-Paper (Fire Mine) >Locks onto the nearest spirit with a complexity over 30 and treats this spirit as its master. If the master spirit is within 8 meters, the spell will always do nothing. If the master spirit is farther away than that however, it will release all of its mana as heat from the compass if a spirit with complexity over 30 comes within 2 meters of it.
-Paper (Mana Storage) >Rune spell that searches for the closest spirit with complexity over 30. If that spirit is very, very close, ie approximately held against their chest, then it transfers its mana into that creature.
-Paper (Mana Storage 2) >Rune spell that searches for the closest spirit with complexity over 30 if the rune is set to T. If that spirit is very, very close, ie approximately held against their chest, then it transfers 2 mana into that creature and sets to F. Must be taken out of the specified range to set back to T.
-Paper (Obscuring Light) upon activation locks onto the nearest spirit and treats it as its master. It then looks for the most complex spirit that isn't its master within 20 meters and creates a 6 meter cube around that spirit with points of light, meant to obscure that spirit's vision

-Taschenblitz II (Mana: 0) (NO BUTTON)

Equipped:
-Cotton Shirt
-Potato Sack Pants

-Crossbow (+20 to projectile) (Range: 6) (LOADED)

-Steel Helmet (10 Armor Resilience , 40/40 Durability) (+20/20 Physical Defense)
-Steel Cuirass (10 Armor Resilience , 0/40 Durability) (+20/20 Physical Defense)

-Gauntlet (Artificial Matter) (Right Hand) (+13.5/18 Impact) (6.75/9 Weight) (10 Armor Resilience , 30/40 Durability) (+15/20 Physical Defense)
-Gauntlet (Artificial Matter) (Left Hand) (+13.5/18 Impact) (6.75/9 Weight) (10 Armor Resilience , 30/40 Durability) (+15/20 Physical Defense)

Skills:
(Magic)
-(Spirit)
--(Mana)
---Deposit (Discharge a select amount of mana into a source that is in contact) (does not consume AP)
---Withdrawal (Take a select amount of mana from a source that is in contact) (does not consume AP)

(Physical)
-Flurry (Melee three times, each attack dealing one third of your normal damage [consumes 1 AP])
-Metabolize (Exert your will over your body, forcing it to produce energy faster than normal) (+Stamina = Will)

-Evade (Evasion) (Dodge an incoming attack) (Dodge successful if Evasion >= Attack Aim) (Uses Standard AP or Evasion AP)
-Weak Block (Evasion) (Intercept an attack to defend yourself) (Block connects if your Aim >= Attack Aim) (-Damage = 0.5*Strength) (Uses Standard AP or Melee AP)
-Delay and Evade (Evasion) (Intercept the attack to delay it, and immediately follow up with an evade) (+Evasion = Aim) (Uses [a single] Standard AP or Evasion AP)

(Hybrid)

(Other)
-Offhand Strike (Counter) (When dual wielding and you evade or block using one weapon, instantly follow up with an attack from your other weapon with no additional AP cost)

-Runic Magic (Draw runes for rune-based magic)
--Basic Runes (Structuring of runic spells, numbers, math, distance)
--Thermal (Raw thermal energy)
--Light (Light energy [Not light magic])
--Spirit Detection (Nth Spirit, Nearest Spirit, Complexity)
-->Spirit Map Runic Spell< (1-20 Nth spirits)

(Heroic) (Each ability uses 10 Heroic AP)
-Skin of My Teeth (When you fail to evade an attack, redo the evade while disregarding any negative conditions and increasing your Evasion by your Will) (Automatically triggers if the attack would be lethal)

Passives:
Strength: 9
Arcane: 1
Aim: 15
Evasion: 4
Will: 10
Speed: 7

-Sixth Sense (Passive) (+3 Magic Evasion)
-Edge Alignment (+20% Damage and Aim to attacks with edged weapons)
-Momentum (Passive) (Keep yourself moving, increasing damage with each attack) (Buff ends when you fail to attack in a turn or are blocked or stumbled) (+Damage = 1d6 per attack , Max total +Damage = 2 * Strength)
-Critical Shot (Increases damage by extra Aim if initial damage to target is greater than 0)
-Berserker (Grants a separate pool of AP for melee attacks)
-Adrenaline Rush (Passive) (Stamina usage is twice as effective)

-Fleet Footed (Travel in the Overworld is doubled, +4 Combat Movement)

-Constitution (+20% Maximum Base HP)