Pale Departure: That Which Whispers OOC

[Mornings]

Spoiler: NINE - REALS 2

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[Willowbrook Sanitarium]
"Oh, this is unexpected..." Miryks didn't know when the man had snuck-up on him, but he did. His blade slashed out with a fine arc at the man's throat. He felt a sharp rattle run up his swordarm, but he didn't understood what happened. He looked down at his hand grasping the hilt, tracing his way up the length of the blade to where it stopped at the stranger's neck. He hadn't moved. Dammit, he knew he hadn't moved. He'd caught the bastard cold and flat footed, yet what he saw seemed to contest that notion. The man's soft golden eyes seemed to slowly turn towards his direction. The black suited man's furthest arm had crossed over himself to catch the edge of the Aasimar's sword between his thumb and pointer-finger. It was the longest, slowest, most absurdly obvious movement... he hadn't seen it. No... fast couldn't begin to describe it, it wasn't a matter of speed. It was as if something had changed after his blow had already struck, like something was omitted and some frame of reality had been replaced... His mind couldn't wrap around it, there was something incomprehensible beneath the surface, like the very fibers of causality has rebelled against him; like he couldn't be right. "I'd appreciate it if you avoided such unnecessary things." He released the edge of his sword. The steel was slightly bent along the cutting edge from the strength of the man's hand. [Miryks | Spell Focus Check - Failed]

"You know, Baird, my sister was convinced Afsppa had set himself to playing another prank upon her... Though I thought it unlikely. Seeing you here however, well, that explains everything. What are you doing? Your imprisonment ended quite awhile ago, you should have returned to the Crucible." Iman had already stepped forward, Regina could feel herself wrest back some measure of control from the floor. "Ho, Caus'fel. Not a man I expected to see, I thought your duties brought you elsewhere. I figured they would have sent Ni'fel or even Tagar while the Warden was absent..." Baird crossed his arms as he spoke. If they had learned anything about the man, it was that he wasn't one to trade words, he evidently intended to drag out this conversation as long as possible, though they weren't entirely sure why. "Unfortunately, Talri'fel has taken responsibility, but as fortune would have it she's distracted with other business. A blessing for no doubt, she wouldn't have even given you the opportunity to defend yourself under trail." "A blessing for the House of Black as well, no doubt. I imagine her presence caused some friction between the Lady Black and the House of the First."

The man waved his hand dismissively, "It doesn't take a Grand Savant to imagine how that went.... Now, what the hell are you doing here, and why are you meddling in our affairs? Do you know how pissed Saphsa was when she noticed someone was aspecting into her house? You're just lucky she didn't catch you. You should have just left so we wouldn't be having this conversation, and what are you doing with these hosts?" In a familiar gesture the thin man shrugged, "Eh, I was just screwing around before getting back to work. Rubedo had me tend them awhile, something about a 'Cycle', not sure what that's about. Was probably screwing up the girl." The Enforcer, Caus'fel, put a hand to his mouth, looking at the floor as if in thought. "Hm. Maybe... Saphsa mentioned something about repeated and unpredictable collapse, likely caused by J'June. She managed to isolate it to a small area, but it only made the process more frequent." "Eighteen second intervals?" "Something like that." "Yeaah... I know what you're talking about. So what happens next?"

"I've confirmed your story with Rubedo, so I'll let you off this time, but your job is done here. You know better than most, Heralds are not allowed to intervene with the hosts, so at least try to avoid attention when you receive such an unorthodox order. The next Enforcer you meet might not have much in the way of humor, or patience to listen to what you have to say...." The white-haired man looked at Miryks, then back to Iman, "Did you... Did you, spite these hosts?" Baird snorted and the man shook his head, "Afew of them actually... I had a couple of Astrok'Ru's dice left and I thought it'd be funny." "....Was it? " "Eh.... not after the first time." "I suppose that explains the obscene levels of corruption coming from hosts recently. Saphsa suspected Rubedo had been trying to hide another of her experiments. It's difficult to keep track of all the happenings without proper structure, as much as we don't get along, it makes me appreciate the work of Quortek V'dre..."

"Well, return to the Crucible. Report what you have learned to Natheless when you do." "Uh... not the Grim." "What? She's good at what she does." "She's weird, likes to dress like an animal, and smells like old lint balls. I'm pretty sure she's got something going on with that dog-thing that follows her around too. Do Ramath'silinrul, you know..." He gestured suggestively with his hands, as if he were trying to make the Enforcer uncomfortable. Caus'fel swatted the Herald's hands down, "Enough! Just leave." Iman shrugged, slapping Miryks on the back, "Alright kids, guess this is where we part ways." The Enforcer raised his hand, "Before you leave, you should know something..." "What? You married you sister just like your brother?" It looked like the man had been physically struck from the crass remark, it took him a few long blinks to recover his baring from the low-blow.

Iman evidently knew how to press Caus'fel's buttons and throw him off. "...You'd do well to never mention him again." "Well, that still doesn't answer the question." "Please, shut up... The Black Magister has come to Jun'athel, no doubt she'll inevitably find her way to the Crucible as well. You'd do well to send her away, she has no business here." "Astral? ...Isn't she dead? Well, in either case no one has permission to actually enter, but it's not my or your call on who or what is an exception. That authority belongs to the Lady Black, does it not?" The man didn't speak immediately, but eventually nodded begrudgingly. "What're you planning on doing with the kids here." "According to Rubedo, they might have some use despite the corruption. We'll see if that's true I suppose."

Baird glanced at them both,
"I suppose... good luck then. If you could become even half what you could be, you'll make it through. No matter what, never forget-"

Divided and whole, Regina remembered the familiar sensation of being cast out across the folds of reality, falling into the red. In that shift she knew she was no longer herself, nor a doll, they were something else together. Her thoughts spanned out across the reaches of time and distance to somewhere else. Miryks had never experienced such helplessness, not even behind the familiar bars which had marked his captivity. He was trapped, torn apart and blended in some cosmic whirlwind. The remains, the parts of him left he could still feel were stuffed into this container, like bloody sponges being forced into too small a bottle. He was.... they were....

The girl pulled her neck down into her shoulders to hide the lower half of her face behind the too-small-collar of the massive blue and white college jacket she wore. She held the ends of the sleeve's cuffs to prevent them from falling loose and dangling off her arms like some kind of squid creature. The whole of the coat was much too large for her, but it was an important memento that reminded her of better days. The wind howled and kicked, throwing her black hair about and scratching her face with the harsh ice that seemed to choke the air. It was so dark she could barely see. Why had she come out here? she couldn't remember. When she closed her eyes she was somewhere else. It was like crossing through a threshold instead of finding the dark behind her eyelids. The visions had never been this strong before... she only knew something was coming. She had to go, before they found her. They were her, she was them, they were each other. Something now bound them each together here in this place.... The distant expanse of the frozen forest stretched out before them, though the strain of the girls eyes could only make out the forms so far.

Hurtling through the void-space, they fell until the dark of the world about them shifted back into a haze of red. Loimi had crossed many breaches before, skipping across like they were cobbled stones scattered on a path, but nothing had ever been like this. Violent cracks of darkness race up from the abyss, like shattering glass, or some formless black lightning. He could feel half of their world pulled aside and rent asunder. Varag was sent careening away as both halves of the red divided, splitting away from each other like a piece of chopped lumber. Whirling, spinning, flipping they fell into the breach. Then-

It was cold. Looking about herself, she saw the hole in which she lay in the snow. A thick shell of ice covered the fluffy white powder in a net of small fragments of ice, hinting at the ice rain which had fallen the night before. She pulled up her cowl and the thick folds of the red and black wool cloak she wore tightly about her. She'd gotten lost in the woods, after she found a body buried in the snow just beyond the line of the trees. The fright had sent her into a mad sprint away, she could almost feel the eyes of something upon her when she came upon the remains. It was wrapped in rotting filth and the overgrowth. There was something terrible here, some formless indescribable horror like the shadows looming about them and the howl echoing through in the dead of this winter night.

They were here.
They were far.
They were her, themselves, and something else.
They were alone.

Spoiler: Critical Note: Forbidden Knowledge

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Knowledge (Forbidden) is one of the most useful unique skills in the game, but also the absolute most dangerous ability a player character can utilize when performed outside of a very specific set of conditions, including the aid of numerous Potentials. Each time a PC attempts to utilize this skill without the protective features of other Potentials, they run a chance of acquiring a 'Corrupted Fate'. These conditions are a form of Curse which can potentially bestow numerous profane and crippling effects, but will in addition alter all quests and objectives the character possesses and can receive - permanently. The effects of a Corrupted Fate can be resolved by discovering and accomplishing the unique conditions associated with it. These conditions are always extremely severe, and may require an entire campaign-length undertaking to complete; stealing precious time which could be spent on other objectives.

Regardless of the result of the %dice in determining if such a status is received, the character receives a number of points of Spite, and possesses a very high chance of incurring a Divergence or critical alteration, which may impose its own unique consequences, depending on the circumstances. The percent of such events occurring caps at 100% upon the third use. A character may only utilize Knowledge (Forbidden) unprotected three times throughout the entity of the game. Upon exceeding this number of uses, the current character is immediately slain after the skill's resolution. This ability kills all iterations of a character simultaneously, but is specific to the identity which activated the ability and does not extend past Reflected Personas. This effect cannot be prevented by any source. Slain character's cannot be returned to life, including from such Potentials as Lesser Immortality.

Spoiler: Status

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֍ Mirykys +200 (2,500xp)
HP 37/37
AC 17
⯎ Survival Influence Gained
⯎ Exploration Influence Gained
⯎ Truth Influence Gained
⯎ Wisdom Influence Gained
⯎ Knowledge Influence Gained
⯎ Caution Influence Gained
⯎ Stalking Influence Gained
⯎ Deception Influence Gained
⯎ Trickery Influence Gained
⯎ Battle Influence Gained
⯎ Omens Influence Gained
⯎ Mystery Influence Gained
⯎ Corruption Influence Gained
⯎ Revelation Influence Gained
⯎ Death Influence Gained
⯎ Forbidden Influence Gained
⯎ Recovered [Otherworld Quiver]
⯎ Recovered [Unidentified Arrows] x10


֍ Regina +500 (8,825xp)
HP 53/53
AC 19
⯎ Nobility Influence Gained
⯎ Deception Influence Gained
⯎ Trickery Influence Gained
⯎ Discovery Influence Gained
⯎ Magic Influence Gained
⯎ Secrets Influence Gained
⯎ Knowledge Influence Gained
⯎ Truth Influence Gained
⯎ Tapestry Influence Gained
⯎ Time Influence Gained
⯎ Dimensions Influence Gained
⯎ Fate Influence Gained
⯎ Vision Influence Gained
⯎ Light Influence Gained

Spoiler: Influences

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Influences represent current knowledge, pursuits, training, experiences and aspirations which are actively effecting or being utilized by a character. These represent various concepts and begin to outline a character's values and path as they grow. Influences which are not used regularly are lost, but can be gained again once a character begins pursuing an avenue related towards that field or concept. Influences determine a character's growth in many ways, including experience points they earn and which Potentials they can acquire at any given time.

Unlike with limited class levels, Influences are not acquired spontaneously, and are acquired throughout play; creating an active system which enables a character to re-train, gain new powers, or even improve upon old ones actively with their in-character actions. Training with a sword or exercising the use of an existing Potential allows a character to learn new techniques, empower his current abilities, or even grow his tolerance to pain, sustain damage, run faster, sleep less, and more. Influences play a vital role in developing more sophisticated interpersonal skills and ability to deal and establish diplomatic relations with all manner of strange and otherworldly creatures which you may encounter; in addition to learning more about the unnatural forces which no worldly knowledge could shed light upon. All unique skills are only able to be acquired via potentials, which are trained and worked towards acquiring via your pursuits, experiences, and by extension - your Influences.

Spoiler: Point: 323 - Willowbrook Sanitarium, F3B (About Tainted Lands)

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Tainted Lands are incredibly complex and foreign realms which are often guised as places once familiar. Each tainted region is individually unique and carries with it its own risks, rules, threats and worldly hazards. Many things cannot function, work differently, or can lead to reality crushing results that make survival for most creatures delving into their reaches an impossibility. Site Investigators often travel with groups of Harriers or Gales for long extended periods conducting a through survey of each corrupted-site, known as a 'Point'. These reports are used by various venturing companies to conduct expeditions, known as 'Dives', into the tainted lands. Points are always geographically divided into many areas known as 'Sectors' by Site Investigators. Sectors within a Point mark areas where the rules of the other areas which have been surveyed dramatically differ, be that the laws of nature or magic, or even stranger changes they cannot understand.

Common rules which Gales are familiar include such things as; violent reactions to non-grounded magics, reactions to supernatural energies and abilities, reactions to specific materials, reactions to unstabilized magical creatures and creatures capable of withholding or generating energy, and items or persons keyed to a particular influence.

Fortunately there were not very many public users of magics due to the general fear and suspicion associated with the practice, and thus even less individuals with such talents that traveled into the tainted regions. Magic was an inherently suicidal thing to employ in such places without a remarkable understanding of the Point and all features of the rules which governed the Sector currently being occupied. Everything in a spell from the time it took to produce, to the school, effect, number of targets and even the manner in which the spell functioned were all individuals factors which could set off a dimensional-explosion and throw an entire team of unwitting mercenaries through a hole into Abadon; or worse. There was always worse, they just hadn't learned what that was yet, that was the first lesson tainted lands had to teach the fools which dared brave its depths. Wizards and magicians were generally less welcome by companies that ventured to such places, than they were by the general public. Unless the magician in question specialized in using his or her magic in such places, and possessed a record to back it, not even a fool would bring one along. There existed unique items called 'Grounds' which restrained and processed a magician's magic making it generally safe to use, but they were immensely expensive and built for each individual mage. Yet, more vexing was the matter than a single magician would often need multiple Grounds as no single device was assured to provide every protection for every circumstance. Nor were they permanent fixtures, like filters, they eventually spoiled and failed. At least the ones commercially available. The device's creator, the genius inventor Denil Demn could produce Grounds which would self-cleanse and restore themselves with time, but acquiring a commission from the man was a nightmare. If not because of the competition attempting to do the same, than because the craftsman was notoriously difficult to reach.

The degree of influence upon supernatural powers varied wildly, but was based on the level of corruption the tainted region possessed. In some of the worst places there were documented cases of Gales detonating in a bloody mess from simply employing internal forces to accelerate their speed and agility. Much like a monastic practitioner of martial arts, many Harriers preferred to learn to hone inner energies to aid themselves in conflict while Diving, but even this was not completely safe. During 'Deep Dives' companies outfitted their members with various equipment to maintain internal stability, but this was not something exclusive to the most foul of places. If the rules of a Sector were particularly twisted, it was possible to experience those same hazards without venturing into the belly of the beast.

Some materials or creatures didn't react well in tainted regions. The places were often so alien and foreign that not even animals could enter. Sometimes it wasn't just animals, it could be steel, or wood. Maybe iron. No one would know what all, if any may have been effected until a Site Investigator ran their exhaustive tests. Some of the most strange of places caused unnatural phenomena from things associated with a particular thing. Perhaps a cleric's symbol, or a deity's favored weapon, maybe the pages of a book. It was as if the world were possessed by some malicious spirit that remembered only the things related to what had wronged it. None of these places were necessarily good to ever venture, many Gales never bothered. Even putting the twisted spaces of reality aside, the Veilbeasts and other horrors were enough to convince any sane man to keep his distance. Veilplague had become nearly non-existent, but the corruption and curses which could be afflicted were a horrendous burden. If a man were blighted, he could not be allowed into a town or city. It was all one could do to simply pray that a green witch or other healing pariah might be able to mend them, as civil men would have no choice but to quarantine or kill the infected. There simply were no known cures for most maladies, at least not in the hands of the peoples at large. For most, death was assured.


Point: 323, F3B: Sector 1B - Regional Effects
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Main Quest: The Fires of Willowbrook, Part 1
Long ago the Auspex had spoken of the four years which had come and gone from behind the bars of their cages. It was impossible to know just how long it had been since then, but if there was any lesson to be had in all of it, it was that 'time was meaningless'. Strength had begun to return to them. The future was their own to command if they could just wrest it free from the dead-hands of the hell named 'Willowbrook'. That was what they had to keep telling themselves. They said it over and over again until it became truth, the only truth that mattered. It had to be that way, because if they allowed themselves to slip, they would be faced with the terror of another reality too horrible to defeat. Then the 'nothing' which loomed above them like the executioner's axe, would fall. Then they too would join it; and this time, there would be no return.
Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 49 Minutes
Primary Objective (1): Flee Sector 1B
Primary Objective (2): Escape Willowbrook Sanitarium

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Side Quest: Restless, The Nightmare Below
Lord Matik recounts his battle with a horrid and powerful creature, a horror known as the Ember Beast. Whatever the secrets of its power, it has transformed the knight into something inhuman and unnatural. Something sleeps far below the asylum, a terror steeped in blood and fire. Perhaps the secrets to the infernal warrior's own cursed disposition lay somewhere buried in the deep, or perhaps there was only death. Only one thing was certain; the creature was too dangerous to be allowed to live. It had to be stopped.
Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: Unknown
Primary Objective: Defeat the Ember Beast

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