• Event • [Seasonal Quest] Little Lost Orphans

[Virikai Talius]

It was rare for anyone to care for Virikai. He rarely became unwell at any rate, but even if he did, he did not seek out someone to coddle him, nor especially to pity him. Now, being told that he was unwell, and that he should be seen to, the eídisi bristled, eyes hardening as they flickered over the Agents in charge of the expedition. He said nothing in response - still fighting to ignore the cacophony in his head as he tried to regain some semblance of control. He was not some child to be treated like an invalid.

The little tree creature, too, seemed to be having none of it. Despite the cold, she seemed to be quite happy to bounce around, compassion for everyone else but herself. Despite himself, Virikai felt his heart warm with… something he could only describe as exasperated fondness. What was this?.

Today had been a day full of firsts, and the young lordling was not sure he had liked any of them. First instinct was to stay - there were enough injured volunteers after chasing the two runaway orphans all over the city, and the Infirmary could no doubt use the extra support from a trained individual. It would be beneficial, to go above and beyond, even after being dismissed as a volunteer.

On the other hand… he had been dismissed, and he was done. Too much was happening, and he wanted to be alone, safe from the noises around him. Then, he wanted to speak with his father. This was no doubt Yvithia’s lasts gift to him, and he did not understand it. Virikai did not like not understanding something. It confused him more when it was his own mind betraying him. He was no use to anyone like this.

The Ice Prince-

[/style2]

[Amaris]

- common / murnasian

They politely stated that they were fine when asked. This was nothing - mostly because felt exactly like that. The others of the search party had begun to disperse. They had, after all, found the reason for the search in the first place. Upon their return to the infirmary, Amaris made a point to approach the boy, though he was still sleeping - soon guarded by a...ferocious tunawa. Leeloo must have noticed that this orphanage was not a good place for children to be.

It was not to say that Amaris thought of a better place for a child, but if he had gone to such lengths to get in the way in the first place - then surely there was somewhere that he thought was better. And it came to mind that they did know of one or two people that would likely be willing to take the boy. The mixed blood didn't think much of their own parenting skills but their own parents were quite alright. They didn't think the pair would mind another child to bring up, considering their track record with the twins.

Approaching Taysin, the councilor considered how best to propose this idea of theirs. It would be an easy thing to do, normally, but they supposed the circumstances might be a little different. "If...when all examinations of the boy are done, I would like to adopt Tollan. It's not within my reach to say that there has to be something wrong with this orphanage - which there is, if these children were prompted to hatch this whole plan of escape to this extent - but I don't believe sending him back there will deter him from future attempts. This way, more resources can be focused on ensuring that there is no cause for children running away and needing to be searched for again." Whatever decision made, that would be it. Not much they could do about it.

The trial had been...an eventful one, they'd say. Amaris was still buzzing with the urgency of the search and the tension that lingered around them, though they were happy to note that they had been of some help. A good, satisfying note to end on, they'd say.

[Linika]

Maybe it takes a naerikk mind to become more suspicious the easier things are, but it did not escape Linika's notice that she encountered no obstacles or barriers whatsoever as she dragged Elyne down the streets. Admittedly, they drew eyes. But even that detail ended once the girl realized that her rescuer was not betraying her, and that they were not heading in the direction of the Orphanage.

There was now some uncertainty in the naer's mind as to what her destination should be. It came naturally to her to figure that it was all a ruse to put her off her guard so they could grab the girl the next trial that Linika went to work. She knew she would not be allowed to have a stray child running loose in the infirmary as she went about her duties. But for the life of her, she could not detect surveillance from any quarter.

This was easily dismissed however as she considered her own modest Xypha abilities. It stood to reason there was a number of people in this town that could keep tabs on her without needing to physically watch her. Her hope was that distance might cloud the precision of this tactic. She smiled down at Elyne, "You did good, baby," she coaxed, pretending to have assumed all along that the girl's belligerence had been feigned. "No one is paying any attention to us now."

She squatted down in front of the orphan, telling her she was taking her to her home. But that for the first night, she'd be renting a room. There were various Inns around town, but there was one that would be particularly accommodating to her needs. It was the one where her ex-pirate friend, Knots, stayed. He was in a sort of state of hiding from a dangerous man in Scalvoris, knowing that if he stayed so far away he'd be left alone.

It was not such a nice place that it would be populated by the more sophisticated patrons found in cleaner establishments. Such types would probably be too vocally offended by the arrival of a naer, orphan girl in tow or not. But Knots was a kindly old curmudgeon. He'd agree to watch the girl for a night or two, charging no more than the single gold nel any inn would charge per night. Linika smirked in resignation at the confirmation of this detail.

Elyne protested at first, her eyes widening in fear at the grisly, weathered face of the old fellow. But Linika found it easy to turn it to a sense of security by pointing out that "...such a scary-looking old softie will keep the real troublemakers away." She explained that she needed to go do some watching over the spots where surveillance would be done by anyone keeping a watch on her own unit. If there was nothing, she'd rent an additional room for a 30-trial period.

Depending on which rooms were available, she'd get one that was either adjoining her current room, so she could listen in for any signs of intruders, or one on an outer position where she could light it up with candles inside and then watch from outside for shadows moving inside. By renting for the longer term, she'd only be out 7 silver nel per night, for a total of 21 gold. Knots' charge would not include the price break, so it would set her back another 30.

It was a thought in the back of her mind that her distrust of others was the only thing costing her this money. She was fine with that. She'd play it safe and pay the price. And now she was not just doing it for herself, but for Elyne as well. And in Viden, a naer's concern over the prevalent hatred she'd face from the bulk of the population was not overstated, really.

No, she would play it safe for a short while, she'd keep tabs on the possibility of unwanted surveillance, and go see Knots from time to time to check up on Elyne.Who knows, after 30 trials Elyne and Knots might have just grown on each other.

Off Topic

Knots was originally a one-off NPC created for Seeking Solutions. I am perfectly willing to make both he and Elyne into Personal NPCs if you think that will be required. Otherwise, it will be just as well for Elyne to live with Knots permanently and only pop up in threads from time to time. If that will also require Personal NPC costs, that's totally cool with me.

[Banshee]

It was clear that the IA agents hadn't expected the little search party to remain in the Infirmary, both Yorrick and Taysin caught up in their own conspiratorial discussions, almost looking through the volunteers; it was clear that they had a lot on both of their minds. In fact, given how the situation had been resolved, their anxiety was odd, as if they had more to worry about now than they had when the orphans had been missing.

Mrs Tanely stamped around the place, watching the medical personnel that hovered around Tollan but keeping her distance. Perhaps it was the Tunawa that stood guard or perhaps it was the abundant number of witnesses to anything that she might do but after awhile she wandered off somewhere, disappearing into some back room and not returning while the party lingered.

When Amaris approached Taysin about adopting Tollan, the Eídisi gazed at them with a curiously wooden expression, an uncomfortable silence settling between them as the woman seemed lost for an answer. After a bit, she finally spoke, each word carefully chosen. "I appreciate your concern, Counsellor, but I assure you that there's nothing wrong with the Orphanage; we look after our children. You know how they can be, they have overactive imaginations sometimes. Nevertheless, I've been told that someone has already shown an interest in adopting the boy. Someone in Viden. It's obviously better for him to remain in familiar surroundings, don't you think?" she explained softly, eyes moving as if she was trying to look inwards to the source of some communication. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to which I must attend." The woman bowed her head and vanished through the same door that Mrs Tanely had. She didn't reappear either and after a few bits, Yorrick joined her, the man not even deigning to say goodbye to the volunteers, the Empath walking along as if in a dream.

Eventually, if they did not move of their own accord, the remaining members of the party would be firmly but politely asked to leave, their details taken and rewards promised to them in the near future. After a trial or two, each would receive a bag containing a variety of rewards, even Devin and Linika who had gone their separate ways before the official dismissal. What was more, for those with the eye for such things, they might notice that they'd acquired a shadow, a tail following them at a discreet distance when they moved about the city. However, once their rewards were deposited without a word, their followers vanished just as suddenly as they'd appeared.

And that apparently was that: a good deed done, just rewards distributed and an end to a curious incident. For those who'd talked to the children and seen certain things though, they might view the Mountainside Orphanage with suspicion.

Off Topic

Okay so we're finally done (Hallelujah, you say!) and I know that we're now onto new seasons and almost onto a new cycle altogether but I will have your rewards soon. I hope that you'll enjoy them and know that I enjoyed writing with each of you, especially when your PCs did things I never would have expected! If you have a particular request in terms of knowledge then please PM me about it within the next few days, ideally before the 13th as I'd like to get this wrapped up as soon as possible!

Many thanks!

Bansh

[Banshee]

At long last, we have some rewards! Sorry for the delay, I know this has been something of a long, drawn out process but I hope that it's been worth it!
.

Virikai Talius

Comments

I really enjoyed Kai's part in this quest. In my head, he seemed to be rolling his eyes almost constantly. At least internally. He didn't want to be dealing with people he saw as idiots but he persevered for the politics of the situation, which I find hilarious. I suppose it's as good a reason as any, especially given his characterisation. You stayed through to his character throughout and I appreciated that. Keep up the good

Points

XP: 20
Renown: 20

Knowledge

• Acting: Appearing outwardly collected when you aren’t inwardly so
• Caregiving: Provide what comfort you can
• Discipline: Holding your tongue to save face
• Endurance: Trudging through snow
• Endurance: Remaining in an uncomfortable position
• Endurance: Sharing another’s pain
• Endurance: Dealing with a Telesthetic Boon overload
• Intelligence: Gathering what information you can through careful questioning
• Interrogation: Tell someone they won’t get in trouble if you answer your questions
• Interrogation: Ask questions with firm, yet soft, urgency
• Interrogation: Convince your target that answering questions is to their benefit
• Investigation: Choosing a suitable area to search for a person
• Investigation: Sometimes you have to do a lot of legwork
• Leadership: Speak as if you expect to be obeyed
• Linguistics: Spotting someone’s lack of fluency
• Linguistics: Translating from one language to another
• Politics: Being seen helping the common man is important
• Politics: Control potentially damaging situations
• Psychology: Social relationships are more important to children than education
• Psychology: Children fall into familiar patterns
• Socialisation: Avoid using your title to appear friendlier and more approachable
• Socialisation: A smile makes you appear more friendly
• Stealth: Use sign to avoid anyone knowing you’re communicating with someone
• Xypha – The Telesthetic Boon: Allows you to hear streams of conscious thought
• Xypha – The Telesthetic Boon: A crowd makes it difficult to pick out individual streams of conscious thought
• Xypha – The Telesthetic Boon: Allows you to experience the suffering of others
• Xypha – Telepathic Communication (Minor): Allows you to pass on thoughts from others

• Tunawa: Energetic?
• Tunawa: Become quite lethargic in extreme cold
• Xanthea: Simple sentences

Rewards

After your work with the Intelligence Authority, you receive a bag of gifts from the Intelligence Authority, some of them straightforward and others unusual indeed.

• 200GN
• Achievement – Wordsmith & Achievement - Put the Words Right Into My Mouth!:: Your PC discovers a beautiful quill among their rewards, which has a white feather that remains pristine. When they write with this quill, their penmanship is not at all like their own as if another was guiding their hand, meaning that they can write anything without fear of their handwriting being recognised. It does not need to be sharpened and does not suffer wear and tear but it is highly flammable.
• Achievement – Strong Diligence: There is a jar of dark green gel with a label tied to the lid with string. The label names the substance as ‘Sweetleaf Jelly’ and it is described as a healing salve for cuts and bruises, which should be applied generously. The content is thick and has a pungent aroma, something like a cross between strong mint and grass. The jar contains enough for five treatments of minor cuts and bruises or two treatments of deeper, stitched wounds.
• Achievement – Two Roads Diverged: Within your bag of goodies is an odd looking coin. About the size of a gold nel, each face in golden in colour but the rim is silver. The oddest thing is that one face bears an image of two of Idalos’ suns while the other bears storm clouds split with a lightning bolt. It certainly is no ordinary coin and while it makes you want to flip it, you sense that to do so will bear consequences. [Special one-use item: if you choose to use it then PM me when you’ve written up to the coin flip and I will modbomb the effects! Be warned, they could be good or bad so use it wisely!]
• Achievement – Change with the Wind In the bag is a simple bronze bracelet, a slim twist of metal that bears a half carat hackmanite gem. When it comes out of the dark interior of the bag, the gem has a violet colour but once exposed to the light, it shifts to a grey-white. When it’s placed in the dark again the violet hue will return.
• Secret Achievement – Child at Heart: A pretty ragdoll made of soft materials and styled like an Eídisi woman. Something that might be of use for any children you might encounter… or maybe you’d like to keep it for yourself!
• Achievement – A Season of Rebirth: A stoppered and wax-sealed glass vial contains a thin, spindly plant. It has a dark brown stem and a few offshoots with silvery leaves. The unusual thing about it is that it gives off a soft green glow while in the dark, its own bioluminescence and it seems able to sustain itself. If the stopper is removed or the glass is broken then the plant will shrivel instantly and become rigid and black.
• Achievement – Clear and Concise & Achievement – Keeping Count: A deck of cards of good quality and on careful examination, it’s clear that they’re subtly marked on the back to give those in the know an indication of what’s on the front. These are the kind of cards that you can use to cheat in games… provided that you don’t get caught.

Other rewards/consequences:

• Achievement – Socialite: Add +3 to Socialisation
• Achievement – How Do You Do: Add +3 to Etiquette
• Achievement – Holding All the Answers: Virikai asked questions that he already knew the answer to and used his intellect to puzzle things out. Additionally, his interactions with Taysin were of note. As such, Yvithia has awarded him the final Favoured Xypha ability (Borrowed Knowledge) and he can expect a personal audience with her in his future. [Note: I will PM you about this as it’s an opportunity to progress to the next level of his mark!]
• Achievement – Unquestioning Obedience & As You Must:Add +3 to Discipline.
• Special Achievement – No Protest: & Self-control: Add +3 to Discipline
• Achievement – One of Sharp Words: & Achievement – Argumentative: Choose a weapon or weapons worth no more than 40GN, including modifiers.
• Secret Achievement – Teamwork: Leeloo and Virikai will find that they’re quite in sync with each other if they work on tasks together in the future. They don’t know what the other person is thinking but they do seem able to intuit how best to aid their partner. The two seem to have developed a special connection that makes completing tasks a little faster and easier, even in spite of the Tunawa’s size.

.

Linika

Comments

Well, well, well, Linika was full of surprises in this. I think she surprised everyone around her and she surprised me. Adopting a child? A Naerrik?! Goodness gracious! I appreciated the insight you gave into her character and why she felt so connected to Elyne. Unexpected depths and I enjoyed every bit of it. I hope to have the opportunity to learn more about her in the future.

Points

XP: 20
Renown: 20

Knowledge

• Acting: Appearing unfazed
• Acting: Act naturally to avoid arousing suspicion
• Caregiving: Soothing a frightened child
• Caregiving: Remove wet clothing
• Cosmetology: Make-up doesn’t survive a swim
• Detection: Hunting out clues from where they’re hidden
• Detection: Spotting things that are out of place
• Detection: Seeing when you’ve struck a nerve
• Discipline: Holding your tongue even when you want to be snarky
• Endurance: Pressing on in spite of injury
• Endurance: Pressing on in spite of extreme cold
• Endurance: Remaining in icy waters
• Endurance: Staying on your feet even though you can barely stand
• Endurance: Battling through the effects of hypothermia
• Etiquette: Asking if someone is all right working with one of your race
• Fieldcraft: Alcohol in water stops it from freezing
• Fieldcraft: Dress appropriately for Videnese weather
• Fieldcraft: Using objects in your environment to serve your needs
• Intelligence: Gather what information you can about a situation through observation
• Intelligence: Gather what information you can through careful questioning
• Interrogation: Bombard someone with questions
• Interrogation: Convince your target that answering questions is to their benefit
• Interrogation: Convince your target that you can help them
• Investigation: Choosing a suitable area to search for a person
• Investigation: Thinking like a child to try to find a child
• Investigation: Following a blood trail
• Investigation: Trying to uncover a conspiracy
• Leadership: Tell others what you want them to do
• Logistics: Preparing supplies for a rescue mission
• Logistics: Deciding how a search party should be organised
• Medicine: Don’t let someone with hypothermia fall asleep
• Persuasion: Convincing someone that you’re a friend rather than a foe
• Persuasion: Offering bribes to gain cooperation
• Persuasion: Convincing someone to lie for you
• Running: Chasing someone through snow
• Seafaring: The location of the rudder trunk
• Socialisation: Plain speaking
• Swimming: Use a flotation ring to stay afloat
• Tactics: Ensure that escape routes are covered
• Tactics: Laying low to avoid surveillance

Rewards

After your work with the Intelligence Authority, you receive a bag of gifts from the Intelligence Authority, some of them straightforward and others unusual indeed.

• 175GN
• Achievement – Questioning Nature: In the bag passed on to you by the Intelligence Authority is a Y-shaped stick about two foot in length and made of a pale white wood. When it’s moved, silvery blue veins seem to shimmer within its surface, the colouring similar to that of a Xypha mark. Most importantly, if one uses it like a dowsing rod, it can lead the bearer to a source of knowledge they need whether that be a book, a person, or another source. Unfortunately, its range is limited to a 10 yard radius and it will swing wildly outside of that range.
• Achievement – Wordsmith & Achievement - Put the Words Right Into My Mouth!:: Your PC discovers a beautiful quill among their rewards, which has a white feather that remains pristine. When they write with this quill, their penmanship is not at all like their own as if another was guiding their hand, meaning that they can write anything without fear of their handwriting being recognised. It does not need to be sharpened and does not suffer wear and tear but it is highly flammable.
• Second-in-Command: Linika has received a silver pendant with an enamel paint design of Yvithia’s symbol, a periwinkle owl on a white branch, as a result of her being made Yorrick’s second.
• Achievement – Blinded by Rainbows: A multi-coloured silk scarf
• Achievement – Bare Necessities: A fine, off-white comb that seems to hum with soft music when it’s used. A useful item but also a curiosity.
• Achievement – Strong Diligence: There is a jar of dark green gel with a label tied to the lid with string. The label names the substance as ‘Sweetleaf Jelly’ and it is described as a healing salve for cuts and bruises, which should be applied generously. The content is thick and has a pungent aroma, something like a cross between strong mint and grass. The jar contains enough for five treatments of minor cuts and bruises or two treatments of deeper, stitched wounds.
• Achievement – Zoologist: Someone decided to include a horn cup in your bag and whoever it was had a dark sense of humour. Painted on the surface in dark red paint are scenes of a Dire Boar hunt and includes a segment where the boar’s tusks are removed. A macabre gift but oddly mesmerising, especially as the paint on the surface almost looks like blood…
• Achievement – Goody Two-Shoes: Someone has added a pair of golden slipper shoes with ribbon trim to your bag. They’re light, very ostentatious and quite comfortable. Oddly enough, whoever put them there seems to know your exact size…
• Achievement – Two Roads Diverged: Within your bag of goodies is an odd looking coin. About the size of a gold nel, each face in golden in colour but the rim is silver. The oddest thing is that one face bears an image of two of Idalos’ suns while the other bears storm clouds split with a lightning bolt. It certainly is no ordinary coin and while it makes you want to flip it, you sense that to do so will bear consequences. [Special one-use item: if you choose to use it then PM me when you’ve written up to the coin flip and I will modbomb the effects! Be warned, they could be good or bad so use it wisely!]
• Achievement – Change with the Wind In the bag is a simple bronze bracelet, a slim twist of metal that bears a half carat hackmanite gem. When it comes out of the dark interior of the bag, the gem has a violet colour but once exposed to the light, it shifts to a grey-white. When it’s placed in the dark again the violet hue will return.
• Achievement – Something Blue: A roll of parchment tied with a dark blue ribbon that once unrolled reveals a stunning painting of an Aurora Glider. Underneath the image is a rough map of the bird’s typical flight patterns. Someone has scrawled the message: They make good mounts if you can catch one.
• Achievement – Overachiever: Someone has placed a wooden statuette of Yvithia’s owl without the branch. While it’s quite pretty, when moved, there’s a distinct feeling of something rattling in there. The only way to find out what is to break it open though… [PM me if you decide to go the smashing route!]
• Secret Achievement – Child at Heart: A pretty ragdoll made of soft materials and styled like an Eídisi woman. Something that might be of use for any children you might encounter… or maybe you’d like to keep it for yourself!
• Achievement – A Season of Rebirth: A stoppered and wax-sealed glass vial contains a thin, spindly plant. It has a dark brown stem and a few offshoots with silvery leaves. The unusual thing about it is that it gives off a soft green glow while in the dark, its own bioluminescence and it seems able to sustain itself. If the stopper is removed or the glass is broken then the plant will shrivel instantly and become rigid and black.
• Achievement – Slip of the Tongue: A small flask filled with a clear fluid, a potent alcohol. It isn’t clear what it is exactly but it has a faint taste of nuts and a few sips is enough to lower your inhibitions remarkably quickly although you only feel slightly tipsy. If you drink more than a few sips in one sitting, you’ll find yourself remarkably drunk and have to sleep it off.
• Achievement – Clear and Concise & Achievement – Keeping Count: A deck of cards of good quality and on careful examination, it’s clear that they’re subtly marked on the back to give those in the know an indication of what’s on the front. These are the kind of cards that you can use to cheat in games… provided that you don’t get caught.
• Achievement – Finders… Not Keepers?:: A sleek compass with an etching of an owl on a branch, the symbol of Yvithia, on the back. However, it doesn’t seem to point north. If used within Viden, the needle will spin wildly but once beyond its icy infrastructure, the needle will always point towards the city itself. An odd trinket indeed.

Other rewards/consequences:

• Achievement – To the Letter: This achievement resulted in an IC advantage during the quest that also has a lingering effect. Linika gained a headstart in her pursuit of Elyne and chose to take it. As a result, she forged an important bond with her and has gained the girl's devotion and absolute trust. Elyne would genuinely die for Linika
• United as Outcasts: Due to Linika's choice to adopt her, Elyne will become a personal NPC.
  
  Please add this NPC to your CS.
  ► Show Spoiler

  

  Name: Elyne
  Sex: Female
  Race: Human
  Date of Birth: 25 Cylus 708
  Description: Currently standing at 4' 6" and weighing roughly 70 pounds, Elyne has dirty blonde hair and grey-blue eyes. She's quite athletic and fit for her age, has a typically sunny disposition and is prone to smiles which show off the single dimple in her left cheek.
  Skills:
  Acrobatics: 10
  Cooking: 20
  Endurance: 25
  Running: 30
  Unarmed Combat (Unspecialised): 15
  Relationship to PC: Adopted daughter
• Achievement – How Do You Do: Add +3 to Etiquette
• Taking Initiative: By garnering Yorrick’s attention with her impressive behaviour, he helped hide her mark and she gained his respect. However, she also gained the admiration of Yvithia and as such she has gained the next 4 Xypha abilities: Perfect Copy, Emotional Palette, The Telesthetic Boon and The Mental Library.
• Achievement – Unquestioning Obedience & As You Must: Add +3 to Discipline.
• Cold as Ice: Although she was treated after her unwise dip in the icy waters of Synnefa Bay, Linika will find that a cough lingers in her lungs. It’s annoying more than anything, flaring up with seeming randomness although it’s particularly noticeable when she exerts herself.
• Achievement – One of Sharp Words: & Achievement – Argumentative: Choose a weapon or weapons worth no more than 40GN, including modifiers.
• Achievement – Teacher’s Pet: Pick an animal worth no more than 15GN.
• Achievement – Holding All the Answers: Pick a bonus knowledge of your choice in either Persuasion or Rhetoric.
• Cavini's Cloak: This cloak shimmers a soft color in complete darkness that echoes that of the wearer’s aura. While this item does little to protect against weapons, its strange ability of heating an individual up or cooling them down (depending on the season) makes it an interesting keepsake. [Purchased by player from PB, officially awarded here.]

.

Devin

Comments

Oh boy, did Devin make me laugh! Well, I definitely had some moments where I was ready to pull my hair out because he's just so... wild and unpredictable. He did things that I never could have imagined, made decisions that were frankly bonkers and I loved every second of it... once the shock wore off. I hope that he had fun with his sailor and that he isn't too sore over losing his child apprentice but then... it was his own fault and he seemed quite happy with his decisions at the time.

Points

XP: 20
Renown: 20
Ledger deductions: 1 Loaf of bread and a bottle of tea: -1GN 5SN

Knowledge

• Caregiving: Give a child a doll to comfort them
• Caregiving: Let someone use your shoulder as a pillow
• Deception: Conceal valuable items so you can keep them for yourself
• Deception: Lying about someone else to allay suspicions about yourself
• Detection: Hunting out clues from where they’re hidden
• Detection: Spotting when you’ve struck a nerve
• Etiquette: Don’t call out a person’s failings in public!
• Etiquette: Don’t ask a new acquaintance something extremely personal!
• Etiquette: Apologise with a peace offering
• Fieldcraft: Dress appropriately for Videnese weather
• Intelligence: Gleaning information from the responses of others
• Investigation: Choosing a suitable area to search for a person
• Investigation: Thinking like a child to try to find a child
• Investigation: Working out the source of a clue
• Investigation: Following a blood trail
• Investigation: Digging out a clue with your bare hands
• Leadership: Drag someone to make them follow you
• Logistics: Preparing supplies for a rescue mission
• Medicine: ‘Frostbite’ is a treatment for hypothermia
• Persuasion: Threaten someone with their fears to convince them to obey you
• Running: Racing through snow
• Seduction: Making yourself out to be a hero in order to impress someone
• Stealth: Be quiet to remain unseen
• Stealth: Slipping away unnoticed
• Tactics: Letting another suffer can be your gain

Rewards

After your work with the Intelligence Authority, you receive a bag of gifts from the Intelligence Authority, some of them straightforward and others unusual indeed.

• 150GN
• Achievement – Questioning Nature: In the bag passed on to you by the Intelligence Authority is a Y-shaped stick about two foot in length and made of a pale white wood. When it’s moved, silvery blue veins seem to shimmer within its surface, the colouring similar to that of a Xypha mark. Most importantly, if one uses it like a dowsing rod, it can lead the bearer to a source of knowledge they need whether that be a book, a person, or another source. Unfortunately, its range is limited to a 10 yard radius and it will swing wildly outside of that range.
• Achievement – Wordsmith & Achievement - Put the Words Right Into My Mouth!:: Your PC discovers a beautiful quill among their rewards, which has a white feather that remains pristine. When they write with this quill, their penmanship is not at all like their own as if another was guiding their hand, meaning that they can write anything without fear of their handwriting being recognised. It does not need to be sharpened and does not suffer wear and tear but it is highly flammable.
• Achievement – Bare Necessities: A fine, off-white comb that seems to hum with soft music when it’s used. A useful item but also a curiosity.
• Achievement – Strong Diligence: There is a jar of dark green gel with a label tied to the lid with string. The label names the substance as ‘Sweetleaf Jelly’ and it is described as a healing salve for cuts and bruises, which should be applied generously. The content is thick and has a pungent aroma, something like a cross between strong mint and grass. The jar contains enough for five treatments of minor cuts and bruises or two treatments of deeper, stitched wounds.
• Achievement – No, No, No, No… No!: For when those around you won’t take no for an answer, a carefully wrapped dagger has been included in your bag. The blades are of good quality with bone handles and the edges are well-honed and very sharp with an oily sheen that have darkened the cutting edge.
• Achievement – Zoologist: Someone decided to include a horn cup in your bag and whoever it was had a dark sense of humour. Painted on the surface in dark red paint are scenes of a Dire Boar hunt and includes a segment where the boar’s tusks are removed. A macabre gift but oddly mesmerising, especially as the paint on the surface almost looks like blood…
• Special Achievement – Awkward Much?: At first glance, you think you’ve found a combat knife in your bag but when you test the edge, not only is it blunt but the ‘blade’ pushes into the handle. It’s a fake weapon but what you’re supposed to do with it is anyone’s guess! Is it some sort of a joke?!
• Achievement – Goody Two-Shoes: Someone has added a pair of golden slipper shoes with ribbon trim to your bag. They’re light, very ostentatious and quite comfortable. Oddly enough, whoever put them there seems to know your exact size…
• Achievement – Two Roads Diverged: Within your bag of goodies is an odd looking coin. About the size of a gold nel, each face in golden in colour but the rim is silver. The oddest thing is that one face bears an image of two of Idalos’ suns while the other bears storm clouds split with a lightning bolt. It certainly is no ordinary coin and while it makes you want to flip it, you sense that to do so will bear consequences. [Special one-use item: if you choose to use it then PM me when you’ve written up to the coin flip and I will modbomb the effects! Be warned, they could be good or bad so use it wisely!]
• Achievement – Change with the Wind In the bag is a simple bronze bracelet, a slim twist of metal that bears a half carat hackmanite gem. When it comes out of the dark interior of the bag, the gem has a violet colour but once exposed to the light, it shifts to a grey-white. When it’s placed in the dark again the violet hue will return.
• Achievement – Something Blue: A roll of parchment tied with a dark blue ribbon that once unrolled reveals a stunning painting of an Aurora Glider. Underneath the image is a rough map of the bird’s typical flight patterns. Someone has scrawled the message: They make good mounts if you can catch one.
• Achievement – A Season of Rebirth: A stoppered and wax-sealed glass vial contains a thin, spindly plant. It has a dark brown stem and a few offshoots with silvery leaves. The unusual thing about it is that it gives off a soft green glow while in the dark, its own bioluminescence and it seems able to sustain itself. If the stopper is removed or the glass is broken then the plant will shrivel instantly and become rigid and black.
• Achievement – Slip of the Tongue: A small flask filled with a clear fluid, a potent alcohol. It isn’t clear what it is exactly but it has a faint taste of nuts and a few sips is enough to lower your inhibitions remarkably quickly although you only feel slightly tipsy. If you drink more than a few sips in one sitting, you’ll find yourself remarkably drunk and have to sleep it off.
• Achievement – Clear and Concise & Achievement – Keeping Count: A deck of cards of good quality and on careful examination, it’s clear that they’re subtly marked on the back to give those in the know an indication of what’s on the front. These are the kind of cards that you can use to cheat in games… provided that you don’t get caught.
• Achievement – Finders… Not Keepers?:: A sleek compass with an etching of an owl on a branch, the symbol of Yvithia, on the back. However, it doesn’t seem to point north. If used within Viden, the needle will spin wildly but once beyond its icy infrastructure, the needle will always point towards the city itself. An odd trinket indeed.

Other rewards/consequences:

• Achievement – Socialite: Add +3 to Socialisation
• Loose Tongue: Due to his disrespectful way of speaking to Mrs Tanely, the Orphanage's caretaker has enacted a particular form of revenge. The woman had him tracked down and tailed, discovering his true name and has had a notice placed all over Viden. Devin's description, his true name and his alias have been added to this notice, the man labelled as a fraud and a charlatan. As such, if Devin returns to the city, he will have a hard time carrying out any cons and given that anyone who sees him is to report the fact to Mrs Tanely, other negative consequences may plague him during any visits. If he wears a disguise then he stands a chance but also time will also ensure that the notices will eventually be covered up and forgotten about. An arc's time should be safe enough for walking Viden's streets again undisguised.
• Achievement – How Do You Do: Add +3 to Etiquette
• Fever Stone: A stone that has the appearance of a gemstone, a mix of oranges and reds that appear to glow and flicker within like flames and it feels warm to the touch as if someone has warmed it in their grasp. When held, it initially causes a gentle warmth to spread through the bearer, which is good for combating cold. After a few bits, the heat becomes uncomfortable, continuing to build until it causes the bearer to sweat and feel drained, eventually fainting if held onto for longer than 5 bits. However, as soon as the stone is no longer in immediate contact with the skin like if it's placed in a pocket, the heat build up will ebb.
• Achievement – Unquestioning Obedience & As You Must: Add +3 to Discipline.
• Secret Achievement – Liar, Liar: Since trying to throw suspicions on Linika, red, blotchy marks appear on the back of his neck when he lies. It starts out as feeling hot like a blush and the bigger the lies become the worse it gets. If he tells a few lies in the space of a few bits, the marks will become itchy and the desire to rub and scratch at it will grow, eventually causing it to develop into a full-blown rash. The rash develops more quickly when he tells lies that are potentially damaging to others. It’s uncertain if this is a subconscious guilt response or some sort of curse but either way, it’s bloody uncomfortable!
• Achievement – One of Sharp Words: & Achievement – Argumentative: Choose a weapon or weapons worth no more than 40GN, including modifiers.
• Achievement – Teacher’s Pet: Pick an animal worth no more than 15GN.
• Achievement – Holding All the Answers: Pick a bonus knowledge of your choice in either Persuasion or Rhetoric.

.

Amaris

Comments

Wow, Amaris didn't want to give much away during this. If Devin had been with them, he would have thought that they were the mute giant, not Gara the Ellune, haha. Still, Amaris proved to be invaluable, even if they were somehow more stoic than Kai - which is saying something! Here's hoping that they aren't put off from visiting Viden in the future by thinking that there's all sorts of nefarious things going on. I mean... there are nefarious things going on but shush, don't tell them!

Points

XP: 20
Renown: 20

Knowledge

• Acting: Hiding embarrassment
• Detection: Spotting a Xypha mark
• Detection: Spotting something partially hidden
• Detection: Spotting things that are out of place
• Detection: Spotting when someone dislikes children
• Detection: Sometimes accidents uncover exactly what you’re looking for
• Intelligence: Gather what information you can through careful questioning
• Interrogation: Offer bribes in exchange for information
• Interrogation: Tell your target that it’s worth their while to answer your questions
• Investigation: Choosing the best target to question
• Investigation: Choosing the best location to search
• Investigation: Sometimes you need to poke at things
• Leadership: Offer a course of action
• Logistics: Preparing supplies for a rescue mission
• Politics: Utilising political positions in introductions
• Socialisation: Choosing your words carefully
• Stealth: Eavesdropping on conversations
• Stealth: Make little noise so you can hear what’s going on around you

Rewards

After your work with the Intelligence Authority, you receive a bag of gifts from the Intelligence Authority, some of them straightforward and others unusual indeed.

• 200GN
• Achievement – Questioning Nature: In the bag passed on to you by the Intelligence Authority is a Y-shaped stick about two foot in length and made of a pale white wood. When it’s moved, silvery blue veins seem to shimmer within its surface, the colouring similar to that of a Xypha mark. Most importantly, if one uses it like a dowsing rod, it can lead the bearer to a source of knowledge they need whether that be a book, a person, or another source. Unfortunately, its range is limited to a 10 yard radius and it will swing wildly outside of that range.
• Achievement – Wordsmith & Achievement - Put the Words Right Into My Mouth!:: Your PC discovers a beautiful quill among their rewards, which has a white feather that remains pristine. When they write with this quill, their penmanship is not at all like their own as if another was guiding their hand, meaning that they can write anything without fear of their handwriting being recognised. It does not need to be sharpened and does not suffer wear and tear but it is highly flammable.
• Secret Achievement – In Brief: A tiny little notebook about 3 inches in length and width with a leather cover embossed with a snowflake. Each individual page has been carefully stitched into the leather spine and it contains a short poem in Leni about Yvithia’s heartbreak over the loss of her lover. It doesn’t amount to very much but it does look pretty!
• Achievement – Blinded by Rainbows: A multi-coloured silk scarf
• Achievement – Strong Diligence: There is a jar of dark green gel with a label tied to the lid with string. The label names the substance as ‘Sweetleaf Jelly’ and it is described as a healing salve for cuts and bruises, which should be applied generously. The content is thick and has a pungent aroma, something like a cross between strong mint and grass. The jar contains enough for five treatments of minor cuts and bruises or two treatments of deeper, stitched wounds.
• Achievement – No, No, No, No… No!: For when those around you won’t take no for an answer, a carefully wrapped dagger has been included in your bag. The blades are of good quality with bone handles and the edges are well-honed and very sharp with an oily sheen that have darkened the cutting edge.
• Achievement – Zoologist: Someone decided to include a horn cup in your bag and whoever it was had a dark sense of humour. Painted on the surface in dark red paint are scenes of a Dire Boar hunt and includes a segment where the boar’s tusks are removed. A macabre gift but oddly mesmerising, especially as the paint on the surface almost looks like blood…
• Achievement – Goody Two-Shoes: Someone has added a pair of golden slipper shoes with ribbon trim to your bag. They’re light, very ostentatious and quite comfortable. Oddly enough, whoever put them there seems to know your exact size…
• Achievement – Two Roads Diverged: Within your bag of goodies is an odd looking coin. About the size of a gold nel, each face in golden in colour but the rim is silver. The oddest thing is that one face bears an image of two of Idalos’ suns while the other bears storm clouds split with a lightning bolt. It certainly is no ordinary coin and while it makes you want to flip it, you sense that to do so will bear consequences. [Special one-use item: if you choose to use it then PM me when you’ve written up to the coin flip and I will modbomb the effects! Be warned, they could be good or bad so use it wisely!]
• Achievement – Change with the Wind In the bag is a simple bronze bracelet, a slim twist of metal that bears a half carat hackmanite gem. When it comes out of the dark interior of the bag, the gem has a violet colour but once exposed to the light, it shifts to a grey-white. When it’s placed in the dark again the violet hue will return.
• Achievement – Something Blue: A roll of parchment tied with a dark blue ribbon that once unrolled reveals a stunning painting of an Aurora Glider. Underneath the image is a rough map of the bird’s typical flight patterns. Someone has scrawled the message: They make good mounts if you can catch one.
• Achievement – A Season of Rebirth: A stoppered and wax-sealed glass vial contains a thin, spindly plant. It has a dark brown stem and a few offshoots with silvery leaves. The unusual thing about it is that it gives off a soft green glow while in the dark, its own bioluminescence and it seems able to sustain itself. If the stopper is removed or the glass is broken then the plant will shrivel instantly and become rigid and black.
• Achievement – Slip of the Tongue: A small flask filled with a clear fluid, a potent alcohol. It isn’t clear what it is exactly but it has a faint taste of nuts and a few sips is enough to lower your inhibitions remarkably quickly although you only feel slightly tipsy. If you drink more than a few sips in one sitting, you’ll find yourself remarkably drunk and have to sleep it off.
• Achievement – Clear and Concise & Achievement – Keeping Count: A deck of cards of good quality and on careful examination, it’s clear that they’re subtly marked on the back to give those in the know an indication of what’s on the front. These are the kind of cards that you can use to cheat in games… provided that you don’t get caught.
• Achievement – Finders… Not Keepers?:: A sleek compass with an etching of an owl on a branch, the symbol of Yvithia, on the back. However, it doesn’t seem to point north. If used within Viden, the needle will spin wildly but once beyond its icy infrastructure, the needle will always point towards the city itself. An odd trinket indeed.

Other rewards/consequences:

• Achievement – Socialite: Add +3 to Socialisation
• Achievement – To the Letter: This achievement resulted in an IC advantage during the quest that also has a lingering effect. Amaris was placed in a position to discover Tollan and as the one responsible for finding him, the people of Viden are especially grateful. Unbeknownst to them, the FRA have a special interest in the boy and have pulled certain strings on the counsellor's behalf. Should they return to Viden, they will not have to pay for accommodation in an inn but will discover that they have a tenancy contract for an apartment in the Amber Prism valid until Cylus 719. It isn't possible for the name on the contract to be changed but someone else can live there in their stead if they so choose.
• Achievement – How Do You Do: Add +3 to Etiquette
• Secret Achievement – Two’s Company: Due to their twin interaction, Amaris is receiving an aware “on the double” or more accurately, two items, a pair. They were given a pair of Kindred Bracelets, which are described in the Point Bank store thusly: “When two people are wearing one of these bracelets each they are always aware of when the other is in life-threatening danger.”
• Achievement – Unquestioning Obedience & As You Must: Add +3 to Discipline.
• Achievement – One of Sharp Words: & Achievement – Argumentative: Choose a weapon or weapons worth no more than 40GN, including modifiers.

.

Leeloo

Comments

Well, it was fun to see how Leeloo coped with the language barrier and it was certainly amusing to see how she talked. It was great to seethe sorts of ripples she caused in her group as a whole and how there was this sort of confusion surrounding everything she did. I enjoyed her enthusiasm, even if some people didn't IC. I hope Leeloo sticks around to get up to more mischief.

Points

XP: 20
Renown: 20

Knowledge

• Acrobatics: Jumping from person to person
• Caregiving: Comforting a sobbing child
• Climbing: Wear protection on your hands to prevent friction burns
• Discipline: Gathering courage to do what you don’t want to do
• Endurance: Standing unpleasant smells
• Endurance: Withstanding cold
• Endurance: Fighting exhaustion
• Etiquette: Apologise when you cause offence
• Fieldcraft: Dress appropriately for Videnese weather
• Interrogation: Strike up a rapport with the person you’re questioning
• Interrogation: Bombard someone with questions
• Investigation: Choosing the best target to question
• Investigation: Sometimes you need to poke at things
• Linguistics: Translating concepts from simple pictograms
• Linguistics: Recognising familiar words in unfamiliar languages
• Linguistics: Speaking through a translator
• Linguistics: Mimicking the speech of others
• Linguistics: Identifying words you’ve heard before even if you don’t understand them
• Logistics: Preparing supplies for a rescue mission
• Rhetoric: Dispensing harsh advice
• Rhetoric: If you want to get your point across, scream
• Strength: Clinging on for dear life
• Tactics: Gambol in front of children to gauge their interest in you
• Tactics: Planning the route you need to take

• Common: Basic words
• Common: Greetings and introductions
• Common: Parting words
• Common: ‘Bodies’ can mean dead people

Rewards

After your work with the Intelligence Authority, you receive a bag of gifts from the Intelligence Authority, some of them straightforward and others unusual indeed.

• 200GN
• Achievement – Wordsmith & Achievement - Put the Words Right Into My Mouth!:: Your PC discovers a beautiful quill among their rewards, which has a white feather that remains pristine. When they write with this quill, their penmanship is not at all like their own as if another was guiding their hand, meaning that they can write anything without fear of their handwriting being recognised. It does not need to be sharpened and does not suffer wear and tear but it is highly flammable. [Note: This feather is from a small bird and thus is appropriately sized for a Tunawa]
• Achievement – Bare Necessities: A fine, off-white comb that seems to hum with soft music when it’s used. A useful item but also a curiosity. [Note: This is sized for a normal person to use and can be plucked and used as an instrument]
• Achievement – Strong Diligence: There is a jar of dark green gel with a label tied to the lid with string. The label names the substance as ‘Sweetleaf Jelly’ and it is described as a healing salve for cuts and bruises, which should be applied generously. The content is thick and has a pungent aroma, something like a cross between strong mint and grass. The jar contains enough for five treatments of minor cuts and bruises or two treatments of deeper, stitched wounds. [Note: If used on herself, it'll speed up healing and regrowth and will stretch to three times the treatments. It's basically plant sap]
• Achievement – Two Roads Diverged: Within your bag of goodies is an odd looking coin. About the size of a copper nel, each face in golden in colour but the rim is silver. The oddest thing is that one face bears an image of two of Idalos’ suns while the other bears storm clouds split with a lightning bolt. It certainly is no ordinary coin and while it makes you want to flip it, you sense that to do so will bear consequences. [Special one-use item: if you choose to use it then PM me when you’ve written up to the coin flip and I will modbomb the effects! Be warned, they could be good or bad so use it wisely!]
• Achievement – Change with the Wind In the bag is a simple bronze bracelet, a slim twist of metal that bears a half carat hackmanite gem. The bracelet is a suitable size for a Tunawa necklace. When it comes out of the dark interior of the bag, the gem has a violet colour but once exposed to the light, it shifts to a grey-white. When it’s placed in the dark again the violet hue will return.
• Secret Achievement – Child at Heart: A pretty ragdoll made of soft materials and styled like an Eídisi woman. Something that might be of use for any children you might encounter… or maybe you’d like to keep it for yourself!
• Achievement – A Season of Rebirth: A stoppered and wax-sealed glass vial contains a thin, spindly plant. It has a dark brown stem and a few offshoots with silvery leaves. The unusual thing about it is that it gives off a soft green glow while in the dark, its own bioluminescence and it seems able to sustain itself. If the stopper is removed or the glass is broken then the plant will shrivel instantly and become rigid and black.
• Achievement – Slip of the Tongue: A thimble-sized flask filled with a clear fluid, a potent alcohol. It isn’t clear what it is exactly but it has a faint taste of nuts and a few sips is enough to lower your inhibitions remarkably quickly although you only feel slightly tipsy. If you drink more than a few sips in one sitting, you’ll find yourself remarkably drunk and have to sleep it off.
• Achievement – Clear and Concise & Achievement – Keeping Count: A deck of cards of good quality and on careful examination, it’s clear that they’re subtly marked on the back to give those in the know an indication of what’s on the front. These are the kind of cards that you can use to cheat in games… provided that you don’t get caught.

Other rewards/consequences:

• Achievement – Socialite: Add +3 to Socialisation
• Achievement – To the Letter: This achievement resulted in an IC advantage during the quest that also has a lingering effect. Leeloo got on very well with Treela and as a result, she was given a gift that encouraged others to be kindly disposed towards her: a friendship bracelet. It is hers to keep and so long as she continues to wear it, people will treat her well and she is unlikely to be harmed by others.
  
  Friendship Bracelet

  When worn, this bracelet affects anyone in physical contact with Leeloo to feel positively about the Tunawa and begin to have positive thoughts about her, encouraging the toucher to view her as friendly. This can be beneficial if someone intends her harm, provided that it isn’t a powerful intent, but it also means that someone who might dislike her could come to view her as more of a friend.
• Achievement – How Do You Do: Add +3 to Etiquette
• Achievement – Unquestioning Obedience & As You Must: Add +3 to Discipline.
• Achievement – One of Sharp Words: & Achievement – Argumentative: Choose a weapon or weapons worth no more than 40GN, including modifiers.
• Secret Achievement – Teamwork: Leeloo and Virikai will find that they’re quite in sync with each other if they work on tasks together in the future. They don’t know what the other person is thinking but they do seem able to intuit how best to aid their partner. The two seem to have developed a special connection that makes completing tasks a little faster and easier, even in spite of the Tunawa’s size.