**Édouard took the lead, pistol cocked. As they progressed, they found bones scattered around, in various states of decay and charring. At length they emerged into a massive crater, all smoking rock and sulfur. In the center, apparently deep in slumber, was a coiled serpent, a hundred feet long and five feet thick. Beneath it, a glowing fiery-red portal.**
**The light revealed mostly what they already knew; the ruined village, the dense woods, the empty sky. There were a handful of breaks in the woods leading to more paths, all of them as overgrown and weathered as the one they had taken. Some of the stones seemed to have been recently scorched, and there were burned patches of grass, though it was unclear why someone would be burning ruins.
In the rubble, Sly found a few artifacts, caked with dirt and age. Fragments of pottery. A small bit of a marble statue (a finger). A golden locket, smashed beyond recognition.**
As an item of tremendous and mysterious power, Riesig's fate becomes inextricably intertwined with that of the weapon. This manifests gradually over time, as he gain renown for his deeds with blade at his side. (Mini-Relic) Level One: Something deep inside the weapon stirs as if for the first time in countless centuries, burdening Riesig with a terrible secret always at the edges of his memory. This feeling guides him to a forgotten cairn in the Alogeans, where he discovers an item of minor power. For a moment, his sense of dread is relieved. But Mistilteinn is waiting. Level Two: The fire within the blade burns brighter, almost as though it were trying to leap fully out of the crystal from which it springs. The blade may extend twice as long at a thought, and otherwise gain projections and small embellishments at Riesig's sole will. Level Three: That same anxiety grows stronger in Riesig, leading him eventually to a scorched and crumpled book in the oldest archives of Epicrin. From this tone he learns a spell of moderate power, whose magics are almost unfathomably strange. For a while, his thoughts return to happier times. But Mistilteinn is waiting. Level Four: An aura of light spreads from the blade up Riesig's arm, hardening at a thought into an almost unbreakable piece of armor along his dominant arm. Level Five: With a start, Riesig realizes the true nature of the blade, leading him to a moss-covered barrow deep in the Northern Tundra. What he will encounter there he can only dream to know; all he knows, in the depths of his heart, is that Mistilteinn is waiting.
**A few of the buildings were still standing, in some fashion, though none were intact. Most had tumbled or rotted away roofs, with only a handful providing any real shelter. The village could have held forty or fifty at its height, perhaps more.
The sky started to lighten a bit over the trees, growing a sickly green color. Perhaps the sun was beginning to rise.**
**Nothing seemed to confront the browlers. The stones, meanwhile, faded soon after their tone had been produced.
After a few minutes along the path, the forest opened up into a partly overgrown clearing. Through the dim, they could make out the tumbled foundations of small buildings, apparently once a sort of village.**
The Riotous Laugh - A gauntlet made of unbreakable brass, covered in strange gears and cogs. Possesses a strange affinity for constructions and artifices. Machinist creations can temporarily or permanently fuse with the gauntlet, altering themselves in such a way as to fit their twin functions.
Cult Icon of Archipiada - Delicately sculpted out of finest alabaster, with impossibly precise details and a remarkably lifelike quality. Glows softly in the dark. Can fuse with one person ever, endowing them with a Light-based LSS. Cannot be leveled by spells already purchased; for example, if player has a Light 1 and 2 spell, they must buy additional 1 and 2 spells to make it level. Celestial Being Harness the inherent clarity of light to transform into a luminous being of celestial energy. Level One - You begin to glow softly, illuminating the darkness around you with the strength of a strong candle. Level Two - The light clears the mists from your eyes, allowing you to see clearly in the dark. Level Three - Your skin turns papery white, shocking and beautiful at once. Your touch gives a soothing, relaxing sensation. Level Four - Your hair begins to turn silvery white, just a few hairs and highlights at first, but more and more as time goes on, and your eyes turn a luminous light blue. Tracing your fingers in the air, you can create trails of solid light, up to a few feet in length, which hang in the air and glow brilliantly. These trails have a burning sensation on skin, though they cause real damage only with extended contact. Only three may be maintained at any given time. Level Five - The light surges through your flesh, bursting out in an almost blinding ray wherever your skin is pierced. This light soon burns your wound shut, cauterizing it, a process not without pain. All your scars quickly fade and disappear. Level Six - The glow around you grows brighter and slightly bluish. If you touch someone for more than a few moments, some of the aura will transfer to them, calming them and making you seem more sympathetic, the equivalent of two Charisma effects. Level Seven - The light begins to alter your material nature, reducing your weight. You gain the ability to levitate a few inches above the ground, moving at normal speed but without the need for physical exertion. Level Eight - Your consciousness merges with the light, granting you profound inner calm. Since your essence now resides within the light, you are able to make that light leave the body and move your perceptions anywhere within 200 feet of your body, which stands in its last position but remains utterly helpless until you return. Level Nine - At any time you may leave a mark, a glowing rune, upon any surface. Once every seven posts you may flit between these marks at the speed of light. Level Ten - You learn to harness your celestial energy for a custom ability based on your personality and the light.
**When they returned to the clearing, the setting had changed completely. Now the ruins were gone, replaced by windswept hard packed dust.**
Gram - "Reckon we can just break it down?"
Édouard - "I don't think there's much call for heroes in fluffy kitten dimension."
In the rubble, Sly found a few artifacts, caked with dirt and age. Fragments of pottery. A small bit of a marble statue (a finger). A golden locket, smashed beyond recognition.**
Level One: Something deep inside the weapon stirs as if for the first time in countless centuries, burdening Riesig with a terrible secret always at the edges of his memory. This feeling guides him to a forgotten cairn in the Alogeans, where he discovers an item of minor power. For a moment, his sense of dread is relieved. But Mistilteinn is waiting.
Level Two: The fire within the blade burns brighter, almost as though it were trying to leap fully out of the crystal from which it springs. The blade may extend twice as long at a thought, and otherwise gain projections and small embellishments at Riesig's sole will.
Level Three: That same anxiety grows stronger in Riesig, leading him eventually to a scorched and crumpled book in the oldest archives of Epicrin. From this tone he learns a spell of moderate power, whose magics are almost unfathomably strange. For a while, his thoughts return to happier times. But Mistilteinn is waiting.
Level Four: An aura of light spreads from the blade up Riesig's arm, hardening at a thought into an almost unbreakable piece of armor along his dominant arm.
Level Five: With a start, Riesig realizes the true nature of the blade, leading him to a moss-covered barrow deep in the Northern Tundra. What he will encounter there he can only dream to know; all he knows, in the depths of his heart, is that Mistilteinn is waiting.
The sky started to lighten a bit over the trees, growing a sickly green color. Perhaps the sun was beginning to rise.**
Server - "What do you think?"
After a few minutes along the path, the forest opened up into a partly overgrown clearing. Through the dim, they could make out the tumbled foundations of small buildings, apparently once a sort of village.**
The Riotous Laugh - A gauntlet made of unbreakable brass, covered in strange gears and cogs. Possesses a strange affinity for constructions and artifices. Machinist creations can temporarily or permanently fuse with the gauntlet, altering themselves in such a way as to fit their twin functions.
Cult Icon of Archipiada - Delicately sculpted out of finest alabaster, with impossibly precise details and a remarkably lifelike quality. Glows softly in the dark. Can fuse with one person ever, endowing them with a Light-based LSS. Cannot be leveled by spells already purchased; for example, if player has a Light 1 and 2 spell, they must buy additional 1 and 2 spells to make it level.
Celestial Being
Harness the inherent clarity of light to transform into a luminous being of celestial energy.
Level One - You begin to glow softly, illuminating the darkness around you with the strength of a strong candle.
Level Two - The light clears the mists from your eyes, allowing you to see clearly in the dark.
Level Three - Your skin turns papery white, shocking and beautiful at once. Your touch gives a soothing, relaxing sensation.
Level Four - Your hair begins to turn silvery white, just a few hairs and highlights at first, but more and more as time goes on, and your eyes turn a luminous light blue. Tracing your fingers in the air, you can create trails of solid light, up to a few feet in length, which hang in the air and glow brilliantly. These trails have a burning sensation on skin, though they cause real damage only with extended contact. Only three may be maintained at any given time.
Level Five - The light surges through your flesh, bursting out in an almost blinding ray wherever your skin is pierced. This light soon burns your wound shut, cauterizing it, a process not without pain. All your scars quickly fade and disappear.
Level Six - The glow around you grows brighter and slightly bluish. If you touch someone for more than a few moments, some of the aura will transfer to them, calming them and making you seem more sympathetic, the equivalent of two Charisma effects.
Level Seven - The light begins to alter your material nature, reducing your weight. You gain the ability to levitate a few inches above the ground, moving at normal speed but without the need for physical exertion.
Level Eight - Your consciousness merges with the light, granting you profound inner calm. Since your essence now resides within the light, you are able to make that light leave the body and move your perceptions anywhere within 200 feet of your body, which stands in its last position but remains utterly helpless until you return.
Level Nine - At any time you may leave a mark, a glowing rune, upon any surface. Once every seven posts you may flit between these marks at the speed of light.
Level Ten - You learn to harness your celestial energy for a custom ability based on your personality and the light.