• Graded • A City of Villains and Lies (Guest Mod - Night!)

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

Praise be to Faldrun as the red headed brute he sent was all the Aukari could have asked for, and more. He even came with his own sword! With the calm air about him, F'mos even believed he found his much needed meat shield, no- protector that the shriek no longer terrified him. It still gave him enough of a shock to make his heart skip but nothing else thanks to the man which did not show a hint of fear. This warrior definitely looked ready for a fight from the way he intens...

No...

Actually, this coward looked like he soiled his pants with his outburst. The gamble F'mos made was an obvious mistake as he had possibly put himself in a worse situation, or had he? Even if the man was no protector, the Aukari could still use a sack of meat to distract the monster which stalked them in the woods. It was not an idea which would have him losing any sleep over either. After all, who was better equipped with a chance to survive an encounter with the creature? The weak F'mos who preferred to keep his distance from his enemies and his small blades, or the redhead though visibly scared armed with a sword as wide as the Aukari's own arm?

Of course his plan would be useless if the man acted out his cowardly intentions to retreat, not that F'mos himself was a great example of bravery in the company of two. The Aukari could not allow the man to escape and grabbed him out of impulse. He knew he could easily be overpowered if the man had to use force, but he knew despair could be subdued by authority. However F'mos was no longer a guard nor did he have his stolen armour, so he was unable to fool the man into believing he had a chance against the creature as long as he obeyed someone of more experience.

Fortunately, F'mos had one other reliable companion. Frostbite would have been his next plan had he been unable to find someone else to protect him. The Aukari shook the man until he was sure the other's attention was on him before he gave his pitch and he only needed start with one question, "do you want to live?" It was a simple one with an obvious urgency to their situation and once F'mos had him, he quickly laid out his plan.

First, he had to sell the idea of the poison and its effectiveness against the monster. With time as a critical consideration, F'mos made sure to impress the idea that the two doses of Frostbite he had, the same which he uses to get past the gates, would be enough to weaken the monster. He knew it was large and could not be sure if the doses he had would be enough against a creature that size, but he also explained as a poison which worked through the cold, it could only be more effective in Cylus.

When asked why the Aukari could not use the poison himself, he only had to show his unarmed self without a hint of his weapons. He had his knives, but he could not risk an attack without being sure they would be able to penetrate the creature's hide. On the other hand the brute had a sword and even if the attack failed, he was something which F'mos could risk without a second thought. The man seemed convinced with his explanations and the Aukari immediately snatched the weapon once it was offered to apply the poison he had to it.

Adversity had a strange way of affecting people. For F'mos it was his willingness to sacrifice another and he hoped with all the advantages he fooled the man into thinking he had, that the man would be filled with reckless bravado. He expected to see the man rush the monster and watch before he had to decide it he could join in or escape on his own but, the Aukari was never a convincing person even to the soldiers he served with back in Sirothelle. Another he had placed his hopes on failing him should have been something he was already used to by then.

As F'mos had already bet everything on the man, he had no choice but to chase after him after he made off, especially when he also had the torch. His plan had already fallen apart as the running was not due until after the creature was stabbed with the poisoned blade, so the Frostbite would better spread through the exertion. He yelled for the man to stop in vain, and ran towards the direction of the light until it suddenly disappeared. There was no way it could have jus...

"Arrgh!"

The only reason he did not fall was because after he got through the portal, he knocked into the brute which helped him to regain his balance. He was not sure if the creature still followed them but not taking any chances, the Aukari gave the man a quick shove to prevent another escape attempt. Along with the push, he ran off to the other side with the trees where he could hide and recover his faculties. It was only then he would notice the gathering with Nightshade on one side and the one winged crow on the other.

It was obvious to him which side was the one to be on in the conflict but he decided not to get involved, tightening the hood to his black coat to make sure none of his red hair would be visible in the dark. Whatever their quarrel, F'mos was sure it would no longer matter once the monster caught up to them.

[Maltruism]

Several things happened that were unknown even by those that did them. And many others were set up to happen by these same unknown things. It would be a lie to say that Vuda set out to "save" Gangui. But the monstrosity facing the barbarian down at the portal was not something Vuda wanted coming through to this side. Still, wanted the portal left open. Already feeling taxed with spent ether and effort, he threw a bludgeoning front of Sovereign at the creature's face and...

Nothing happened.

Nothing obvious anyway. In his panicked, manic and frenetic state, the sudden registration of the force that would now release from the blade he held may have struck Gangui as nothing more than a subconscious wish for a miracle. But it was the sword's absorption of Vuda's spell, and the rudimentary knowledge of it's nature that had registered in the barbarian's mind.

But as quickly as it lodged there, it was spent. Just a few ticks after Vuda resigned himself to the belief that he'd overstepped himself to the point of spell failure, Gangui's sword flung the mage's Sovereign burst at the monster's face from less than a foot's distance. There was sickening hollow crack as the creature's head distorted slightly, it's face growing even more disturbing as it flattened and widened. Any more was lost to view as the beast fell back completely to its side of the event horizon.

Gangui had no real time to consider if he'd truly just experienced the sense of command and release of a magic spell, for hostility was all around. It was Vuda's biggest mistake of the trial just then to launch into an angry, threatening tirade against all present. Where so many different agendas could have been inflamed into a general free-for-all, he served only to become the common enemy that could unite them all, if only to the level of a truce.

"Traitors! All of you! Don! Our alliance is dissolved! Had I not had to dispatch your mages after they attacked and killed my servant, I would not be too spent to kill you all where you stand! But I will catch you. ALL of you, when you are alone. I will hunt you all down, one by one, and destroy you!"

He strode to where one of the Don's fallen men lay, in deliberate disregard of any blade strikes or volley of arrows sent his way from one person or another. Though they wore his Abrogative protection down somewhat, it would take considerably more to truly endanger him, and he wanted to impress upon all those he'd just threatened just how tough a customer he was. Lifting the arm of the dead gangster, he pulled a ring from the corpse's finger. He held it for a moment, muttering loud enough to be heard, yet still seemingly to himself, "I would have switched the 'Dominance' ring for this one, just the communication ring, to free her and show my appreciation."

Even in the dark, the reddening of his rage could be seen as he hurled the ring into the darkness. Whirling back, he thrust his finger at the collective before him. "But now she's dead, and it's too late! You, Don!..." His gesture now took in all the rest, "...and any that support him. Count the trials, for they are your last!"

He did not bother walking back through any more possible attacks. Though his armor was in place, he did not have the power to reset it if it actually was to be weakened enough to pose a threat. He did however, still have one untapped well, and he used it to open a portal back into the city. At the last moment, he noticed a few faces that he'd missed. He hesitated for a tick, thinking he ought to perhaps admit that his threat may not truly extend to everyone present. But in the end, he shrugged, tore open a portal and stepped through to close it behind him.

He did not actually think to close the other portal, which was still tapping into one of his wells. It would soon wink out, but it was still there for a few bits. Arriving back in a quiet corner of town, he realized that the counterpart ring to the one he'd thrown in anger was useless. He cursed himself for his loss of control and pulled off the matching ring to toss it aside as well.

[Noth]

The entire situation had exploded into something chaotic. Beings who had not been expected suddenly arose from places where they had no right to have been, and portals opened and close with such spontaneity that it became difficult to discern their origins for longer than a few bits. Potential allies, and guaranteed enemies situated themselves in advantageous positions, barking orders, threats, lies, condemnations.

Noth was at the point where there existed a very real potential of sensory overload. He tried to analyze the situation as best he could, and was forced to instantaneously determine his reaction to each scene on an individual basis. The monster had been dispatched back through its portal by a fair swing of a sword, and the men who had been chased through by it seemed of little threat to Marrow or the hybrid.

Meanwhile, the Don’s goons were acting in his favor, and were therefore counted as ‘allies’, at least for this skirmish. They were hastily disregarded in the analytical process, though Noth made certain that the Don himself was not fleeing from the conflict. The plan depended on him staying alive, but if he were to suffer injury in the process, it would be all the better for the greater scheme afoot. He could only hope that their talented actor had managed to secure payment from the Don’s successor, lest the efforts be for naught.

The greatest threat of them all was also one of the newest arrivals. The twilight hybrid didn’t recognize him at first, because he had never met him in person, though he was fairly certain that he had seen him from afar. Chief Advisor Vuda was certainly a dangerous and powerful person, or else he would not have managed to claim the title which he held, and Noth was instantly suspicious of the vizier’s role in the plot. That was revealed rather quickly when the aging fellow cursed the Don for causing such chaos throughout Etzos, and began speaking about how he would have replaced a girl’s ring to one of communication.

He mentioned the words Dominance, and suddenly the hybrid had an idea of the shadowy Vuda, pulling strings like a puppet master behind the backs of everyone, or at least, at the behest of Pahrn. No matter the quarreling that rocked the Tower, it did seem likely that most people inevitably agreed with or followed through with the plans of the Chief Advisor or Pahrn, and while that may have seemed natural, the idea that the other councilors were simply puppets to their power was one which explained much of the political circumstances of Etzos.

It took Noth only a trill to re-adjust the aim of his longbow over towards Vuda, and he quickly released an arrow towards him, aiming to end the conspiracy in a single fell shot. The arrow made contact rather easily, though it appeared to do no harm to the man. There was no subtle clinking of armor, which meant that his protective abilities relied more upon mental vigor than physical constructs. That was disheartening to the hybrid, because it meant that a majority of his attacks would be utterly wasted against the man. Thankfully, he seemed far more focused upon the Don and making threats than upon actually acting upon them. His bark was vicious, though his bite was petty and weak, and the hybrid’s glare spoke just as much.

A few more moments passed, and Vuda had finished his threats, and retreated once more to the city, closing the portal behind him. Instinctively, Noth glanced towards the other portal, expecting for there to be a swarm of armed soldiers rushing through to subdue the criminal gang and their opposition of lawmen, however, such an attack never came.

An idea flourished in the mind of the murderous Avriel, and an instant later he was upon the corpse of a nearby body, rending it to ribbons and chunks with his talons in a frantic display of savagery that was liable to cause more than a single cry of astonished shock. He rent away the right hand of the man, holding the bloodied stump of a limb in his own before chucking it through the portal, and then, just as quickly he retrieved and hurled the other hand, and then the feet. Noth knew little of the magical abilities that allowed beings to create portals, but he had an understanding that they their powers were taxed when used, and that they could suffer if their abilities were overtaxed.

He had the thought that every time he threw something through the portal, it would leech a hint of energy away from the aged vizier, and since there were a surplus of corpses around, they seemed the most viable ammunition for his fiendish project.

“Quickly, throw things through the portal!” He hissed at those around him.

Worst case, he was incorrect, and wherever Vuda had built his portal; hopefully his personal chambers, would be filled with the ragged and rent remains of dead criminals.

Noth could only imagine the conversations ensuing from trying to explain that to some lingering guardsmen.

[Maltruism]

Come and get your Loot!

(There's plenty more where that came from)

NERONIN:

Rewards:

• Story: +5
• Collaboration: +10
• Structure: +5

These points Can be used for magic - Necromancy only.

Knowledges:

• Deception: Masks Work Better for Some Than for Others
• Detection: Torches in the Night
• Don Paul: Has an Elaborate Back Brace Apparatus
• Intelligence: Recognizing a Situation Where Both Sides Might Pay You
• Intelligence: The Don Has Mages in his Employ
• Intimidation: Raising the Don's Dead Right Before his Eyes
• Intimidation: The Don had a Monstrous "Pet"
• Intimidation: The Eloquently-Phrased, Veiled Threat
• Ith'Ession: The Don's Street Common Has Many Elements
• Location: Noth's Cave
• Logistics: Having to Plan a Caper in a Hurry
• Logistics: The Chaos of a Lynch Mob in Running a Plan
• Logistics: Too Many Fake Names Gets Confusing
• Necromancy: Holding and Altering the Energy for Different Tasks
• Necromancy: Presence of the Living Makes Thralls Harder to Control
• NPC: Carlos: The Don's Defier Mage
• NPC: Divinya: The Don's Necromancy Mage
• NPC: Don Paul: Criminal Boss
• Politics: Jurisdiction Conflicts Aid the Criminals
• Politics: Safety vs. Money Often Decides Whose Side Folks are On
• Politics: Vuda's Words about 'Dominance' Rings Explain a Lot About Etzos

Loot, Loss, Injuries, Fame, Devotion:

-4gn, 8sn for masks. (Nice of you to foot that bill, sucker )
Special Loot to be shared with Noth through your faction:

• The Don and his underworld connections (PM me for use)
• Carlos, the Defier Mage (per Personal NPC Guide PLUS 45 in Defiance!!)
• Divinya, the Necro Mage (same, but with necro bonus)
• One more thug per Personal NPC guide (no magic on this one)

The faction, "Al'Angyryl", will get -500 fame, when it is learned that they have absorbed the remains of the Don's operations and personnel.
No personal fame for you guys as you had masks on.

___________________________________________________________

NIGHT:

Rewards:

• Story: +5
• Collaboration: +10
• Structure: +5

These points can Not be used for magic.

Knowledges:

• Detection: Torches in the Night
• Don Paul: Has an Elaborate Back Brace Apparatus
• Flying: Leading a Pursuer to Crash into the Ground
• Hunting: Following the Light of Rupturing Portals in the Dark
• Intelligence: Remna Infiltrated the Black Guard Posse
• Intelligence: The Don Has Mages in his Employ
• Leadership: Out-Shouting an Argument
• Linguistics: Many People, Many Languages, Saying the Same Things
• Linguistics: Urgent Situations Will Cause Statements of Urgency
• Logistics: Independent Search Parties Often Confront Each Other
• Logistics: The Chaos of a Lynch Mob in Keeping Order
• NPC: Anita: The Don's Monstrous "Pet" Becomer Mage
• NPC: Carlos: The Don's Defier Mage
• NPC: Divinya: The Don's Necromancy Mage
• NPC: Don Paul: Criminal Boss
• NPC: Remna: The Don's Empathy Mage (Deceased)
• NPCs: Winhelm and Alexander: Black Guard Veterans
• Paplo/Kovic: Came Along With the Posse
• PC: Tirta: Came Along With the Posse
• Politics: Jurisdiction Conflicts Aid the Criminals
• Politics: Safety vs. Money Often Decides Whose Side Folks are On
• Politics: Vuda's Words about 'Dominance' Rings Explain a Lot About Etzos

Loot, Loss, Injuries, Fame, Devotion:

+10 fame for being visibly in the middle of the whole deal.
I'm sorry to say that since this started as a guest-mod deal, there was never going to be any special loot reward for you. But I had a great time after stepping in. We'll give this another shot with something a little less massive.

___________________________________________________________

NAUTA:

Rewards:

• Story: +5
• Collaboration: +7 (two posts)
• Structure: +5

These points can Not be used for magic.

Knowledges:

• Acting: Faking Mob Fervor Until You Can Get Away
• Detection: Torches in the Night
• Detection: An Angry Yell Seems Safer than A Terrified One
• Don Paul: Has an Elaborate Back Brace Apparatus
• Intelligence: Recognizing a Situation Where Both Sides Might Pay You
• Intelligence: The Don Has Mages in his Employ
• Intimidation: The Don had a Monstrous "Pet"
• Leadership: Shake the Man to Make Him Listen
• Linguistics: Many People, Many Languages, Saying the Same Things
• Linguistics: Urgent Situations Will Cause Statements of Urgency
• Logistics: Independent Search Parties Often Confront Each Other
• Logistics: The Chaos of a Lynch Mob When Looking for Clues
• NPC: Don Paul: Criminal Boss
• PC: Gangui: Crazy Barbarian With a Sword
• Persuasion: Telling the Swordsman The Poison Assures Victory
• Politics: Jurisdiction Conflicts Aid the Criminals
• Politics: Safety vs. Money Often Decides Whose Side Folks are On
• Politics: Vuda's Words about 'Dominance' Rings Explain a Lot About Etzos
• Rupturing: Stumbling Through Someone Else' Portal to Escape
• Stealth: Hood Up To Hide Your Red Aukari Hair
• Tactics: Frostbite Poison for the Only Sword Facing a Monster
• Tactics: Use Gangui as a Meat Shield and Distraction for Escape

Loot, Loss, Injuries, Fame, Devotion:

-30gn for coat, cord and food.
No fame, as you were mostly hiding, sorry
This was started, and the rewards pre-arranged, while you were out.
You got into this late and I never got much plot to build up for something special.
The sword and the rings were going to be for Gangui and Vluharqih respectively, and I am hesitant to hand them over in case they come back.

___________________________________________________________

NOTH:

Rewards:

• Story: +5
• Collaboration: +10
• Structure: +5

These points can Not be used for magic.

Knowledges:

• Deception: Masks Work Better for Some Than for Others
• Detection: Torches in the Night
• Don Paul: Has an Elaborate Back Brace Apparatus
• Intelligence: Recognizing a Situation Where Both Sides Might Pay You
• Intelligence: The Don Has Mages in his Employ
• Intimidation: The Don had a Monstrous "Pet"
• Intimidation: Throwing Bloody Body Parts Out of the Dark
• Leadership: Taking Lessons From Rumors About the Don
• Logistics: Having to Plan a Caper in a Hurry
• Logistics: The Chaos of a Lynch Mob in Running a Plan
• Logistics: Too Many Fake Names Gets Confusing
• Neronin: Carries His Back-up Personnel With Him
• Neronin: Proof That Magic Does Sick Things to the Wielder
• NPC: Carlos: The Don's Defier Mage
• NPC: Divinya: The Don's Necromancy Mage
• NPC: Don Paul: Criminal Boss
• Politics: Jurisdiction Conflicts Aid the Criminals
• Politics: Safety vs. Money Often Decides Whose Side Folks are On
• Politics: Vuda's Words about 'Dominance' Rings Explain a Lot About Etzos
• Sociology: Assurance of Safety Imply Inherent Danger
• Sociology: Making Light Jokes About Disturbing Subjects
• Stealth: Your Black Wing at Night is Good Mobile Concealment
• Stealth: Use the Light of Someone Else' Torch
• Tactics: Burn Out a Portal's Charge by Throwing Many Things Through it
• Tactics: Let the Rioters do Some of the Bloody Work For You

Loot, Loss, Injuries, Fame, Devotion:

See Neronin's section for this stuff.

Comments:

What is this "N" named phenomenon???
Only those 4 PCs with names starting with N saw this through.
Kovic and Tirta are retired.
Vluharqih and Gangui have not been active for some time.
If any of you unretire or become active again, I will grade your portion.
You will see that there are many K's I gave to more than one PC because of them being together to have the same experiences.
I think there was some confusion over the "Pet". My understanding was that this was Anita, the Don's Becomer, and Vuda killed her, but the monster was still running around. I'm not going to make an issue of it. I only mention it in case anyone else was confused. Let's just say there were two pets and call it good.
Sorry, Noth and Nero, you were never near any big crowds, so I didn't give you any Linguistics from hearing so many folks all shouting the same things in different languages.
PM me with any comments or concerns

[Maltruism]

Come and get your Loot!

(There's plenty more where that came from)

GANGUI:

Rewards:

• Story: +5
• Collaboration: +10
• Structure: +5

These points can NOT be used for magic.

Knowledges:

• Acting: Faking Mob Fervor Until You Can Get Away
• Becoming: The Monstrous Blends of Forms a Master Can Attain
• Blades (Longsword): Lighter Than a Bastard Sword
• Blades (Longsword): Striking Up From the Ground
• Defiance: Being a Target of a Water Mage's Blast
• Detection: Torches in the Night
• Hunting: Following the Light of Rupturing Portals in the Dark
• Intimidation: Bluffing
• Leadership: Taking Charge of What's Left of the Crowd
• Linguistics: Many People, Many Languages, Saying the Same Things
• Linguistics: Urgent Situations Will Cause Statements of Urgency
• Logistics: Independent Search Parties Often Confront Each Other
• Logistics: The Chaos of a Lynch Mob in Keeping Order
• Polearms (Lance): Not a One-Handed Weapon, Unmounted
• Polearms (Lance): You Need the Mount's Strength for Impact
• Politics: Innocence is Irrelevant When the Mob Rules
• Politics: Jurisdiction Conflicts Aid the Criminals
• Politics: Safety vs. Money Often Decides Whose Side Folks are On
• Psychology: A Familiar Weapon Brings Back Lost Confidence
• Psychology: Recognizing How Easily The Mob Fervor Took You
• Running: Continuing On When Exhausted
• Rupturing: Portals Will Take Anyone That Steps Through
• Sociology: The Dynamics of a Growing Mob Mentality
• Vuda: Opposed to the Same People You Are

Loot:

You don't know of any name for either the sword or the ensorcellment upon it.
But it will absorb one spell up to Expert level, three times a day.
You must be holding the hilt with the knowledge of the incoming magic attack.
You will immediately understand that you now hold a spell in the sword.
You have the immediate understanding of what spell it is, and the instinctive ability to cast it out at your own discretion at a target of your own choosing.
This cast, however, does not grant you magic knowledge or teach you any spell cast this way.
And the stored spell must be spent within an hour or it fades away.
There is no sheath for it.

Loss:

Nothing but temporary bouts of sanity

Injuries:

Numerous lacerations and bruises.
You'll be moving slow and finding sore spots for the next couple weeks.

Fame: +10

A few folks saw you hit that monster and appear to kill it with a single sword stroke.

Devotion: 0

None of that

Comments:

Glad to see you finally get your sword.
You DO understand that it was the sovereign spell, cast by Vuda and absorbed into the sword, that actually killed the monster, right?
PM me with any comments or concerns

[Maltruism]

Come and get your Loot!

(There's plenty more where that came from)

KOVIC:

XP Rewards: +18

These points can NOT be used for magic.

Knowledges:

• Aerlan: Has Disappeared, Seemingly for Good
• Deception: Lead the Party Away From the Target Area
• Detection: Bird Sounds in the Wild Differ From Those in the City
• Detection: Long Letters from Noth are Very Unusual
• Endurance: Trekking Through the Woods is Exhausting
• Etiquette: Adventuring With Friends Requires Less Formality
• Etiquette: Relentless Optimism in the Face of Danger
• Logistics: A Monster May not be the Target, But Still Has to Die
• Logistics: Torches are Cheap, and Can be Found Everywhere
• Mount: Horse: Let a Familiar Rider Grab a Spooked Horse's Reins
• Mount: Horse: Let it Vent its Huffs and Puffs Without Reacting
• Mount: Horse: They Can Sense a Rider's Unusual Nature
• Neronin: a Partner in Al'Angyryl
• Persuasion: A Letter Often Convinces Better than Spoken Words
• Persuasion: Use Nightshade's Good Reputation to Secure Your Own
• Tirta: Someone You Have "Marital" Fantasies About

Loot, Loss, injuries:

Nothing yet

Fame/Renown: +10

You have Night to Vouch for Your participation

!	Message from: Maltruism
	Okay, this was done on the old grading system, and I have already altered my template. So you'll just have to look at it as "+5 Story / +8 Collaboration / +5 Structure". You did do three posts, and Kovic is as eloquent as ever, but he did kinda bail halfway through.