>>633882
[private]
She's actually being hit by both. The phantasm just happens to be benign, since we used it to make an illusion of a path to follow.

That doesn't mean she won't be hit by a hostile phantasm in the near future (they just have to cancel ours, or wait for the minute to run out).

** Author Note: Sketching the next update but figured I'd do some replies to the ideas -- none of these are "audible" to Sami. **

>[+3 IP towards Sami moving faster.]

Sami's going about as fast as she can since she's choking. You can push her faster but there will be consequences unless you also use IP to let her cheat and ignore them, and you can only spend up to 5 IP total/player unless the other players help.

>+2 IP to reinforcing that part of Sami's memory.

Memory isn't the issue right now.

>Can we phantasm over the other phantasm?

Yes, but you have to match up the senses and points used. If her vision and hearing are being PHANTASM'd for 5 pts, then it would require two players working together to counter. If vision, hearing and taste were being PHATASM'd but only for 1 point each then one player could counter it all for 3pts.

>Play the flute, lure yourself?

The flute is a wind instrument and Sami is choking.

>But you're not underwater, Sami. You're running through the town, on an errand, remember? You have to deliver something.

As players you see Phantasms too, with the exception of when GLAMOURS are being used.

>Okay, if the spirits have hijacked our network, what happens if we force our network to shut down?

Requires Admin access.

>Yes, but you have to match up the senses and points used.
Well, shoot. We'll be able to cancel out and leave our own effect by throwing a stronger one on, though, right?

[+5 IP to Phantasm: Three on FEEL for a dry summer day, two on SCENT for whatever dried plants would be found locally in the summer]

Okay. If phantasms on different senses don't cancel, the visual illusion of the path doesn't protect her from illusions on any other senses.

The sensation of drowning could be memory retrieval, or a physical illusion.

>>634006
Okay, we already had sight, that should cover scent and touch, that just leaves... taste and hearing.

[+1 IP, Aural Phantasm: Gentle Breeze]
[+1 IP, Gustatory Phantasm: Lemon Sucker]

They'll have to cancel our phantasms to affect their own, now, and it should be obvious when they do so, because we'll see ours drop out.

[private]
>requires (remote) admin access to power cycle a local network
That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. We should just crash the network, then.

>>634003
...each sense has its own phantasm slot that has to be fought over? Should have specified. I'll retract the 3 IP towards moving faster.

In the interest of saving IP I don't think we should spend much on anything other than keeping her sense of touch stable.
[+2 IP to the touch-sense of being dry and warm, to bring it up to 5.]

>Well, shoot. We'll be able to cancel out and leave our own effect by throwing a stronger one on, though, right?

** For more elaboration: **
If a Phantasm is unchallenged, then the spend is as normal. For example, no one is challenging your visual Phantasm so its spend is normal.

To cancel out a running Phantasm, you have to match the spend. The running Phantasm has already spent IP and this used up. If you challenge it, you have to match the spend -- but this is only used up if you succeed (so in the case of multiple PHANTASM users, if two spend 5 and one spends 5 to oppose, then the Phantasm runs on a 10 point spend, but the opposing player doesn't use up any IP. While the in-story impact is a L5 Phantasm (the extra points don't make it any stronger) it will take a 10 point spend to stop it.

In the case of a Phantasm 'battle', it becomes a numbers game. If one group wants to create a phantasm of the smell of fresh bread while the other wants fresh fish, the end result depends on who goes first and who wins. Let's say the Bread Group moves first and spends 5 to make a completely realistic bread smell. That IP is spent. Now to turn the bread smell into a fish smell, the Fish Group has to spend 5 to cancel it out, and another 5 to make their fish smell. If the bread group fights them, then its whichever group spends the most. So if the bread group proposes to spend 20 points and the fish group 25 points, then the fish group wins, the bread smell becomes fish, and the total spend is 30 (5 for the initial phantasm, and 25 for the victory). If the fish group had less members and can only spend up to 15 points, then the bread group wins and the total spend is 20 (5 for the initial and 15 to counter the fish).


>+5 IP to Phantasm: Three on FEEL for a dry summer day, two on SCENT for whatever dried plants would be found locally in the summer

You can spend 2 on SMELL but you will have to specify the smell as Sami is not thinking of anything related to summer plants (thus you can't use DRAW MEMORY to complete it).

Attempting to create a TOUCH PHANTASM reveals that there is currently a L5 TOUCH PHANTASM fueled by 5 points of influence.

>That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. We should just crash the network, then.

** Please note that you're not literally operating a computer network in Sami's world and power cycling and network crashing is something that's easier to do here than there. **

>...each sense has its own phantasm slot that has to be fought over? Should have specified. I'll retract the 3 IP towards moving faster.

** I got the feeling I wasn't communicating very clearly which is the reason for this text update **

>[+2 IP to the touch-sense of being dry and warm, to bring it up to 5.]

The CURSE steps up its spend to protect its PHANTASM. It will spend an extra 6 points to maintain it, meaning the Phantasm will run on 11 points. The group's total counter spend is 5. Note that none of these points will be spent until both groups hit their limit. The DROWNING TOUCH PHANTASM has 3 separate backers; their maximum spend is 15.

Note that regardless of who wins the base spend will be 5 + whatever the victors spend to influence the results.

>Attempting to create a TOUCH PHANTASM reveals that there is currently a L5 TOUCH PHANTASM fueled by 5 points of influence.
Spend 5 IP to cancel out the existing tactile phantasm
Spend 3 IP to create a new tactile phantasm: feel of a warm summer's day

...also can we just run a watchdog script to ping us every time our available IP count changes? Or can we just toggle the IP count on the UI? Part of the problem here is we didn't see them spending.

** Author Notes **

If I've done my math right, here's the spend towards touch:

>5db52c: Spend 5 IP to cancel out the existing tactile phantasm
>Tokoshoran!: +5 IP to Phantasm: Three on FEEL for a dry summer day
>296917: +2 IP to the touch-sense of being dry and warm

That is a total of 12 points to counter the CURSE, which will beat the Phantasm's 11.

In retaliation, the CURSE maxes out its possible spend to 15 pts.

Users 5db52c and Tokoshoran can no longer influence the battle as they have maximized their contribution. If the group can match the CURSE, they will win the battle and the Phantasm will change to warm summer breeze.

Sami is subconsciously aware of your struggle and you gain 5 trust regardless of outcome; her trust is now 40.

>>634034
That's a lot of IP... We could switch tacks... Use DRAW MEMORY, causing Sami to remember how she didn't drown?

Sami, we have a choice here. Spend a bunch of resources to counter the ghosts' illusion that's making you feel like you're drowning, or we can draw upon your memory of not drowning, allowing you to possibly ignore it. Doing the memory thing would cost us less resources and force the ghosts to waste some. Or you can just keep going while trying to ignore the sensation. We could spend resources to help you ignore it, too. Consider that you are actually still breathing, it just feels like you aren't.

>>634044
Pulling up a memory won't stop the phantasm from choking her. And max-spend phantasms can kill. We literally don't have time for this- someone just spend a point and push us over.

The curse spirits brought IP with them- it's not a resource we need to currently conserve. In fact, it would be better if we could drop it to zero so they couldn't use it to fuel hostile actions. (And if/when we survive/win this by getting the gold where we want to, there will probably be an IP reward anyways).

Don't fall prey to the adventurer's fallacy. Don't try and conserve your potions for later when you need them now.

>>634047
Phantasms past 5 points can be fatal? Well fine. I'll max out my spend to match the 15.

>Sami, we have a choice here. Spend a bunch of resources to counter the ghosts' illusion that's making you feel like you're drowning, or we can draw upon your memory of not drowning, allowing you to possibly ignore it.

Sami is in no condition to reply.

>Pulling up a memory won't stop the phantasm from choking her. And max-spend phantasms can kill. We literally don't have time for this- someone just spend a point and push us over.
>Phantasms past 5 points can be fatal? Well fine. I'll max out my spend to match the 15.

** Just a note, Sami has to be in a weakened state -- sick, physically injured, etc -- for a Phantasm it kill her, and even then it comes off her Plot Armour first. The maximum Phantasm level is 5 -- that's where her body will react as if it's actually happening -- but putting in more points just prevents it from being over-ridden or cancelled out. So if Sami's body thinks she's drowning her body will switch into survival mode, and that's where the complications are. **

>I'll max out my spend to match the 15.

Total IP spend to counter is 15; 33 IP is left. Sami will experience a DRY SUMMER BREEZE PHANTASM. The counter comes in the nick of time... (** and that means I have to scrap my update and start on a new one ** )

+4 points to countering the curse.

>>634053
Noted, although since the original program description didn't specify what qualified as weakened, or to what degree, I think we made the right call.

That and I'm pretty sure IP is a more renewable resource than plot armor. Burning one to conserve the other seems reasonable.

[ animated ] Smik 2015/04/13(Mon)17:40 No. 634249 ID: 3009b4
File 142897201568.gif - (1.46MB , 640x720 , Sami Abort Transform Anim.gif )

Sami can't breathe and she feels her lungs fill with water, all the while she's actually hyperventilating. She thinks she's drowning, and that's when the change begins to take place.

She shrieks and her voice carries across the town, while in her mind she cries "NO!" over and over again, loud enough for you to hear it.

But just as one of her hands bursts into form, the drowning sensation ceases and a soft, dry wind blows across her face.

Smik 2015/04/13(Mon)17:48 No. 634252 ID: 3009b4
File 142897250893.jpg - (263.16KB , 640x720 , sami_st1c.jpg )

Aside from her echoing cry, the air is still and quiet again. Sami sighs raggedly as she sees her hand is normal once again.


Sami: ... thank-you. Thank-you. I... I could feel myself starting to change and it was terrifying.

** Sami's Trust has increased by 15; her trust is now 55. While her natural paranoia hasn't left completely she now trusts you like a team mate. **

Her clothing is still drenched in sweat but her skin no longer feels chilled. The ordeal was draining and as she lifts the bag of coins they feel as heavy as a corpse.

Despite all this, Sami feels a growing confidence that she hasn't felt in years beginning to grow within her. With grim determination -- and knowing full well that the horrors are probably only beginning -- she marches towards the mayor's closed up mansion.

** Sami has gained a temporary Plot Armour boost of 10 due to determination; she now has 110 PA. (This buff lasts as long as PA 'damage' does -- basically end of chapter) **

>>634252
Well, that was kindof expensive but it looks like it was worth it. The ghosts will probably try another avenue of attack... Hmm. You might have to play the flute again to open the mansion. Try to hurry, the golems probably heard your screaming.

>Thank-you. I... I could feel myself starting to change and it was terrifying.
I'm only sorry it took us that long to figure out what they were doing and counter it.

Give 'em hell, girl. We've got your back.

[Display IP Count]

Sami, all we did was counter those ghost hacks. You were the one who fought against their most traumatizing nightmares. And SUCCEEDED.

You have the capability to end this curse, Sami. Now, there's still two golems, a bundle of shades and ghosts, and an army of vermin to deal with.

You're armed with a magical flute, a HEAVY bag of hyper-enchanted gold, and your sheer boiling determination. Give these psychos HELL.

>You were the one who fought against their most traumatizing nightmares. And SUCCEEDED.
For once, I have to agree with Kome... but I suppose that is us being what we are, and you what you are. Our achievements seem impossible to you, while yours impossible to us.

If I could, I'd reward you with a piña colada Sami.

>>634524
Two piña coladas. One for each hand.

[private]
>>634524
>>634537
...you do realize that we currently have the ability to fake sensory information, right?

Phantasm piña coladas are totally an option. Pretty sure we don't have a taste-phantasm up and running right now.

Smik 2015/04/16(Thu)23:51 No. 634912 ID: 3009b4
File 142925350888.jpg - (350.06KB , 640x720 , mayors mansion1.jpg )

>[Display IP Count]
** 33 IP **

As Sami approaches the mayor's mansion, she hears a rumbling, then a rapid, frightful hammering.

Sami may have new-found confidence but it's not the same as suicidal bravery and she quickly backpedals and ducks down just before the front doors burst into splinters and fragments.

Standing before her is The Rook, a golem the town purchased for defensive purposes but hadn't quite figured out how to operate. It is a siege/anti-siege weapon with no known weak points. The mayor was supposed to have a control device but nobody ever quite figured out how to use it, but it's clearly not an issue for the curse.

>>634912
If one more of these shows up I'm going to say "screw it" and ask you to run. "Batteries" (an army of Rook-based enemies) are nigh-indestructible without receiving some damage of your own, so your best bet is to go with the chess metaphor and dodge its linear attacks.

*Private*
No IP awarded while the admins themselves have been barred by hacking, so let's get Sami inside as soon as possible.

Anyone got any ideas on how to hack a control rod?
*/Private*

>>634912
Well fuckballs. Sami, if things get desperate you may have to change into your undine form just to survive. For now, try to lure it away from the building and lose it in the city streets. Or at least get some distance so you can circle around and get into the manor without it immediately crashing through the walls to get you. If you can reach the mayor's ghost you may be able to get the gold's curse lifted, which MAY stop the golem. I also strongly suggest you ask the mayor where the control device is. We'll probably be able to make it work. If it's faster than you uh well you're just fucked I expect. Don't worry though, you won't die from one attack. Part of our power shields you from deadly attacks, and we have yet to deplete any of that. From your perspective it will seem like you are just barely able to dodge out of the way in time.

[scan the golem?] oh hey [scan the mansion]

Really?! Another?
Wait, because they possessed a new one, that means that all of them are slower and therefore less dangerous. And, they slowly run out of energy, right? Maybe we could just go back and spend the night in the house with a basement, on the second floor. We'd still have to deal with the curse hacking us, but we can handle that a lot better than big stompy golems.

>The Rook
[chess joke]Stand diagonal to it.[/chess joke]

Seriously though, boss fight time. I almost welcome a physical opponent over more mind games.

>Sami, if things get desperate you may have to change into your undine form just to survive
Even ignoring the obvious, traumatic reasons that's a bad idea, I don't see that helping.

Her other form will be a good deal less maneuvable on land. It might help with evasion or fleeing in the water, except I don't see Sami remaining rational enough to flee. And I'm not sure how well tooth and claw will fare versus reinforced stone.

>what do
Keep your distance, for one. Let's see how fast it moves.

I'm tempted to see if we can use the flute here, but playing a wind instrument while running and dodging isn't practical.

[private]
Botching that thing first chance we get is my first idea.

It might also be interested to see if we can phantasm non-living beings. The right physical illusion could be inconvenient or damaging.

...also, if enough of the curse is busy piloting that, we might be able to wrest control of our network back. Or the opposite- we follow the connection the other way and interfere with their piloting.

Smik 2015/04/17(Fri)23:56 No. 635081 ID: 3009b4
File 142934019474.jpg - (361.01KB , 640x720 , Sami reacts to golem.jpg )

Sami takes stock of the situation, and after a moment of deliberation she decides to inform the curse and fate exactly what she thinks of it.

Sami: ... well FUCK YOU!!

The flood of suggestions are mostly meaningless to Sami but a few points stick out.

>Maybe we could just go back and spend the night in the house with a basement, on the second floor. We'd still have to deal with the curse hacking us, but we can handle that a lot better than big stompy golems.


Sami: It's got hands, which means if it falls into a basement it could climb out of it.

>Keep your distance, for one. Let's see how fast it moves.


Sami: Most big golems are really slow moving, this one doesn't look any different.

>[scan the golem?] oh hey [scan the mansion]

** SCAN RESULTS **
The GOLEM has 6 separate cursed spirits infecting it. Sami has 3 cursed spirits infecting her. The WIKI is OFFLINE due to security lockdown, but there is a note that has been cached:

:: The Rook ::
:: If you're reading this, you're carrying a cursed object and the Rook is after you. The Rook is a siege model weapon, capable of destroying buildings and other golems. The good news is that it's not designed to kill infantry, and as a threat it's a lot like a human trying to stomp a smaller, quicker animal. It could kill Sami with a single swat but that's only if she lets it get in range and she's much faster. The bad news is that there's nowhere to hide from it and there's no way in hell Sami can destroy it through physical means. The Rook's only weakness it's as heavy as hell and it means it sinks pretty bad in soft terrain like mud -- the hands let it climb out of pits but unless it's got something to grab that can support it's weight it's screwed.

A bit of advice -- Sami can easily out-run it, but as long as you've been marked she can't hide from it. What that means is Sami can lure it away and then out-run it to get where she needs to go. She can also run past it if you're willing to risk it taking a swat at her; the more space she has to work with the easier it will be.

-- P ::

>It might also be interested to see if we can phantasm non-living beings.

** Phantasm only works on the host -- Sami. **

From what we're seeing, the only reasonable way to deal with this thing is to juke it. Because if we hide inside, it will turn that building into outside.
The thing is also real slow, and it seems like once it starts up a swing, it's going to have a real hard time stopping. We could probably manipulate it to swat at the smaller golems, if we want to risk that. Might not be the best idea, but it's a possibility to keep in mind.
In short: Run the fuck away. It won't be able to catch you. Maybe circle the block then come back so that we can get inside the Mayor's house.
[P]
It sounds like the only way to actually kill this one is to sink it in the river mud, unless there's another muddy place I'm not thinking of. That sounds like a bad idea, though.
[/P]

>>635081
Yep, from a note someone left us... its weakness is it's slow. There will be no hiding from it. Lure it away, towards any swampy places nearby, or just to the edge of town depending on how fast it can move. Then sprint back into town and get into the mayor's house. You'll want to finish all your business in the house by the time the Rook catches up to you.

You could even just try to run past it, and we'd probably lose some power keeping you from getting hit, but then it would probably destroy the manor while you tried to find the ghost and maybe the control device.

>Sami: ... well FUCK YOU!!
Amen to that.

>It's got hands, which means if it falls into a basement it could climb out of it.
The important bit is how long that would take. Also, in order to climb, it has to grab something that can support it's weight, which is considerable.

If you can't kill or stop it, that means the only viable strategy is to stall it. We need to lead it far enough away, or drop it down enough of a hole, that by the time it's caught up again you've already got the gold where it needs to go and rid yourself of your curse spirit contamination. Then it won't be able to track you, anymore.

>river mud
A thought. It occurs to me that the curse's first act was to try and force Sami to transform by magically drowning her. Then we're confronted with an enemy we can defeat, if we lead it to the river.

The rook might not be the real threat, here. It might be a means to the same end as before.

Where else could we try to lose it? I don't suppose there's a sand pit we could drop it in? Or a big open area where you can put your speed to better use?

[private]
>Phantasm only works on the host -- Sami.
I wonder if we can still use that. If we give Sami a physical illusion she believes, we might be able to give her an advantage.

I mean, I doubt we can give her the illusion of an explosive charge in her hand that would actually work on real objects. But say, fatigue might not be much of a problem if we tell her body it's fine and it believes us. Mind over matter tricks might be exploitable.

*Private*
Looks like it's a letter from Puni; she's giving us advice on how to combat the monster one-on-one. Our best bet is to drown the adversary, but that's not high on Sami's list.

Could she overload Rook's core by making it harder for it to move? If there were a way to get tar or molasses into its joints, it might overheat the arms and make the armor easier to break.
*/Private*

Okay, we totally owe the Cats... They just gave us some useful info on this guy.

Lure him into a swamp or mudpit, preferably away from any big, sturdy trees, and he'll have a real hard time getting out. Will not guarantee his defeat, especially since the other golems can easily come to his rescue (He can grab onto them to be pulled out, if he doesn't manage to slowly crawl out himself), but at least he'll be out of your hair for a long time.

[private]
Wait, I just had a worrisome thought. What if he can be effected by his Curse's phantasm? A level 5 Phantasm becomes physical, and could potentially be used to pull it out...

** Note re: Phantasm **
Phantasm at maximum level creates an illusion that seems real enough to fool physical senses and trigger physical responses like the body's reaction to drowning. It doesn't physically create anything. Phantasm is useless on golems (no actual senses except in special cases) and can't be used to alter Sami's physical limits as those are internal, outside the realm of her five senses.

Smik 2015/04/26(Sun)01:40 No. 636413 ID: 3009b4
File 143003761954.jpg - (275.79KB , 640x720 , Something Happens as the Golem approaches.jpg )

As the golem slowly lumbers forward, Sami feels the air grow cold around her and a familiar rush of water surrounding her on all sides.

The water smells rotten and earthy and as it slashes across the cobblestones it feels icy cold against Sami's feet.

:: PHANTASM is being used across multiple sense:
5 points towards vision of river.
3 points towards smell of the old river.
5 points of touch of the river.
4 points spent towards the sound of the river.::


Sami knows it's not real but it's messing with her sense of where things are and will certainly cause trouble with escaping.

[P]
I don't think we need to worry about sound and smell, those can be ignored. However, sight is actively messing up her escaping, and touch has got to be bad when she appears to turn into a kappa (or whatever the term was) on contact.
[/p]
Don't worry Sami, we got this. Just focus on getting away.
5 IP towards touch: Pleasantly warm air. Like just a real nice breeze.

Ugh, these hackers are draining our power reserves. Sami, make sure you keep track of the golem, it can slowly smash you. If you get blinded by these phantasms, pick a direction and run.

*Private*
5 points towards highlighting Rook's weak points. With flowers. Because we can record them if Sami is distracted.
*/Private*

Smik 2015/04/26(Sun)10:57 No. 636442 ID: 3009b4
File 143007107769.jpg - (351.24KB , 640x720 , spirit combat2a.jpg )

** private **

>5 IP towards touch: Pleasantly warm air. Like just a real nice breeze.

The Enemy CURSE's Phantasm is countered, however one of the other CURSE spirits contributes 1 point towards the TOUCH Phantasm to maintain it. You will need to offer at least 1 point to counter.

>5 points towards highlighting Rook's weak points. With flowers. Because we can record them if Sami is distracted.

ROOK has no physical weak points as previously stated. It's only weakness is that it is very heavy and sinks in soft ground.

Why didn't the enemy have to overcome our previous touch phantasm to cast a new one? Did it expire?

Also, display IP count. In fact, if possible, run a script that prints the IP count every update in which IP is spent.

>You will need to offer at least 1 point to counter.
Spending 2 points to counter.

Next priority is probably sight. Sami needs to be able to see where she's going.

Spending 5 points for visual phantasm: the world around her, as it is, but lit as if it were daylight. (Harder to be scared in the light, and being able to see her surroundings might be tactically useful).

>all this river stuff
Yeah, this just reinforces the idea that leading it to the river is a bad idea.

>what do
Sami, move! That thing isn't going to just wait until we sort your head out, it's going to try and hit you while you're distracted.

>>636442
Why didn't the ghosts have to counter our existing phantasms?

>Why didn't the enemy have to overcome our previous touch phantasm to cast a new one? Did it expire?
>Why didn't the ghosts have to counter our existing phantasms?

** Yes. They only last a minute. It took Sami a little time to recuperate. **

** IP COUNT **
CURSE A will spend 5 pts. on river vision
CURSE B will spend 5 pts. on river touch.
CURSE C will spend 3 pts. on river smell, 4 pts on river sound. CURSE C will assist A with 1 point.

This is the early stage of Phantasm and it's only been moments (Sami is not within striking range and will not be within striking range until this combat finishes).

Since you're 'watching' you can actually counter the Phantasm before it fully manifests so only the end result will cost IP. So of the 33 IP that's available, it's only the end spend that matters.

You have the option of allowing the CURSE to spend IP, then spend more to counter it or counter immediately for just a single spend. **

>>636449
I think it makes the most sense to counter immediately. It's possible that the repeated counters won't exhaust our IP pool by the time the curse is lifted.

+2 IP to countering the touch phantasm. That's the most important one.

...wait how is Curse C spending more than 5 points? That's CHEATING.

>...wait how is Curse C spending more than 5 points? That's CHEATING.

** Two separate items. Each sense Phantasm impacts is a separate spend. Perhaps you should be more curious as to why it isn't spending more. **

>>636452
Are you saying we've always been able to spend more than 5 points at once, so long as it wasn't all on the same thing?

I think between us all we've covered sight and feeling so we don't need to worry about that anymore unless they counter again.
But each phantasm spend is an individual spend? So all three can theorhetically spend TWENTY FIVE POINTS at one time on phantasms?!
We don't even have seventy five points! I think.
So, they aren't just swamping us with points because they must have some kind of limit too.

I, uh, don't really know what to do with that information but maybe one of you people do.
I think it means all of us can shoot over fivs IP so long as we're doing phantasms, but I don't really have any helpful observations beyond that.

>Are you saying we've always been able to spend more than 5 points at once, so long as it wasn't all on the same thing?

** Yes, and if it wasn't clear until that point it's my bad... I've actually been redoing the IP system for my next quest so I think a little confusion is going to be unavoidable, but yeah... you could spend it on multiple things. Player caps were originally just designed to avoid abuse so one person couldn't blow through the entire IP bank forcing one thing to happen. The multi-cast use never came up before because until PHANTASM most of the time nobody focused on altering more than one thing at one time.**

>>636459
I think people would've been spending IP on a whole lot of stuff the whole time had we known we could! It seemed like it was just a 5IP per person per scene thing.
I guess it never really mattered though, we got through as far as we have without knowing we could spend more than 5 IP at a time.

>>636459
...alright. I'm guessing the ghosts' next move is to use DRAW MEMORY. This means... smell may be the most important sense to override. That's the sense most closely associated with memory.
[+3 IP to overriding the smell of the river, change it to the smell of Sami's mother's cooking or something.]
[+3 IP towards countering the Touch phantasm.]
[+5 IP towards countering the Visual phantasm. Can we highlight the Mayor's spirit's position in the house? If not, how about making everything brighter instead? Nightvision.]

Sami, you need to move fast, the ghosts are about to do something that may trigger another transformation, and I don't think we can really prevent it this time, just make the associated illusion less inconvenient. Just try to get past the golem and inside. Stay out of its reach if possible.

...wait a minute. We have 33 IP. I see what's going on. If we fight over the phantasm enough so that say, 20 or 25 IP is used, they can force through the Draw Memory by using up all remaining IP. We can avoid this by letting them get the initial Phantasm started, then overpower it by blowing all the IP we have left.

Right now they're using 18 IP. If we allow that, there's 16 IP left, which we can blow on countering MOST of the phantasms, keeping the ghosts from using draw memory.

In light of this, I am retracting all my spending plans for IP until after the phantasm is set.

>>636530
We can use up the remaining IP, too, though.

The easiest way is to game the IP so only 25 is left, and then blow it all on a botch to hurt the Rook when it takes a swing and a miss at Sami. Granted, that means we're risking a hit, but there's no way this thing doesn't try at some point anyways.

>Right now they're using 18 IP. If we allow that, there's 16 IP left, which we can blow on countering MOST of the phantasms, keeping the ghosts from using draw memory.
>In light of this, I am retracting all my spending plans for IP until after the phantasm is set.

** To clarify: You are wanting allow the Cursed Spirits to proceed with their Phantasm, wait a minute for it to subside, and then apply your own? **

>>636536
>Since you're 'watching' you can actually counter the Phantasm before it fully manifests so only the end result will cost IP. So of the 33 IP that's available, it's only the end spend that matters.

Okay how is this different from what happened the first time?

>>636538
Last time we thought it was the memory of her drowning, not a phantasm (because we had the light path up and didn't realize phantasms on different senses didn't conflict). So we wasted time trying to counter the memory and let the enemy phantasm take hold before we attempted to counter it.

>Last time we thought it was the memory of her drowning, not a phantasm (because we had the light path up and didn't realize phantasms on different senses didn't conflict). So we wasted time trying to counter the memory and let the enemy phantasm take hold before we attempted to counter it.

** That's correct; Sami had been 'drowning' since she began to choke. Your Phantasm kicked in at basically the last second when she had begun to transform... (I had already begun sketching her transformation). I just want to make sure that the plan is to let Sami deal with the Phantasm for a solid minute OR if the plan is to just wait until the Cursed Spirits have 'paid' and then pay to fight them.

It sounds like there are three plans being proposed:

1. If you let the Phantasm take hold, the Curse pays the initial value (not the added amounts to fight you) and it will last a minute, although it will feel longer to Sami. You can then project a new Phantasm of your choosing at whatever cost of realism. This has the lowest IP cost but Sami will have to endure a minute of the Phantasm.

2. If you want to fight the Phantasm but then 'throw the fight' when they up the ante, they will have to pay the 'won battle'. This has the middle IP cost and Sami will have to endure a minute of the Phantasm.

3. Or you can fight them to win, and you'll have to pay an upped ante but their Phantasm will stop before it affects Sami. This has the highest IP cost but Sami will not have to deal with their Phantasm.

As a side note, DRAW MEMORY can ONLY work on sharpening SURFACE THOUGHTS. Unless Sami is reminded of her mother's cooking it will never be available as a surface thought to focus on. You may scan her surface thoughts using DRAW MEMORY for free **

>>636560
I want to make the spirits pay and then pay to fight them. That way we are more likely to be able to exhaust our entire IP pool, making this the final phantasm/memory attack.

From how it worked the first time around, the phantasm would not last the full minute.

[private]
>You may scan her surface thoughts using DRAW MEMORY for free
Well, that seems like a no brainer. If we can do that, we should, so we know what we risk the curse spirits dumping us in.

It seems to me that if we let the enemy phantasms take effect, her surface thoughts will focus on the drowning, and the enemy can and will cast draw memory on that.

If we get our phantasms up (daylight, breeze, cooking, ...uh, do we leave taste and sound out?), any draw memory will hopefully not focus on that.

Option 3.

...also, if we try to game the spending so we have exactly 10 IP left, we have Sami get close enough for the Rook to attack, she dodges, and we apply botch to the attack attempt.

>>636564
>spend IP on other things while countering the phantasms
...I actually like this better. We can just plain nullify the worst parts of the phantasm, and still empty our IP pool.

I think I can actually do that in one post, if other people agree with me. I mean I could spend 5 IP on seven things- all five phantasms and both a failure and success roll. That's 35 IP without anyone helping.

** The following surface thoughts are available to focus, in no particular order **

- The Piper's song and the beautiful illusion
- Sami's best friend Rosemary. Hers were the last eyes she looked into before she transformed.
- Rage, bloodthirsty, blind rage.
- Excitement so intense it became sexual when she tore into the creature who murdered the town's children and would have murdered her if not for her buried fae blood.
- The choking sensation of water in her lungs right before she transformed; her body reacted to the aquatic asphyxiation sexually. It is a fetish she has long suppressed because she also associates it with death and shame.
- A passing realization that shame sexually excites her, regardless of its appropriateness at the moment.
- Curiosity at the colour of the golem.
- Fear at trying to deal with a huge creature.
- Calculations on where she could run to and estimating the golem's speed.
- Wondering if there could possibly be a God of any sort that could allow this to happen.
- God doesn't exist.
- Hating God if She exists and let this happen.
- Hoping that God exists just so there's a chance her friends might not just ceased to exist.
- Hating herself and thinking this is happening because she deserves it. This one seems to repeat in different themes, including wondering if this is happening because God actually does exists, is actually good, and that Sami is being punished because she's a horrible monster.
- Wondering if the spirits are really on her side.
- Hoping the spirits are on her side.
- Considering the spirits are just toying with her.
- Wondering if the spirits are the 'good' counterparts to the Curse. Wondering if the spirits are actually that of the other children.
- Why is the golem in the Mayor's home?
- Feeling hungry.
- Really wanting a drink and to smoke some weed when this is all over.
- Hoping that this kills her and just ends it all already.
- Intense fear that she'll die.
- The water is really cold for an illusion.

>>636672
[Private]
...okay. Wow, first of all, we do not admit we did that. Or make reference to these thoughts. I don't care how much she trusts us, or not, there's some personal stuff in there I feel skeezy just looking at.

Got that? Sami hasn't ever mentioned Rosemary to us, we don't know about the erotic asphyxiation or the Catholic shame fetish, or her theory we might be dead children. Don't mention that where she can hear.

I think we can also agree that's not a happy collection of thoughts.

>Curiosity at the colour of the golem.
Well, at least she'll get a better look at it if our daylight phantasm takes hold.

Maybe we cast draw memory after we've overcome the phantasm, but I still favor option 3 from before for the immediate action.

Smik 2015/04/28(Tue)13:59 No. 636809 ID: 3009b4
File 143025478078.jpg - (364.74KB , 640x720 , CursedRookisAngry.jpg )

Struggling with the Cursed Spirits is like trying to have a physical confrontation by shouting at each other, drowning each other out with the loudest noise until one side becomes hoarse.

** VISION Phantasm is over-ridden for 6 IP. **
** TOUCH Phantasm is over-ridden for 5 IP. **

As the vision and sensation of the river around Sami fade, Sami gets a sensation of pins being pulled out from the back of her mind and shivers involuntarily.

** The CURSED SPIRITS have removed their direct presence from Sami, taking with them the power they brought, although the PHANTASM and DRAW MEMORY applications remain available. IP is down 20 (11+19), 13 IP is left **

It's soon apparent that the Curse has had enough of using nightmares and mental anguish and has decided to take a rather direct approach in ensuring that Sami never leaves this place.

Despite a lack of mouth or any visible audio equipment the Rook lets out frenzied scream that sounds like the death scream of a rabbit amplified a hundred times.

Sami manages to stammer "B... bugger me sideways, what did you lot do?" just before the Rook charges towards her at terrifying speed, the rapid crash of stone against stone echoing like a machinegun.

Run first! Talk on the go!

Please remember you can talk to us by thinking hard at us, you're probably going to need your breath for running.

Also, the illusion of daylight will only last a minute, though it might feel longer for you. Take advantage and get as good a look at your surroundings as you can while it lasts. Every edge in staying ahead of that thing counts.

>"B... bugger me sideways, what did you lot do?"
We won the battle for your mind. We prevented their crushing your spirit, or letting them make you see and feel what they wanted.

...and they are really sore losers. They aren't trying to torture you emotionally or drive you insane anymore, now they're just trying to kill you.

To win the war, you just need to stay ahead of that thing long enough and get the gold where it needs to go.

[private]
>13 IP left
>phantasm and draw memory still available
Okay, now that the curse is out of her head, we don't need to worry about using draw memory anytime soon. Phantasm will be useful later, but I don't think we need more now.

Right now all the IP is gonna be good for is emergency evasion, and maybe a botch on the golem if we time it right. If we can get it to wipe out, that might give us time to double back and get the gold where it's going.

>>636809
Oh! Okay Sami, the ghosts gave up on illusions because we kept fighting them off. They went to boost the Rook instead.

...unfortunately this is bad because the golem is now likely just as fast if not faster than you. You can't outpace it and you can't hide from it, so you're going to die unless you transform, I reckon. It's almost like fate is conspiring to force you to face your monstrous side! GEE HOW ABOUT THAT. Well I guess you have one stupid option left- try to enter the house while the golem actively attempts to kill you, resulting in the building collapsing around you as you try to find the mayor's ghost or whatever controls the golem. Do whatever you want. We have a small amount of resources left, but it's not like you're going to be able to hurt the golem in any way. All we can do is maybe help you dodge.

Sami, do you recognize what the golem is made out of?
[+2 IP towards Sami dodging incoming attacks]

>>636819
I don't know why you're assuming transforming would cause her to not die. I doubt her aquatic form would be faster on land than she is (in fact, it might be much slower). It might be more durable, but I doubt that makes much of a difference when being pummeled by anger-fulled stone fists. Plus, a less rational and/or our of control Sami is on a poorer position to try and protect herself.

Even divorced from the emotional and/or moral concerns, it doesn't seem like it would help. If anything, I think a transformation would significantly up the odds of a bad outcome. (Which would be why the curse was pushing for it, before).

>>636823
What this guy said. The Curse wanted her to transform, so we clearly really don't want that to happen.

Basically, uh, Sami, cheese it. Book it. Get outta dere. It's going to be faster now than it was thanks to the Curse moving from messing with you to boosting the golem. We'll do what we can, but it's mostly going to rely on you keeping a level head and running away.

Sami, can you play the flute while running? (That's just so we don't miss an easy solution.)

The golem is now even faster. Do not try to outrun it, keep dodging and get somewhere that it can't reach.

The other three golems were unable to approach the church. What if these ghost hackers (or the golem) have a place nearby that they're loathe to approach? Keep moving until you find a place where the golem stops advancing. You'll need adequate defenses against melee and ranged attacks, as the hackers are in control and likely smarter than Rook.

*Private*
We should have access to TEN, so somebody DO SOMETHING!
*/Private*

>>636823
>>636826
The transformation makes her much stronger, but it has some effect on her mind. The Curse isn't trying to make her transform, it's trying to make her suffer and/or die. I doubt the ghosts even know Sami survived because of the transformation.

Smik 2015/04/28(Tue)18:40 No. 636838 ID: 3009b4
File 143027164599.jpg - (465.31KB , 640x720 , Rook Attack.jpg )

Sami figures her best bet is to get to whatever the Rook is guarding and dashes forwards, trying to run past the golem.

She feels the air rush past her tail as the stone creature slams its massive stone fist into the ground with a deafening slam that makes her ears ring. She just made it past!

** Even with help, Sami failed her dodge and lost 10 Plot Armour; 90 remaining **

Thankfully she doesn't have to worry about the door as the golem hammered it to pieces. As she runs blindly into the darkness she trips over some rubble and tumbles down the hard, stone stairs.

She can hear the roar of the golem bearing down on her as she spins helplessly in the darkness, as her her poor little body bounces off unidentifiable, worn but still painfully solid corners.

** Sami rolled extremely poorly and loses and additional 5 points of Plot Armour to avoid breaking bones or taking serious injury that would severely impeded her chances of survival. **

Finally the spinning stops as she loses the last of her momentum, sprawled out on the ground in an undignified bruised heap. As her hearing returns and her head begins to right itself, she realizes that it's oddly quiet.

Ouch. Sami, you okay?

That was real close. If you were a cat, I'd say you burned off one of your nine lives making that.

>As her hearing returns and her head begins to right itself, she realizes that it's oddly quiet.
...are we there? Or is just the eye of the storm.

You should have matches. Light one up.

I'm guessing that nightvision phantasm doesn't actually work?

>** Even with help, Sami failed her dodge and lost 10 Plot Armour; 90 remaining **

Do you mean 100 remaining, because Sami was at 110 due to extra determination a few updates back?

Jeez! Didn't think that would be possible... This guy just got stronger, and will remain so until you help the guilt-ridden spirits find peace. Every spirit you help do so will weaken that power boost it got, I believe there's eight right now?
*Private*
>Perhaps you should be more curious as to why it isn't spending more.
...They were able to copy our remaining points into the Rook, weren't they?

Meet the Mayor Smik 2015/04/28(Tue)19:38 No. 636850 ID: 3009b4
File 143027509823.jpg - (284.07KB , 640x720 , Sami meets the Mayor.jpg )

** I realize I forgot to activate the nightvision Phantasm, but she rolled so poorly (94 for a target of 50) it wouldn't have had an impact. **

A soft light begins to grow along with an unsure whispering that slowly begins to take the form of a voice.


....ssssssSAAAAAAmmmmiii ....

... sssSAAAmmii .. ?

... SAMI!

Oh no... no... no... no... oh Sami... what... what have I done to you? Sami... Sami I'm sorry...


Sami painfully turns and squints to see an aspiration before her. She does not recognize its form, but she recognizes the voice. Her vision begins to clear somewhat. Spectral tears flutter down and land on her face like dust before fading.

Despite her situation, she can hear the pain in the former man's voice and she pities him.

Sami: Mr. Mayor?

The Mayor:Sami?

Sami: Pardon me for saying so sir, but you look like shit.

Her attempt to lighten the situation is lost as the ghost stares at her in disbelief. As Sami slowly turns over to right herself, she hears a crinkling of glass in her backpack.

** Sami's inkwell has broken in the fall. It's ruined her normal paper. Her sheet music, faerie ink and faerie paper are fine. The pipe is also fine. **

The Mayor:Are you hurt?

Sami checks herself for broken bones. She's in a lot of pain, but she's not seriously hurt.

Sami: I'm fine (she lies).

The Mayor:Why have you come back? What are you doing with that cursed gold?

Sami: I thought it was related to the curse on this place. I hoped you might know how to cleanse it.

The Mayor:That gold... was what we gathered to pay the piper. It was not enough. It is blood money. I locked it away because it reminded me of my failure and what I did to our town. I was... not thinking very clearly, although at the time I thought I was being very calm and collected. It was... fortunate I did, because it is cursed. It was locked away so others would not fall to this curse, and Sami... you of all people should be spared from it. You were our only child. You were truly *innocent*.

Sami takes a deep breath and sighs.

Sami: Not to be rude Mr. Mayor, but do you know how to cleanse it?

The Mayor:You must take it to the Piper. It is his gold, and his debt is unpaid..

A thought occurs to Sami.

Sami: ... 99 children.

The ghost reacts in horror.

The Mayor:NO SAMI!! Please, if you die I'm afraid you will be entwined in this curse and I've done enough wrong as is. Every moment is spent regretting what I did. You are innocent..

Sami: ... it's why I felt like I had to come back though. It's the debt. It's got to be settled one way or another, doesn't it? And there is not enough gold here to do it.

The ghost sinks in shame.

The Mayor:No... there is not enough gold. There was never enough gold. I can't remove that mark, but if you take that to the piper it should cleanse you..

The mayor cocks its wisp of a head to one side.

The Mayor:It's funny but now that you're here I've clarity that I've not had in so long I cannot remember. You... have you dealt with ghosts before? You are very calm..

Sami smiles weakly.

Sami: I've been haunted ever since that day, Mr. Mayor. And several ghosts have already tried to drive me mad and kill me already, including that Rook we never got to work. This is nothing.

The mayor seems to ignore her second attempt to lighten the mood somewhat.

The Mayor:I think I can... no, I WILL hold the Rook. I will not let any more harm come to you while you are here.

Sami nods. She wonders if her guides might have any questions for the mayor?

>Do you mean 100 remaining, because Sami was at 110 due to extra determination a few updates back?

** No, I forgot about that. Thanks for catching it. Sami's at 95 because she still loses 5 not being seriously hurt falling down the stairs. **

>...They were able to copy our remaining points into the Rook, weren't they?

** They took the points they brought with them back the Rook. **

Sami, please don't try to complete the blood contract. Offer the statue of Faustia and the gold or whatever and finish this.

We didn't help you come this far just for you to throw your life away.

...Maybe you'll never be the happy little girl again. But you still remember her. You carried the memories of better times across your nightmares, and the result is a survivor.

Maybe... maybe there was always a debt, before Piper. Before all of this. A debt of cold, hard reality that would write your fate, even before you understood what fate was.

And despite your misery YOU CAN FINALLY PAY THAT DEBT.

There are a lot of people at fault here in all this business. Mayor should've had the money to pay the man he hired. Piper shouldn'tve been such a bastard. But, bastard as he is, he does not deserve your life. We get him his money, we scrape together whatever we don't have, and put this to an end. All debts paid, all sales final, no grudges on either side.
But you're not going to be the collateral. Non-negotiable.
Now.
Do we know where the Piper is? Is getting to him as easy as walking the road and knocking on his door?
And, what can we give him in payment?
Statue of Faustia is made of gold, isn't it? That'll work.
The priest might know where/how we can get some more gold.
I bet those golems, or their parts, sell real well if the Mayor can hold them back.
Basically I'm, and I hope you are, fully prepared to strip this village bare to get that asshole's shadow out from under you once and for all.

>>636850
Yeah, first, ask him where the rook's control device is. We may be able to use it. Secondly... uh, the Piper is dead. Does bringing the coins to his corpse still work? Or would we have to bring the coins to his employers?

Is there anything else of interest in this house?

>You must take it to the Piper. It is his gold, and his debt is unpaid.
So. Um. Sami has to eat the gold?

Or we have to dump the coins in the river.

>Sami: ... 99 children.
While the concept of self sacrifice is noble, I don't think blood can cleanse the darkness rooted here, Sami.

And I don't think you can take the chance that if you offer yourself up in payment, that something else will then own the darkness inside you. You've kept it contained- you don't want to loose it.

>She wonders if her guides might have any questions for the mayor?
Hmm. Is he aware of any other ghosts that linger here? Who else remains?

Are there other cursed objects, like the gold? If we can cleanse it, are there others we have to find?

[private]
>She's in a lot of pain, but she's not seriously hurt.
I don't suppose the experience of a phantasmal painkiller is an option?

Although we can only give a minute's relief at a time that's not very cost effective treatment. It would only really be worth it if we could drag it out, or if we just had to get her past a hump.

Heya Mayor...
AH! a question for you-was there a specific place in town where you would meet the Piper or no?
And good luck with the Rook, hey, maybe we can give you a hand with that?
[give 3IP to Mayor]

>Offer the statue of Faustia and the gold
That won't do anything, Kome. The gold has to be offered to the "Grave" of the Piper. Do you remember, Sami, the part of the river he was at? Take the gold there, and bury it.
>The Mayor: It's funny but now that you're here I've clarity that I've not had in so long I cannot remember.
Sounds like just being permitted to see you was enough to cleanse his guilt. He is glad that the Last Child has lived.
>The Mayor:NO SAMI!! Please, if you die I'm afraid you will be entwined in this curse and I've done enough wrong as is.
On the other hand, your death will cause him more Grief than he ever had before, strengthening the curse. At least until we can lighten up the curse some more, dying is not an option... Of course, I would prefer it be avoided anyways, but now we have a solid reason.
>And despite your misery YOU CAN FINALLY PAY THAT DEBT.
Man, what.
>Do we know where the Piper is?
...Did you forget? The Piper is dead. All we can do is take the gold to his "Grave." Making a proper grave for him might help, too, even if it's just a burial mound: A bunch of rocks piled over it to denote somebody died there.
>Are there other cursed objects, like the gold? If we can cleanse it, are there others we have to find?
Cleansing any objects cursed by the Guilt and Grief should help weaken the curse's hold on the city, and make it easier to rebuild.
>maybe we can give you a hand with that?
[Im_OK_with_this.jpg]

Smik 2015/04/29(Wed)17:43 No. 636994 ID: 3009b4
File 143035462705.jpg - (397.35KB , 640x720 , Sami and the Mayor1.jpg )

>[give 3IP to Mayor]
** Not possible. **

>And good luck with the Rook, hey, maybe we can give you a hand with that?
** Nice idea but not necessary. **

>Sami, please don't try to complete the blood contract. Offer the statue of Faustia and the gold or whatever and finish this.

Sami: The statue isn't made of real gold, guys.

>Do we know where the Piper is? Is getting to him as easy as walking the road and knocking on his door?

Sami: I *know* where the Piper is, and I'll never forget it. He'll be where I killed him.

>I bet those golems, or their parts, sell real well if the Mayor can hold them back.


Sami: Oh probably except for the fact that there's no way in hell I can move them.

>Yeah, first, ask him where the rook's control device is. We may be able to use it. Secondly... uh, the Piper is dead. Does bringing the coins to his corpse still work?

Sami: Do you know where the rook's control device is?

The mayor flickers and nods.

The Mayor:The vault is just a little further. It's locked up, and I don't know if you'll be able to open it, but the Siren's Axe is supposed to control the golem. It looks like some sort of... angry guitar.

Sami: ... so I control the rook by playing the guitar?

The Mayor:That's what we thought, but we could never get it to work.

>Does bringing the coins to his corpse still work?

Sami: I'm pretty sure it will.

Sami removes the flute from her pack. The mayor wisps around her with interest.

The Mayor:... is that...

Sami nods.

Sami: I'm not as innocent as you think, Mr. Mayor. I killed the Piper, and stole his things and told no one about it. I'm sorry.

The Mayor:... I don't understand. You were just a little girl. The Piper was found ripped to shreds.

Sami: I'd rather not discuss it.

Sami plays the flute. Like a late riser struggling out of bed, with a creak and a groan the vault opens before her.

Sami: ... I don't suppose you know if there's anything left to scavenge in the town? Like where I could get some food? I gave half my rations to the priest.

The Mayor:... Priest? I... don't remember a priest. But I don't know anything that happens outside this place. Your best bet would be the merchant's guild for supplies; it had the sturdiest locks. Be careful Sami, taking anything from this town enrages the curse.

Sami stows the gold in her pack and approaches the Siren's Axe. It is stored in the center of the otherwise empty vault (save for the remains of smashed objects) on a simple wooden table. Despite everything else being coated in a thick layer of dust, the guitar looks pristine. As Sami picks it up, it flickers with power you can see, and while Sami can't see it you can tell she is aware of something magical about the instrument.

Too bad she doesn't play guitar.

>>636994
Look around for a reptilian scale or something of the same shape. These equate to the "bow" of this type of musical instrument.

I'll bet the guitar is like the Piper's flute. The flute affects natural things. If the guitar works on the golems then... manufactured things? Enchanted things? Spiritual things? Hold on, we'll scan it for you.

[Scan guitar]

>Sami: ... so I control the rook by playing the guitar?
>The Mayor:That's what we thought, but we could never get it to work.
They probably didn't know the right song to try. I'll bet your sheet music works.

>Sami: Oh probably except for the fact that there's no way in hell I can move them.
Well, you could sure move them around if we found a way to take control of them.

>Too bad she doesn't play guitar.
...that may not be an issue. Hey, guys, anyone here know how to play a guitar? We might be able to manipulate the strings with a touch based phantasm. Or, failing that, we could guide Sami through the chords on a piece (making the places she needs to put her fingers light up, a warmer / colder feeling to guide her fingers, a visual example of someone playing to mimic, etc).

>>636994
Hmm. Well Sami, I think you're going to have to learn.

Also it sounds like the "Priest" is a Fey using an illusion of some sort. Don't we have something that can dispel illusions?

>>637001
He's not necessarily hiding something (though he may well be). He could have just come to this town after the mayor was dead. (Although, the general trend would have been people leaving town, not moving in, once the decline started).

>Look around for a reptilian scale or something of the same shape. These equate to the "bow" of this type of musical instrument.


Sami: I know what a guitar is Kome. It's not a violin.

>They probably didn't know the right song to try. I'll bet your sheet music works.
Sami: Problem is it's not a matter of notes, I have to get the rhythm too. It has to be played properly or it doesn't work at all.

> We might be able to manipulate the strings with a touch based phantasm.
** Phantasm only works on Sami's senses to create illusions. For example, a daylight Phantasm actually relies on spirit vision and then overlaying it as an optical illusion. Yes, I know I forgot to trigger it but that's how it would work.**

>Also it sounds like the "Priest" is a Fey using an illusion of some sort. Don't we have something that can dispel illusions?
** You have the ability to see through Glamours now, but not dispel illusions. This ability does not transfer to Sami, so for example if the Big Bad Wolf used a Glamour to appear to be Sami's grandmother, even though YOU can tell it's Big Bad, Sami still sees her Grandmother and you'd need her complete trust to get her to attack. **

If no one has other questions, the Mayor explains that the Piper is trapped within the Curse as well -- he can sense him -- so if Sami can find his place of death she should be able to give him the gold. He warns her that despite her best intentions, until she gets close to the Piper's place of death he will be enthralled by the rage of the Curse and will attack her with everything he has. He warns Sami that he might not be able to restrain the Curse if she moves too far away from him -- he could barely focus consciously at all until she was right next to him.

>>637025
So to sum up, you're safe here but if you go anywhere the golem will chase you. How long do you think it would take for you to learn how to play even the first part of the song on the guitar? If you learned how to play the whole thing, it would instantly destroy the golem.

Hey, can you get to within sight of the Rook while the Mayor is still able to focus? You could just try to experiment with the guitar. Oh! Ask the Mayor if he knows what material the golem is made out of.

** Also: The Wiki is still not available yet. The Guitar is a network-active item but that's all you can find out for the moment. **

>If no one has other questions
Where did he get this guitar, anyways?

>Sami: Problem is it's not a matter of notes, I have to get the rhythm too. It has to be played properly or it doesn't work at all.
...and the only way around that is practice. Which we don't really have time for. And I'm not sure one should practice with a magical instrument, anyways. Mistakes could have unforeseen consequences.

Unless we can find someone else who can play a guitar. Not very many candidates for that around here, though. And we'd have to trust them with it.

The Priest may be a Fae, or a Cat, or just somebody who arrived afterwards and happened to either already be or decided to become a priest. No sense doubting him, though, he's kept the church in good shape, and hasn't done any harm.

I suppose the best course of action is to relieve the Piper of his Grief, since we're carrying around a portable curse. It might be best to wait for day, but it's also possible that the enraged curse would be able to break into the church.

If we had a luthier we could make a curved bridge for the guitar! Then it could be a giant violin!

I once saw a concert where the performer had done that. Mid-act he switched from playing it like a guitar, to playing it like a violin. It was very impressive.

>>637071
I would think a guitar is too big to play like a violent. A cello, maybe.

>>637116
That might work better for Sami, she's not that big.

Sami: Mr. Mayor -- could you watch over me if I needed to rest?

The Mayor:Yes Sami. I'm afraid you'd have to rest right here since the farther we get from my place of death the harder it is to focus, but I can stop the Curse from doing anything to you as long as you're here.


Sami: Thanks. Guys, if you don't mind... I'd like to just rest here until morning. Unless there's anything else you wanted to do or ask.

You more than deserve a rest, Sami. We've got nothing immediately pressing to ask of you.

Goodnight. We'll be here when you need us.

[Private]

Would it be possible to spend a couple IP towards her having a nice dream? Or should that be conserved for something more important anyways?

Goodnight, Sami.

>I'd like to just rest here until morning.
Hey, it's all good. I was worried about them breaking into the church, but I trust the Mayor to be able to stop them from breaking into here.

Smik 2015/05/08(Fri)21:44 No. 639162 ID: 3009b4
File 143114666758.jpg - (318.67KB , 640x720 , Sami Chapter End.jpg )

Sami Quest: Chapter One Complete

Despite all the excitement, threats to her life, aching body and general horror, Sami falls asleep quickly. Perhaps its the presence of the mayor or maybe it's sheer exhaustion, but even on the hard floor of the basement she sleeps soundly, gently clutching the Siren's Axe.

The mayor watches over her, light pulsing in rhythm to Sami's breathing. Every so often he mutters to himself, repeating "Protect her" over and over, as if he might forget if he didn't focus himself. Other whispers seem to coast in and out like waves, and you catch 'the child' or 'Sami'.

Every so often, the mayor whimpers "Sami... forgive me," but never loud enough to disturb her.

****

Sami's Quest will continue in a new thread; this one will be updated when ready. I plan to create a more consistent interface that also displays things like current IP.