Interra Nex

Beginnings are funny things. There's no real way to ever go all the way back to the absolute start of the chains of events that eventually form a narrative without simply starting with the universe, but no-one would have the time or patience to listen to such a wandering tale. So where do you start? What's salient, and what's not? It's different for every story, of course, but if you asked most anyone who knew this one, they'd start on a cool evening in late spring in the little town of Ordburg.

You know the town well, of course. Most of you have lived there for years, and even those of you who are newer would have had a hard time not becoming accustomed to the tiny hamlet fairly quickly. There simply wasn't much to confuse, and not much to take note of. It was quiet and reliable, and the perfect place for people of your predilections to practice their arts without too much scrutiny.

But there are always those who will seek out what they fear. Or perhaps one of you was careless. Maybe simple chance conspired to reveal your cabal. It would be hard to know; there certainly wasn't much time to talk once things began.

That night began as most others did; several times a week, the members of your group would try to meet together in the house you'd chosen for its location and carefully cloaked with subtle illusions. It was as much a social event as it was an experimental one, and most of you liked being able to freely talk as much or more than you did being able to ply your spells. There was little worry about discovery. Why should there be?

Maybe there should have been. When the sound of angry voices and dozens of feet approached, most of you perfunctorily grabbed a weapon and threw on your armor as usual; you expected it to be a werewolf hunt or chasing a thief out of town. You expected it to be another of the hundred times a potential threat had arrived and proved to be completely unrelated to you. But when the mob outside stopped by your house, panic rose in your throats and you pulled your protection closer around you.

Several harsh words rose above the noise of the crowd, and with them a screeching, grinding cacophony. A wall collapsed, and with it, the illusions that hid your corpses and masked the scent and made your arcane decanters seem mundane. Dozens of eyes looked in at your stunned faces, some furious, some seeming betrayed, others terrified.

A forest elf in the front of the group, slotting a nullsteel bolt into his crossbow, sneered.

"I told you! I told you they were devils!"

Charles Wokansin, a locally-notable playwright and vehement decrier of magic in all its forms, appeared to be the one heading the mob. He leveled his crossbow at poor Deta, who happened to be the closest, and shouted at the crowd to burn the warlocks.

Apparently the only thing keeping the mob from leaping at once was the presence of Father Solmson.

"Please," the priest said. "Come quietly, and renounce your wicked ways. The Seven can forgive even the most grievous of sins if the repentance is sincere."

The future split into a dozen paths before the six of you, and the potential filled your minds. Would you stand and fight? Could you perhaps stand against the mob, even outnumbered two to one? Their only real mage was Ari Goldsmith, a second-rate geurgist who was already winded from taking down your walls, and most of the peasants were armed with nothing more than pitchforks. Would you flee, trying to find your way in the world somewhere else? Give in to the crowd and trade your skills for your life?



Turn Order: (PC turns always precede NPC turns, but NPCs choose their own order within the NPC phase. PC order is randomized each encounter.)
Somerled
Amanita
Sparkles
Deta
Pethenar
Qiklik

During your turn, you may move one square or make a single action. Actions include casting spells, making an attack in melee or at range, switching to another weapon in your possession, picking up an item on the ground, and opening doors or otherwise interacting with the environment. Movement and attacks can be made along the four cardinal directions as well as at diagonals; obstacles like rubble or other characters (NPC or PC) don't block vision, but cannot be stood on or passed through.

Remember that you can't fire through characters, but can fire through obstacles that block movement but not sight. Long-range attacks must be made along straight lines, but are not restricted to 45- and 90-degrees. If you're not sure about the validity of a shot, just ask and I'll show you the lines I draw to determine whether an obstacle is in the way.

EDIT: Oh, and it occurred to me to mention this for those who don't play RPGs and the like often... The mantra every tabletop gamer knows is "Talking is a free action"; feel free to role-play even if it's not your turn, and discuss strategy to a point. If things get too out of hand with that last bit, I'll hurry things along, but I expect I can count on everyone to be reasonable.