Black Zenith [Adventure RPG / Chapter Four: Fires of Heaven]

Legends foretell of a great tapestry made in celebration of a pact. An alliance formed between a gentleman of high esteem and a warrior of blazing passion in his heart. They ceased fighting within metal confines, setting aside their differences in information.

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Spoiler

"The Carousal"



The picture depicted above is that of a social engagement. Many people had rudely crowded in front of a wealthy's man's door! How dare they? Oh well. There was probably alcohol to be had. The drunkards are bloodhounds when they're not guzzling the stuff you know.

After the enclosure was dismissed with a mere snap of the fingers, Watson had taken the time to weave and sow a flowing piece of silk-work. With the profuse power of Renzo's Artistic License flooding the area, anyone with even but an ounce of panache can manufacture marvelous beauties in seconds! In the course of the stitchwork, the crystal in his breastpocket flashes red, allowing him to get even more done as Watson's hands move in a blur of innovation.

"Quickly, Savannah! Weave your magicks into this masterpiece like an artist of the arcane! Let every strand of it fly into the skies, let its beauty loose unto the world on command! Instill within it feeling" so that I may control it while not having to interact with it "magically"

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SpoilerI don't know, would people have to interface with flying carpets magically?

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SpoilerQ: Does dismissing the cage count as one action? b/c it's not too much of a problem, Mashimaya can be flashed after doing so after all. I'd just like to know if I have one more action. And if I can spend that action to make the tapestry EVEN MORE beautiful.

dismissing the cage is immediate

but, i would like to know what tools you are planning to use in place of a loom and also where you get your fabric from because license or no i think youll find that weaving strands of nonexistance with nothing but your fingers will still be... difficult.

dismissing the cage is immediate

but, i would like to know what tools you are planning to use in place of a loom and also where you get your fabric from because license or no i think youll find that weaving strands of nonexistance with nothing but your fingers will still be... difficult.

some people just don't understand art

dismissing the cage is immediate

Yaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

but, i would like to know what tools you are planning to use in place of a loom and also where you get your fabric from because license or no i think youll find that weaving strands of nonexistance with nothing but your fingers will still be... difficult.

Watson always keeps lots of silk in his hat. So many times have Watson's garments been torn or burned, and he keeps an unprecedented amount of silk to repair them.

i'll accept a secret silkstash that noone knew about before now (though i would remind you that your poor hat was burned earlier) based on Watson's general resourcefullness, but you'll probably still want some semblance of a tool or technique if you want more than a frayed ½handkerchief

OH GOD

MY HAT

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

my memory is terrible. I am now reliving the moment

Renzo, you're into arts, are you into crafts too? that +4 artisan thing and an extra move invested can only go so far.

renzo is busy trying to make this mess you plebians call art presentable to the enemies

also you already have a +3 to this kind of thing thanks to your +3 to everything

also you already have a +3 to this kind of thing thanks to your +3 to everything

(OP says +4???)

oh right yes details details

i'll accept a secret silkstash that noone knew about before now (though i would remind you that your poor hat was burned earlier) based on Watson's general resourcefullness, but you'll probably still want some semblance of a tool or technique if you want more than a frayed ½handkerchief

Yeah I got nothin' left other than the fact that Watson used to be a haberdasher, but that's probably emulated through Artisan. I'll spend another action to make it fuller and then Savannah or someone else can try increasing the size of it 10000 fold via magic.

i'll accept a secret silkstash that noone knew about before now (though i would remind you that your poor hat was burned earlier) based on Watson's general resourcefullness, but you'll probably still want some semblance of a tool or technique if you want more than a frayed ½handkerchief

Yeah I got nothin' left other than the fact that Watson used to be a haberdasher, but that's probably emulated through Artisan. I'll spend another action to make it fuller and then Savannah or someone else can try increasing the size of it 10000 fold via magic.

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Spoiler can this be where we mimic the seinfeld conversation about shrinkage

you are free to reenact any scene you may wish just dont expect me to actually recognize whatever shenanigans you are shenaniganing

Yeah I got nothin' left other than the fact that Watson used to be a haberdasher, but that's probably emulated through Artisan. I'll spend another action to make it fuller and then Savannah or someone else can try increasing the size of it 10000 fold via magic.

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Spoiler can this be where we mimic the seinfeld conversation about shrinkage

yes i wish

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SpoilerAlmost wrote this as a command for Saide haha whoops

Hey yeah sorry for the delay... I've been distracted by projects and family issues, you would not believe some of the stupid shit going on in my household so I'll save you the trouble and keep quiet. Seems everyone is not having fun with real life, huh?

Things are dying down now though, so as further apology, have a stupidly fucking long post that no-one asked for. To summarize, Bohw is helping Thunderpaw and blowing up generic guards and Mayor is ultimate attacking the poor sod Rashagor.

(I feel like I should also mention that you guys should check out the 'Arts' spoiler on the front page sometime. It has been getting secret art updates for sometime.)

Bohw had a conflict of choices and emotion in her head now that her goal of killing the king was done. Thunderpaw was falling to his death, she probably should save him. She could also destroy some more of the guards and other nuisance, it was just as good as option as the other. Even if she only hesitated for a moment, she agonized over the choice for what felt like hours, until finally deciding on a rather simple solution: Both.
She snapped her fingers and throwing up her hand to conjure a condensed ball of dark magic. In the same motion, Bohw also quickly started to fly down, after the dead weight Thunderpaw as quick as she could manage. She threw the spell towards some guards that were attacking some man or something, a face she didn't recognize but probably someone she didn't want to kill and then with her other hand, stretched it out to snatch the Bunni out of the air.

Mayor shugged off the blow, his now cracked and damaged crystal shell taking the damage where his shield could not. It was irritating, even with the king gone... shouldn't the summoned ones go with the rest of him? He felt there was still some foul play a foot and he couldn't help but feel there was more, perhaps they were not summoned by him or perhaps Mayor didn't understand anything else and was just assuming, but he had to make a clear choice to make. He would not fight Enzu, Mayor refused to harm a brother summon even if it was some fake clone like he thought, but his opponent deserved a proper end. Turning to face Rashagor, a voice from far off seemed to echo, talking for Mayor.

I am sorry.

Perhaps in another time, another life, or even another realm, Rashagor was a respectable warrior who would of been Mayor's companion in a time of need. But sadly, they had met as enemies on the battlefield and he knew what must be done. The light started to swell in Mayor's face as he lurched forwards, before exploding into a condensed beam of light that cut through the hedges with a destructive force.

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Spoiler



hahah right yea uhm terrible real life and all lets try to keep our schedule just a tad off 'one update a month'. thats a terrible schedule.

Renzo wipes his brow with a cloth, his mustache ruffled. He takes a deep breath before raising a hand into the sky. Renzo's fists glow, forming large clay gauntlets onto his hands. As he smashes one of the gauntlets into the groun, a strange prismatic barrier forms, expanding outward and outward, eclipsing the courtyard. The barrier glows with all sorts of colors and shades, and looks like a giant bubble. "Art is subjective. Such a shame that yours is not up to snuff."

Renzo activates Artistic License.

A creative power fills the courtyard, emboldening yourself and your new allies with a profound sense of skill; artistry can be found in anything, from the sculpting of a vase to the well-trained grapple of a wrestler or the weaving of a complex spell. Deeply, you feel the need to express yourself.

((Can someone rescue the Damsel in Distress in my stead?))

The ground drops from beneath you and you plummet from the skies alongside the broken walls of the tower, your world a chaotic turbulence of motion- atleast one rock of significant size crashes into you at one point, bludgeoning you for 330 damage. After that, you spend a few hectic moments trying to get out from underneath the crushing weight of the stones tumbling above you by pushing off from nearby chunks... Which shortly proves to have been a good idea as Myra's spell takes hold, slowing your descent significantly and leaving the debris to crash to the ground below you. Dimly, you think you see the kings body fall somewhere amidst the wreckage, but then it is gone from sight.

Meanwhile, Myra's spell does not seem to have been enough by its own, for you certainly are not gliding towards the ground as a feather might. You dont have long to consider this as the ground is rapidly approaching...

Fortunately, it is then that your ring activates, leaving you to nimbly float to a vantage point formed by the debris, just a few meters before you would have otherwise crashed into the ground. You can see all of your allies from here, save for Mael.

Myra will rescue said Damsel in Distress by casting a Slowfall Spell on them because I was sort of planning on that anyway!

You slow Thunderpaw's fall, though your spell was much too weak and hurried for your own taste! (Roll 3+5)

Savannah, tired of this unrelenting storm, whips up her own blizzard in an attempt to cancel it out, at least locally.

Though you have little expertise with wind magic, you create a blizzard around yourself, wind and sleet blowing counter to the hurricane, shielding you for up to 284 wind damage (roll 5+8).

Legends foretell of a great tapestry made in celebration of a pact. An alliance formed between a gentleman of high esteem and a warrior of blazing passion in his heart. They ceased fighting within metal confines, setting aside their differences in information.

Show Content

Spoiler

"The Carousal"



The picture depicted above is that of a social engagement. Many people had rudely crowded in front of a wealthy's man's door! How dare they? Oh well. There was probably alcohol to be had. The drunkards are bloodhounds when they're not guzzling the stuff you know.

After the enclosure was dismissed with a mere snap of the fingers, Watson had taken the time to weave and sow a flowing piece of silk-work. With the profuse power of Renzo's Artistic License flooding the area, anyone with even but an ounce of panache can manufacture marvelous beauties in seconds! In the course of the stitchwork, the crystal in his breastpocket flashes red, allowing him to get even more done as Watson's hands move in a blur of innovation.

"Quickly, Savannah! Weave your magicks into this masterpiece like an artist of the arcane! Let every strand of it fly into the skies, let its beauty loose unto the world on command! Instill within it feeling" so that I may control it while not having to interact with it "magically"

Show Content

SpoilerI don't know, would people have to interface with flying carpets magically?

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SpoilerYou could probably craft a version that is controlled directly by its rider, OR one that acts more like a traditional flying carpet - which is to say, it vaguely does what you want. Obviously the latter is what you're after. That one might be trickier but since nobody is actually casting any spells on it right now you can worry about that later.

You retrieve your super secret stash of silk thread (which is obviously a thing because apparently linen wasnt good enough) from your hammerspace and set to work weaving the strands together by hand as you dismiss your cage. Upon doing so, Sa'ron's tattoos light up and the fiery wyrm emerges once again, much to his obvious joy. "I'zith!" He says. "I will not lose you again."
For the wyrm's part, it swirls around Sa'ron for a moment as if in greeting, then seemingly sets about cauterizing his wounds with a burning display of fire. Merely from proximity to Sa'ron, it seems Savannah also gets an accidental treatment, healing her for 75 health. After a pause, Sa'ron says "I... am sorry. They are coming back... Why are we here?"

Meanwhile you are busy working on your carpet. Weaving it by hand is very inefficient, although you happened to have a needle which is a tremendous help. Considering the rather ridiculous time you are giving yourself to the product, you make amazing time, creating a piece of cloth somewhere between a handkerchief and a hand towel in size, even creating something of a pattern that might eventually grow into the scene you had in mind by using ashes from the burned down hedges around you to create a variety in brightness. Still, its a far shot from a carpet you could actually stand on. (roll 17+4, 6+4)

(I feel like I should also mention that you guys should check out the 'Arts' spoiler on the front page sometime. It has been getting secret art updates for sometime.)[/spoiler]

Bohw had a conflict of choices and emotion in her head now that her goal of killing the king was done. Thunderpaw was falling to his death, she probably should save him. She could also destroy some more of the guards and other nuisance, it was just as good as option as the other. Even if she only hesitated for a moment, she agonized over the choice for what felt like hours, until finally deciding on a rather simple solution: Both.
She snapped her fingers and throwing up her hand to conjure a condensed ball of dark magic. In the same motion, Bohw also quickly started to fly down, after the dead weight Thunderpaw as quick as she could manage. She threw the spell towards some guards that were attacking some man or something, a face she didn't recognize but probably someone she didn't want to kill and then with her other hand, stretched it out to snatch the Bunni out of the air.

Mayor shugged off the blow, his now cracked and damaged crystal shell taking the damage where his shield could not. It was irritating, even with the king gone... shouldn't the summoned ones go with the rest of him? He felt there was still some foul play a foot and he couldn't help but feel there was more, perhaps they were not summoned by him or perhaps Mayor didn't understand anything else and was just assuming, but he had to make a clear choice to make. He would not fight Enzu, Mayor refused to harm a brother summon even if it was some fake clone like he thought, but his opponent deserved a proper end. Turning to face Rashagor, a voice from far off seemed to echo, talking for Mayor.

I am sorry.

Perhaps in another time, another life, or even another realm, Rashagor was a respectable warrior who would of been Mayor's companion in a time of need. But sadly, they had met as enemies on the battlefield and he knew what must be done. The light started to swell in Mayor's face as he lurched forwards, before exploding into a condensed beam of light that cut through the hedges with a destructive force.

You briefly entertain the notion of dispelling Thunderpaw's magical slowfall safeties and watching him plummet to his death, but then get other ideas. However, your levitation is by no means fast or precise enough for you to quickly reach Thunderpaw! But sadly, he seems to be able to safely reach the ground on his own.

While you remain in the air, you notice that the hedges seem to be wilting, outermost ones first. They must have been powered by the ley magic the king had been wielding, and are now fading. More interestingly you spot a group of guardsmen retreating towards the gate's as fast as they can, though you see no sign of anyone they may have been fighting, the wounds a few of them carry tell a clearer story. You dont really care, though - You send your orb of destruction after them and watch with satisfaction as your orb strikes the fleeing group, sending them scattering like so many bowling pins. Some of them get up and continue the retreat. A few never rise again, left broken among the rubble of the tower and the dying garden. (roll 11+9)

You descend to the ground as the madness leaves you.

Meanwhile, Mayor bristles with crystal power even as he is buried beneath the rocks. Remembering where Rashagor was standing before, he wrestles himself into a standing position then lets loose a blinding beam of power, an echo of what that same crystal once had wrought, cutting through rock and stone, striking Rashagor and shearing through the rocky armor that had so far comprised his body, though now his true form is revealed, a grayish long-limbed humanoid creature perhaps a little shorter than a human, covered with chitinous armor-like plates, a batlike snout as a nose and long, thin ears closely following the skull. Seared by the laser blast, Rashagor falls limply to the ground, laying there wheezing before croaking out, "Mind... Clear... Surrender."

Then Enzu approaches Mayor anew, idly knocked aside a large pillar of rock with a wave of his hand. Though he seemed calm enough not long ago, there is now a hunger in his eyes. "Give it to me." he demands. When Mayor does not immediately comply, Enzu snarls and reaches for him, hand glowing with luminous energy as he starts ripping into Mayor's armor, starpower practically flaying the golem, causing a total of 730 damage!
"Give it to me!" he repeats, voice angry but with a hint of pleading.

---

The tempest winds howl with fury, echoed by lightning overhead. Suddenly, Myra once again finds herself unexpectedly staggered as she falls from the sky despite her best efforts to remain aloft, instead striking the ground hard for 805 damage!

Atlast, the raging tempest seems to die off as Nehron once again become corporeal. Seemingly disoriented, he falls to the ground in a daze.

Across the courtyard, Miquel reappears, hovering above the remnants of the tower that fell there, seemingly perfectly hale and hearty. Belarion seems to have been waiting for this however, for he opens his great maw, breathing a sea of cinders which washes over Miquel squarely, consuming him in flames and dealing 1700 damage! He is practically roasted, his jetpack emitting a sputtering noise as it fails, leaving him to fall to the ground. Then, Miquel is enveloped in a radiant barricade which the flames wash over, doing no further harm. As he hits the ground, he drops to his knees, charred trenchcoat stretching out behind him. "I... surrender." He says, coughing.



Stats

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Spoiler
Thunderpaw: 1089/1950, Trueflight, Valiant (2), Song of the Trueseeker (+3)(All)
Song of the Lost ready!
Fury Comet ready!
Vendetta Cd 3
Blade of Light Cd 1
Valiant Cd 10
Slowfall Cd 10
Restoration Cd 7

Bohw: 559/1240
Leader: +19
Mayor: 1321/2275
Sabotage Cd 3
Selfless Cd 15
Hellbent Cd 17
Block Cd 15

Savannah: 648/1500, Runeguard (100)(2), Sheltering Blizzard (284)(5)
Aromatherapy Cd 8
Absolute Zero Cd 6
Parasitic Relationship ready!
Jungle Fever ready!
Manacharge Cd 11
Runeguard Cd 18
Wand of Healing: 18

Watson: 1753/2250
Wits Cd 5
Fine Wine Cd 6
Dragon of the Red Wine Cd 7
Indignant Injunction Cd 18
Battle-Seeker: 0/2
Water Vase: 3 charges

Myra: 1031/1800, Arcane Wings (2)
Readiness: +1
Galeforce: 7/7
Change Form ready!
Winds of Fate ready!
Punishment ready!
Genesis ready!
Wraithstrike ready!
Shield of Feathers ready!
Farsight ready!

Renzo: 1548/2400, Rising Tide (2/5), Muse, Artistic License (2)
Drawingboard: [-][-]
Inspired ready!
Saturation Cd 11
Masterpiece Cd 6
Artistic License Cd 13
Lifetouch Cd 10
Insight ready!

Belarion: 7314/15000
Breath of Cinders Cd 8
Rejuvenate Cd 17


---

Enzu: 1974/2100
Starpower: 1/100
Star Spheres: 3/3 (0/2)
Luminescence: [730] [678] [1864] = 82
Starfall Cd 8
Wax Cd 3
Wane Cd 7
Daystar ready!

Rashagor: 1/3180
Brittle: 0/2
Resurgence: +180
Earthern Might: +50
Adaptation: +25 (2)
Forceful Blow ready!
Stoneform Cd 3
Stonegrasp ready!
Shockwave ready!

Nehron Windspeaker: 527/1800, Bad Omen (254)(2)
Windform: 0 (+0, +0, Dazed)
Expel Chaos Cd 3
Whirlwind Cd 3
Blow ready!
Heavens Howl Cd 4

Sa'ron: 1300/1300,
Raging Flames: 1260 = 70
Tribal Tattoos: 1/5
Whirling Fire: +3
Sweeping Flames ready!
Path of Fire ready!
Avatar of Fire ready!
Burning Heart Cd 11

Miquel: 1/1300, Guardian Angel (4)
Moment of Clarity: 1/4
Undisturbed: 0
Prototype Energy Blast ready!
Phase Dash Cd 1
Flare Flight Cd 1
Rewind Cd 11

His Majesty King Amond Varangian of Tanalein: 0/3000
Aura of Supremacy: Lingering
Dominion ready!
Runeswap ready!

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Spoiler

umm... if artistic license doesn't give a bonus, does it simply remove the penalty for weaving more intricate spells?

broadly speaking artistic license improves all rolls that dont do damage or heal- basically stuff that you would need a high roll to succeed at, like a complex teleportation, one of Mayor's grapples, to reuse the examples i already provided

since these things arent based in math at all and what kind of roll you would need to succeed in the first place is kind of very vague it basically adds a gm mood modifier that makes me significantly more likely to say ehhh fuck it you get to do the thing

unless ofcourse you roll *really* poorly in which case nah

I'm gonna be honest I have no idea how it works either.

I'm gonna be honest I have no idea how it works either.

You have left the destiny of a flying carpet in the hands of the most mercurial figure of the role-playing underworld that I know.

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SpoilerThis will be of great entertainment

I wonder if I can get Sa'Ron to help too. chim, does he take up knitting in his spare time or is he too embroiled in the cosmic mysteries of flaming snake avatars? would he help if I let him add a wicked-cool fire border on the pattern?

yea i got that feel

heehee

use it when you want to accomplish something thats not dealing damage basically
and probably try to have a team mate do the thing you wanted done aswell because it isnt an instant ability

teamwork and all that

e: whoa ninjaed pretty sure that hasnt happened in BZ for years

also wait am i mercurial

and why dont you ask the fellow?

also wait am i mercurial

the beginning and end of the update following each quote is silly while the bulk has a more serious, detailed tone.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Everyone has a style.

and why dont you ask the fellow?

He will ask all the fellows. Watson will rally the greatest army of magical seamstresses this world has ever seen.

slightly related/unrelated/bullshit: how long will artistic license last? These things take time you know. I'd be embarassed of Renzo if the effect didn't last at least a thousand rounds.

slightly related/unrelated/bullshit: how long will artistic license last? These things take time you know. I'd be embarassed of Renzo if the effect didn't last at least a thousand rounds.

he's an artist not a miracle worker, it's hard making you all presentable

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Spoiler

it's hard making you all presentable

You can say that again.

Will get a command up for Mayor later. If I'm lazy and I don't, just assume he is running away from Enzu as he guards incoming damage.

Bohw safely floated back down to the ground beside Thunderpaw, in some kind of daze as her madness left her and her senses returned, breathing black sparks of magic from her mouth as she touched down. There was only a moment of an empty calmness on her face, before another kind of madness filled over her in an flash, turning her gaze towards her friend and fully prepared to shout at him.

"Thunderpaw!" Bohw snapped, her voice pained as the rest of her senses caught up to her, remembering the blow she took from the king. "Our-- Our, friends... are in a bad state fighting these champions... we can't rest yet." With a sigh, Bohw gritted through the pain and shook her head, taking the longbow off her back and drawing the string as far as she could pull it to gather energy for a charged attack. In the hand that Bohw was holding the longbow with, she curled out her fingers to reveal the gemstone that was handed to her when he showed up, riding a dragon no less, still clutching onto it tightly like a treasured memento. "Do you know what this does?"