January 12th 1984
Nicaea
Monomaniac Penguin
- Joined
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[X]Yes Costs 10 000 Galleons + 100 / person/creature
[X]Yes
-[X]A medium retinue : Middling choice, 1 000 Galleons
Same as above, with 3 more dragons and another druid
[X]Yes
-[X]A medium retinue : Middling choice, 1 000 Galleons
Same as above, with 3 more dragons and another druid
January 12th 1984
It was decided that they would go at night, under the cover of darkness, to minimize the chances of being seen. The weather was rather good, even if rather cold, but druid or not, Dace was still a wizard, warming charms existed for a reason. He looked around, Oliver was steering the dragoness expertly while little Scáthach was looking around excitedly? This was the first time she was allowed out of her bed despite it being bedtime, after all. Both Oliver and Elizabeth were dubious about her coming here, however, to the man, it stood to reason for her to be involved, especially since the dreams were very clear about her presence being required.
If the one who invited them was who he thought they were, he'd really rather avoid annoying them.
The night advanced and the group travelled quietly, there was a spot of trouble when one of the greenhorn druids threw up in the void below, but other than that, nothing exciting happened. Of course, Oliver had to pipe up at that moment.
"Nice night huh. Bit boring though."
Encounter roll : 30
That was when the dragoness under them growled. It took Dace a bit of time to see what she was looking at, but he finally noticed them too.
Vampires.
The cloud of bats was floating on their right, and part of it separated from the rest, revealing a man with greyish white skin, black hair and blood red eyes.
"A nice night indeed to fly on dragonback." The creature answered in a smooth voice, sneering, before its eyes slid towards the little girl who was looking at them curiously. " Ah, this would be the granddaughter. A delicious looking morsel to be sure, even if the curse lingering upon her would spoil the taste."
Dace's eyebrow twitched. At least this one didn't try to butcher a Romanian accent like the last one he staked.
"Is there any reason behind you approaching us?" He spoke up, getting the creature's attention off his granddaughter. "I don't suppose you're here for small talk?"
It looked at him, then the dragoness, that was snarling, flames coming out of her nostrils, and his sneered twisted into a parody of a cordial smile.
"As a matter of fact, we were. Well then, we bid you a good night." It bowed, before turning into bats that joined the cloud and quickly disappeared from view.
Diplomacy failure.
"He's totally going to try a sneak attack, isn't he?" Oliver asked rhetorically, adjusting his leather gloves while Dace cracked open his book, looking for the spell he really should get around to learning.
"Yes." Was the simple answer, and the dragoness suddenly twisted, barreling through the air while dark shapes barely missed her, one of them caught by her flames and screeching in pain.
One side had hero, gain initiative! Dragoness 1 attack: Luck activated, double damage: 66 Damage
Grabbing his squealing granddaughter under one arm and his other hand opened, Dace clenched his legs and decided to trust in his adhesive charm as he chanted.
Dace spell: Destroy undead: -15 Mana, Damage: (power (2) x 10) + 10 = 30 to all. 15 Mana left.
He felt the now familiar luminous winds gather around him, before a powerful gale flew out of his palm, expanding outwards into a sphere, brutally impacting and eroding the vampires. The one already hit by the dragoness was outright disintegrated.
Vampire 1 dead.
Feeling weakness from the opponents, the other dragonesses decided to attack too, flying towards them at high speed, burning, biting and clawing anything that got near them, mowing down through the ranks of the undead, causing the rest to flee.
Dragon attacks. High morale! They attack twice: 6 x 33 Damage, vampire 2 to 7 dead.
Only one managed to get away.
However, that one was already too much. As Dace's group was hightailing towards their destination, a terrible cold followed them and they saw that the vampire was back, followed by an army of dark cloth and white bones sailing through the air. It seems that Riddle was intent on eliminating them here. And that he didn't learn about last time. Thought, that could be excused, after all, when he got his hands on the book, he could only use that spell once before becoming useless...
He sighed.
"Oliver?" He asked tiredly to his second in command who looked as if the situation was dire.
"Yeah boss?"
"It seems that I will have to rest after this. Ask Scáthach for the directions." He then gave him the little girl, who was struggling to get a better view of what was happening around her, lifted his leg and turned around, facing the cloud of enemies following him. There sure were a lot of them. He tilted his head and looked at the vampire in the eye, before a smile of unholy glee spread on his face and he raised his hand, that started to glow again.
The sheer terror on the beast's face as its death approached was hilarious.
Not even going to roll for damage, they're all under 30 hp. Dace mana 0/30
The night sky was illuminated by white light, before regaining its usual darkness, save for the few spots of light from the stars and the lanterns strapped on the dragons. And the glowing, flying silvery animals that were patroni who were following them. Feeling exhausted, he saw the familiar face of Rufus Scrimgeour closing in towards them won his broom.
Consciousness dice (mana exhausted): 75 – 10 (stressed): 65 needed 50, still conscious.
Dace waited for the man to catch up to them while waving at him lazily, chin propped up on his saddle's backrest. With a bit of difficulty, the Head auror arrived at his level with an expression stuck between annoyed and unimpressed.
"Interesting spell you used there, Gwallawg."
"That's a way to put it" Dace yawned, turning back and relaxing on his seat, his granddaughter pouncing on him and pestering him with questions like an excited puppy. Scrimgeour didn't get the hint however and continued the interrogation.
"What's going on here? And none of that evasive bull you always use either."
Diplomacy check: 25. passed by Intrigue.
"Is this an interrogation?" Dace raised an eyebrow." I have been very obviously attacked by rogue dementors, because, obviously, the ministry wouldn't want my death right now hm? " He didn't let the other answer. " Ah, forgive me, 'have my soul eaten' would be a more appropriate term. Still, dementors out of Azkaban, don't you find it interesting? Why, what would the people say if they learned the Ministry lost control of their wardens?"
The other man's jaw clenched as he glared wordlessly at Dace, before soldiering on.
"And those are class XXXXX creatures you're riding on."
"I have a permit, mister auror."Dace blinked with an innocent face.
"I know, I was there." Scrimgeour ground out. " How are you riding those?"
"By saddling them and letting Oliver drive?" Was the fake inquisitive answer as Dace patted the leather contraption.
"And the way you destroyed dementors? Those are setting several flags off, Gwallawg. Some people at the Ministry are becoming quite worried, considering your origins."
All expression immediately left Dace's face, and he leaned in towards Scrimgeour, speaking lowly in a whisper barely audible to the man, but that sent chills crawling through his spine all the same because of the sheer darkness it contained.
"Then you should know what happened to the last one who decided to meddle, hmmm?"
He suddenly drew back, smile firmly in place, but eyes colder than winter as the Head Auror gaped at the man's audacity.
"In any case, you're doing your job much more enthusiastically than your predecessor, so I will commend you for that. However, we're on family business here, and really need to get going. We thank you for the concern, but as you can see, your help was unneeded."
Scrimgeour's scowl deepened, but he relented and finally got the hint that he was unwelcome and retreated towards the rest of the aurors, who were busy gathering the dementor remains. They quickly disappeared from sight as Dace's group progressed towards its destination, and not a minute too late, for the cube hidden in Dace's pouch, hidden within an inner, expanded pocket in his pants began to vibrate, its energy discharging towards the people on the dragon's back. Not only him and Oliver, who jerked in surprise, but also Scáthach who giggled as if somebody tickled her.
Battle results: Dementors x 60, vampires x8 eliminated
Scáthach starting exp: 32/1000
Oliver starting exp: 430 / 1000
Dace starting exp: 2861 / 3000
Fight results: Victory!
Exp gained: 974 Each
Scáthach current exp: 1006 / 2000 Level up!
Oliver current exp: 1404 / 2000 Level up!
Dace current exp: 3835 / 4000 Level up!
How does Dace choose to improve himself?
[] Anything can be planned, from supplies, to moves, to types, it's just a matter of taking the good steps... Gain basic logistics.
[] Clarity struck his mind, he's been doing it wrong all along! Gain Basic estates.
[] The earth beneath his feet, the leaves in the wind... He could understand that emerald radiance... Gain Basic Earth Magic.
[] Magic wove itself around him like a protective shield... Gain Basic Resistance
Dace's current skills: 5/8 Slots taken.
Advanced Wisdom: allows your hero to learn fourth level spells.
Basic Intelligence: Basic intelligence increases a hero's normal maximum spell points by 25%.
Basic Air Magic: allows your hero to cast air spells at reduced cost.
Basic Diplomacy: allows you to negotiate with monsters in exchange of gold and reduces the cost of surrendering by 20%.
Basic Luck: increases your hero's luck by 1
Oliver focused a bit on what happened, and Dace's instructions, before his face scrunched up in concentration and the green energy around him dimmed. Past the rush of energy, the little girl looked confused however.
"Grandfather, what should I do with it?" She asked, a bit lost about her choice.
[] "You should heighten your ability to defend yourself " Gain basic combat
[] "One's value as a leader depends on the people they lead." Gain advanced nobility
[] "No matter what, as long as there's life, there's hope." Gain basic life magic
[] "One is never truly alone." Gain Nature magic – Basic Summoning
[] Anything can be planned, from supplies, to moves, to types, it's just a matter of taking the good steps... Gain basic logistics.
[] Clarity struck his mind, he's been doing it wrong all along! Gain Basic estates.
[] The earth beneath his feet, the leaves in the wind... He could understand that emerald radiance... Gain Basic Earth Magic.
[] Magic wove itself around him like a protective shield... Gain Basic Resistance
Dace's current skills: 5/8 Slots taken.
Advanced Wisdom: allows your hero to learn fourth level spells.
Basic Intelligence: Basic intelligence increases a hero's normal maximum spell points by 25%.
Basic Air Magic: allows your hero to cast air spells at reduced cost.
Basic Diplomacy: allows you to negotiate with monsters in exchange of gold and reduces the cost of surrendering by 20%.
Basic Luck: increases your hero's luck by 1
Oliver focused a bit on what happened, and Dace's instructions, before his face scrunched up in concentration and the green energy around him dimmed. Past the rush of energy, the little girl looked confused however.
"Grandfather, what should I do with it?" She asked, a bit lost about her choice.
[] "You should heighten your ability to defend yourself " Gain basic combat
[] "One's value as a leader depends on the people they lead." Gain advanced nobility
[] "No matter what, as long as there's life, there's hope." Gain basic life magic
[] "One is never truly alone." Gain Nature magic – Basic Summoning
The little girl nodded with a serious expression that seemed a bit out of place on her juvenile face and Dace had to remember himself that she was truly a three-year-old, then, he remembered he had no idea on how to behave with children and directed her towards Oliver while he took a nap to try and replenish his (currently empty) wellspring of energy.
When he woke up, the sun was up, heating his face, yet, he felt himself fall. It seemed the dragoness was losing altitude, and his leg was being shaken. He groaned and opened an eye, so see his granddaughter shake his leg.
"Wake up grandfather, we're here!"
And here they were, the dragonrider mused from his driving seat, in a place that didn't appear anywhere on the maps. The ground was dry and crackled, nothing was alive in here, and Oliver really hoped the white shards he could see littering the ground weren't bones. Despite the sun, the land was cold, there was no wind, and the sky itself has an eerie, purplish tint. In front of them, a tall, jagged structure resembling a castle was towering over there, crows perched over the gates with a malicious intent gleaming in their beady black eyes.
Oliver shuddered, the druids were huddled together, and even the dragons showed some signs of anxiety.
Meanwhile, Dace didn't know why they were all looking so nervous, those were just a few birds perched on rocks. Interesting effect with the skies though, he'd have to replicate that, though, if he's going for a more Nature themed aesthetic, this may be difficult. Yellow or green would be more jungle-ish than anything else. Little Scáthach looked fascinated with the cloudless sky, nose up in the air and needing Dace to guide her. After a few minutes, he turned around and realized his escort stayed behind, as if paralyzed. A soft, muffled noise could be heard from behind him and he decided to begin the meeting.
"You know, you could have just told me to come alone, grandmother." Dace turned around, only to feel a violent pain on the top of his head and he blinked, seeing nothing else but stars.
"Oh my, it looks like the years have taught you to talk big, let's correct that, shall we?"
Faster than he could even think, something, a pole hit his knees from the side, making him buckle and fall. The noise of feet moving over dirt reached his ears and he just huffed, crossing his arms, back on the ground.
"Not going to resist?"
"I've got better ways to use my time." He answered almost sarcastically, having recovered enough from the blow on his head for his eyes to see the one who was talking to him.
[] Scáthach, the Shadow, the Warrior Maid
Word of warning. Yes, as you may have surmised, the latter one is Nasu Scáthach, included due to popularity. She is significantly stronger than the previous one, however, selecting her will make me, for balance's sake, introduce other Nasu elements, as long as they don't enter in direct conflict with the preexisting elements (Saberface bonanza and most things about magecraft and the Mage's association won't be a thing considering we already have the Wizarding World.). This will, of course, cause the emergence of a difficulty spike down the road if you can't leverage shishou's abilities well. Choose at your own peril.
Also, I gave up. I'll go with animu images. Feel free to post some that you think correspond to this or that character. I'll give a bonus for appropriate ones.
