Those Blessed with Talent

[Darkened]

With Derkan, it looks like leader edges out ahead barely. Calling it for that then.

 

[redaeth]

Goddamnit.

 

[Darkened]

You don't want to talk about the bath, either of them, or the fact that the guards, and a few of the workers at an inn hold you down and shave your head like you're one of those monks you've seen passing through the lower city now and again. Worse, the new clothes they give you, a plain brown robe and a cap to cover your bald head, itch. They're too clean, too bright. You can't help but look around every chance you get. You're dressed as a mark and that's never good. Still the guard next to you stops anyone else from approaching. No one from Lower Town's going to pick a fight with a guard if they can help it.

You see Crazy Bird looking at you from an alley. The question in his eyes is clear. For a moment, you want to call out to him, then a guard glances his way and he's gone. It's just as well. You won't belong to that world from now on. Any of them would take the chance to get out just as much as you, and you're not going back.

The Gray robe joins, not bothering to introduce himself. He argues with the guard, but eventually you find yourself being dragged up to the real city. You've never been inside the red stone walls that ring the Imperial City. No one from the Lower City could get through, though the whole of the Lower City's built up a stone's throw from the real city. Today, with a guard by your side, respectable people clothes and Gray robe greasing the way, you have no problem getting into the city. You're lead to another city office, one fairly close to the gates. It's much nicer. The four guardian statues are real marble, and the building looks downright pretty.

It doesn't even have more than one guard on duty though. How the hell would they be safe if anyone tried to rob the place? Inside, the gray robe spends only a few minutes talking to a secretary, before you're led into an office. There, gray robe with fancy embroidery seems surprised to see Gray Robe. The two talk for a few minutes, after which gray robe tells him to just look at you.

Embroidered Gray Robe doesn't need to say the skill name, or do more than look at you for a few seconds. Once again, he speaks out your name, age and other personal details, his eyes widen as he reads the rest.

"Attributes, Strength: 1, Charisma: …. 7!? and..."

[ ] You have 21 points to divide between your 5 remaining attributes. No attribute may be below 2. Raising an attribute from 5 to 6 costs 2 points. No attribute may be raised above 6.​

"Class: Leader, Specialty:"

Spoiler: Specialty Options

Divided into categories for easy comprehension of the range of the class.

And fine, have a shape-shifter if people want to go that way.

Monster Tamer- Those that recruit and tame powerful beasts

Aura Master: uses psychic abilities and passive auras to influence others, bond with and strengthen monsters (Key attributes: Charisma, Perception)
Bestial Adept: Fights side by side with monsters after befriending them. Adept at cooperation and capable of taking on a variety of monstrous abilities and appearances after learning them from her allies. (Key attributes: Charisma, Stamina)
Charm Painter: Capable of using ink and paper to construct powerful monsters out of next to nothing. (Key attributes: Charisma, Affinity)
​

General: Specialized in commanding armies or squads rather than single parties. Focused on incredible scale rather than strength of effects

Geomancer: capable of casting powerful spells to alter the battlefield rather than its inhabitants (Key Attributes: Intelligence, Affinity)
General Write-ins are LOCKED (The odds of an immediate bad end would be too high.)​

Hero: Those who mix leadership skills, support magic, combat and everything else to help enhance their party from the front.

Tyrant: Charismatic warrior that leads from the front, intimidating foes and rousing allies to obey. (Key attributes: Charisma, Strength)
Heavenly Champion: support specialist with strong defensive abilities and a variety of healing and support magic to protect his allies. (Key Attributes: Charisma, Luck)​

Necromancer: Those who command the dead to fight for them rather than living soldiers

Piper of Hamelin: Possesses musical ability that can cause the dead to dance and control rodents and children. (Key attributes: Charisma)​

Trickster: Those who use traps and trickery to weaken enemies even as they strengthen allies.

Quick-Fingered Lute Master: manipulates uses song and trickery to support their allies, confuse enemies. (Key attributes: Charisma, Agility)
Beguiling Trap-Master: masters deception and misdirection as well as prepared traps and tools used to weaken the enemy before the battle even starts. (Key attributes: Charisma, Affinity)
​

Tactician: Those adept at leading small parties of other humans from the rear. Specialized in pure support over any diffusion.

Wild Hearted Temptress: Uses beauty and song to inspire foes and drive enemies to the point of madness. (Key attribute: Charisma)
Azure Mountain Path Sage: Possesses keen insight into tactics, eyes that pierce through any deception and read the battlefield perfectly (Key attributes: Charisma, Perception)​

[ ] What specialty are you? (Write-ins subject to QM approval)​

Embroidered Gray Robe doesn't seem to believe his own voice, but he continues despite himself.

"Rank A-. Skills, Base: Inspirational as standard. Supplementary: None. Studied: None. Event: None... Personal, there is one! 'Transcendent Thoughts: Chaotic spirits influence your mind, making you prone to erratic behavior and rendering your intelligence attribute completely immune to any detection skills. All intelligence based skills are reassigned to other attributes instead.'"

He writes this down as he speaks. Then Embroidered Gray Robe stops and casts scan again, muttering about mistakes. It looks like he made one, but that doesn't seem to make him trust his evaluation any more.

[ ] Actually, your stats are a little higher than he read the first time.
-[ ] Assign 2 more stat points.
[ ] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[ ] That's offensive in nature
-[ ] That provides a passive boost to your abilities
-[ ] That allows you to move with shocking speed
-[ ] That gives you a new mode of perception
​

Embroidered Robe casts the skill twice more, then he sends Gray Robe and the guard away, writes a note to his secretary he won't explain, and drags you deeper into the city.

Your next destination is a park in the most central parts of the city. At its center stands a ten floored tower with weird-sorta roofs around each floor. It's surrounded by gardens and several long wooden buildings.

He ignores the pagoda and drags you into one of the wooden buildings. Then he stands politely outside of a rice paper door and announces himself.

"Official of the Seventh Rank in his Eternal Emperor's Service, Laughing Crow to see Lord Han Wei."

You startle at that. Only nobles are allowed to have a name like that, that puts their family above themselves. You've never even dreamed of meeting someone so high up. And even a street brat like you knows the Han clan is one of the Eight Great Noble families.

This is more than you ever dreamed. You're still waiting to wake up and discover that you just fainted after they told you that you were a classless E rank. As Laughing Crow the room, you pinch your way too clean flesh as hard as you can.

No, you haven't woken up yet. Soon enough, Laughing Crow orders you to enter the room, waiting outside himself.

The man inside is thin as a bamboo shoot. He wears robes of the finest gold and purple, and a tasseled hat that marks him as a scholar. On his left hand is a plain gray glove, hiding the mark of his rank and class as only citizens of the highest ranks are allowed to do.

You don't know anything of manners, but you kneel on the floor and bow as deeply as you can, hoping he won't have you beaten for wasting his time.

Lord Han Wei takes only a second to scan you, before whistling faintly to himself.

"Get up girl, you're only making a fool of yourself. There's no need to bow like that to anyone short of a Clan Leader or royalty, much less the mere third son of a branch family, besides, your talents are such that there are very few you will need bow to"

Blushing, you stand, though you don't meet his eyes. Maybe if you keep staring at the floor he won't realize how red you're blushing.

"The question, of course, is what to do with you. In the entirety of the empire there are only a few dozen individuals at A rank. No one would predict that a child of no account or status could join their number. There are many who would regard such, particularly a charisma specialist like yourself, as a threat rather than an asset."

He wants something, he's leading you somewhere, trying to scare you, just like any member of another gang bragging about what his kin are going to do to you when they find you. Here and now, you're really really scared.

Han Wei pays you no mind. He's clearly a man used to talking at people instead of talking with them, "Naturally, you could dispel these worries in a variety of ways. You might join the army. While usually no youth younger than fourteen, much less a girl younger than fourteen, would be accepted, it's only logical that exceptions might be made in your case." Han Wei, idly moves to his desk, sorting through a few papers as he continues to talk.

"Of course, I doubt a street rat could manage army discipline, and while the army would push you to develop incredibly quickly, but I doubt they could truly provide you with the resources or troops you would need to succeed. At least, they would not do so before you demonstrated merit beyond your raw ability. Without such tools, it's all but impossible to believe that you would be able to flourish."

That doesn't sound terribly good. On the other hand, even if you couldn't easily earn high status, you could still level up a lot in the army, and probably quit later.

Han Wei keeps the same carefully dismissive tone, "You also might sell yourself into servitude. The imperial family, any of the great generals or the noble clans would be delighted to purchase the contract of one so talented. You would have little say in your future, but once the term of your contract expired, you would be free to dictate your own affairs, and few would question your loyalty. Of course, I doubt one of your potential has any desire to live as a mere servant and you would have next to no say in your affairs."

A second bad option. Well, you doubt they'd abuse you, and they probably wouldn't waste you on domestic tasks, but selling yourself could trap you for seven or even fourteen years. Still Han Wei seems to be exaggerating here. He's selling you, building up your alternatives as worse before showing the good option at the end.

Now Han Wei leans in, his eyes and his voice betraying that he's far too eager to bite up the prey standing before him, "You are, additionally, too young for marriage. However, it might rather easily be arranged that a child of your unknown lineage is discovered to belong to a long lost branch of a major clan. Naturally you would be adopted promptly to rectify this grave injustice. Only the clans might give you the proper fixtures needed to develop your potential, or merely to enjoy life as befits your status if that is your inclination. I believe it is the wisest course, and my own Han clan would be delighted to adopt you, youngest sister."

And what he's not saying is that the clan's going to want you stick with them forever, let them control your life in a hundred small ways and get a lot more than their money's worth out of you... But... to advance to a citizen of the third class in a day? You'd enjoy power and status beyond anything you ever dreamed of, the offer sounds almost too good to be true.

But, it's a bit too close to a gang. They promised to take care of you too, and didn't mention all the fighting or the covering for each other or the problems until later. You could run... Pass up the status and the authority and privilege of the Imperial City and try to go it alone. It wouldn't be too hard to make your case today and start running, even if you don't have any gear or skills yet. You're A ranked so what can a few monsters in the wild do to you?

Well?
[ ] Time to enlist in the army
[ ] Indentured Servitude is only a few years of your life in exchange for status, connections and a small fortune
[ ] Adoption is a big commitment, but you could be noble, practically a queen in your own domain, one step removed from the godlike emperor!
-[ ] But is the Han clan really your best option?
[ ] Nope. Money-bags never have anything good in mind for street trash like you. Start running now and never look back..

 

[redaeth]

Darkened am I correct in assuming we start at 1 in each stat?

[X] You have 21 points to divide between your 5 remaining attributes. No attribute may be below 2. Raising an attribute from 5 to 6 costs 2 points. No attribute may be raised above 6.

-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Affinity 4
-[X] Perception 3
-[X] Stamina 6




Though it probably won't win I want it anyway.
[X] Bestial Adept

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities

[X] Time to enlist in the army

 

[Darkened]

Darkened am I correct in assuming we start at 1 in each stat?

Click to shrink...

No. Start with 0. Sorry if this wasn't clear.

Also, just to be certain this time. Chargen votes will work as a set, while the decision vote will be counted separately.

 

[redaeth]

Hmm, I'm probably gonna play around with the numbers a bit so my vote is gonna change.

EDIT : decided on this.

-[] Agility 2
-[] Luck 5
-[] Affinity 5
-[] Perception 2
-[] Stamina 6

As a Beast Adept our strongest stats are going to have to be stamina. I want high luck and high affinity for obvious reasons. That means perception and agility will be pretty low. Except we'll be shape shifter, we can gain physical stats though shapeshifting, otherwise shape shifting would be pretty useless!

So perception, agility and strength are actually less needed with a Beast Adept then a more physical character. Plus high affinity will mean we can also gain stats through artifacts.

 

[tEN]

I'm on my phone so voting is difficult. I'll back anybody who goes Bestial Adept and gives a good argument for the future.

 

[Heaven Canceler]

What are the key attributes for Wild Hearted Temptress?

 

[VictoriousCoyote]

How does 'Transcendental Thoughts' work then? Is this just a in-game way to justify write-ins not working? If it's random every time it kind of makes every Int-based skill worse than Strength, because it's so unpredictable

 

[Darkened]

What are the key attributes for Wild Hearted Temptress?

Click to shrink...

Oops, only charisma

How does 'Transcendental Thoughts' work then? Is this just a in-game way to justify write-ins not working? If it's random every time it kind of makes every Int-based skill worse than Strength, because it's so unpredictable

Click to shrink...

It's an in game way to justify the fact that QQ's voting is deciding your effective intelligence from moment to moment.

That and I really don't want to try a posthuman intellect PoV character, but the setting requires their existence.

Ergo, super-unique personal skill.

In practice you simply won't roll intelligence and just use QQ's voting to generate the results of hypothetical intelligence rolls. I'll choose another ability for each spell/skill as seems most appropriate (This will probably be perception, luck or affinity in most cases or determined via rolling a die if nothing fits)

 

[Heaven Canceler]

[X] You have 21 points to divide between your 5 remaining attributes. No attribute may be below 2. Raising an attribute from 5 to 6 costs 2 points. No attribute may be raised above 6.
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 5
-[X] Affinity 5
-[X] Perception 4
-[X] Stamina 4

[X] Wild Hearted Temptress

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That gives you a new mode of perception

[X] Nope. Money-bags never have anything good in mind for street trash like you. Start running now and never look back..

 

[Garahs]

[X] Aura Master

[X] Stamina 3, Agility 3, Affinity 5, Perception 5, Luck 5

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities

[X] Adoption is a big commitment, but you could be noble, practically a queen in your own domain, one step removed from the godlike emperor!

All of our stats are important in my opinion. As a support type, stamina and agility are less important, and I'm hoping high Luck will boost their effectiveness sufficiently. Aura Master so we don't have to be on the front lines fighting with our pitiful strength, but stamina and agility will hopefully allow us to survive being close enough to maintain our enhancing ability. Let's face it, we're going to be ambushed no matter how high our stats are, so let's reduce the risk of getting screwed right out the door.

Getting adopted is good. We'll learn all the important etiquette lessons early for managing in the big leagues as opposed to army and while indentured servant will pick that stuff up, we'd be stuck under the glass ceiling. Running is bad since people know our potential and won't just let us go. Sticking with the Hans is no different than any other clan as far as we know, so no need to offend them and go with someone else.

 

[rcnr]

[]Piper of Hamelin

[] Actually, your stats are a little higher than he read the first time.
-[] Assign 2 more stat points.

-[] Agility 4
-[] Luck 6
-[] Affinity 3
-[] Perception 4
-[] Stamina 5

[] Indentured Servitude is only a few years of your life in exchange for status, connections and a small fortune.

Stats changed slightly.

 

[tEN]

[X] No wait, I misread it. You're a Scout with 7 Stamina and 1 Charisma. What was I thinking?
-[X] Warshaper
-[X] Strength 5, Agility 5, Luck 4, Perception 4, Affinity 3
-[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
--[X] That gives you a new mode of perception
--[X] Go be a scout in the army.

Now a full vote so people don't object I want to add a whole extra vote to the process.

 

[redaeth]

[X] No wait, I misread it. You're a Scout with 7 Stamina and 1 Charisma. What was I thinking?

Click to shrink...

hah I wish.

 

[tEN]

hah I wish.

Click to shrink...

So vote with me. See if the people who showed up just to vote hardmode come back and actually care about the details.

 

[redaeth]

Ah, I doubt Darkened will let us do it. Decided to stick with the vote that has an actual chance of winning, if more votes with Bailey I'll switch back.

[X] No wait, I misread it. You're a Scout with 7 Affinity and 1 Charisma. What was I thinking?

[X] Warshaper
-[X] Stamina 5, Luck 5, Agility 3, Perception 5, Strength 3

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities

[X] Time to enlist in the army

 

[tEN]

I've noticed that, in general, 60% of the "losers" and 80% of the "winners" stick around after character creation. These numbers change to 50% and 40% when hardmode votes win. What does that tell you? Because it tells me that we can go BACK.

 

[Serous]

[X] Aura Master

[X] Stamina 3, Agility 3, Affinity 5, Perception 5, Luck 5

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities

[X] Adoption is a big commitment, but you could be noble, practically a queen in your own domain, one step removed from the godlike emperor!

 

[Wawv]

[X] Quick-Fingered Lute Master

Are song and trickery the kind of things that lead to create illusions to confuse enemies ?

-[X] Agility 5
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Affinity 4
-[X] Perception 5
-[X] Stamina 3

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That gives you a new mode of perception

[X] Indentured Servitude is only a few years of your life in exchange for status, connections and a small fortune

 

[Raron]

[X] Bestial Adept
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Affinity 4
-[X] Perception 3
-[X] Stamina 6



[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities

[X] Indentured Servitude is only a few years of your life in exchange for status, connections and a small fortune

 

[Adyen]

Oh, a Darkened quest.

No doubt this is going to end in tears... (what kind of tears, now that's the question!)

Hmmm... Let's pick some rather... 'harmless' stats..

-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 3
-[X] Affinity 5
-[X] Perception 6
-[X] Stamina 3

[X] Specialty: Tactician - Azure Mountain Path Sage

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That gives you a new mode of perception

[X] Indentured Servitude is only a few years of your life in exchange for status, connections and a small fortune

One thing of note is that I don't want any more stats to be really low. While having a high perception is important... if we want to work with the imperial family, we probably should try to be a bit rounded, and not completely weak in any more areas. I'm sure they'll be extremely happy with a new loyal servant who can survey any battlefield and come up with good tactics, and being a 'supportive' specialty may help make us seem less ambitious/dangerous than we can be.

 

[MHLord]

[X] rcnr

 

[Pipeman]

[X]Piper of Hamelin
[X] Actually, your stats are a little higher than he read the first time.
-[X] Assign 2 more stat points.
-[X] Agility 4
-[X] Luck 6
-[X] Affinity 3
-[X] Perception 4
-[X] Stamina 5
[X] Indentured Servitude is only a few years of your life in exchange for status, connections and a small fortune.

 

[Xicree]

[X] Monster Tamer- Those that recruit and tame powerful beasts
- - [X]Bestial Adept: Fights side by side with monsters after befriending them. Adept at cooperation and capable of taking on a variety of monstrous abilities and appearances after learning them from her allies. (Key attributes: Charisma, Stamina)

[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities


-[X] Agility 2
-[X] Luck 3
-[X] Affinity 2
-[X] Perception 5
-[X] Stamina 6



[X] Indentured Servitude is only a few years of your life in exchange for status, connections and a small fortune.

 

[BFldyq]

Darkened, can you explain the character sheet on the front page? Specifically, the Attributes bit? I thought we were assigning them? Why is Affinity at 0, and Luck at 80?

 

[Darkened]

Darkened, can you explain the character sheet on the front page? Specifically, the Attributes bit? I thought we were assigning them? Why is Affinity at 0, and Luck at 80?

Click to shrink...

To clarify, you're assigning growth potential. Note how charisma has 7 stars while strength has 1? That's what you're deciding, not starting values but how much each attribute will grow as you level.

As for the ridiculous luck... Well look at the premise

Luck scales a bit differently at first. 80 luck isn't terribly out of the ordinary.

 

[redaeth]

Color Code: *= Will not grow automatically, **=Slow Growth, ***=Average Growth, ****=Fast Growth, *****=Great Growth, ******=Genius, *******+= Cheating

Click to shrink...

This is what we are voting on?

 

[redaeth]

Since I'm both bored and apparently a bit of a masochist have a vote tally! Just the chargen stuff since the final vote is counted separately.

This is going to be a bit of a mess so if I don't place your vote correctly please tell me.

Votes : 5
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Affinity 4
-[X] Perception 3
-[X] Stamina 6
[X] Bestial Adept
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities
redaeth Raron BFldyq shadowward Unyouthful Steve

Votes : 2
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 5
-[X] Affinity 5
-[X] Perception 4
-[X] Stamina 4
[X] Wild Hearted Temptress
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That gives you a new mode of perception
Heaven Canceler Bloodshifter

Votes : 2
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Stamina 3
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Affinity 5
-[X] Perception 5
-[X] Luck 5
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities
[X] Aura Master
Garahs Serous

Votes : 4
[X]Piper of Hamelin
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 6
-[X] Affinity 5
-[X] Perception 3
-[X] Stamina 5
[X] Actually, your stats are a little higher than he read the first time.
-[X] Assign 2 more stat points.
rcnr Pipeman Alexander MHLord


Votes : 1
[X] No wait, I misread it. You're a Scout with 7 Stamina and 1 Charisma. What was I thinking?
-[X] Warshaper
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Strength 5
-[X] Agility 5
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Perception 4
-[X] Affinity 3
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
--[X] That gives you a new mode of perception
Bailey Matutine

Votes : 1
[X] Quick-Fingered Lute Master
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That gives you a new mode of perception
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 5
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Affinity 4
-[X] Perception 5
-[X] Stamina 3
Wawv

Votes : 1
Invalid Vote. Raising a stat to 6 from 5 costs 2 points.
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Affinity 5
-[X] Perception 6
-[X] Stamina 3
[X] Azure Mountain Path Sage
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That gives you a new mode of perception
Adyen

Votes : 1
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 2
-[X] Luck 3
-[X] Affinity 2
-[X] Perception 5
-[X] Stamina 6
[X] Bestial Adept
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That provides a passive boost to your abilities
Xicree

Votes : 1
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 5
-[X] Luck 3
-[X] Perception 5
-[X] Affinity 3
-[X] Stamina 5
[X] Bestial Adept
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That allows you to move with shocking speed
Pandemonious Ivy

Votes : 1
[X] Stat growth
-[X] Agility 3
-[X] Luck 4
-[X] Affinity 4
-[X] Perception 3
-[X] Stamina 6
[X] Bestial Adept
[X] Actually you have a second personal skill.
-[X] That gives you a new mode of perception
Raising Kittens

 

[Darkened]

Natural wariness learned on the streets has caused Little Bee's perception to increase by 5

Also QQ, no one wants to make their stats a pretty rainbow.