Modern Necromancy Quest: Redux Thread Three

Welcome to Modern Necromacy Quest: Redux! This time we follow Liz Shepherd from Olim, Maine, an 18-year-old high school graduate who’s just received a tome of unending horror in the mail, and is on a quest to become the best damn necromancer she can...or at least have some fun. So far we have
>Summoned a sassy cat ghost
>Claimed and secured a secret tree-house lair for all our dark needs
>gone to Portland to investigate a possibly supernatural library explosion
>failed a stealth check and got discovered by a guy digging around the library
>gotten pulled through a portal by said guy (Argus) and brought to the Seelie Court, one of two warring factions of Fae
>received an “invitation” to join the Seelie, and politely asked to meet their enemy, the Unseelie, before taking them up on it
>come home and discovered that somebody from the Unseelie is using a Stygian imp to spy on us (and quite a nice imp he was, too)
>and finally, gone to a garden store and nursery with our Dad to pick up a few things, imp and cat-spirit still in tow

Discord: https://discord.gg/ksY4q87

>>803798
"So, how's the job? I've been thinking of working part time around until i part for college"

Smooth as sandpaper

Foolishly forgot to include the links to previous archived threads so kindly provided by Skelebro. Here they are, so all of you can catch up and join us here!

MNQR #1 - http://archived.moe/qst/thread/747132/
MNQR #2 - http://archived.moe/qst/thread/766214/

>>803853
Don't worry, it happens

>>803870
Nope, you didn't forgot

>>803791
>>Go see if they need help

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>803883
>>803830
Rolling.
1 means talkery
2 means walkery

>>803897
You think about trying to strike up a conversation with the dark-haired girl, but decide against it. She’s sitting behind the counter, sullenly staring at the ceiling. Seems like whatever conversation she and the old man were having, she’s not happy it got interrupted. Best to leave her alone and go see if your Dad and the old man need a hand.

You start towards the opposite end of the shop, towards the entryway that they walked out of, and pick your way through a veritable jungle. Golden pothos on one side, rhododendron shrubs on the other, you finally duck through an archway and find yourself in the back yard of the nursery. Saplings of all sorts are standing around, their roots wrapped in burlap and their leaves trimmed to reduce water loss.

You see your father and the wizened old man coming towards you, both smiling and carrying a pair of plum saplings between them.

“Hey Liz, get the onion starts figured out?”

“Yup, they’re waiting on the counter.”

“Thanks, saved me some—oh, dammit! I just remembered, I took off my watch when we were lifting this up, and forgot to grab it. Liz, do you mind running to get it while I get everything into the truck? This thing is kind of heavy.” You nod and walk quickly towards the area of the yard he’d indicated.

After just a moment’s searching, you see his watch lying there in the shade of a fully-grown fruit tree and stoop to pick it up off the ground, feeling the heavy brass bands in your fingers. As you straighten up, you take a look at the tree above you. It’s a beautiful specimen of an apple, and somehow bearing fruit. You can see one just at eye-level on one of the branches, and your stomach rumbles...lunch seems like an awfully long time ago.

>ignore it and go back to the shop
>grab it and take a bite. Just one apple won’t matter, worst case you pay for it and apologize
>grab it and tuck it into your bag for later.

>>803949
>>ignore it and go back to the shop

>>803949
It is not ours, we should take it

>>803949
Taking an apple in a magical setting is never a good idea

Ignore

>>803963
>>804004
Roll 1d20. Best of three, 1 a crit fail, 20 a crit success

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>803985
Fuck, i meant "shouldn't"

>>804007

>>804007
Dice+1d20

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>804007

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>804007
Rolling to not steal, with high crit chance? That must be one juicy apple.

>>804019

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>804007

>>804021
Yes...juicy.
>>804026
Just barely. Writing for successfully ignoring the apple.

>>804025
Never mind Im The worst

>>804031
Pobody's Nerfect

You bite your lip, eyes still stuck on the apple, and with way more effort than it should have taken to ignore a fruit, tear your eyes off it. The smell of it lingers for a moment, a sweet, tantalizing odor that almost makes you regret your decision. You blink a few times, shake your head to clear it, and turn around to head back to the shop.

Standing there, eyes magnified to comical proportions by his glasses, stands the old man. He winks at you and turns on his heel, bustling back towards the shop. You follow, and arrive just in time to see your Dad hoisting the second sapling into the back of the truck. He tips them over, leaning them on their side to as to protect them from the wind driving back, and waves you over.

“All set, Liz! We’re good to go.” he calls, getting into the cab. You shrug and head towards the car, but the little old man blocks your way just before you leave the store. Those coke-bottle eyes twinkling, he shakes your hand briefly, and you can feel him pass an object, something smooth and round, into your hand before he moves out of the way and hurries you out the door.

Not getting a chance to look at the object with your dad in the car, you keep it tucked firmly in your almost non-existent pocket. The ride goes quickly enough, and once you arrive home you help your Dad pull the plums saplings out of the back of the truck, then head back inside.
>examine the item the old man gave you
>call Cat back from watching the imp
>other

>>804074
Let's leave a note since this man seems to notice us avoiding the temptation, saying, how well do you know if you can get your hands on Wolfsbane. Let's also examin this object alter at our Club House of DOOM!!!.

>>804074
Check the item... and also see about investing on clothes with more substantial pockets

Also, take the chance to look ourselves on the mirror I want a good description of what we look like

>>804074
>>examine the item the old man gave you

>>804074
Check em

>>804117
Old man gave you dubs

>>804122
Y.. You too

>>804090
Have you seen girl's clothes? No pockets on any of 'em.
>>804092
>>804117
Roll for observation. 1d20, same rules as before.

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>804137
Who said anything about girl clothes?
Get Liz some cargo pants asap.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>804137
>inb4 crit fails

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>804137

>>804153
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................fuck...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

File: ManlySideburns.jpg (14KB, 250x192px) Image search: [Google]

14KB, 250x192px

>>804153

File: YouDroveMeToThis.jpg (177KB, 683x1024px) Image search: [Google]

177KB, 683x1024px

>>804153
Writing.

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>804137

>>804153
Its like you wanted that to happen

>>804161
>>804164
>>804166
I REGRET. NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>>804180
Sure you don't, Buck Truck guy

>>804182
Okay fine, that I still slightly regret at this point.

File: LizKinda.jpg (98KB, 600x600px) Image search: [Google]

98KB, 600x600px

>>804164
Sitting in your room, you dig the object out of your pocket and strongly contemplate buying some cargo pants. Your Mom might object to you shopping in the Men’s section, but if you’re going to be carrying questionable items of possible magical origin with you, you’ll need the storage space dammit!
You finally get it out and look at it, a tiny off-white bead in the middle of your hand. You turn it over, examining it as best you can. As far as you can tell it’s basically spherical, with a couple of markings and indentations on the front of it. You squint a little bit and roll it over in your hand, but it doesn’t seem to have anything else significant about it, so you shrug and toss it into your nightstand drawer.

You wonder what the little old man was doing, giving you a tiny little bead in such a covert way. It’s not like it’s some incriminating piece of evidence, or even anything terribly interesting. Why didn’t he say anything, at least to give you an idea of what the damned thing was supposed to do?

Standing up, you give a bit of a stretch, and look over yourself in the mirror. You’re cursed with paleness from your Mom’s side of the family. It’s either so deathly white that marble looks oversaturated, or burnt to a pleasant shade of lobster-red. You’re fairly slim, but neither athletic in the way that some of the swimmers are, nor moder-skinny like a few of your friends manage. Your dark brown hair is generally wavy no matter how many times you try to straighten it, and you tend to wear it in a bun.

You’re more or less average, never had any trouble blending into a crowd. You lean against your door and consider what to do next.
>Go back to the nursery, talk to the old man
>call Cat down, have him do something (what?)
>read the grimoire or do other research (specify)

Pic is close, but Liz prides herself for never having worn a choker even in her deepest pits of goth

>>804233
*thumbs up, fighting for control*

Go back, let's see if we can get some Wolfsbane or learn about some magical plants.

>>804233
I expected to be chubbier, i'll be leaving this quest right now! :^)

We can go to the old man tomorrow.
Call cat and ask him what the imp is up to
Doing any kind of reaserch while we are being under suspicion kind of risky

If we can see the imp from the window call him up and ask him if he wants something to eat. I like the little guy

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>>804257
Roll to chug 11 milkshakes and get thicc
>>804250
>>804257
Rolling to determine.
1 for head back to the shop
2 for chill and calling down cat, maybe the imp

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>804284
Rolling to get in milkshape

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>804289
Counter rolling to stay perfectly right, I have nothing agains't chub, but Liz is pure.

>>804296
Dude, what was that for? If anything, my roll made her thinner

Her favorite band must be Thin Lizzie

>>804310
Reading comprehension flip flops on me.

>>804284
You crack open your window and peer out, scanning for a flash of red amongst the green trees and shrubs. After a short while you see the imp, still circling up in the air far above. You can’t see his pale blue shape against the sky, but you’re sure that Cat is up there somewhere, keeping an eye on the imp like you asked.

You try to wave to him, to make it clear that he can come down, and then sit on the edge of your bed waiting. You almost give up on him, but finally he comes drifting through the ceiling to land on your pillow where he sits, grooming himself.

“So, what’d you see? Anything interesting?” You ask, curious if the imp is quite as dedicated to his task of following you as he led you to believe.

“Nothing out of the ordinary.” Cat replies with a yawn. “He followed you at great altitude, and seemed quite bored the whole time.” A thought strikes you.

“Did he see you? Could be awkward if he learns I’m not a warlock after all and decides to relate it to his master, whoever that is.” You rub your chin thoughtfully. Maybe you could delay him or stop him somehow…? Thankfully, that line of thinking proves unnecessary.

“I don’t believe so, though he did seem unnerved by my presence. He kept looking over his shoulder and said something to himself about energy, but never looked at me.”

That certainly makes life easier. You lean out the window again and try to wave at the imp, but he either ignores you or can’t tell what you’re doing from his height. You suspect the former, and you can’t really blame him. Talking to you before was probably enough of a risk for one day.
What now?
>send Cat back to watch the imp some more
>send him elsewhere (where?)
>research or experiment (grimoire or other? Specify what on)

>>804374
Nah, there is nothing we can learn from this imp

Practice making the circles until we can do them by memory. If we have the time, read more on shades. If there is nothing more to be learned about them, read on true resurrection

>>804374
Research the Grimoire on information about controlling multiple summons, and information about chimeras/bone fusions.

>>804399
*from memory

>>804374
Read up on true resurrections. Once we're done wasting those 10 seconds, go read up on controlling multiple summons.

>>804414
At least pretend we are not metagaming, bruh

>>804374
We should probably ask Cat what that weird marble thing is, unless our previous crit-fail prevents us from even thinking about it.

>>804374
>Ask Cat to take a look at the bead thing and ask him about supernaturally succulent apples. Maybe he knows a little about other schools of magic and can enlighten us.
>>research or experiment (Just read a bit more of the Grimoire. Study study study!)

>>804399
>>804406
>>804414
>>804432
Writing for asking Cat about the marble, then cracking open the ol' grimoire.

Rolled 3 (1d10)

Rolling for Cat's observation

>>804460
...nice

>>804460
Shit
Should we ask our dad about it, he can't roll worse than any of us

>>804460
>3
"Spectral beast, open your mind's eye to observe the empirical truth of th- no, no stop that Open your eye, don't lick your butt. You're a ghost, you don't even get dirty anymore. Wait, no, don't you dare cough up an ectoplasmic hairball on my bed. Please, don't! Last time the smell literally haunted my dreams! Just turn to the oh well nevermind then. Ugh, I should skim ahead to find a shade maid spell...

>>804493
>ectoplasmic hairball
>It has the same goosebump effect on people that shades have
>It won't dissipate on its own
>Interacts with physical objects but not living matter

9/10 would leave in the beds of my enemies so they never get to sleep again

>>804471
Great idea. "Hey dad! I'm a necromancer and what is this?"

>>804493
I wouldn't put that idea past him. He is a cat after all, and cats really do tend to be dickheads.

>>804515
"Sure you are sweetie, and what thi-... Oh god! This is an artifact of inmense power! My innate powers are manifesting!"

“That’s right! Cat, do you mind taking a look at this thing?” You rush over to your bedside table and open the drawer, pulling the weird little marble thing out and holding it, your palm flat. He looks up curiously and pads around it in mid air, looking at it, then doing his little shrug and curling back up on the bed.

“It looks like a seed of some kind, maybe.” he sounds like he’s guessing, but now that he’s said it’s obvious, and you’re kicking yourself for not noticing earlier. “Not sure why you’re suddenly so interested in it, but I think that’s what it is.”

You try to examine it more closely, but you still can’t tell anything else about it, and you’re more than a little hesitant to plant it considering where you got it. You don’t think it’d be a Jack and the Beanstalk type situation, but who knows? You’re certainly not risking it.

Welp, no progress there. Might as well check out the grimoire, see what the deal there is then. “Multiple Summons” seems like a good place to start. You’ve already got images of skeletal armies rushing across hillsides and sacking castles running through your head as you flip over to the correct page and start reading.

In theory, there is no limit to the number of summons an enterprising young necromancer may raise from the earth. In practice, there are several, and are usually found in this order in day-to-day life.
1. Remains
How many horses or men die in a given day in a given area? The number is disappointingly low, my young apprentices. You’re lucky to find two or three in the average hamlet even in the depths of winter, to say nothing of the difficulties of procurement and transport. Unless you choose to raise them on the spot (which of course presents its own challenges) the remains must be moved, which demands man- or animal-power of mundane or arcane nature. Thankfully, in the skirmishes where this is most troublesome, the problem solves itself. Every battlefield strewn with corpses is the necromancer’s base of recruitment, every medical tent with bodies piled high his treasure trove. Plague and disaster may also offer advantages to the unscrupulous ressurectionist, and may therefore be manufactured for this purpose.
2. Resilience
Unfortunately, even the hardiest of our summoned minions eventually return to their rightful realm, decreasing in strength until they do. As a rule, the more physical the summon, the more quickly the immortal spirit slips free of its bonds. Shades may be kept active for weeks with few offerings and no disadvantages, while greater physical forms will last only a few days before their ranks begin to thin. Lesser physical forms, of course, fall between these two, and animal forms generally last longer than humanoid ones.
(1/2)

>>804559
3. Offerings
Directly related to the last point. How much meat and wine can be spared? In times of hardship when remains may be easiest to procure, the raw ingredients to maintain them may be the limiting factor. For this reason, lesser physical forms may be favoured when resources are scarce in this regard.
4. Blood
Though necromancers often pride ourselves as a particularly tough bunch, there is a limit to our physical endurance. The greater the form, the more blood needed. While a thorough bleeding can, be beneficial to the nervous system, any doctor will tell you of the dangers of too-frequent takings. These dangers are the selfsame ones faced by practitioners of this art, especially when he has determined to raise an army. As a result, apprentices are frequently given the honor of participating in such raisings, at the cost of a small cut on their forearms.
A small notation is made in pencil in the margin, almost too faint for you to read. It says “Liebig’s barrel.” in an almost illegible scrawl. You shrug, and continue on, skimming through until you see the word “chimera”. That seems promising.

It is not uncommon for the unknowing apprentice to suggest the merging of one or more physical forms, and he cannot be blamed for this. What a sight it would be to see a skeletal centaur charging into battle, or to form a muscular giant out of massed corpses!

Alas, it is rarely worth the difficulties associated to raise such creatures. It is a melding of not just flesh or bone, but of the spirits that animate them. Each chimera (for such they are called, being joinings of many creatures as were the monsters of old) must be raised on its own. Their requirements are multiplicative from the combined offerings of each of their parts. So, though a single lesser physical form might need little wine, meat and blood, three joined together might need a week’s rations to rise. The complexity of their circles is likewise increased.

When use is possible, however, they may wreak true havoc on the enemy.”

You spot another section labeled “concurrent summonings” and flip ahead, already curious.

Sorry, not done yet, but figured you’d waited long enough. Won’t be running much longer tonight, anyway.

>>804622
How'd you know it was me?

>>804655
Skeleton's intuition

>>804622
The summoning of multiple minions concurrently can be crucial, and is far from impossible for the dedicated necromancer with adequate time to prepare. In addition, it is quite simple, with few variations from singular summons.
The circles are drawn, offerings prepared, blood added, as for individual ceremonies. However, all circles must then be enclosed by a greater one, and are often arranged in groups to facilitate this.

There’s a diagram of a group of four circles, what look like lesser physical form summonings, arranged in a square inside of a larger circle. It’s much simpler than they are, basically just a cross leading through the centers of each individual circle and coming together in the middle of the larger one.

The evocation is spoken as usual, but must be addressed to all those who are to be risen. Some common ground must be discovered and mentioned for best results. A sad truth is that summons raised in this manner are often less intelligent and able than others raised singly, but this is often a worthy trade in times of danger, when numbers, not wit, are what turns the tide of battle.

You sit there, trying to soak all the new information in. It’s certainly a lot to handle, though your mind is already whizzing with the possibilities and chances, new things to try out and scenarios to imagine. Cat has since moved to your desk, and sits there watch you puzzling things out, wondering how logic and reason apply to all this madness.

A knock comes at your door and you almost jump out of your skin, quickly sliding the grimoire under your pillow and answering it. Your Mom is there, smiling.

“Time for dinner, honey! Don’t stay cooped up in there all evening, looking at God-knows-what on the computer!” she laughs, taking any real criticism out of her tone, and heads into the kitchen, the ambrosial smell of pulled pork wafting out.

Session end.
It's been a good night folks, but I am exhausted. Let me know if there's anything I can do better next time. See you wednesday night probably. Skelly out.

>>804669
Goodnight! Hope you survive the Purge or the start of the second Civil War.

>>804669
Now we know that the most dangerous necromancers are

>Coroners
>Graveyard owners and caretakers
>Crimelords and slave masters
>Military medics
>Museum curators
>Big game hunters
>Taxidermists
>Wineyard owners

Thank you for runningm Skelly

>>804699
You forgot abattoir owners.
All the meat blood and bones you could ever want just start a herb garden and make friends/deals with a vintner and you're good to go.

>>804699
Don't forget restaurant owners and butchers.

Taking up hunting would be a great move.

>>803791
this isn't Dungeon life quest. I am disappointed.

Sorry I've been nonexistent for the week. I'm gonna try to set up a proper schedule so we're always running at the same time each week.
It's looking like Monday and Friday at 6:30pm EST will be that time. In accordance, I'll be running tomorrow at 6:30pm

>>811267
Yay

>>811275
Gonna be running in about an hour and a half now.

Writing now.

File: delivrar.jpg (48KB, 586x446px) Image search: [Google]

48KB, 586x446px

>>815556

>>815607
A fresh new twist on the classic meme
>>815556
Dinner goes smoothly enough, though of course Olivia is more than a little pouty. She pushes and pulls her food around her plate, leaving trails of barbecue sauce behind, and steals bites when she thinks no one is looking. You almost smack yourself—that’s right, you got distracted by the imp and never got the chance to go talk to her about it! Damn, you really should have remembered that one.
Dad talks about getting the onion starts in the ground tomorrow, having taken what was left of the afternoon after you two had gotten back home to plant the plum saplings. Mom goes on about her errands and running into Old Anderson next door and the lovely conversation they’d had about his roses. Apparently he’d found a foolproof way to keep the slugs off of them, and was trying to sell it to some insecticide company or other. Olivia, of course, had to keep quiet; as much as she wanted to be the center of attention, she really couldn’t tell them about the party she’d been un-invited from, could she? Your younger brother Andrew talks at great length about the boss fight he’d just finished before your mother pulled him away from the console.
The food goes quickly, and before long dinner’s at an end. Your Dad starts scooping up plates, carrying them over to the sink to rise them before filling the dishwasher. He’s always particular about being the only one to arrange them in the dishwasher, but he probably wouldn’t mind a bit of help with rinsing. Olivia practically runs out of the room and up the stairs to her room, and you feel a twinge of guilt for not going after her earlier in the day.
As you stand up you catch sight of Cat’s head poking momentarily out of the door, unblocked by the wood. He seemed to be able to anywhere...that is, as long as there were no wards. He seemed to mention them a lot...it might be worth trying to research them online, since there didn’t seem to be much about them in the grimoire.
What do you do now that dinner’s done?
>Help Dad with dishes
>Talk to Olivia
>Go to room, try to research wards (will require a roll)
>other

>>815619
>>Talk to Olivia

>>815619
Talk to sis

>>815619
>Talk to Olivia

As much as I want to research wards and not get bitten in the ass, it might be important to be on good terms with lil' sis later when we might need a favor.

Also who knows, maybe the dude who dumped her will turn out to secretly be the other necromancer in town (highly unlikely and said entirely jokingly). Although it would be hilarious to have to fight some pubecent 14-16 year old edgy-mancer with a squeaky voice.

If any time is left over maybe research wards.

>>815619
>Talk to Olivia
>Stop and ask Catbro for any updates on the imp en-route

>>815635
>>815648
>>815658
>>815659
All these responses straight off the bat? Radical.
Writing for talking to Olivia.

>>815658
When was it ever said that we need to fight another necromancer? More than anything, we should be looking for a teacher to show us how 2 skellington.

You do want to go look into wards, considering how useful they could be in the future, but for now you feel like you should focus on Olivia. From a purely pragmatic perspective, it’s a good idea to have a sister who likes you in case you need a favour. Besides that though, she is family. Annoying, frustrating family, but family all the same.

So you hand your plate to Dad and go after Olivia, passing the door to your room and walking up the stairs, then turning to the right. You knock on her door and wait, then knock again when there’s no response. You sigh, and try the handle, expecting it to be locked. However, it turns smoothly in your hands and you swing open the door.

The room is dark, and you’re not surprised. Olivia has a tendency to do her best sulking in the dark. You reach for the lightswitch and flick it on.

“Liv, I know you’re not--” you stop mid-sentence, confused. Olivia isn’t in here. You were sure you’d heard her go up the stairs, and you know you heard her door close as well. With a sinking feeling in your stomach, you check the closet and under the bed, even making sure she’s not in the bathroom instead.

Then you notice that her window’s open, the screen ajar in the window. She wouldn’t…then you hear a car pulling away from the house and peer out the window just in time to see a tan sedan go around the corner, with a suspiciously Liv-like figure sitting in the passenger’s seat doing her makeup in the light from the pull-down mirror.

>>815719
Good job Skelly, not including the options in the copied selection field
What do you do now?
>tell parents
>cover for her like she'd asked
>give an excuse to parents (specify what) so you can take the car and go after her

>>815670
There can be ONLY ONE!

We must Necromance him!
Then once we have turned him into a skeleton and make him punch himself while we reapeat "Stop Necromancing yourself, stop necromancing yourself.". This is how we shall show dominance! We will make his bones sleep on a blanket of their own skin in a room with posters of his face and his greatest achievements and loved ones. We shall do this all because I really want to know if a skeleton can cry or become depressed, it also may be my fetish.

>>815727
Send cat to watch and protect her.
Read your necro book

>>815719
>give an excuse to parents (specify what) so you can take the car and go after her

I have a feeling something bad might happen at this party, maybe find were it is and send Cat in to watch while we wait in the car a good distance down the road, just sit and read the grimoire until we feel that she is safe.

Dunno if we can keep the Necromancer thing hidden from the Imp if we bring the Grimoire but I assume it wont be peering in the windows because then it would be too obvious.

>>815727
I see you're taking a page out of my book and throwing simple mundane threats into the mix.
>Send Cat to figure out where the balls she's headed
We'll figure out an excuse when we know where we're excusing ourself to.

>>815743
>>815747
Hmm I guess we could just send Cat to watch her, maybe give him a quick offering so he can poltergeist a lamp into a teenage boys dick if he has to.

Is there any way we can remotely tell if Cat is getting low on energy? So that we know if he needs more power in case he has to stick more than one dick in a light socket? Like say if Liv gets passed out drunk or roofied. Not sure if Cat could get back to us fast enough that she would still be safe by the time we got there.

>>815751
>>815747
>>815743
Writing for sending Cat after her for now, figuring out where she's going, and following once we know.

If anything in the room would produce a satisfying smash as it hit the wall, it would already be airborne. You are, to say the least, pissed. After what Olivia said, you’re not sure if she was genuinely uninvited to the party or if that was some kind of mind-game, and you don’t really care. You storm downstairs to your room and slam the door behind you. In your room, you take a breath. You’re angry, sure, but more than that, you’re concerned about Liv.

“Cat, I need you to follow my sister. She’s in a tan car going that way.” You point in the general direction. “Once you know where she’s going, come back as fast as you can and tell me, got it?” The spirit looks somewhat surprised at your abrupt command, but quickly gets to its feet.

“Also, is there any way I can tell if you need an offering?”

“Hold my remains and focus, my lady, and you should be able to sense something.” He speaks quickly and is gone like a lightning bolt of blue light as soon as he’s finished, having sensed the urgency of your request. You’re pretty sure he’ll be able to find her, but you worry about what might happen if Liv shows up to a party she’s not welcome at. Once you know where she is, you can come up with some excuse and get there. Odds are it’s not too far away, anyway.

You dig through your bag and grab Cat’s skull, holding it in both your hands and sitting on the bed. You try to do as he said and stare at it, practically glaring at the yellowed bone.
>roll 1d20 for arcane prowess
>give up and wait for Cat to return
>other

>>815847
>roll 1d20 for arcane prowess
dice+1d20

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>815847
>roll 1d20 for arcane prowess

>>815858
Smooth.

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>815858
well I buggered that up

>>815862
>>815872
Umm... I think we got this, as long as no one comes in with a 1 and turns down the average. I cant remember if skelly averages or does best of 3 or what

>>815877
>>815862
Whatta roll.
For the record I take best out of three, unless there's a crit of any kind in which case that takes precedence.
Writing for great success.

You sit back up and hold the skull again. You look at it, and allow your eyes to relax, unfocusing. Now that you’re looking for it, you can almost see that same blue glow, still dancing about the surface. It’s dimmer than when you’re doing a summoning, but it’s definitely there. You watch it, little blue motes twinkling against the glow.

Turning the skull around in your hands, you notice something strange. The glow isn’t uniform. The side facing the closet wall is brighter, if only by a little. Even when you turn it around, whichever part is facing the closet brightens while the others fade. Before your eyes, the bright patch moves, slowly tracking clockwise across the muzzle.

This must be some sort of...compass, almost, residual energy linking Cat to his remains. You’re not sure, but you get the sense that if Cat’s glow died down, the skull’s would as well, letting you know that he was low on energy. Not bad. You allow your eyes to refocus, losing sight of the glow, and try to find it again. After only a few tries you can pick it back up right away, much more easily than you wold have thought.

So you sit patiently, watching the ‘arrow’ of the compass shift back and forth, until after 15 minutes or so, Cat returns, a bolt of light shooting through the wall and reforming next to you on the bed.

“Your sister appears to have gone to a party, my lady. She immediately went inside, and I saw no signs of trouble, though I did leave quickly to inform you of the situation.”
>If there isn’t any trouble...just leave Cat to watch her and stay here
>if there is trouble you’d be too late to help her. Go park down the street from wherever it is, just in case
>forget the whole thing. She’s a big girl and can take care of herself.
>other

>>816011
>Go the fuck down there and drag her ass back home.
We're not gonna just sit here and be happy having been manipulated.

At some point, maybe we should consider enabling Liv to perceive Cat, so that we can privately communicate with her.

>>816011
>>If there isn’t any trouble...just leave Cat to watch her and stay here

Too bad we can't communicate with cat through his skull.
>>816044
Paybacks for later

>>816011
>If there isn’t any trouble...just leave Cat to watch her and stay here

>>816044
We can give her a stern talking to later, I don't want to waste a possible night of research, especially when we have an appointment with the Unseelie.

Remember, the imp is watching us and still reporting, if we give away that our sister is a weakness it could put her in danger from members of the Unseelie if we choose to join the Seelie.

Also, ask how far away the party is, I can't imagine it is too far if it took less than 15 minutes for a car to get there.

>>816086
>>816080
Specify research and roll 1d20 for success if it's not a chapter from the grimoire

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>816109
Well... We were apparently concerned with wards earlier, so why not look up wards?

>>816118
Wards it is.
Writing.

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>816118
seconding wards
Although my roll might be late

You shake your head. If there’s no trouble it’s not worth going after her, even if she’s being a brat. Payback can wait, considering you’ve got a hell of a deadline coming up with the Unseelie court and a observer flying over your shoulder.

“Cat, go back and keep an eye on her. If she gets into trouble or anything, come tell me. If it looks like an immediate problem, do what you can and I’ll come running. How far is it, anyway?”

“Not far, perhaps eight miles away.” That’s not bad, you should be able to get there fairly quickly if something goes wrong. If not, you’ll just wait until she gets home to dress her down. In the meantime, you’d better look into wards a bit.

There’s next to nothing about them in the grimoire, so you grab your laptop and sit crosslegged on your bed, cradling it in your lap. You open up your browser and think for a minute, typing in a basic search query.

The next few hours are a slog. Between all the fake but good-sounding bullshit people have thrown up and alternate meanings of the word, it’s practically impossible to find any good information. Fortunately, you stumble on a page published back in 2001, while sparse, seems to be written by someone who is genuinely a part of the magical community.

According to them, wards are barriers of energy erected by the user. Apparently people called “Sorcerers” can, among other things, create really intricate wards that block everything from physical attacks to light or sound. Most other magic users are stuck with the more basic types that mask their aura, making it hard for them to be spotted from afar. There’s precious little about how to create them though, besides something about directing your magical energy that sounds like something out of a reiki pamphlet.

By the time you’ve dragged that much out of the net, it’s getting late, and you hear a car pulling up. It’s got to be Liv. Cat floating through the wall confirms it. Sounds like there was a minor shouting match at one point, but nothing got physical.

>confront her
>ignore her, you’ve got more research to do
>other

>>816249
>>ask cat to eavesdrop on them and relay their conversation while you research

>>816311
Sorry I wasn't more clear, but that last line meant
>Cat reported that at one point, Liv and somebody else at the party got into a shouting match, but nothing got physical

>>816181
That depends on whether or not the parental units are home. If they're out...
>Ignore her, you’ve got more research to do. Have Catbro listen in, though.
We offered to cover for her, and we're no better than our word; chewing her ass will probably mean a shouting match, and we may as well just tell mommy and daddy that little sissy was a bad girl if we're gonna do something that we can't prevent them from hearing.

That said, if they're gone...
>Confront her and make sure she's too scared to ever again try and manipulate her most powerful asset in this house.

Very sorry, all, I had planned on running for another hour or so, but personal life has intervened.
I'll have to duck out for the evening for now, but thanks for playing. I may be able to run tomorrow night to make up for it. If so, I'll make sure to post here.
Thanks for playing!

>>816400
No problem. Thanks for running for us!

Will be running tonight at 6:30pm EST. See you guys then.

>>827768
Starting in a bit less than an hour.

Writing now. Looks like the thread is autosaging though, so I'll start a new thread and link this one.

New thread is up!
>>829337
>>829337
>>829337