The rain continues to pelt down and no one comes to answer the door.

Inhaling deeply, then brathingout slowly, he tries to centre his mind, accepting the rain and letting it wash over him literally and figuratively, once again he tries to reach Minton.

16

 ----
[[Edit: Thanks for answers, btw. Post updated.]]
[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

[[1. Can you list common threads? I think I know what you mean by this, so I will allow you an Investigation check to see if Brand can have seen any patterns as to when the nightmares occur.]]

Brand inhales deeply and then breathes out slowly trying to centre his mind. However before he can try to reach out to Minton, he hears the sound of footsteps approaching, splashing through the water that has started to form shallow puddles on the street.

[[And that's it for me for tonight.]]

[[1. Can you list common threads? I think I know what you mean by this, so I will allow you an Investigation check to see if Brand can have seen any patterns as to when the nightmares occur.]]

Edit: Both patterns as to when/how they occur, and if they vary at all, common subtler elements in the dreams themselves, or are they always the same? This also relates to (2) and (6), and your interpretation might be closer to (6).

Investigation: 24 (Edit: OK, not complaining)

Brand inhales deeply and then breathes out slowly trying to centre his mind. However before he can try to reach out to Minton, he hears the sound of footsteps approaching, splashing through the water that has started to form shallow puddles on the street.

Brand sighs with relief and thinks "Thank you", then waits expectantly for the door to open.

[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

 

Quote from AlaricBrand>>

[[1. Can you list common threads? I think I know what you mean by this, so I will allow you an Investigation check to see if Brand can have seen any patterns as to when the nightmares occur.]]

Edit: Both patterns as to when/how they occur, and if they vary at all, common subtler elements in the dreams themselves, or are they always the same? This also relates to (2) and (6), and your interpretation might be closer to (6).

Investigation: 24 (Edit: OK, not complaining)

[[Brand has become worried that his nightmares might have something to do with his practicing the use of the stones during the day preceding the dreams. He has no idea why the dreams have only started to occur recently, as far as he is aware, nothing happened in New Nineveh that had any connection with the stones.]]

Brand inhales deeply and then breathes out slowly trying to centre his mind. However before he can try to reach out to Minton, he hears the sound of footsteps approaching, splashing through the water that has started to form shallow puddles on the street.

Brand sighs with relief and thinks "Thank you", then waits expectantly for the door to open.

[[You misunderstand. The sound of the approaching footsteps are coming from behind Brand, in the street.]]

[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

Brand moves away from the sound, putting the wall behind him, and turns to face the newcomer, his hands brushing his cloak lightly aside and hovering near his waist [[and near daggers]], and smiles, ready to greet the newcomer, hoping it's a student or one of the Masters.

[[Is the dog still barking with the same intensity?]]

[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

 

Quote from AlaricBrand>>

Brand moves away from the sound, putting the wall behind him, and turns to face the newcomer, his hands brushing his cloak lightly aside and hovering near his waist [[and near daggers]], and smiles, ready to greet the newcomer, hoping it's a student or one of the Masters.

[[Is the dog still barking with the same intensity?]]

[[Yes.]]

[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

Brand, now with his back to the wall, watches as a man in robes holding some sort of limp bag ineffectually over his head rushes towards him through the pouring rain.

"I've got a key," shouts the man, brandishing said key.

The man's identity is unmistakeable. It is Master Minton, but Brand has never known him to have left his post, let alone the School, before this.

Come to think of it, Brand didn't even know that there was a key for this door, as it has only ever been opened from within by Minton.

And, as far as he can remember, there is no keyhole on the outside of the door.

[[lol. Minton always surprises]]

A little warmth creeps into Brand's smile as it makes it way to his eyes, and he steps aside to allow Minton access, "You never fail to surprise, Master Minton". Still keeping a cautious distance -- this is so unlike the Minton he knows -- he watches what Minton does with open curiosity thinking, with some amusement, that it is a relief not to need to obfuscate around him. What would be the point?

Before following Minton into the school, he glances once more around the area, looking for anything else out of place.

 [[ Outstanding questions link ]]

[[Make two Perceptions rolls. One for observing how Minton opens the door, and one for checking out the surrounding area for things that are out of place.]]

Opening door: 19
Street: 8

 [[ Outstanding questions link ]]

 

Quote from AlaricBrand>>

Opening door: 19

[[Brand sees Minton open a metal slide hidden in the door plate into which he inserts the key. Minton unlocks the door, removes the key and moves the slide back into position before opening the door. Now that he has seen it in operation, Brand can see the mechanism, but obviously some effort was taken to hide it from casual inspection.]]

Street: 8

[[When Brand glances around to see if there is anything else out of place, he catches a glimpse of someone at the entrance of an alley a little way away, but then they are gone. However, because of the rain and the circumstances, he does not know if the person was already on the street heading in the direction of the alley before he saw them or not.]]

 [[ Outstanding questions link ]]

"Quiet Bruxa!" Minton shouts at the large black dog straining at its chain just inside the covered entrance of the School. The animal appears to be young, but is already very large and some sort of hunting dog from the looks of him. 

Then Minton turns and says, "Now, who do we have... Oh, it's young Master Brand... In the flesh. Come in, come in."

...he catches a glimpse of someone at the entrance of an alley a little way away...

[[Take note of whatever he can remember about the individual. Height, build, clothes, gender, hair, .... whatever he had a chance to note]]

Then Minton turns and says, "Now, who do we have... Oh, it's young Master Brand... In the flesh. Come in, come in."

Brand's smile widens, and he bows, ""In the flesh indeed." he holds out his hand to shake Minton's then continues, "I have missed this place."

Following Minton into the courtyard [[??]], he closes the gate then turns back to the Master, pausing as comprehension of what must have happened dawns on him. "You did not know me until you looked? Does that mean you have learned to control your abilities?" [[I assume they are diminished not controlled, but Brand would conclude he controlled them, I think]]

[[I have updated questions again, and added Item 10 based on your answer to 8 & 9. No rest for the wicked.]]

[[This is a slightly more urgent question: I know Wamzut is not dead, Brand knows Wamzut can Astral Travel, I don't think Brand knows he's immortal. Brand would certainly ask "what happened to Wamzut", I think he would also say "I can't believe he's dead"...would he also add "..so I have to ask...is he?"...not likely to ask immediately....but this will be one of the questions in this set conversations.

To forewarn, this is my bucket list for the SoOS:

• DONE. Chat with minton about what has been going on at the School, with him, and in town.
• Say hello to Bruxa and ask about Mintons newfound mobility. Give Bruxa a little food from his pack (he carries rations).
• DONE. NO. Status of Minton's ability (can he still read minds; can he control it)
• DONE. ALIVE! How is Nathaniel?
• DONE. M Only. Has Melitta or Dworkin been around?
• DONE. Yes. Talk to Hannana. Do M & D have 'pigeon holes' or equivalent where he could leave each a message?
• DONE. What happened to Wamzut? Is he really dead [[if appropriate]]?
• DONE. CANT. If Minto can read minds, how does he feel about snooping for criminals who may be intent on mass murder? Even if it's just passive?
• Has he heard any unusual stories about plots to poison people?
• Can a person such as Brand ever learn magic, or crafting and powering of items such as a Darkvision item? How would he go about it? Who should he ask?
• How can Brand discover if he is a latent Sorceror?
• If he wanted Darkvision put on, say, a belt buckle by somebody, would it be costly?
• Does the school also carry books on History (the kind his mother typically reads)?
• Talk to Hananna about contacting Melitta.

The answers will no doubt lead to more questions]]

[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

[[Game-play note: I have no problem with you rolling dice for me, but I also get that it slows the game down which may suit your commitments. However, if something is paused just waiting for me to roll a D20 so you can continue a scene, please feel free to roll if it suits you]]

 

Quote from AlaricBrand>>

...he catches a glimpse of someone at the entrance of an alley a little way away...

[[Take note of whatever he can remember about the individual. Height, build, clothes, gender, hair, .... whatever he had a chance to note]]

[[Most likely a shortish man. Wearing bulky, dark-coloured clothes and a hood. Possibly wearing a long weapon on their belt, or perhaps carrying something long and thin in their hand. Couldn't tell any more because of the conditions and the shortness of the glimpse.]]

Then Minton turns and says, "Now, who do we have... Oh, it's young Master Brand... In the flesh. Come in, come in."

Brand's smile widens, and he bows, ""In the flesh indeed." he holds out his hand to shake Minton's then continues, "I have missed this place."

[[Began editing here and then decided to move the whole thing below.]] "You did not know me until you looked? Does that mean you have learned to control your abilities?" [[I assume they are diminished not controlled, but Brand would conclude he controlled them, I think]]

[[This is a slightly more urgent question: I know Wamzut is not dead, Brand knows Wamzut can Astral Travel, I don't think Brand knows he's immortal. Brand would certainly ask "what happened to Wamzut", I think he would also say "I can't believe he's dead"...would he also add "..so I have to ask...is he?"...not likely to ask immediately....but this will be one of the questions in this set conversations.

[[Brand knows Wamzut is supposedly dead and hasn't seen him astrally since before he went to New Nineveh, which was before he supposedly died. And even those visits would have been by Wamzut and only have been very occasional because, while Astral travelling to and from Ilbarsis is certainly possible, it is extremely difficult to do because of the amount of continued concentration involved. Brand's own travelling would all have been local for this reason. Also, Brand certainly doesn't know that Wamzut is supposedly immortal—a fact that can never be confirmed, if you think about it. The rest will need to be done in the course of play.]] 

After shaking hands, Minton allows Brand to enter into the covered gateway and then closes the gate and drops down the heavy bar that normally secures it.

"You did not know me until you looked," says Brand, "does that mean you have learned to control your abilities?" 

A smile comes over Minton's face as he says, "Better than that young Master Brand, I have been cured, completely."

[[Brand knows Wamzut is supposedly dead]]

I'll take this to mean he's not 100% convinced.

A smile comes over Minton's face as he says, "Better than that young Master Brand, I have been cured, completely."

[[ Well.....boooooo. Just saying. ]]

Brand tilts his head to one side pausing, then says "Then...I presume congratulations are in order. And I could even offer to buy you a drink some time! I imagine you are very relieved. You must tell me how it happened...but first, tell me, what news of the School...and Constantine? I've heard nothing impossible rumors about Wamzut, the city seems to be on edge, and am looking for ward to seeing Nathaniel -- how is he?"

[[Q1. The memories of his dreams are that Brand suddenly realises he is being chased by something. He is running through a lifeless and jagged landscape and feeling scared, but he is lucid enough at this point to realised that he is asleep, at which point, the glowing red eyes comes into view and he wakes up. As to why this is happening, he doesn't know.]]

"You have no idea," he says in response to Brand's comment about being relieved.

He then indicates the door to his residence—the gatehouse itself—saying, "Come inside and I'll stoke up the fire so we can dry off."

Leading the way, he continues answering Brand's question, saying, "Finally I can sleep through the whole night and not be woken by the ugly thoughts of passers-by. At last I can see people without risking hearing something nasty in their thoughts."

"But the most incredible thing," he says as he adds another log to his pot-bellied stove, "is that I was healed by the avatar of the Goddess Aieda herself."

Brand follows Minton and takes off his cloak [[hanging it somewhere?]], before entering the main room.

"The avatar of the goddess?"

[[I guess it may be Glory Rhani (seems unlikely), but I can't tell easily from the Anvil site]]

[[If this is a person then:]]

"I've heard a little about them but [[never/only once/rarely]] met them.

[[End if]]

"That does sound like an incredible experience. How did it come about?"

[[If it helps, brand will continue nodding, prompting and listening to the story. Losing abilities is frankly scary to him. He is eager to learn as much as possible to help him avoid it...the cynic in me suggests it's his subconscious way of explaining the dreams he had while the astral cockroaches ate half his brain]]

[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

 

Quote from AlaricBrand>>

Brand follows Minton and takes off his cloak [[hanging it somewhere?]], before entering the main room.

"The avatar of the goddess?"

[[I guess it may be Glory Rhani (seems unlikely), but I can't tell easily from the Anvil site]]

[[Nope. Glories are religious warriors of the Mithran faith (i.e., sort of like paladins)]]

[[If this is a person then:]]

"I've heard a little about them but [[never/only once/rarely]] met them.

[[Make a Religion check at Disadvantage.]]

[[End if]]

"That does sound like an incredible experience. How did it come about?"

[[If it helps, brand will continue nodding, prompting and listening to the story. Losing abilities is frankly scary to him. He is eager to learn as much as possible to help him avoid it...the cynic in me suggests it's his subconscious way of explaining the dreams he had while the astral cockroaches ate half his brain]]

[[Astral cockroaches?!? Why didn't I think of that?]]

---

[[ Outstanding questions link ]]

"She just appeared in the School," he says, "Out of nowhere... Her thoughts were... incredible, and when she found out that I could hear them, and that I hated my gift... Well, she just touched me, and... I was healed."

Religion (DA): 16

"She just appeared in the School," he says, "Out of nowhere... Her thoughts were... incredible, and when she found out that I could hear them, and that I hated my gift... Well, she just touched me, and... I was healed."

"That must have been amazing, what did everyone else think? It must have been the talk of the school for weeks!"

[[Leather armour 3: Does he know where to go? An armorer in town? Considering all the other customisation he's had done, I'm will to say that Brand would know a few people who could do the job.]]

"She just appeared in the School," he says, "Out of nowhere... Her thoughts were... incredible, and when she found out that I could hear them, and that I hated my gift... Well, she just touched me, and... I was healed."

"That must have been amazing, what did everyone else think? It must have been the talk of the school for tendays!"

"Oh, it didn't happen that long ago," he says. "Just a few days, and it was indeed an amazing experience, she made everyone... love each other. It was like nothing I've ever seen before."

[[Did the religion roll achieve anything?]]

"And how is everybody now?"

[[The enemy has managed to weaponize LSD + MDMA. We are doomed.]]