"There were two parts to the story, actually, Lady Harpell.," Spira replies smoothly. "...unless you prefer another title?... In any case, we did not discover the thankfully now disproven possible risk of an active teleportation circle during the first visit of which you've heard. That came during a second visit which you owe to Mister Bleeker here. He was concerned that although we had accomplished the specific end we went for at first, there might be some other overlooked arcane knowledge or danger ... especially as otherplanar beings had proven to be involved. We met Ardjena during this second journey, and her amazingly detailed knowledge of the period in history this Kylth Harpell lived was very useful in the investigation. She helped us correctly interpret several conundrums and avoid at least one trap."
"Wouldn't an unseen warrior basically be phantasmal killer?" the Rash asks quizzically. "Oh well... Anita, would you like to meet another half-orc wizard? Blinn is a bit, shall we say, eccentric... but he seems like a pretty good guy."
He then asks Dick to take him to see Blinn. With a bit of luck, maybe Blinn will also be nice enough to let him copy unseen servant into his spellbook.
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Interested by Spira's further explanation, Penelope seems even more pleased with her new apprentice and, after having politely greeted everyone, she leaves, satisfied, with Ardjena.
Meanwhile, Colin smiles good-naturedly at Rash: "Oh, wonderful. Maybe you deserve Blinn's company after all".
Dick willingly agrees to accompany Rash and Anita to the half-orc Harpell...
......but at Rash's request to copy the useful spell, he, embarrassed, admits: "I haven't learned it yet, unfortunately, Master Bloodskull. It was just while I was manipulating the bit of string and of wood to make practice, this happened to me..." and he raises his oversized thumb "...I had always been told not to use wood potentially contaminated by other magic... but it is difficult to find wood that is completely uncontaminated by magic, near the Ivy Mansion!"
At the laboratory, Rash finds Blinn, in front of a solid workbench on which flasks and various kinds of solid and liquid materials are scattered, convincing an apprentice to pick up a stick: "Yes, I know, they always say to use wood untainted by magic, for the basic form of the spell, but we are trying to improve it, Richard! Do you think you can improve a process, repeating it in the same way over and over again? Improving requires imagination, experimentation, audacity... You know what It's the job of an apprentice, isn't it Richard? An apprentice must learn... And I assure you, you will learn much more by experimenting in the way I am explaining..."
"Oh, hi Rash!" the half-orc Harpell notices the other's arrival "And hello to you too" he also greets Anita - but without using her name - since she has never met her. "Is she your new apprentice, Rash? I hope she's less of a wimp than Richard... Go figure? He doesn't trust himself to try a simple variant of a simple and proven spell like Unseen Servant... I mean, what could possibly go wrong..." then his gaze falls on Dick - and his oversize thumb.
"Did you really have to choose him to accompany you here?" Blinn sighs "And then, why all this fear that something will go 'wrong'? Can you define 'wrong', Rash? Who are we common wizards to judge whether a secondary magical effect is 'wrong' or not? Maybe what appears 'wrong' to some, could be revolutionary for others. Is it a 'wrong' meteor shower? Certainly yes, if you are the one underneath it. But if you are the one who summoned it to rout the opposing army that otherwise would it have made a clean sweep of your country? So perhaps it's no longer so 'wrong'... Don't you think that 'wrong' is a 'wrong' concept, all in all? But this last statement makes sense, from logical point of view, or does it contradict itself? Anyway, how are you?"
"I'm afraid she isn't an apprentice... though I think she's bright enough that it just might be worth it to try an' teach her a couple of basic spells," the half-orc says with a smile. "No, It turns out that I am no longer a free man. It seems that I've gotten myself a bride in the traditional Orcish way...."
Who would have guessed that Grandpa Ugnash actually knew what he was talking about when he said that the way to a woman's heart is to club her over the head and tie her up in a closet? Rash can't help but think with a smirk. He always gave such strangely specific (and often violent) advice...
"...anyway, her name is Anita. We wanted to stop in and see how things are going with you and your experiments. Sorry if you didn't want Richard coming with us... he was the only one available at the time who knew where to find you. I heard you were trying to see if you could come up with variants of unseen servant, which does sound pretty interesting... but I couldn't help thinking, wouldn't an unseen warrior be pretty much the same as phantasmal killer? Anyhow, have you discovered anything possibly of interest in your experiments?"
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Roxana closes her eyes, tilting her head so her lips meet Gaer's. After a moment though she stands, helping Gaer with gathering up the loot and having it evaluated. As they ride back, she asks, "What plans do we have for this evening, once we've gotten everything wrapped up? I think I might stay at my place in the Gilded Horsehoe. Though I ought to check in at the farm at some point." She glances back at him for a moment, giving him a smile, before focusing back on where they're going.
(OOC - First, I'd like to keep 1 purple flag and 1 yellow flag, just in case. The total of coins and selling items comes out to a total of 877 gp, 4 cp. How should we divide it? There are 4 player characters - Rash, Aidwyn, Spira, and Roxana. Then 3 NPCs - Anita, Solitude, and Gaer. For each character do we just divide by 4 or by 7? I'd lean toward 7 since that seems more realistic. That gives 125 gp, 2 sp, 9 cp - with 1 cp left over. I'm assuming with all the transactions we can make whatever change people want. There is also a "Protection for Evil and Good" scroll to claim.)
"Oh," Blinn looks suddenly embarrassed "in that case, nice to meet you, Anita. Life certainly won't be boring for you, alongside the wizard hero Rashugri Bloodskull that Longsaddle is all about - promptly forgetting those who work diligently day after day for the advancement of magic and community".
“And of thumbs” Richard mutters, almost inaudible, earning himself a dirty look.
"But that's life, dear Anita" the half-orc Harpell goes on. "People like heroes. Those who solve the sensational case. Not those who with their daily work make sure that everything continues to work. Everything, except for sensational cases, obviously - but we have heroes, to fix those, don't we?"
“Anyway,” sighs Blinn “No, Rash, Phantasmal Killer wouldn't be the equivalent of what I have in mind as 'Unseen Warrior' at all! Phantasmal Killer is just a spell that punishes excessively cowardly targets, such as Richard... An illusion that manifests the subject's fears... and that a subject sees very well! If I cast it on Richard, he would probably scream in terror, trying to escape a magic-tainted stick, that you and I wouldn't see... but he would! And he might die of fright - leaving me free to look for a braver apprentice - so let's not think about this anymore, or I'll be tempted. No, I could never work on a spell that relies on fears, with Richard as a helper. As a test subject, yes, perhaps, but certainly not as a helper".
"No, no... I intend to summon a force, similar to that of the Unseen Servant," the wizard tries to clarify himself better "but differently specialized. The 'Unseen Warrior' will be a force that can fight , perhaps. Or bock a path to an opponent. Or participate in a joust of knights! Why do knight jousts always have to be won by the knights? Why a poor wizard, just because he chose to use intelligence rather than brute force, should he be condemned to watch from the stands - or to be unhorsed at the first assault, should he dare attempt to participate? A properly trained 'Unsees Warrior' could give him a chance, by justing in his place - and maybe allowing him to win!"
"And then, it's a question of social justice, Rash..." insists Blinn "Why does that poor magical force have to be just a 'Servant'? Without the possibility of career, evolution, advancement... This couldn't give the impression that magic can only create 'Servants'? When instead magic can create everything... so wouldn't it be better to also be able to create 'Unseen Warriors'? 'Unseen Wizards'? 'Unseen Clerics'? You're already married now, but don't you think that other wizards could use an 'Unseen Wife'? Who could perhaps take care of 'Unseen Children'?"
Roxana & Gaer as they ride:
"If you plan to spend a good evening at the Golden Horseshoe, I'll gladly keep you company..." Gaer smiles back "But if you plan to work, then perhaps I could wait for you at the farm instead... and see if he's there something to fix there. It wouldn't be right, for a poor heroine, to return to the farm after an evening's work... and find more work to do!"
"Fascinating," Rash says, deciding against commenting on the concept of an 'unseen wife.' "Well... it seems to me that the biggest hurdle to overcome is the fact that the unseen servant has only just enough physical strength to carry a tea tray, and it cannot survive any damage at all. So an unseen warrior would almost certainly have to be a higher-level spell..."
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"Ah, this could certainly be a path..." Blinn reflects, excited by Rash's involvement "Develop a more powerful spell, so that the force can handle more weight and withstand more harsh blows... But why think always in such a direct way? Why give more strength... if you can give more lightness, for example? The Unseen Warrior could appear equipped with pure force weapons and armor, practically weightless equipment... After all, being Unseen has its advantages in combat... Ever played blind man's buff, Rash? It's not easy to attack what you can't see..."
"On the other hand, a more powerful version wouldn't need the spell to create force weapons... it could use common weapons available around. Possibly even powerful magical weapons. And withstand more blows". Apparently torn between the two alternatives, the half-orc Harpell explicitly asks Rash for advice: "You, who are the hero, the action expert, what would you advise me? Should I favor a more powerful spell? It would probably be more complex to develop and less widely usable (I mean, the less experienced would be unable to understand and learn it) - but also more effective. Would such effectiveness compensate for the previous two other disadvantages? Or should I try to keep the power low and exploit other gimmicks, such as force equipment? After all, will it be so difficult? If magic can shape a warrior... what's stopping it from shaping a warrior and his sword together? That way the Unseen Warrior would have some limitations... but even a novice apprentice like Richard could learn it - and perhaps, by summoning it, he would feel safer and less afraid. Would it be worth developing a low-power spell for the benefit of offering defense even to people like Richard?"
"But then, fear..." Blinn begins to digress "is it more easily defeated by hiding behind a warrior - whether unseen or not - or by facing it head on? And after all, there is fear and fear. Against the stick that terrifies Richard, the answer is obvious. But what if one were afraid of an angry Ogre? Perhaps in that case facing the fear head-on could have unpleasant consequences - for the aforementioned head - and doing so with an Unseen Warrior at one's side would not be better then?"
Rash considers the two options carefully... both do have their benefits and drawbacks.
"Hmmmm... an unseen warrior that gains no strength or power but uses weapons of magical force... I suspect that such an entity would be dependent on its creator's will to function. So it would likely lose some of the most useful traits of the unseen servant as we know it, those being the duration that doesn't require its summoner's concentration and the ability to cast it as a ritual... and it would be quickly defeated by anything that can see it or simply gets a lucky hit... still, I could see some niche uses for it. Perhaps it would be possible to compromise and craft a second-level spell... anyway, a lot of my knowledge is theoretical, though. I really would need to cast the spell myself to gain more insight on its workings... you wouldn't perhaps be willing to let me copy it into my spellbook, would you?"
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"Oh, finally a wizard who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty by trying out what he's studying in the field!" Blinn approves "On the other hand, is magic dirty? Some material components are... Have you ever wondered why whoever invented Fireball couldn't find anything better than bat guano? And magic can perhaps be used to dirty... Speaking of which, would you prefer Grease or Prestidigitation, to smear something? Grease has a larger area of effect and smears wonderfully, but only with grease... there is no versatility. Prestidigitation on the other hand, perhaps smears in a smaller area, but it gives you a lot of choice in the kind of filth you want to conjure... Chalk? Mud? Something even less noble and much more smelly? Magic can filth extremely effectively. But can it be said to be filthy itself?"
"Here," the half-orc Harpell meanwhile brought a ponderous tome closer to Rash, opening at the point indicated by a bookmark "study it without hurry. But I expect you to help me develop 'Blinn's Unseen Warrior' in the future!"
The tome actually reports not only the details sufficient to master the Unseen Servant spell, but also the notes on the reflections and studies already carried out by Blinn to create his future family of 'Unseen *' spells.
(So... does Rash need to go buy the inks and whatnot that for some reason wizards need to copy a spell, or is Blinn willing to provide those in exchange for help perfecting his 'unseen warrior'?)
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"Well, I wasn't planning on working," Roxana replies. "And I wasn't really thinking of stopping by the farm until tomorrow. But you can go there if you wish." She raises a brow and gives Gaer a smile. "I had hoped you'd keep me entertained though."
Well... inks and whatnot are needed... If Rash has the funds, we can transform 'on the fly' the funds into inks - thus assuming that Rash had bought them. If, however, Rash doesn't even have the funds and needs Blinn to advance them to him for the future contribution to the creation of the spell... Let's say a DC 10 Persuasion roll at least is needed. If passed, Blinn will agree and provide the material as well.
Roxana & Gaer:
"It will be a pleasure to entertain you, then!" Gaer is happy to make himself available "Many city girls I met liked to dance... and in the city there was no shortage of minstrels who, with their music, offered the opportunity, in some inn. Perhaps even here, in the small but lovely Longsaddle, we might come across such an occasion. Or at least we could easily verify it by going around the inns!"
"If we don't find available minstrels," the tiefling speculates "we could still stop at the inn that impressed us the most and have a drink together there, chatting a little about ourselves... After all, I still don't know much about your life. I see what a fine, smart, agile and interesting girl you have become, but I know nothing about your history, if you have always been like this, how did you become so..."
"Or, but none of the girls I had met up until now would have been very interested in this," Gaer finally mention, a bit on the defensive "I could tell you that I discovered a stream on the banks of which foxes frolic, not too far from your farm... and these days there's a couple forming. They hunt together... They bark together... They're cute. I could show them to you. We could spy on them together. But I realize that this last one would probably be a much less romantic proposal than the previous ones, considering the cold at the end of Hammer - even more so in the midst of wild nature. I mentioned this last option only because..." and here he is struggling to find a valid reason "...because they are cute".
Well, assuming we divided up the gold as suggested in post #1997, Rash should have the 50 gold he needs and a bit extra. So we'll go with that.
(Also... in regards to the division of items, Rash could use the spell scroll to add protection from evil and good to his spellbook later)
"Hmmm... I'll have to say prestidigitation," Rash says thoughtfully. "Thing about that spell is that you can also use it to clean up the messes. And the fact that it's a cantrip is another huge point in its favor since you don't have to tap into your limited magical stamina to use it."
Rash pauses, then chuckles.
"Anyhow, if you really wanted to see a wizard get his hands dirty, you should have come along with us to the dungeon! You could have seen me wrestling with a bearded devil. Feel free to ask Anita about it... she can probably tell the story far better than I could."
"Rash was truly amazing, Blinn!" Anita quickly confirms "He cast a teleportation spell to get right behind this devil, who was fighting like only those evil sons of b*tch*s can, whipping left and right with that sort of beard made of snakes he had... and then Rash, as soon as he appears behind him, takes him in a Full Nelson hold! And that supernatural monster, who in Avernus - where he said he came from - must have seen it rough and tough, couldn't free himself!"
Blinn raises an eyebrow, perplexed: "This wouldn't exactly seem like a 'wizardly' act... but after all, who said that spells must all be supernatural phenomena unleashed by intelligence? If a wizard, for once, manages to use a spell which is a natural phenomenon triggered by strength and fighting technique, should we perhaps be shocked? Is magic in everything or isn't it? Shouldn't we perhaps also classify this as a spell - or at very least as a prodigy? And a spell performed with magic... is more magical or less magical than one performed without?"
Rash can't help but chuckle as he continues working on getting the spell copied.
"That's... one way to describe it," he says in response to Blinn's commentary about how it was perhaps a 'magical' act performed with muscles. "But... I was also raised by orcs. I was taught how to wrestle pretty early, and I won't lie, I've always been good at it. I just happen to find casting spells a lot more interesting. Still... I'm not opposed to 'casting' fists when the situation calls for it... it's a great way to keep the bad guys guessing. Now that I think about it, maybe I should learn enlarge/reduce... I can just imagine the look on some demon's face when it's suddenly getting body-slammed by a giant orc..."
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"A meal, some music, and dancing could be nice. I'm sure we'd find a minstrel somewhere," Roxana says slowly. "But the... foxes? Is that something you really wanted to do? I mean..." She seems to be turning over her thoughts on the matter over and over in her head. "Just how did you find them? And... well, it isn't too close to the farm is it? And it is quite cold - just what do propose for keeping warm?" Her demeanor has become a bit more nervous now as you make plans. "It would be nice to just talk and get to know each other some. I know little about your past too. Though I can see what a witty, charming, and brave fellow you are."
The pair eventually take care of appraising and selling off the items. At one point Roxana runs into a woman who looks to be of similar age and talks to her for a bit. Her brown hair is pulled into two loose ponytails and her clothing is a bit tattered. They exchange pleasantries about family and things going on, though there's only brief mention of Roxana's role in the recovery of Dobbian. "An old friend from growing up here in Longsaddle," she tells Gaer after the other girl heads off after the long chat. (This is her friend Solaina. She is using her Thieves' Cant to tell her about going out to the spot with the 'foxes' tonight with the Tiefling she's with, just in case. And of course, she assures her she isn't crazy and it's fine and NOT to follow!)
"Yeah..." Blinn continues to meditate freely "Why, then, do so many take the trouble of years and years of study and practice to become great wizards... when with a not too complicated spell they could become big wizards? Is greatness so much preferable to bigness? And if so, why has no one yet invented a spell to become great, rather than to become big? Regardless of how difficult it was to invent, it would later save incalculable time and effort for all future generations of magicians ..."
Roxana & Gaer:
"Oh, I didn't mean to confuse you too much!" Gaer tries to assist Roxana "Let's start in a quiet way then, we have dinner together (this time at least I have the funds to offer it myself) and talking and getting to know each other some. After all, getting to know a witty, charming, and brave fellow might be entertaining" he winks. "And I can also tell you how I found the foxes. As well as thinking about how two curious people can avoid freezing to death in the forest at night. When it's later, if we feel like continuing with something different, we have both of the other two options".
"It's nice to have friends" the tiefling simply comments, later, a little perplexed, after Solaina departs - but he doesn't say about what.
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"There were two parts to the story, actually, Lady Harpell.," Spira replies smoothly. "...unless you prefer another title?... In any case, we did not discover the thankfully now disproven possible risk of an active teleportation circle during the first visit of which you've heard. That came during a second visit which you owe to Mister Bleeker here. He was concerned that although we had accomplished the specific end we went for at first, there might be some other overlooked arcane knowledge or danger ... especially as otherplanar beings had proven to be involved. We met Ardjena during this second journey, and her amazingly detailed knowledge of the period in history this Kylth Harpell lived was very useful in the investigation. She helped us correctly interpret several conundrums and avoid at least one trap."
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Rash can't help but chuckle.
"Wouldn't an unseen warrior basically be phantasmal killer?" the Rash asks quizzically. "Oh well... Anita, would you like to meet another half-orc wizard? Blinn is a bit, shall we say, eccentric... but he seems like a pretty good guy."
He then asks Dick to take him to see Blinn. With a bit of luck, maybe Blinn will also be nice enough to let him copy unseen servant into his spellbook.
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Interested by Spira's further explanation, Penelope seems even more pleased with her new apprentice and, after having politely greeted everyone, she leaves, satisfied, with Ardjena.
Meanwhile, Colin smiles good-naturedly at Rash: "Oh, wonderful. Maybe you deserve Blinn's company after all".
Dick willingly agrees to accompany Rash and Anita to the half-orc Harpell...
Dick's Unseen Servantness: 8
......but at Rash's request to copy the useful spell, he, embarrassed, admits: "I haven't learned it yet, unfortunately, Master Bloodskull. It was just while I was manipulating the bit of string and of wood to make practice, this happened to me..." and he raises his oversized thumb "...I had always been told not to use wood potentially contaminated by other magic... but it is difficult to find wood that is completely uncontaminated by magic, near the Ivy Mansion!"
At the laboratory, Rash finds Blinn, in front of a solid workbench on which flasks and various kinds of solid and liquid materials are scattered, convincing an apprentice to pick up a stick: "Yes, I know, they always say to use wood untainted by magic, for the basic form of the spell, but we are trying to improve it, Richard! Do you think you can improve a process, repeating it in the same way over and over again? Improving requires imagination, experimentation, audacity... You know what It's the job of an apprentice, isn't it Richard? An apprentice must learn... And I assure you, you will learn much more by experimenting in the way I am explaining..."
"Oh, hi Rash!" the half-orc Harpell notices the other's arrival "And hello to you too" he also greets Anita - but without using her name - since she has never met her. "Is she your new apprentice, Rash? I hope she's less of a wimp than Richard... Go figure? He doesn't trust himself to try a simple variant of a simple and proven spell like Unseen Servant... I mean, what could possibly go wrong..." then his gaze falls on Dick - and his oversize thumb.
"Did you really have to choose him to accompany you here?" Blinn sighs "And then, why all this fear that something will go 'wrong'? Can you define 'wrong', Rash? Who are we common wizards to judge whether a secondary magical effect is 'wrong' or not? Maybe what appears 'wrong' to some, could be revolutionary for others. Is it a 'wrong' meteor shower? Certainly yes, if you are the one underneath it. But if you are the one who summoned it to rout the opposing army that otherwise would it have made a clean sweep of your country? So perhaps it's no longer so 'wrong'... Don't you think that 'wrong' is a 'wrong' concept, all in all? But this last statement makes sense, from logical point of view, or does it contradict itself? Anyway, how are you?"
Dick meanwhile prudently retreats...
Rash can't help but chuckle.
"I'm afraid she isn't an apprentice... though I think she's bright enough that it just might be worth it to try an' teach her a couple of basic spells," the half-orc says with a smile. "No, It turns out that I am no longer a free man. It seems that I've gotten myself a bride in the traditional Orcish way...."
Who would have guessed that Grandpa Ugnash actually knew what he was talking about when he said that the way to a woman's heart is to club her over the head and tie her up in a closet? Rash can't help but think with a smirk. He always gave such strangely specific (and often violent) advice...
"...anyway, her name is Anita. We wanted to stop in and see how things are going with you and your experiments. Sorry if you didn't want Richard coming with us... he was the only one available at the time who knew where to find you. I heard you were trying to see if you could come up with variants of unseen servant, which does sound pretty interesting... but I couldn't help thinking, wouldn't an unseen warrior be pretty much the same as phantasmal killer? Anyhow, have you discovered anything possibly of interest in your experiments?"
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Roxana closes her eyes, tilting her head so her lips meet Gaer's. After a moment though she stands, helping Gaer with gathering up the loot and having it evaluated. As they ride back, she asks, "What plans do we have for this evening, once we've gotten everything wrapped up? I think I might stay at my place in the Gilded Horsehoe. Though I ought to check in at the farm at some point." She glances back at him for a moment, giving him a smile, before focusing back on where they're going.
(OOC - First, I'd like to keep 1 purple flag and 1 yellow flag, just in case. The total of coins and selling items comes out to a total of 877 gp, 4 cp. How should we divide it? There are 4 player characters - Rash, Aidwyn, Spira, and Roxana. Then 3 NPCs - Anita, Solitude, and Gaer. For each character do we just divide by 4 or by 7? I'd lean toward 7 since that seems more realistic. That gives 125 gp, 2 sp, 9 cp - with 1 cp left over. I'm assuming with all the transactions we can make whatever change people want. There is also a "Protection for Evil and Good" scroll to claim.)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
Rash & Blinn in the lab:
"Oh," Blinn looks suddenly embarrassed "in that case, nice to meet you, Anita. Life certainly won't be boring for you, alongside the wizard hero Rashugri Bloodskull that Longsaddle is all about - promptly forgetting those who work diligently day after day for the advancement of magic and community".
“And of thumbs” Richard mutters, almost inaudible, earning himself a dirty look.
"But that's life, dear Anita" the half-orc Harpell goes on. "People like heroes. Those who solve the sensational case. Not those who with their daily work make sure that everything continues to work. Everything, except for sensational cases, obviously - but we have heroes, to fix those, don't we?"
“Anyway,” sighs Blinn “No, Rash, Phantasmal Killer wouldn't be the equivalent of what I have in mind as 'Unseen Warrior' at all! Phantasmal Killer is just a spell that punishes excessively cowardly targets, such as Richard... An illusion that manifests the subject's fears... and that a subject sees very well! If I cast it on Richard, he would probably scream in terror, trying to escape a magic-tainted stick, that you and I wouldn't see... but he would! And he might die of fright - leaving me free to look for a braver apprentice - so let's not think about this anymore, or I'll be tempted. No, I could never work on a spell that relies on fears, with Richard as a helper. As a test subject, yes, perhaps, but certainly not as a helper".
"No, no... I intend to summon a force, similar to that of the Unseen Servant," the wizard tries to clarify himself better "but differently specialized. The 'Unseen Warrior' will be a force that can fight , perhaps. Or bock a path to an opponent. Or participate in a joust of knights! Why do knight jousts always have to be won by the knights? Why a poor wizard, just because he chose to use intelligence rather than brute force, should he be condemned to watch from the stands - or to be unhorsed at the first assault, should he dare attempt to participate? A properly trained 'Unsees Warrior' could give him a chance, by justing in his place - and maybe allowing him to win!"
"And then, it's a question of social justice, Rash..." insists Blinn "Why does that poor magical force have to be just a 'Servant'? Without the possibility of career, evolution, advancement... This couldn't give the impression that magic can only create 'Servants'? When instead magic can create everything... so wouldn't it be better to also be able to create 'Unseen Warriors'? 'Unseen Wizards'? 'Unseen Clerics'? You're already married now, but don't you think that other wizards could use an 'Unseen Wife'? Who could perhaps take care of 'Unseen Children'?"
Roxana & Gaer as they ride:
"If you plan to spend a good evening at the Golden Horseshoe, I'll gladly keep you company..." Gaer smiles back "But if you plan to work, then perhaps I could wait for you at the farm instead... and see if he's there something to fix there. It wouldn't be right, for a poor heroine, to return to the farm after an evening's work... and find more work to do!"
"Fascinating," Rash says, deciding against commenting on the concept of an 'unseen wife.' "Well... it seems to me that the biggest hurdle to overcome is the fact that the unseen servant has only just enough physical strength to carry a tea tray, and it cannot survive any damage at all. So an unseen warrior would almost certainly have to be a higher-level spell..."
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Rash & Blinn in the lab:
"Ah, this could certainly be a path..." Blinn reflects, excited by Rash's involvement "Develop a more powerful spell, so that the force can handle more weight and withstand more harsh blows... But why think always in such a direct way? Why give more strength... if you can give more lightness, for example? The Unseen Warrior could appear equipped with pure force weapons and armor, practically weightless equipment... After all, being Unseen has its advantages in combat... Ever played blind man's buff, Rash? It's not easy to attack what you can't see..."
"On the other hand, a more powerful version wouldn't need the spell to create force weapons... it could use common weapons available around. Possibly even powerful magical weapons. And withstand more blows". Apparently torn between the two alternatives, the half-orc Harpell explicitly asks Rash for advice: "You, who are the hero, the action expert, what would you advise me? Should I favor a more powerful spell? It would probably be more complex to develop and less widely usable (I mean, the less experienced would be unable to understand and learn it) - but also more effective. Would such effectiveness compensate for the previous two other disadvantages? Or should I try to keep the power low and exploit other gimmicks, such as force equipment? After all, will it be so difficult? If magic can shape a warrior... what's stopping it from shaping a warrior and his sword together? That way the Unseen Warrior would have some limitations... but even a novice apprentice like Richard could learn it - and perhaps, by summoning it, he would feel safer and less afraid. Would it be worth developing a low-power spell for the benefit of offering defense even to people like Richard?"
"But then, fear..." Blinn begins to digress "is it more easily defeated by hiding behind a warrior - whether unseen or not - or by facing it head on? And after all, there is fear and fear. Against the stick that terrifies Richard, the answer is obvious. But what if one were afraid of an angry Ogre? Perhaps in that case facing the fear head-on could have unpleasant consequences - for the aforementioned head - and doing so with an Unseen Warrior at one's side would not be better then?"
Rash considers the two options carefully... both do have their benefits and drawbacks.
"Hmmmm... an unseen warrior that gains no strength or power but uses weapons of magical force... I suspect that such an entity would be dependent on its creator's will to function. So it would likely lose some of the most useful traits of the unseen servant as we know it, those being the duration that doesn't require its summoner's concentration and the ability to cast it as a ritual... and it would be quickly defeated by anything that can see it or simply gets a lucky hit... still, I could see some niche uses for it. Perhaps it would be possible to compromise and craft a second-level spell... anyway, a lot of my knowledge is theoretical, though. I really would need to cast the spell myself to gain more insight on its workings... you wouldn't perhaps be willing to let me copy it into my spellbook, would you?"
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Rash & Blinn in the lab:
"Oh, finally a wizard who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty by trying out what he's studying in the field!" Blinn approves "On the other hand, is magic dirty? Some material components are... Have you ever wondered why whoever invented Fireball couldn't find anything better than bat guano? And magic can perhaps be used to dirty... Speaking of which, would you prefer Grease or Prestidigitation, to smear something? Grease has a larger area of effect and smears wonderfully, but only with grease... there is no versatility. Prestidigitation on the other hand, perhaps smears in a smaller area, but it gives you a lot of choice in the kind of filth you want to conjure... Chalk? Mud? Something even less noble and much more smelly? Magic can filth extremely effectively. But can it be said to be filthy itself?"
"Here," the half-orc Harpell meanwhile brought a ponderous tome closer to Rash, opening at the point indicated by a bookmark "study it without hurry. But I expect you to help me develop 'Blinn's Unseen Warrior' in the future!"
The tome actually reports not only the details sufficient to master the Unseen Servant spell, but also the notes on the reflections and studies already carried out by Blinn to create his future family of 'Unseen *' spells.
(So... does Rash need to go buy the inks and whatnot that for some reason wizards need to copy a spell, or is Blinn willing to provide those in exchange for help perfecting his 'unseen warrior'?)
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"Well, I wasn't planning on working," Roxana replies. "And I wasn't really thinking of stopping by the farm until tomorrow. But you can go there if you wish." She raises a brow and gives Gaer a smile. "I had hoped you'd keep me entertained though."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
Rash & Blinn in the lab:
Well... inks and whatnot are needed... If Rash has the funds, we can transform 'on the fly' the funds into inks - thus assuming that Rash had bought them. If, however, Rash doesn't even have the funds and needs Blinn to advance them to him for the future contribution to the creation of the spell... Let's say a DC 10 Persuasion roll at least is needed. If passed, Blinn will agree and provide the material as well.
Roxana & Gaer:
"It will be a pleasure to entertain you, then!" Gaer is happy to make himself available "Many city girls I met liked to dance... and in the city there was no shortage of minstrels who, with their music, offered the opportunity, in some inn. Perhaps even here, in the small but lovely Longsaddle, we might come across such an occasion. Or at least we could easily verify it by going around the inns!"
"If we don't find available minstrels," the tiefling speculates "we could still stop at the inn that impressed us the most and have a drink together there, chatting a little about ourselves... After all, I still don't know much about your life. I see what a fine, smart, agile and interesting girl you have become, but I know nothing about your history, if you have always been like this, how did you become so..."
"Or, but none of the girls I had met up until now would have been very interested in this," Gaer finally mention, a bit on the defensive "I could tell you that I discovered a stream on the banks of which foxes frolic, not too far from your farm... and these days there's a couple forming. They hunt together... They bark together... They're cute. I could show them to you. We could spy on them together. But I realize that this last one would probably be a much less romantic proposal than the previous ones, considering the cold at the end of Hammer - even more so in the midst of wild nature. I mentioned this last option only because..." and here he is struggling to find a valid reason "...because they are cute".
Well, assuming we divided up the gold as suggested in post #1997, Rash should have the 50 gold he needs and a bit extra. So we'll go with that.
(Also... in regards to the division of items, Rash could use the spell scroll to add protection from evil and good to his spellbook later)
"Hmmm... I'll have to say prestidigitation," Rash says thoughtfully. "Thing about that spell is that you can also use it to clean up the messes. And the fact that it's a cantrip is another huge point in its favor since you don't have to tap into your limited magical stamina to use it."
Rash pauses, then chuckles.
"Anyhow, if you really wanted to see a wizard get his hands dirty, you should have come along with us to the dungeon! You could have seen me wrestling with a bearded devil. Feel free to ask Anita about it... she can probably tell the story far better than I could."
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Rash & Blinn in the lab:
"Rash was truly amazing, Blinn!" Anita quickly confirms "He cast a teleportation spell to get right behind this devil, who was fighting like only those evil sons of b*tch*s can, whipping left and right with that sort of beard made of snakes he had... and then Rash, as soon as he appears behind him, takes him in a Full Nelson hold! And that supernatural monster, who in Avernus - where he said he came from - must have seen it rough and tough, couldn't free himself!"
Blinn raises an eyebrow, perplexed: "This wouldn't exactly seem like a 'wizardly' act... but after all, who said that spells must all be supernatural phenomena unleashed by intelligence? If a wizard, for once, manages to use a spell which is a natural phenomenon triggered by strength and fighting technique, should we perhaps be shocked? Is magic in everything or isn't it? Shouldn't we perhaps also classify this as a spell - or at very least as a prodigy? And a spell performed with magic... is more magical or less magical than one performed without?"
Rash can't help but chuckle as he continues working on getting the spell copied.
"That's... one way to describe it," he says in response to Blinn's commentary about how it was perhaps a 'magical' act performed with muscles. "But... I was also raised by orcs. I was taught how to wrestle pretty early, and I won't lie, I've always been good at it. I just happen to find casting spells a lot more interesting. Still... I'm not opposed to 'casting' fists when the situation calls for it... it's a great way to keep the bad guys guessing. Now that I think about it, maybe I should learn enlarge/reduce... I can just imagine the look on some demon's face when it's suddenly getting body-slammed by a giant orc..."
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"A meal, some music, and dancing could be nice. I'm sure we'd find a minstrel somewhere," Roxana says slowly. "But the... foxes? Is that something you really wanted to do? I mean..." She seems to be turning over her thoughts on the matter over and over in her head. "Just how did you find them? And... well, it isn't too close to the farm is it? And it is quite cold - just what do propose for keeping warm?" Her demeanor has become a bit more nervous now as you make plans. "It would be nice to just talk and get to know each other some. I know little about your past too. Though I can see what a witty, charming, and brave fellow you are."
The pair eventually take care of appraising and selling off the items. At one point Roxana runs into a woman who looks to be of similar age and talks to her for a bit. Her brown hair is pulled into two loose ponytails and her clothing is a bit tattered. They exchange pleasantries about family and things going on, though there's only brief mention of Roxana's role in the recovery of Dobbian. "An old friend from growing up here in Longsaddle," she tells Gaer after the other girl heads off after the long chat. (This is her friend Solaina. She is using her Thieves' Cant to tell her about going out to the spot with the 'foxes' tonight with the Tiefling she's with, just in case. And of course, she assures her she isn't crazy and it's fine and NOT to follow!)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
Rash & Blinn in the lab:
"Yeah..." Blinn continues to meditate freely "Why, then, do so many take the trouble of years and years of study and practice to become great wizards... when with a not too complicated spell they could become big wizards? Is greatness so much preferable to bigness? And if so, why has no one yet invented a spell to become great, rather than to become big? Regardless of how difficult it was to invent, it would later save incalculable time and effort for all future generations of magicians ..."
Roxana & Gaer:
"Oh, I didn't mean to confuse you too much!" Gaer tries to assist Roxana "Let's start in a quiet way then, we have dinner together (this time at least I have the funds to offer it myself) and talking and getting to know each other some. After all, getting to know a witty, charming, and brave fellow might be entertaining" he winks. "And I can also tell you how I found the foxes. As well as thinking about how two curious people can avoid freezing to death in the forest at night. When it's later, if we feel like continuing with something different, we have both of the other two options".
"It's nice to have friends" the tiefling simply comments, later, a little perplexed, after Solaina departs - but he doesn't say about what.