The Legend of Admir—Chapter 5: Darkest Fear
Admir fends off against more spiders and a sick creature, and ends up facing his "darkest fear"—just like the story of Kozen Crest promised.
ALL of my play through rolls are being included in the toggles, however.
[Roll]
I'm going to let him just leave. They're pretty focused.
Room 4: 9,5,6,5—Location: Context Expected. Encounter: Random Monster. Objects: None
Location—22: deep well or pit
Monster—54, 40: mechanical, horns
Abilities:—24, 63: dark, poison.
Mechanical could be... ZOMBIE!
Oh, wait, I already said I can use journeys. lol Let's not overwhelm me.
Mechanical and horns tells me some kind of pit trap. Let's avoid it.
First, Consequences, so I know my stakes.
I think...if I fall, twisted ankle and wounded-2.
If I get mixed, maybe tired-1.
I think keen eyes definitely. Read the room is more for people.
4+6+1 = 11, success!
---
Room 5: 9, 6, 10, 6—Location: Random. Encounter: Trap/Puzzle. Objects: Random
I forgot this adventure had traps built into the table, so perhaps it should have been a creature in Room 4. Oh well. Maybe I'll just reuse it here.
Location: 08, 16: blocked, collapsed. oookaaayyyyyy.
Object: 83, 11: Sarcophagus, bottle.
Traps and puzzles: 45. Random trap.
45, 84: elaborate, stop.
Can he hear the outlaw or the cultist?
50/50. CF8 +4
6+2+4 = 12, yes.
---
Okay, rolling to avoid wounded-2.
I think, once again, just my keen eyes.
5+6+1 = 12!
Since it's a reaction roll, 10+ gives me extra power, so all good.
Admir was woefully unprepared. Plain and simple.
In the next room, he narrowly avoided a giant hole in the floor. He couldn't help but imagine what would have happened had he'd fallen. Twisted ankle, dying of starvation and thirst, or worse: becoming a spider's next meal. In the room after that, he was almost entombed in rubble and his path was closed off. Again, the dying of starvation and thirst. No one would have found him here, except perhaps the cultists. And he wasn't sure if he wanted their help.
[Roll]
Is the situation Threat-free enough to do a Simple Action with Power?
Very Likely, +2. CF8, +4. The cultists still have their hands full, as far as we know => +6
7+9+6 = 22, yes.
My focus is distracting illusions, so we're going to use 2 Power (Illusory tricks + distracting illusions) to create distracting clones illusion and tossing that in the backpack.
---
Room 6: 9, 7, 7, 7—Location: Context Expected. Encounter: None. Objects: Context Expected.
More hallway. Yaaay.
SI Ruins. 27: Echoing noises. 16: Clinging webs
Hmm.
What objects? Admir needs a makeshift weapon.
32, 16: debris, chair.
Oooh. I think because the book says Context Expected should be "dangerous, valuable, or both", those will create story tags for that room.
---
Definite room for error here.
using stuff from the camping supplies + sewing supplies + broken chair = +3
1+6+3 = 10! YAY!
with 3 power, I'll make improvised weapon and pointy tip (temporary)
He took a moment to practice his magic, unsure of what else the place had in store for him. The fog worked well last time, but the clones were his go-to against the creatures within the ruins so far, so he fine-tuned a quick set of clones he could throw up at a moment's notice. In another room, he made an improvised weapon—with a particularly pointy tip. He felt a little more prepared, even though he knew his preparations wouldn't amount to much.
[Roll]
Room 7: 13, 11, 9, 13—Location: Context Expected. Encounter: Context Expected. Objects: Mundane Expected
Location, SI Ruins: 8, 96: Bridge or elevated path.
96 is Descriptor+Focus. 98, 99: valuable wind.
Objects: 51, 9: ladder, bones.
Okay, so I'm saying when Context Expected is used, those are scene tags.
So, rickety bridge and windy.
Hmm... from the shape of this room though, I don't think a bridge works here.
Lemme roll Kozen Locations.
40, 88: hole, throne.
So, I'm going to work all of these things in together and kinda shift it a bit.
No bridge, no ladder—but steps, going up—
OMG NO THE "THRONE" MAKES SENSE NOW
THIS IS A BATHROOM
horrible stench and precarious floor
---
He's not going to the floor, so we're essentially just saving vs the smell.
I think I'll allow sewing supplies here (putting some spare cloth against his nose).
+1
6+3+1 = 10! YAY!
We make it through.
He practically flew through the next room, with its horrible stench and precarious floor. He feared stopping for too long. He'd already wasted precious daylight, and he wanted to be done with this place as soon as possible.
Illusion becomes reality here, inside you'll face your darkest fear.
He did not want to find out what his "darkest fear" was anytime soon.
[Roll]
Room 8: 9, 10, 12, 13—Location: Mundane Expected. Encounter: Kozen Monster. Objects: Mundane Expected
SI Ruins. 76, 43:
- signs of inhabitants or guardians
- improvised memorial
Makes sense. -sigh-
So, the only monster I've generated is the spider. But it could easily be the cultists...
Okay, is it the spider? If exceptional, two. If no, cultist. If exceptional no, then it's the decaying outlaw.
Likely, +1. CF8, +4 => +5
1+5+5 = 11, yes. So a spider.
What are the signs of the inhabitants?
Mythic descriptor. 75, 35: offensively fragile
lmao
AH! That's the sarcophagus from earlier! A SPIDER CACOON!
---
We need to distract it. So illusory tricks + distracting illusions.
+2
3+3+2 = 8, Mixed. I can work with that. distracted-2
Hmm. How does this order work? Do I get to use distracted to help me resist?
Aaahhh. p. 156, vol1. I can't get attacked just yet because I Succeeded.
Then I'm going to use some of the general consequences from Forlorn Ruins.
Admir is out of his element, he truly is. nervous-1.
Not going to let him react to that.
---
OKAY. So.
This weapon was never meant to last long... and if I want the full power of it, I need to go all out.
So, burning improvised weapon + pointy tip + distracted-2 = +6
Does nervous hinder this roll?
Likely, +1. +4 => +5
7+4+5 = 16, yes. So +5 total bonus
Aaaandd..... no, no weakness just yet.
Okay, and the spider has... horse sized (Adventure), so -3. Also has tough shell, so -4 total.
Hmm, is there enough light in here to trigger its light sensitivity?
50/50. +4
7+8+4 = 19, yes. Hm. Exceptional yes. I cant think of anything good, so moving on.
With the light sensitivity, it's back to -3. So a total of... +2.
Fun.
That gods look down on me favorably. 5+5+2 = 12.
Wait a fucking minute. Would horse-sized make it easier to hit?
No, reading through Might again. p.173 makes me think I did it right. Moving on!
With 2 power, I shall inflict harm-2 on Spidey.
---
another round of illusory tricks + distracting illusions~ = +2
okay...oh wait, the CURRENT distracting would help here. so it's actually a +4.
...right? Oh, no. THat's the Death Spiral, and at wounded-2, I am not at liberty to allow Admir to be part of the Death Spiral. Sooooo... +2
1+2+2 = 5, Consequences.
Must save against entangled-3. I think I can use keen eyes and read the room, for a bit of predictiveness = +2
4+2+2 = 8, Mixed. So we can reduce entangled-3 to a-little-stuck-1
Not good but better.
---
I think THAT was what the exceptional yes was trying to tell me.
illusory tricks + distracting illusions + LIGHT SENSITIVITY. We're gonna do some fucking flashing lights = +3
Wait. it's sunny. Does that apply here, too?
Unlikely, -1. (I think that's part of the light sensitivity and why we can even use it in the first place) +4 => +3
10+4+3 = 17, yes. Okay I'll take it!
+4
1+2+4 = 7!
I think I'm going to give it blinded-4, either stacking on top of distracted or adding a new one. Regardless, we're in a good position. Thinking it through, not blinded. Just distracted-4.
But Admir still has consequences.
Is he getting more nervous?
Likley, +1. +4 => +5
8+1+5 = 14, yes.
Now he's at nervous-2
Wait. Escape and harm are both 3s. Perhaps I can end this now then?
Does this Challenge continue? It's Level 3, and the status is 4, so -1. CF8, +4 => +3
7+2+3 = 12, yes. Damnit. Okay, I'll need to escape then.
---
Okay, distracted-4... (oh, i just realized it had sticky webs, so we should have a higher status but fuck it now)
And I missed the nimble-3 TWICE earlier, which should have hindered the escapes. Luckily....
I have an idea. I think I can use distracted later. For now, though, I need to find a way forward, so that's what I'm going to do.
Admir is going to look for a way out.
Does being nervous help me?
50/50, because I cant decide. +4 => +4
8+4+4 = 16, yes. YAY
keen eyes + nervous-2 = +3. He's FRANTICALLY looking.
5+4+3 = 12, Success. With this 3 Power, I'm going to create a path forward and the right moment (temporary)
Now, the spider was advancing, and I didn't address that, so it attacks, but I have the distracted to help.
Does the spider try to entangle him further?
Likely, +1. +4 => +5
9+1+5 = 15, yes.
+4 - sticky webs = +3
4+4+3 = 11, full success.
So, we would've had to React against entangled-3, which I can reduce to nothing.
---
Let's... plan this out.
We can burn path forward and use the right moment, getting +4. we also have distracted still, so +8. That's it.
it's nimble-3...but luckily, that's the only status that can come into play here.
So... +5 to escape?
6+4+5 = 15. GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE.
3 to Escape, and the other 2 for .. I dunno. We out!
FUCKING FLASHING LIGHTS. Though, looking back, it wouldnt have affected any rolls very much.
In the next room he found another spider and attempted to distract it with flashing lights, capitalizing on his newfound understanding of their light sensitivity, and eventually used his makeshift weapon to try to make a literal dent in it. (He did, by the way. A small dent, but a dent nonetheless.) By the time he managed to escape it, he was covered in webbing and his nerves were fried.
[Roll]
Room 9: 14, 11, 15, 12—Location: Context Expected. Encounters: Random Monster. Objects: Random
SI Ruin:
- 99: DescriptorFocus: 7, 7: blocked battleground.
- 16: cling webs. Yuck.
- Monster: 74, 40: solitary horns.
- abilities: 14, 75: change skill
So, first, we have sticky webs and... debris for the location.
Okay. I have a bad idea.
Admir slumped against a wall in the next room and took the time to catch his breath. He was sweaty and every sound the ruins made sent his eyes darting all around. The place was actively trying to kill him, and there wasn't even a promise of finding what he was looking for!
"Help...me..."
The source of the voice was not immediately visible. Because why would the voice be coming from within what Admir was now calling a cocoon? It moved a bit as another plea floated through the room. Admir tiptoed to get a better look at it, discovering a person mid-escape on the other side, emaciated and bound by webbing.
"I'm..."
How long had he been there?
"...so...."
Admir looked around for something he could use to break the cocoon.
"...hungry."
[Roll]
I think this is a Level 2 Challenge. Tired of getting my ass beat.
But it has the Miasma add on (already factored in to its Level)
The same tricks, why not.
Is there anything hindering my illusion roll?
Something tells me this thing is dead, so Very Likely, +2. +4 => +6
8+4+6 = 18. Would be Exceptional, but I'm doing Degrees for this. 2 Degrees, so 2 tiers worth.
Maybe just alert-2
Okay, so I'll have to lessen that first.
Yeah, same two. +2
why does this game hate me.
1+2+0 = 3. smh
Admir froze. The man ripped himself free and fell to the floor with a sickening crunch and scrambled towards Admir, blackened mouth drooling just like the woman from before. He tried to throw up an illusion of the first distracting thing he could think of—another spider—but the man ignored it and slashed at his arm.
[Roll]
So, add that to the existing wounded to get bleeding-3.
And I'm going to just try to resist the infected.
I have no tags for this.
3+3 = 6. Okay, we're infected.
This is not where I thought this story was going.
Admir screamed out in pain and stumbled back, hand gripping his fresh wound. In an instant, his body temperature flared, a sudden fever taking over him and making him woozy.
Darkest fear
Admir couldn't help but imagine his death: being ripped apart by the monstrosity before him. What if it didn't finish the job and left him to bleed out? What if something worse came and slowly gnawed at him, still alive through it all, unable to die fast enough to end his suffering?
He screamed and his prepared illusory clones sprang into existence. He was determined to NOT die here today—or any day!
[Roll]
burning clone illusions + tricks + distracting = +5
it's alert-2 lessens that to +3
1+3+3 = 7, all I needed! Lessening alert to 0 and giving it distracted-1
But I think the same thing happens, where it's swiping at him.
keen eyes + read the room + distracted = +3
And because I think it's going from clone to clone....Nah, no time for weakness right now.
4+1+3 = 8. But that's enough to lessen the wounded, meaning it doesnt add to my infection either.
The man had been alert before, but now seemed sufficiently distracted, even just a bit, by his illusions. Good. It wasted time swiping the clones as they jerked and dodged out of the way, buying Admir precious time to find a way out.
It clawed through a clone and began ignoring it while Admir took a moment to duck behind some of the debris. He threw up a few more illusory chunks of stone around him to hide him from view while he formulated a plan.
[Roll]
I need more time. So I need cover. Lets save the distracted for resisting, and use keen eyes + debris and... illusory tricks? enhance it in some way? Yeah.
+3
6+3+3 = 12. Yay
So let's create cover and... hidden-1?
Okay, so the creature is now dealing Consequences because we didnt exactly stop him from attacking.
I'm unsure about using debris here for this, but I'll perhaps allow it on the Reaction.cover + hidden-1 = +2
4+3+2 = 9, yay! reduced it once again. and I stay hidden.
---
tricks + ... And, because Admir needs to rest at this point and make sense of things, I'm going to upset my future self by burning distracting illusions = +4 total
4+3+4 = 11.
Going to give it distracted-4(4,1)
And since that counts, we'll just follow it up with him trying to get away.read the room + distracted-4 = +5
And, I think...I'm willing to invoke physical inspection now. The guy has been through enough of the clones by now honestly.
+4
6+5+4 = 15. Giving Admir escape-4, which I'll just say is enough to get away.
There was only one exit from the room and the creature was close enough to make it risky. So, Admir dug deep, deep down within himself and let loose as much of his power that he could muster. He'd never done something like this before: ten...twenty...thirty....fifty clones of Admir appeared, all focused on distracting the man-creature. Admir sent his clones back the way he came, sending the man-creature to chase after them while he slipped away.
[Roll]
Room 10: 14, 14, 16, 12—Location: Context Expected. Encounter: Trap/puzzle. Objects: Random
SI Ruins.
25: dripping water
45: intact stairway
Trap/puzzle: 34: random trap.
48, 100: fall, wound
objects
82, 23: sand, consumable
dripping water and intact stairway.
The next area he found himself in looked much like the previous one, though with less debris and cocoons with nasty surprises. A large, mostly intact staircase sat off to one of the sides, water dripping on it and to the ground from some unseen crack in the blocked-off upper floor. At it's base, what looked to be a pile of sand or dust...or food that had been left to waste away. Lovely.
His wound tingled and he remembered he'd been injured.
Okay, "injured" was being gracious at this point. He was bleeding pretty badly, his wounds from his previous tussles with the outlaw and the spiders adding up. And...
His breath caught in his chest. The wound where he'd been slashed just now was black and green and purple. It oozed and... How was it infected already?!
His stomach rumbled and it took every ounce of strength in him to stop himself from mentally thinking the word "hungry."
Oh, well, that failed. And now he was more scared than he was before. Was he going to turn into him, into her? Had the cultists done this, a previous experiment gone wrong? Is that why they'd targeted that woman? He needed real medical help, but turning back now would mean facing every single challenge he'd simply avoided all over again. He'd exhausted himself, physically and magically, and he wasn't sure he could take another—
[Roll]
I dont think either the water or the stairway impact this roll, luckily.
So we're just rolling to avoid some random collapse of the ruins.
keen eyes = +1
6+1+1 = 8.
Was the damage wounded-2?
Very likely, +2. CF8, +4 => +6
3+2+6 = 11, yes.
This is gonna suck for him, even with wounded-1.
bleeding-3 is now wounded-and-bleeding-4
He ducked out of the way almost fast enough, avoiding the larger chunk of stone that fell, but a smaller bit knocked him aside the head and forced him to the floor. His breathing got harder and... Well, Admir cried. He was in complete pain. His head, both arms, and an infection coursing through his veins, threatening to turn him into something terrifying.
He just cried.
He couldn't go back and yet he couldn't push on either, not right now. He needed to rest. But he couldn't rest here. But he couldn't not.
More tears, the fear welling up and forcing its way out.
He had no other choice.
[Roll]
No choice but to camp.
First, we're throwing up illusions, so burning illusory tricks for +3.
I think there's decent chances of failure here, in terms of getting it right, so rolling. Consequences will be time and effectiveness.
5+5+3 = 13. We love to see it.
Giving the area illusory cover and hidden tracks (temporary).
1: I think we Bandage or heal camp action, using the healing ointment + illusory cover + shadowy crevices (i forgot this fucking place had that tag!) + hidden tracks (temporary) for 4 Power. Half, to 2 Power, which we'll use to bandage up that wound to be simply wounded-1 now.
2: I think Rest now.
Does this rest restore both of the illusion power tags?
Likely, +1. CF8, +4 => +5
1+8+5 = 14, yes. Perfect.
3: Now, let's take this third option, with Consequences. Going to Reflect on my magic, and mark improve. This gets me an improvement. Going to take c: illusory clones
The consequences are simple: I'm maxing out time passes, and it's the dead of night. Removing sunny and warm, and replacing it with dark and scary-1
Also, I feel like while practicing his magic, reflecting on the decisions he's made thus far, and pondering over what he'll have to do, he's going to mark Abandon on Charming. It's come to the point where there are plenty of situations where his words are not his strongest weapon.
I think sleeping here does something to him. I want to invoke truth about my heritage, and have him have a (horrible) dream that reveals...something.
Let's roll on Visions and Dreams, as well as Plot Twists.
VD: 26: energy
PT: 43: incapacitate
Upping curious to tier 2.
From some hidden well of strength, Admir threw up a few more illusions, exhausting himself even further. Fear will do that to you, force you to scrape up whatever power you can find and use it because surviving is the most important thing. Safe—or at least safer—by the stairs in a shadowy crevice, he bandaged up the wounds he could using some of the healing ointment.
And against his better judgement, Admir let himself close his eyes.
Naturally, nightmares awaited him.
"Wynton led Kaito through the moonlight maze of the palace, cloaked in the shadows of every corner. They didn't have long before Kaito's absence would be noticed, so they needed to utilize every second to its maximum.
"Room after room, hallway through hallway, Wynton snaked around corners, hid in dark crevices, and eluded the few patrolling guards with expertise and efficiency. Kaito was thoroughly impressed, and still amazed to have somehow connected with this man that should have been his enemy. Just last week, he'd been sleeping on the streets, wondering if he was even suited for this quest. And here he was now, running through the palace walls after having escaped from the dungeons with the help of a guard he'd just met.
"Wynton vanished from Kaito's sight for TWO SECONDS around a corner. When Kaito joined him, ready to press on, he found a guard dead on the floor and Wynton stabbed in the side.
"'Go! Quickly!' Wynton urged, wincing in pain. He swatted away Kaito's helping hand. 'She's in that room over there! Go!'
"He had come here with a mission, and quickly steeled his resolve. Nothing could deter him from getting the answers he sought. That had always been his motto, no matter how dark or grim the path forward seemed. Hopefully Wynton and he could share a pint in the future.
"'I'll never forget your kindness!' Kaito rushed forward, hoping to elude any other guards and make it to the queen's room."
- excerpt from "Kaito's Hunt for Justice"
Admir woke with a start, body drenched in sweat, his infection screaming in pain, sending nauseating jolts throughout his body. His left hand felt a little numb, his breath was ragged and...
That dream—no, sorry, nightmare—had felt so real but now that he was trying to focus on the details, they were slipping from him. All he could grasp from the now-vague imagery was...overwhelming energy? And perhaps being incapacitated? It didn't make sense, but he instinctively knew it had something to do with his heritage, his history, his entire reason for coming to these dangerous ruins.
It was pitch black. Admir had slept far longer than he had intended, but he was glad to see that nothing had accosted him while he rested. He stood up carefully, head feeling much better. It was colder now, the sun's light completely gone. The moonlight had a much harder time finding its way through the cracks of the ruins, filling the space with an eerie vibe that put him even more on edge. The sounds of nighttime insects droned just past the walls, that not-silent noise from earlier in the day now an odd...hum almost.
Navigating the ruins would be much harder now, especially if new nighttime terrors wanted to wake up.
[Roll]
Simple with Power.
Burning camping supplies for 3 Power.
2 make torch and 1 makes pocket knife (temporary)
Hoping he wasn't making a huge mistake, he bundled up as much of the camping gear he could and made a makeshift torch, keeping a flimsy pocketknife on him just in case. Then he set out to delve further into the ruins.
Want to travel to Kozen Crest yourself? Check out Mythic Magazine Volume 44!
