FabU Session 36 - "Home Is Where The Squirrel Is"

[Dave (***Dave Hill)]

A Whole New World

(Or at least VTT, as we are now on the Forge.)

Last time, we were flying back to Harmony to wrap up some loose threads – and maybe challenge the Stone Guardian.

Mizzle is talking to a hunk of bark (Surdak).

Chatting with Surdak

(Recapping the forums … Questions For Surdak)

• Group of “Disciples” - wondering about the whole Stairs to Heaven. He assumes it will lead to godhood. Or course he does..
• Interest in Squirelkin? Take over the AM’s empire, use them as a key.
• You and Sir Ortis? Just down on him and no respect.
• Any other bound souls? Nope.
• History’s verdict? Who cares?

He wasn’t an actual student of the AM. Just aspires to do what the AM did.
The Disciples (i.e, the Lamenters) are cool with that.
He wants godhood, to fix reincarnation. He resents that he will die.

Other Disciples – doesn’t want to answer. Just individuals of self-interest, aligning where ambition makes it seem worthwhile. “If they found out about my state, they’d probably try to rescue me to get me into their power.” Mizzle tries to point out that is shortsighted … also learn that nobody knows each other’s name. The only thing they have to exchange is knowledge.

Has a high opinion (or bargaining rhetoric) of us.
Mizzle calls for Sir Ortis to protect Surdak’s housing from detection.

And … we are being pursued …

A “Little Fight”

The stars in pursuit release two little gem things (Illumination Espirits).

Round 1

There’s a clock (Lady Watcher) tracking us.

TBs do a Warning Shot on one of the Esprits, slowing (but not shaking) it.

• Mizzle - studies the Big Guy – and gets Detailed Info~!
  
  
• Esprit A - Objective! Mizzle fails to oppose. Fill … fill 4 checks!
• Saraid - Pacophora - Icy Breath! FP! Invoke trait!
• Seeker Stars - Diminished Aether on TBs - recovery HP at half rate.
• TBs! - Change to Ice, boom at Esprit B, and SS. Boom! Both in Crisis.
• Esprit B - Prismatic Rays, Mizzle mirrors, hits TBs. Light damage!

Round 2

• Saraid - does something to kayo the SS … and steals Diminished Aether.
• Esprit A - Prismatic Ray Saraid and Mizzle. Hit both!
• TBs - Frost Barrage on both of them. Hit!
• Esprit B - Complete the spell! Mizzle counters it!
• Mizzle - Pulls up Sir Ortis. Takes down B, nearly take down A. Ignore the Immunity to Light damage.

Round 3

• TBs take the last Esprit down. It disintegrates into Aetheric Dust.

Cue exciting 8-bit victory music!

Ooooh .. a Star Fragment! Accessory. Resist Light and heal from it.
Also, Astronite Dust material.

Harmony

We reassure Prisma. Set down …

Mizzle does a ritual! Reverse the tracking spell on the person who set it.
Saraid bumps with Encourage Mizzles WLP. Saraid manages to support. Success!

… a Face! … Lady Watcher! Who has tracked us to the coast!
"Oh, drat, they destroyed the Esprits. Bothersome. Will have to get some more. Rot, you are making this so difficult – what have you gotten yourself into?
“They came from Harmony … I should check there next.”

Ruh-roh!

Prolly think we are heading to the AM’s Tower.

Mizzle might have enough Insight

Smug face at Surdak.

Snarky repartee ensues.

Now what?

Visit Saraid’s home? As long as that won’t draw Lady Watcher.

Minimal risk travel! Make it to Bell Town with no issues.

Fairly prosperous fishing village. Not far from capital. Lots of trade.
Known for its bell-shaped harbor.

Disguising Saraid (even more than usual). We have a few days advantage on LW, but no point in making it dangerous for folk.

The vibe … really about fishing, not trade. Docks with boats. Fish market. Rhythm of the fishing day. Sometimes a larger ship comes in with merchant goods.

It’s a cool fall day.

A voice! “Mizzle!”

Homecoming

Melody! Was visiting Saraid’s parents.
Her brother is there, too - Alphonse.
Yeah, let’s go somewhere quiet.
Oh! Saraid! Yeah, I’m staying at your parents place!

Her parents: Mom’s a book keeper. Dad’s a minor city official.
Dottie and Ed.
They always have people coming to visit. Making sure people are taken care of, and also wanderlust of seeing other place those folk came from.

Homecoming - Melody goes in first, Saraid sneaks in behind us all.
Ed - nice to see you. MIzzle and the Trimaldis – and he spots Saraid! “Aw, Scraps! C’mere for a hug!”
Heartwarming homecoming.

Intros and greetings, esp. when Dottie gets called down.

Move from entry hall … to living room … to kitchen (where bad news gets told).
Lemonade. Shortbread cookies.

Plenty of embarrassing stories.

And then … sigh … "Always knew you were going to be something special. But always worried about you … and should have told you about what happened then … before now. Always felt like there would be more time. …

Probably 20 years ago … the ship came by, and this nice man, Dr Araman, came into port looking for people to take care of some homeless children. Wanted to adopt the whole lot, but ‘too dangerous’ … Ed was very insistent on hearing the explanation. … Babies on the run from dangerous people, somewhere across the sea … ‘Elaina’? … Saw other babies … sorry, Melody, would have taken you in if I’d had the chance … "

We tell them about the ones we’ve met. Everyone seems to be taking it well. Esp since Saraid and Melody had good parent/family sitches.

Said he’d come from a place far to the north. Seemed unaccustomed to the heat. (“Near Daran? Never heard of it.”)

New trade stuff happening, like Delmar. Parmis.

The bridge is now opeing up again. Lots of things starting to work again (now that the power is running).

Describe the Lady Watcher. (Mizzle points out the page in his briefing pack.)

Melody has been making friends in town, but hearing lots of news about the Counties.
Wanted poster.

Always welcome here. This is always your home. Maybe take a nap. Stay in her old room.
Mizzle and the TBs get the Guest Room.

Rest!

• TBs scrounge (outside of Dottie and Ed’s house)
• Saraid sleeps soundly
• MIzzle

Wrapping Up

*Level! Level button reduces XP and adds to level. *
Levels button - shows the history (click on Skill)
Classes button - click on a star to level up. Click in Compendium to add something.

Miz’s Session 37+ agenda:

1. Fly southeast to Harmony. Try to fight the Stone Guardian to obtain Archmagus Seals
2. New Item: stop by Central and Starspan Tower, try to activate the AI
3. New Item: swing by Zeal’s location (must do divination to confirm)
4. Fly north to the Gallimaufry. Hand in book
5. Return to Clove’s house

Saraid does not want to spend any more time in Bell Town than necessary (keep it out of danger).

Bonds!

[garrett (Bill Garrett)]

So I know what Mizzle cares about, but in Fabula Ultima the Bonds system really wants you to answer who rather than what. So instead of staring at 6 slots and 3 emotions, I’m going to try and turn Miz’s priorities into Bonds, and see how well those match up with what I’ve actually got. There’s no specific order to these.

1. The Elonians vs. the Squirrelkin. Miz wants to keep the various squirrels safe from Elonian or Lamenter manipulation. That could be a group bond, or I could use my existing bond with Saraid to represent it. I’ve also got a bond with Lady Ambra for the flip side.
2. Trishenko. Miz would like the animalkin to find a new home, or have their old home remain habitable - whatever works best for them. Again, a possible group bond that could also be served via the existing bond with the Trimaldis.
3. The Phoenix and the Elves. Miz wants to help the Elves and keep their people and forest safe. Right now I’ve got two bonds that could cover this - Clove and Lixana. I’m not sure how distinct those are right now, although Miz hasn’t technically met Lixana yet.
4. The Archmagus’s Legacy. Miz wants the Archmagus’ power kept out of the hands of people like Surdak. There’s some overlap here with keeping the squirrels safe. Ultimately I see my bond with Sir Ortis as the vehicle for this - he’s the best representative of someone who has been used and abused by these power-seekers.

Miz has general interests like “visit new places”, “acquire more Arcana”, and “blow up bad guys real f’in good” “discover the truths of the world”, but I don’t know that those translate easily into bonds.

So where are we at?

• It’s possible I could lose my bond with Lady Ambra, although she did piss me off pretty hard.
• Likewise I could lose my bond with either Clove or Lixana to focus on the other person. I’d probably focus on Clove if she was coming with us on that journey north, but otherwise I’d probably keep Lixana.
• The other bonds seem pretty representative of my in-character goals, go me!

[garrett (Bill Garrett)]

Thinking more about this, I think the advice I’d give for new FabU characters is: introduce an NPC who embodies or denies your character’s main goal or principle, and build a bond with them.

For example, I might have had Mizzle hear stories about a famous adventurer and traveler, or a senior librarian famous for finding rare books, or something along these lines. The flip side would be some kind of NPC like Ragnar Bookburner, someone Mizzle would be upset about or be opposing.

I think it’s too late to have such an NPC for Mizzle - we’ve already got a rich cast of characters to bounce off of - but in some new game, I’ll give this a try.

Examples:

• FFVII: Cloud admires Sephiroth, but the specifics of that Bond flip real fast.
• FFX: Tidus has strong feelings (not all good) about his father Jecht.
• Grandia: Justin, a would-be adventurer, meets multiple senior adventurers along the way, from Java (a brief mentor) to Feena (fellow party member and later love interest)
• Lunar: the main hero Alex admires Dragonmaster Dyne and wants to follow in his footsteps.