Voidstate/HeWhoMinesHimselfForWisdom

An Unshaped for questing within. The tone is a mix of fairy tale, Edward Lear nonsense poetry and the archetypal voyage into a strange society below the earth (Something like HG Wells or Jules Verne might write, I guess). This is not an overtly aggressive Unshaped. In fact it's rather interested and bemused by Creation and is seeking, in it's own impossible to understand way to find out more by mining stuff of Creation from its own form. GMs might wish to link the things being mined to their campaign somehow. The notes are pretty slim to allow for improvisation within the quest.

He Who Mines Himself For Wisdom

In the far North where Creation is washed by the Wyld, land yearns to fly. Mountains dance up into the sky to pirouette through the clouds. Amid the floating landscape the unshaped He Who Mines Himself For Wisdom joins the dance, exploring the touch of the cyst that is Creation.

What this Creature seeks as it spreads it's touch over the Northern lands even the Raksha could not say. Even the form it takes changes from time to time though it always echoes the yearning of the land to join Heaven.

Currently He Who Mines Himself For Wisdom takes the form of a peak of smoke and obsidian so high that it's tip is lost to view. Hammering can be heard from deep within as Puckermouths and Gambersnitches mine the mountains depths, bringing forth globes of many colours which may be broken to reveal objects from Creation ranging from the mundane (songbirds or cherry blossoms) to fantastic (child's rhymes or cascades of widows' tears). These things are sent to the Earth and Cloud Brother as he meditates within the hollow peak, though what wisdom he draws from these things he tells only the Mountain.

The mountain may be reached by requesting the the World Warden to open his bridge, a thing he will only do to those he deems worthy of the Mountain's glory.

Inside the peak that is He Who Mines Himself For Wisdom, all guests are treated with courtesy and love by Flint Face, father of the mountain's many workers. Such is his care for his guests most would never wish to leave his feasting hall.

The inner road which leads to the hollow peak is perilous and many a coal crab or zephmisty fails to complete the route. But those that do may gaze upon the Earth and Cloud Brother himself as he meditates upon the knowledge he gains in his isolation.

Earth and Cloud Brother

(Guiding Intelligence)

Concept: Meditator On Paradox, All-Powerful Recluse, Riddler, Blind Watcher
Character: Archtypal film AI; arrogant of his power within his domain, curious, logical, calm
Appearance: shaven-headed child in robes of woven silence, voice issues from the poppets who pray at his feet, never opens eyes

Earth and Sky Brother is the curiousity and intuition that has brought the Unshaped to Creation's edge, given shape and purpose. As such he is not necessarily hostile to things of Creation although in testing them he may come across as such.

Nature: Conniver
Attributes: Str 6, Dex 7, Sta 6, Cha 6, Man 6, App 4, Per 7, Int 6, Wit 7
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 5, Temperance 5, Valour 4
Graces: Cup 3, Ring 5, Staff 5, Sword 4
Abilities: Athletics 4, Bureaucracy 6, Craft 7, Endurance 7, Linguistics 6, Lore 6, Martial Arts 7, Medicine 4, Presence 4, Socialize 3, Thrown 4; All others at 2

Base Initiative:14
Attacks
Punch: Speed 14 Accuracy 15 Damage 6B Defence 16 Rate 5
Sanskara's Tear (SSS): Speed 16 Accuracy 17 Damage 10L Defence 16 Rate 4
Dodge Pool 15
Soak: 16B/11L (Silent Embrace, 10B/8L)
Willpower: 8
Health: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4
Essence: 6
Essence Pool: 60

Shaping Combat
Shaping Initiative: 17
Attack:
Shaping Lens (Ring): Speed 17 Accuracy (Bureaucracy 12/Craft 13/Endurance 13/Lore 12/MA 13) Damage 7 (Piercing) Defense (Bureaucracy 6/Craft 7/Endurance 7/Lore 6/MA 7) Rate 2, Range 6 (NB Costs 1 Gossamer per scene)
People (Staff): Speed 14 Accuracy (Linguistics 13/Occult 8/Ride 8/Socialize 9/Thrown 10) Damage 9 Defence(Linguistics 7/Occult 4/Ride 4/Socialize 5/Thrown 6) Rate 3
Society (Staff): Speed 17 Accuracy (Linguistics 13/Occult 8/Ride 8/Socialize 9/Thrown 10) Damage 6 Defence(Linguistics 12/Occult 9/Ride 9/Socialize 10/Thrown 11) Rate 5
Dodge Pools: Cup 7 Ring 8 Staff 8 Sword 9
Soak: Cup 13 Ring 15 Staff 12 Sword 14
Health: Cup 6 Ring 10 Staff 10 Sword 8

Birth Charms
Assumption of Elemental Shape
Ravishing the Created Form
Banquet of Crumbs
Essence-Forging Art
Awakened Dream Manufacture
all five Forging the (Grace) Grace Charms
Gaping Virtue Mouth
Ecstatic Reproduction Style

Shaping Charms Flesh-Carved World (p172, 1m/die, Ring dice adder)
Ill-Approving Eyes (p157, 1m/die, dodge dice adder)
Mind's Grip Rigor (p172, 4m & 1w, +2 sux for non-combat Ring action or +6 sux on attack but halves extra sux for damage) Pounding Dream Harmony (p174, 5m, Ring or Staff attack vs. target upto 3 waypoints away cannot be dodged and only parried with stunts/charms)
Shuddering Wyld Inference (p172, 1m, make blind Ring or Staff shaping attack without penalty)
Wyld-Curdling Attack (p173, 2m, Ring or Staff damage += Essence)
Assertion of a Greater Vision (p157, 2m, reflexive shaping dodge)
Creator's Fugue (p172, 3m/extra attack, extra Ring or Staff shaping attacks)
Impinging Web of Dream (p173, 4m & 1w, extra Ring or Staff attacks equal to Essence, must be vs. same target)
Sorrowful Firmament Resonance (p174, 5m, Ring or Staff attack vs. target upto 3 waypoints distant cannot be dodged and can only be parried with charms/stunts)
Twisting Serpent Shape (p174, 4m ,make Ring or Staff attack without ammo, Acc same as weapon, Damage (Per +10), Range 10)
Waypoint Knife (p172, 3m, attack waypoint, if succeed at Int + Craft (Glamour) it is swallowed and anyone entering must move on to another waypoint)

Other Charms Glamour (p184, 5m & 1+ gossamer, create creature, object or location instantly, Wits + Essence vs. Intelligence to ignore, lasts longer if things created from ‘seeds')
Shiftless Untamed Beauty (p166, 8m & 1 gossamer, Creation-born roll Will + Temp (dif. 2) each scene or become addicted, +1 social die vs. addicted and they must roll Will each month or return, Glamour: Temp + Ess vs. Cup)
Compelling Presence (p167, 10m & 1w & 1gossamer, instantly addict target unless rolls Will + Temperance vs. Essence, addicted characters must spend a WP to attack, Glamour: Temp + Ess vs. Cup)

Combos
Flesh-Carved World, Wyld-Curdling Attack and Ill-Approving Eyes
Mind's Grip Rigor and Creator's Fugue

Possessions
Green Fire ( This gossamer circlet of swirling flame is his shaping lens)
Silent Embrace (Gossamer Plate and Chain, 10B/8L, Mob 0, Fatigue 0, Gives an auto success on any roll involving silence)
Sanskara's Tear (Gossamer Seven Section Staff, fizzing tendril of purple and green energy, Speed +2 Accuracy +3 Damage +4L Defence +2 Rate 4)
Beauty in Blindness is his Oath. It allows him to fly while he never states a thing without consideration for it's opposite.

Flint Face

(Subsidiary Intelligences)

Concept: Lord of the Mines, Fatherly Overseer, Enslaver By Love
Appearance: Crystal-whiskered, pot-bellied man in astrologers robes (despite never having left the mountain)
Character: Placid, Kind, Fatherly

Flint Face is the in-between, both host and messenger, the heart. He ensures the workings of the mine and feasting hall run smoothly. He seeks to trap interlopers with kindness and pleasure so they will not wish to proceed beyond his domain.

Nature: Caregiver
Attributes: Str 2, Dex 3, Sta 2, Cha 3, Man 5, App 3, Per 2, Int 2, Wit 3
Virtues: Compassion 4, Conviction 2, Temperance 2, Valour 2
Graces: Cup 4, Ring 1, Staff 1, Sword 1
Abilities: Athletics 2, Craft 3, Dodge 3, Investigation 2, Larceny 4, Martial Arts 1, Medicine 4, Performance 2, Presence 1, Socialise 2, Stealth 4, Thrown 5

Base Initiative: 6
Attacks
Punch: Speed 6 Accuracy 5 Damage 2B Defence 6 Rate 5
Shale Wasps (Infinite Jade Chakrams): Speed 6 Accuracy 9 Damage 8L Defence – Rate 4 Range 50
Dodge Pool 9
Soak: 8B/6L (Miner's Coat, 6B/5L)
Willpower: 6
Health: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4
Essence: 3
Essence Pool: 30 (Committed: 5)

Shaping Combat
Shaping Initiative: 4
Attack:
Milieu (Cup): Speed 4 Accuracy (Investigation 5/Larceny 7/Medicine 7/Performance 5/Stealth 7) Damage 2 Defence (Investigation 6/Larceny 8/Medicine 8/Performance 6/Stealth 8) Rate 5
Prodigies (Cup): Speed 1 Accuracy (Investigation 5/Larceny 7/Medicine 7/Performance 5/Stealth 7) Damage 5 Defence (Investigation 1/Larceny 3/Medicine 3/Performance 1/Stealth 3) Rate 3

Dodge Pools: Cup 5 Ring 5 Staff 8 Sword 6
Soak: Cup 8 Ring 9 Staff 9 Sword 8
Health: Cup 8 Ring 3 Staff 3 Sword 3

Shaping Charms
Assertion of a Greater Vision (p157, 2m, reflexive shaping dodge)
Dissonance of Principles (p159, 1m/die, add to Cup or Staff attack (max = Valour), damage is stunning, soaked only with Temperance, each damage success imposes-1 to all shaping actions for 3 scenes)
Heart-Cutting Style (p159, 1m, count extra sux twice with Cup or Staff attack)
Howling Dream Consumption Prana (p158, 5m & 1w, persistent dodge for 1 story)
Ill-Approving Eyes (p157, 1m/die, dodge dice adder)
Sapphire Emptiness Kata (p157, 6m, opponent's difficulty to hit += Dodge)

Other Charms
Compelling Presence (p167, 10m & 1w & 1gossamer, instantly addict target unless rolls Will + Temperance vs. Essence, addicted characters must spend a WP to attack, Glamour: Temp + Ess vs. Cup)
Undetectable Lie (p175, 5m & 1w & 3 gossamer, Man + Socialize as Staff attack, all post soak damage become sux, works as Glamour vs. those with no Staff grace, target accepts one statement as true, Glamour: Wits + Essence vs. Manipulation)

Possessions
Shale Wasps (Infinite Jade Chakrams)
Miners Coat (Gossamer Reinforced Buff Jacket, 6B/5L, Mob 0, Fat 0)

World Warden

(Subsidiary Intelligence)

Gatekeeper, honourable warrior, lover of Creation's tales

Appearance: A chivalric knight in armour of lotus and peony blossom, he floats upon a cloud of iris blooms, ever watchful of the surrounding Wyld. As faithful to the Mountain as his hound is to him.
Character: Wry, honourable, valourous

World-Warden is the armourof the Unshaped. He protects it against unwanted interruption, keeping the poppets and other minds free to pursue their roles. Yet he also has some of the curiosity that guides the mountain so will interract with others before removing them, especially if they bring knowledge of Creation, a weakness that may provide the chink in his armour.

Nature: Bravo
Attributes: Str 4, Dex 4, Sta 3, Cha 3, Man 2, App 2, Per 2, Int 2, Wit 3
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 2, Valour 4
Graces: Cup 1, Ring 1, Staff 1, Sword 4
Abilities: Athletics 5, Archery 4, Brawl 4, Dodge 3, Linguistics 1, Melee 4, Performance 3, Presence 3, Ride 2, Socialise 2

Base Initiative: 7
Attacks
Punch: Speed 7 Accuracy 8 Damage 4B Defence 9 Rate 5
Sun Shadow Rain (Pearl and Smoked Glass Daiklave): Speed 14 Accuracy 11 Damage 10L Defence 10 Rate 5
Dodge Pool 10
Soak: 17B/12L (Glass Blossom Raiment 14B/11L)
Willpower: 6
Health: -0/-1x2/-2x4/-4
Essence: 3
Essence Pool: 30 (Committed: 5)

Shaping Combat
Shaping Initiative: 4
Attack:
Behemoth (The Hound That Despairs of Desire, Sword): Speed 17 Accuracy (Archery 11/Athletics 12/Brawl 11/Melee 11/Presence 10) Damage 16 Defence (Archery 8/Athletics 9/Brawl 8/Melee 8/Presence 7) Rate 4
Personal Prowess (Sword): Speed 9 Accuracy (Archery 9/Athletics 10/Brawl 9/Melee 9/Presence 8) Damage 7 Defence (Archery 8/Athletics 9/Brawl 8/Melee 8/Presence 7) Rate 3
Hazards: ???

Dodge Pools: Cup 8 Ring 8 Staff 6 Sword 10
Soak: Cup 8 Ring 9 Staff 8 Sword 9
Health: Cup 3 Ring 3 Staff 3 Sword 8

Shaping Charms Assertion of a Greater Vision (p157, 2m, reflexive shaping dodge)
God-Humbling Victory Sword (p196, 1m/die, sword dice adder)
Ill-Approving Eyes (p157, 1m/2 dice, shaping dodge adder)
Radiance of the Invincible Warrior (p197, 2m, reflexive parry vs. Sword or Staff)
Scattering the Foe (p197, 1m/2 dice, dice adder for Sword or Staff parries)
Unparalleled Terror Technique (p196, 1m, count extra sux twice for Sword or Staff attack)

Other Charms
Ox-Body x2 (-2)

Possessions
Sun Shadow Rain (Pearl and Smoked Glass Daiklave, Spd +7 Acc +3 Dam +6L Def +2 Rate 5 )
Glass Blossom Raiment (Gossamer Chain Swathing, 14B/11L, Mob 0, Fat 0)
Horizon Friend (Gossamer Longbow, Acc +3, Max Strength 4, Rate 3, Range 200)
The Hound That Despairs of Desire (Behemoth 3) Hazards (Thousand foot gates, landslides, rains of molten stone, lava flows, flooding, rolling boulders, cloud mazes, poison fog, impenetrable gales)

The Hound That Despairs of Desire

Shaping: Speed +10 Accuracy +3 Damage +12 Defence +0 Rate 4

As World Warden, except:
Base Initiative: 7
Attacks
Hooked Fangs (as Grand Daiklave): Speed 17 Accuracy 10 Damage 16L Defence 4 Rate 3
Dodge Pool 10
Soak: 15B/14L (Hope Leeching Coat, 12B/12L)
Willpower: 6
Health: -0x21/-1x3/-2x2/-4
Mutation: Huge Affliction, Gossamer Wind Flight, Bastion of Self (normal damage), Imposition of Law (Brawl – Clinches)

Poppets

A variety of lesser creatures live within He Who Mines Himself For Wisdom, defining his chosen role and cgharacter by their actions. Each has a role in the mountain although this changes when certain items are discovered in the mine. Which items cause the order to be reshuffled is only known to the Earth and Sky Brother so the miners (the lowest rank) work hard in the hope their daily grind will be alleviated.

Carrigrools – Ten-fingered, eight-armed, razor-clawed, obsidian monkeys, sly and hungry, men at arms
Coalcrabs – Black crabs with human faces, always hurrying, messengers
Zephmisties – Ghostly, tumbling, tearful cherubs, minstrels and mystics
Puckermouths – White-skinned, emaciated, nervous chalk women, maids
Gambersnitches – rotund, morose, mouse-headed creatures, miners

Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1-3, Perception 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 3
Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 2, Valor 2
Abilities: Archery 2, Athletics 2, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Craft (varies) 2, Dodge 2, Melee 2, Performance 3, Stealth 2, Survival 2
Base Initiative: 6
Attack:
Wyld-shot (Melee): Speed 8 Accuracy 6 Damage 3L Defense 5
Wyld-shot (Ranged): Speed 6 Accuracy 6 Damage 2L, Rate 3, Range 10
Dodge Pool: 5
Soak: 1L/2B
Willpower: 4
Health Levels: -1/-2/Incap
Essence: 2
Essence Pool: 20

Body

The waypoints within He Who Mines Himself For Wisdom have been shaped to support the character he gives himself. From within the Fountainhead, the Earth and Cloud Brother is aware of all Ring shaping against these waypoints and will defend them with his shaping lens, Green Fire.

The Feasting Hall is also the Unshaped's glory, addictive to those who visit it allows Flint Face to defend against all Cup shaping within the mountain, ensuring the loyalty of his charges.

http://www.voidstate.com/temp/he_who_mines.gif

Questing

A quest within He Who Mines Himself For Wisdom will have three parts: gaining entrance past the World Warden and his behemoth, The Hounds That Despairs of Desire; finding and then escaping the seductive hospitality of Flint Face; and finding the Eart and Sky Brother while he opposes the seekers with Ring shaping. Escaping again from the hollow peak may also constitute a challenge as the Unshaped seeks vengeance for trespass. If it lacks any minds it will turn the poppets on the questers, arming them with spheres of Creation matter if necessary.

Players may make use of the disquiet within the poppet's ranks, especially the miners, or use them to discover Earth and Sky Brother's location.

Anything gained from the Unshaped will likely take the form of a sphere from the mine, broken to reveal whatever the questor desires.

Here are three artifact wrested from He Who Mines Himself in my TT game: Voidstate/BlackMountainOath, Voidstate/TyrantOfFrostAndObsidian & Voidstate/LoverOfCreation. As a side note, after they killed the guiding intelligence, the whole mountain began to dissolve into the Wyld at an alarming rate. At the time they were within the Hollow Peak and so Creation was array a hundered or more miles below them. The characters were spat from the wyld and free fell the entire distace. Fortunately, as lunars they all had bird forms. The mountains heart's grace formed into the tiny statue that is Lover Of Creation. So far they no nothing except its name...

Comments

Wow. Incredible. Brilliant. I wish I had the time and energy to write up something like this to share. --MF

Thanks. I'd love to hear from anyone who does use it. - Voidstate

Epiphany! Questing against the Unshaped is very similar to the archetypal decker-run in a cyberpunk RPG! - enlightened Moxiane

Hey, yeah, you're right. Except everyone can go on it, instead of just the decker going while everyone else watches Monty Python and eats pizza or whatever. --MF

And the VR can come chasing after you and suck you back in if you don't get away quick enough. - Voidstate

It is also like a computer game like Mario, if you actually went inside it. Like Tron. You have to defeat sub-bosses to reach the end boss. When you defeat him you get stuff. Or like a dungeon. Anything where an environment and it's inhabitants make up a challenge, really. A quest, an exploration, a fairytale. It's very clever. Fae don't go to places to adventure, they go to stories. Questing versus the unshaped basically means entering a wandering story-monster and trying to 'win' it, a bit like films where genres cross (people going into fiction like Neverending Story or fiction entering the 'real' world like, um, Last Action Hero or all the filmls with animated characters in reality) and get drawn into the action somehow. - Voidstate

I played in that game.....it hurt my head.- Facedanser

Yup. Not a single character avoided being vexed, encumbered or otherwise damaged by the adventure. And the players didn't get away without being slightly baffled either. :¬) - Voidstate

In a good way :) - [Facedanser]