Ashen Legacy (Trails of Cold Steel, next-gen quest) (2024)

One of the many, many advantages of your mother being in Trista is that you don't have to walk everywhere: your mother is incredibly good at teleportation, able to cross great distances quickly and bring entire squads along. You haven't really had much reason to make use of her skills – aside from that one time with Iris' antidote – but it has been sitting in the back of your mind, waiting for the right opportunity. Such as now, when you really wanted to show off some of your ideas, but needed to get to a location that wasn't likely to get blown up by Arts.

In a display that leaves you blinking owlishly, your mother brings you from the old Class VII dorms to the woods outside Trista before you have time to explain your plan to sneak out of town without being noticed. You feel just a tinge of envy as you remember that your mother, as much as she prefers to fly under the radar, is an incredibly skilled witch.

"Feel free to go all out sweetie, I'll put up a barrier to make sure no one accidentally wanders in," your mother adds, gently touching her orbal staff to the ground. She then proceeds to launch into an ancient language incantation so fast, long, and complicated that you lose track of it before she finishes it.

"Thank you, Mom," you reply, shaking your head to clear it of witchy ideas. You are here to show off your orbal art prowess, not your plans for future spells.

Trista's forests are filled with all kinds of monsters, from mostly harmless Ripper Squirrels to Giant Gordi Schnars, but this area seems to be on the lower end of the danger spectrum. Your mother might want to see you in action, but she definitely worries you'll get hurt. Compared to the Magic Knight and the fiends of the Spirit World, it feels almost insulting.

You suppress your qi and rein in your aura, so as not to scare away the monster population. The barrier that your mother has already placed over the area is meant to keep all living beings out, but the monsters already inside don't get expelled, nor are they allowed to leave. You feel them hit the limits, then turn around to look for the guilty party, guided solely by instinct.

You draw out your tachi and your ARCUS at the same time; you don't have an orbal weapon, but the sword can work as a medium well enough. You take the most basic Eight Leaves stance, sword pointed diagonally forward, your left hand holding your ARCUS while also touching the tachi's handle.

As the monsters – a collection of Squirrels, Evil Crows, and Jelly Shrooms – draw closer, you focus on your main elemental affinity: Time. By Elsa's description, it is the darkest element, representative of outcasts and weirdos. The element of obsession and twisted perspectives, a turn of phrase that you might as well have written yourself. A major affinity you share with your father, because of course you do. His shadow follows you even into the dark.

You pull upon the orbal energy within the ARCUS, but do not start to cast. The dark energy slowly seeps out of the orbment and starts enveloping the sword, then it shifts into a spherical shape. You take your time, even as the monsters approach; with your armor and healing spell, any damage they could do would be with superficial, insignificant. Perfect for your demonstration, but nothing more.

"I based this technique on Grandmother's abilities. I am no True Ancestor, but orbal arts can imitate her ability, to some extent." Your explanation is punctuated by a Ripper Squirrel trying and failing to bite into your leg. You idly kick it back into the growing crowd of monsters.

"I'm sure she'll be ecstatic to hear it," Emma replies with a slight tremble in her voice. You don't need to look to know she is getting ready to wipe the monsters off the face of Zemuria if they pose an actual threat to you.

As the monsters draw close, this time all at once, you focus on the orbal sphere and thrust your sword forward. The improvised art grows to three times your size and reveals an opening to its core. A huge mouth filled with dark teeth, hungering for the mana in the monsters' bodies. And then, at the last possible moment, you feed it both your own mana and Eileen's, making it grow even larger, its teeth even sharper.

"Mana Eater!"

The monsters stand no chance before the unleashed craft; the Time-aspected teeth rip right through their hides, harvesting their magical energy and turning it into a healing mist that washes over both you and your mother, not that you have any need for it. You sheathe your tachi with a click of your tongue.

"A little weak, but they served their purpose." You could have done with more of a challenge. You hardly even needed the extra boost from your own mana.

Your mother takes a second to process what she just witnessed. You keep silent, to give her time to think.

"That was incredible, Kasia. Such a powerful art, without even using an Orbal Staff?" She looks closer at your tachi, as if expecting it to suddenly grow an orbal component. Then, her eyes widen in realization. "Did you empower it with your mana?"

"Correct. Orbal energy and magical energy are different, but with a little effort, they can be made to work together."

You focus mana into the arm holding the ARCUS, and point it in the far distance. Then, you slowly cast a Nemesis Arrow. It blows straight through several trees and shrubbery, killing several monsters and creating a new, bloody path into the heart of the forest.

"It also works with Arts."

For just a moment, your mother looks more proud than worried.

Unlocked Mana Eater (5xArts Time Damage, 30% HP Absorb for allies and self,) and Witch Arts Enchancement (+Arts/Magical Damage equal to Witch stat.)

Your mother is many things: a member of the Radiant Wings, one of the greatest witches of the Hexen Clan, possibly the greatest human user of an orbal staff, and the list goes on. She is brilliant in so many ways, and you have always been quick to correct people who proclaim her as just 'the Ashen Chevalier's Wife', even if it's in part by her own design.

The fact that she is also incredibly book-smart usually gets left out of those arguments. Sure, your mother's grades were top of her year, but she also graduated after only one year to focus on her career as a wandering witch and find Aunt Vita, so she didn't get as much of a chance to show it off as others. Outside of making sure you had the highest grades in every Sunday School you participated in, she hasn't had to use that education much afterwards, either.

Until now. As part of the week that you have decided to spend with your mother, you asked her to tutor you in all of the various subjects that Thors expects you to keep up with. Everything from mathematics and physics to painting and especially literature.

Your mother's look when she sees your literature grades is positively stormy. If you didn't know any better, you'd think that was magical energy leaking out.

"Kasia, sweetheart. What is this?"

There are many things you could say to that. You could point out that you've been too busy keeping up with both the Eight Leaves and your witch training. You could reasonably argue that keeping the school from going up in flames has been a higher priority than reading novels. You could even remind her that the midterms aren't for another month. You do none of those things.

"My literature scores have been less than satisfactory. Indeed, that is why I ask for your aid," you reply, head slightly bowed. The fact that it means you get to spend more time with your mom is just a happy side-effect. "I am fairly comfortable with most subjects, and I could feasibly pass the math exams even now, but Literature has proven to be a problem."

It is no fault of Instructor Tatiana, either. You have simply not clicked with the subject as you have with most of the others; Maria and Isabella have tried their best, too, but all of their novels are either boring and sappy, or positively excruciating to read. How your cousin can endure all of those long-winded descriptions is beyond you.

"I see," your mother mutters, looking over your notebooks with a frown. Then she stops, takes a deep breath, and smiles instead. "I'm so glad you turned to me. I'd love to help!"

Why do people keep assuming you never ask for help? You'd think your actions at Lohengrin Castle and forming the Disciplinary Committee would have sorted out that misunderstanding.

Your mother pulls up a chair and sits next to you at your desk, sorting the notebooks and textbooks into the different subjects in order of, you assume, priority. Literature comes first, since it is your worst subject; then Geography, as you'll doubtlessly have need of it in Roer; Math and Sciences after that, even though you are quite good at those already; and finally Fair Arts and History, where your father's old lessons are keeping you barely ahead of the curve.

"We'll review all you've gone over so far, do some exercises to put your knowledge to the test, then sneak a peek at some later material. Is that fine?" Your mother smiles comfortingly, but you simply nod.

"I am aware of how studying works, Mom." Honestly, you'd think you were still in Sunday School.

"Then you should know that having a study plan with reasonable goals is an important part of exam preparation at this level. Knowing how to study is a skill all of its own, Kass." Your mother's chiding is gentle, but it leaves no place for further comment on your part.

And so, you steel yourself for a lot of reading. Your Literature classes didn't get to novellas until recently, so you and your mother go through a few poems and a play first. Emma suggests reading the play out loud, role-by-role, and you have a little fun with that, just like with Aunt Vita's radio drama. Even if all the characters sound ridiculous, and the main character is an indecisive coward.

The poems present a little more of an obstacle, and your mother insists that you actually try to understand the metaphors, which is a positively infuriating exercise.

"What do you think the boat signifies here?"

You offer her a flat look. It's a boat floating down a river in some random forest, what could it possibly signify?

"That the narrator doesn't know how to swim?" It could just be that he doesn't want to get his clothes wet. You still get chills thinking about that dive in the river in Legram.

Your mother lets out a low hum and shakes her head. She is remarkably patient about this whole thing, considering she no doubt had to go through all of this once in her days at Thors. You can't imagine suffering through this twice to teach it to someone else.

"I know you can do better than that. Think on it for a moment, imagine yourself floating in the boat." She looks at you expectantly.

With a huff, you close your eyes and focus. Of all the things to use your Unclouded Eye on, this feels like the most mundane. You push away your feelings on the matter and picture yourself drifting down a river, a wooden rowboat the only thing standing between you and the water. There is meaning in that, purpose.

"It's a sanctuary. It keeps nature within reach, but insulates us unless we choose to reach out." You reach out your hand and touch the top of the desk, imagining the surface of the water rippling at your touch.

"That's a wonderful way to look at it," your mother answers, her joy infectious even when you can't see her face.

Is that what the old author intended? You can only speculate. Still, you can see now why Edward is so taken with his poems; trying to convey such strong feelings and symbols with just words is a daunting task, as is interpreting them. You always like a challenge. You'll have to give his poems another look, someday.

You give some fragments of the novella a glance, but you obviously can't spend the whole afternoon reading it, not when you have so many other subjects to touch on. You promise your mother that you'll read it closely some other time, and ask to move on to Geography.

You are about to head out on a Field Exercise, so knowledge of where you are going and what you might run into is paramount. Your mother takes her time introducing the Province of Nortia, ruled over by Marquise Angelica Rogner, headquarters of the Reinford Corporation, and technically your home province. The Barony of Ymir is merely a small sub-unit of the Province of Nortia, and so your father answers to Lady Angelica and the Emperor both.

The more your mother describes it, the more clear the picture becomes: Nortia is the industrial heartland of Erebonia, the centre of innovation, research, and production. Ymir is a mere tourist hotspot, but Roer is the most advanced city in the Empire, and depending on how you look at it also the richest. Celdic may see more trade, Bareahard may have more fabulously rich residents, and Heimdallr and Saint-Arkh may hold more important institutions, but all of them depend on Roer's factories and mines to keep going.

The Sachsen Iron Mines, in particular. Owned by the Royal Family, mostly managed by House Rogner, and primarily servicing Reinford Companies' factories. A triple alliance of titans that has generated insane amounts of profit and prosperity for all involved, enough to afford to pay off the war reparations to Calvard, twenty years ago. You can easily see why some might think this an unfair deal, especially if they would want some of that iron for themselves.

And it is not just the iron, either. Septium is used to power all orbal technology, but Roer alone has an actual orbal power grid. Large, towering orbal energy generators and turbines power the myriad factories and shops of Roer. It is a delicate centralized system, but an incredibly efficient one. It also comes with a little downside for you and your fellow witches.

"These generators are usually built on top of spirit vein convergences because they need large, dense underground deposits of septium to function." Your mother looks a little thoughtful as she look traces her fingers across the map. "Always be careful when inspecting the veins in Roer, or you might get spotted by Reinford security drones."

"I can handle a few drones," you answer offhandedly.

"Sweetie, please don't destroy Reinford property."

You take a few more minutes to make sure you remember the families in charge of the other Provinces: Marquis Ryan Hyarms of Sutherland, with his son and heir Jack Hyarms, recent Class VII graduate; Marquise Angelica Rogner of Nortia, with her adopted daughter and heir Alicia Rogner, your classmate and teammate; duch*ess Mildine de Cayenne of Lamare, whose heir is her son Rean de Cayenne, but she also has the younger twin daughters named Elise and Ellen; and finally Duke Jusis Albarea of Kreuzen, with his daughter and heiress Maria Albarea, who you know all too well, and her younger brother Sirius, who you only met as a toddler.

Then you move on to the math and sciences portion, which does not go as well. Not because you don't like or have a talent for the subjects, but because they are not of immediate importance. You are fairly confident in your mathematical skills already, so you more or less fly through the exercises your mother asks you to do. Physics, Biology, and Chemistry are more difficult, memorizing all those elements and their weights is a pain, but you are still fairly confident you can pass your midterms now, you mother is just that good of a tutor.

History and Fair Arts are almost afterthoughts. The two of you go through your textbooks, jumping from one event to the other, and you know at least something about most of them. Your father's work, mostly, although you've still done some work on the subject. Everything from the Dark Ages to the War of the Lions, although in highly abridged, slightly superficial form.

Much as you have fun painting and singing with your mother, you struggle to call that learning, either. She does introduce you to some different styles of painting, and help you identify different notes both low and high, but you only really remember as much as you do because it's time spent with mom.

And like all good things, it must come to an end. Only one day left until you depart for Roer.

+1 to Sciences (14→15), Fair Arts (14→15), and History (14→15). +2 to Literature (10→12) and Math (16→18). +3 to Geography (14→17). Gained a little information about the Spirit Veins in Roer.

The Swimming Club does not usually encourage floating. The pool only has so much space, and there are more members than there are pool lanes, so anyone floating listlessly is occupying space someone else could use to actually swim. On a normal day, you would be in complete accord with this rule. If people want to relax, they are free to leave the pool and rest on one of the chairs intended for the purpose.

Right now, though? You can't bring yourself to care.

"It was, a good match," Nate mutters, in between ragged breaths. "I, admit, defeat."

"You were, a worthy opponent," you reply.

The races between you and Nate have gotten increasingly heated since the formation of the Disciplinary Committee. Only being able to race every other week means the two of you have all the more time to think of challenges and new training methods, and with that you have run into a little dilemma.

Your Recovery Stance spell is not exactly normal. Other people can achieve similar feats of stamina, but they either have to use an ARCUS or push their bodies to their brink the way Lianne does. You notably cannot take your ARCUS into the pull, nor are you physically injured from the strain.

"So even you, can tire," Nate sighs, with some combination of relief and frustration.

You are floating on your back staring at the ceiling, so you can't exactly see his face, but you imagine he is smiling. You certainly are, possibly because of the endorphins rushing through your bloodstream, but also because even without witchcraft, you still won!

"I am, only human."

But yes, it has been a while since you've neglected to activate Recovery Stance and let yourself become truly exhausted. Nate has been getting suspicious of your supernatural stamina, among other things, so you raced him without it, until neither of you could move anymore. The day before the Roer Field Exercises. You'll surely be fine by tomorrow morning.

"What an impressive display!" His Highness, done refereeing your match from the side of the pool, sounds genuinely impressed and perhaps a tad terrified. "Where do the two of you find such vigour? I feel like I've tired out just watching."

You open your mouth to answer, but can't find the breath to do so. You close your eyes and relax instead, letting your aching muscles and crying lungs have a moment of rest. Frederick can live without the two of you for half an hour.

"I'm sure you could do the same with a little more effort, Prince Frederick," Captain Nicholas calls out from the lane next to yours. He doesn't tell you anything, but you can feel his gaze on you. You mentally apologize for breaking the rules.

"Hah, I doubt my chances of ever catching up, even were I to spend my whole school career training. But I certainly won't just by commentating, that I shall admit."

You hear the sound of feet tapping across the ground and feel His Highness as he makes his leap into the pool, right on your lane. The waves nearly break your balance, water entering your mouth and nose, and you grab onto the lane divider so as not to go underwater.

...You will get Fred back for this, one day.

+2 to Speed (33→35) & Defence (33→35) (1 complimentary for missing out on Week 4).

Grianos – your aunt's fake familiar – is knocking on your window. Any tiredness or soreness from Swim Club immediately disappears as you jump to your feet. Aunt Vita never contacts you lightly, and this is stranger and more direct than her usual. She has your ARCUS number, she could easily call; this is something else entirely.

Eileen pulses worry through the bond, but you send calm right back. If Aunt Vita wanted to hurt you, she could have done so at any time. Now, with your mother on her last day in town and right before the Field Exercises? It would be the worst possible time.

You reach for the window and cautiously pull it open. Grianos chirps in approval, then hops on top of your shoulder. You feel the quick teleportation begin, just like your mother did a few days ago, and you let it happen.

One moment, you are staring out the window of your room. The next, you are sitting at a table somewhere outside, on some nice private terrace that is definitely not anywhere in Trista. You are not alone, either, your aunt sits across from you sipping from with a glass of something. There is a glass of juice in front of you, as well, and you stare at it nonplussed.

"You could have at least prepared coffee, Aunt Vita," you note, lifting the glass and shaking it a little. Nothing unusual at first shake, not that you know anything about juice.

"At this hour? Why, Emma would be so upset. You do have a big day tomorrow," she replies with a coy smile.

She isn't wrong, but she also isn't really helping her own case. You take a sip of the juice, and find it far too sweet and cold for your tastes, even if you can't recognize what it is made out of. There better be a good reason she teleported you out of town while still in your pyjamas. At least summer nights are warmer here than Ymir.

"Yet you saw fit to bring me here. I assume there must be a good reason." Your hand would rest on your tachi, but you don't currently have it on you. Not that it would do much to impress the former Second Anguis.

"Do I need a reason? Can I not simply wish to speak with my dear niece?" Your aunt's ability to look and sound incredibly hurt by your words truly speaks to her talent as an actress.

"Of course auntie, but we could have done so in my room, if that was all."

You try to keep a smile on your face as you speak, but you can't help but feel a little wary. You can't detect anyone else in the surrounding area, despite it clearly being some kind of rentable holiday villa. The lights are out everywhere except for a small lamp on your table, and there is nothing around but forest and distant monsters. As you are right now, you doubt you could get back home without getting into serious trouble.

"Ah, but that wouldn't do. The walls of Thors have ears, cat ears to be precise," she adds with a little laugh. The comment makes you raise an eyebrow. You would have expected your mother to be the one giving Aunt Vita pause, not Celine. Even then, so many spells exist that would prevent your mother's familiar from interfering or listening in.

"What could be so important that we cannot discuss it where Aunt Celine might hear?" You created the Hexen Information Network specifically to put a stop to the damn secrecy that everyone in the Hexen Clan seems so enamoured with, not to expand it further. "I cannot promise not to tell her, or Mom."

"Heehee, that's fine. It's entirely up to you what you do with tonight's information." Aunt Vita does not miss a beat, simply sipping on her glass and looking out into the sprawling forest. "The same goes for our subject of discussion. I leave it all up to you. Ask, and I shall answer."

You stare at your aunt in wonder, waiting for her to continue, but she simply smiles angelically and nurses her drink. The silence stretches into minutes, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the evening wind. You watch Aunt Vita reach out a hand to her side, as if caressing an invisible pet, only to realize that she is probably touching the threads of fate again.

There is something overwhelming about being presented with such an open-ended offer. Your aunt has travelled the continent, learned all manner of spells, joined a terrorist organization, and now she secretly backs a political faction for reasons you do not know. You could probably spend weeks asking her about everything she has done and plans to do, but you have a feeling that is not on offer tonight.

"Then I will ask again, why bring me here? Why the secrecy and the isolation?" That is the question you need answered before anything else.

Your aunt smiles and nods approvingly, her eyes shining magically in the dark of the evening.

"Because the choice you make must be yours alone. Only you, and perhaps your father, are free of fate's grasp, unbound by its draconian restrictions. To allow others to intrude would mean to give their fate power to influence your choices; to give those who can see, a glimpse of the truth." Your aunt's smile widens until it looks almost manic. "Here and now, you stand free, unimpeded. I shall not influence or guide your choice. Ask me what you will, of your own volition."

With that, the terrace goes silent once more. Even your bond with Eileen feels cold and silent.

What shall you ask of Vita? (No wrong choices. Can write-in, but it has to be a single question, on a single topic. Will show Kasia's priorities.)

[] [Ask] The Cult: In Celdic and in Legram, it was the Cult who masterminded the incidents you had to face. Vita has been providing some information to the Hexen Network, but you are certain there is more she is keeping to herself still. You can't allow that to continue, not when there's a chance that it will happen again in Roer. Ask her what she knows of the Ascension Cult, down to every last detail.

[] [Ask] The Faction: The Neo-Osbornian Faction, this mini-Imperialist faction, is the creation of Vita Clotilde and Shirley Orlando. For a woman like your aunt, getting involved in student politics like this is a baffling choice, one that surely has some deeper meaning behind it. You'd rather find out from her before her true plans come to fruition. Ask her why she created and sponsored the Neo-Osbornian Faction.

[] [Ask] The Society: Ouroboros is supposed to be defunct. According to your father, their leadership is gone and their goal was accomplished long ago. Yet your aunt somehow has the resources to fund an entire student group and keep the Red Constellation happy at the same time. There must be more to the story, things that were not in her diary. Ask her what truly happened to Ouroboros and its remnants.

[] [Ask] The Clan: Mother and Grandmother long held out hope that Vita would come home someday. That hope has now been passed down to you, and extends to both your aunt and your cousin. For all of her crimes and unruly behavior, your aunt would likely still be welcomed home in Eryn, and yet she has not come back. Ask her why she does not return to the Hexen Clan.

[] [Ask] The Key: What you read in that old diary has stuck with you. That she only chose to give birth to Isabella so she can use her as some sort of key. If she will answer anything, than that shall be your top priority. Your cousin deserves better than to just be used and thrown away as part of a scheme. Ask her about Isabella's role as the Key.

[] [Ask] The Unbound: Everything about this situation is strange. What does it matter so much that you don't have a destiny written in stone? Why must your choices not be influenced by others? Your aunt has done so much for you these past three months, and you appreciate it, but you need to understand the truth behind her actions. Ask about why she needs your fateless nature.

[] [Ask] Write in.

"Wake up, Kasia, it's time to go."

You slowly open your eyes to see your mother standing over your bed, a gentle smile on her face.

For a moment, you assume you are back in Eryn, and that she is waking you up to go to get breakfast before morning training. You look around expecting to see you room in Grandma Roselia's house, to feel the magic pouring through the walls. What you find instead is your own dorm room, and Celine staring at you from the floor. At least she's still wearing those mittens you bought her.

Then, a second thought passes through your mind, with more panic. Why is your mother waking you up? You're supposed to be going to Roer today, you set an alarm and everything. The thought that you slept through it fills you with dread, but a quick look at your ARCUS – that you grab with less grace than ideal – reveals it's the exact time you set the alarm. You turn to your mother in confusion.

"Mom, what happened?" Did you dream that you set the alarm? Or did Aunt Vita do something last night, as some sort of prank?

"Sorry, I thought you might like a more personal wake-up call. Did I disturb you?" Your mother gives you a sad look, and you immediately shake your head.

"No, I appreciate it, Mom."

As it turns out, she's not only woken you up gently, but also prepared your uniform and bags, made you some sweet sandwiches for the trip, and even magically cleaned your tachi to make it extra shiny. And now she's going to be taking you to the train station, where you'll say your goodbyes until who knows how long from now.

Why did this week have to end so soon?

What will you do during the train ride? (Pick 1, no Plan.)

[] [Train] Team Integration: Your teammates spent the last Field Exercise working together, and it shows in their level of cooperation. Sadly, the same thing can't be said for you. You know Ed, of course, but you have never fought together. That could be a real problem in the field, so it might be time to get to know them. Hard Empathy/Persuasion Roll. Might unlock Contact Information and Combat Links for Alicia Rogner and Michael Weber.

[] [Train] Prisoner Of Politics: Rumors coming out of Roer get more outlandish by the day. Luckily, you are roommates with three faction leaders with their ear to the ground. If anyone on this train can arm you for the conflict to come, it's the girls in Room 2. Chance for improvements to Politics & Law/Empathy/Perception. Information on Roer and the Strike.

[] [Train] Studying Trip: You still have your textbooks saved on your ARCUS. You could just find a quiet corner and get some studying done. Your mother's lessons helped a lot, but there is always more you can do. +1 all Education stats.

[] [Train] Sword Theory: You can't do sword training on the train, but you do have that intermediate scroll on your person. Your father's lesson on the theory behind the different forms was very informative, so maybe reading the scroll will reveal even more useful information. +1 to Melee and +2 to Literature.

[] [Train] ARCUS-It-Yourself: You bought an ARCUS Modification Kit, now it's time to make use of it. It's a long train ride to Roer, you might as well get some tinkering done. If anything goes wrong, Instructor George and the others on the Engineering Club shouldn't be too far. Medium Orbment Roll. On success, upgrade your ARCUS. 1 upgrade available, next upgrade unlocks at Orbment 20.

[] [Train] Contraband Inspection: The Arc Royale is technically considered part of the campus, and as such the Disciplinary Committee has some degree of authority still. Knowing the student population, it's practically guaranteed that someone brought something illegal aboard; the time of confiscation is at hand. Chance to improve Perception/Engineering/Empathy. May discover secret items. May impact opinion of some factions.

[] [Train] Write-In?

What will you do during base setup? (Pick 3, No Plans.)

[] [Camp] Field Cooking: Someone needs to prepare all these ingredients into something actually edible. You don't often have to cook with just monster parts and local flora, so it's time to put your creativity to use. You even get to keep some of the leftovers. +2 to Cooking. Get to keep 5 dishes (quality and effects depend on rolls).

[] [Camp] Monster Hunting: In order to feed all these mouths, you are going to have to find some monsters and kill them for food ingredients. Disgusting, but traditional. At least you get a group, so you don't have to do all the work. +1 to Melee and +1 to Defence.
-[] Try and convince your whole team to join you? 3 x Very Hard Persuasion Rolls. Unlock Combat Links on success.

[] [Camp] Logistical Support: There are a lot of things to keep track of in this camp. Despite technically being a survival exercise, a lot of materials had to be brought over from the campus. Time to help coordinate the inventorying and distribution of luggage. +2 to Math and Perception.

[] [Camp] Mech Cleaner: Normally, it's the Engineering Club's job to take care of the Soldats, but it turns out the club is quite small and still inexperienced. Someone will have to help them get these ready in time. +2 to Engineering and Piloting.

[] [Camp] ARCUS Anything: The ARCUS X is a wonderful piece of technology, unmatched in ease of modification, yet capable of withstanding a tremendous amount of damage. In spite of all of that, students of Thors still manage to break theirs before Field Exercises even start. Time to put your new ARCUS kit to use for a good cause. +2 to Orbment and Engineering.

[] [Camp] Nurse Assistant: It's already the third time your generation leaves the academy, and somehow students that survived Lohengrin Castle still manage to get hurt. Someone needs to be on stand-by, ready to save any unwitting student from sprained ankles and rashes. +2 to First Aid and Empathy.

[] [Camp] Communications Support: The Arc Royale's communications room is looking a little better now, with fewer empty seats. Still, while the comm channels are all set up, someone needs to actually operate the thing. +2 to Persuasion and Software.

[] [Camp] Rules Enforcement: With everyone including the faculty so busy setting up camp, it's easy for some students to slip through the cracks. Someone ought to go around and make sure everyone is actually doing their job and not sneaking off with ulterior motives. +2 to Perception and +1 to Speed. Encounter Roll.

[] [Camp] Routine Inspection: The base camp can take care of itself. You're a proper wandering witch, it's time to grab Celine, Eileen, Isabella, and Blizzard and teleport to the nearest spirit vein. Your reports from the Hexen Network keep mentioning small-scale Orbal Shutdown Phenomena, and someone has to look into them. +2 to Magic Device. High Danger. Possibly prevent further Shutdowns and blackouts.
-[] You could invite someone else, too? (People who you know know that you are a witch: Maria, Rean, Alicia, Instructor George, Instructor Claire, Iris.)

[] [Camp] Write-in?

FOUR HOUR MORATORIUM. READ, DISCUSS, PROPOSE WRITE-INS, BUT NO VOTING​

And so ends Week 13, and we move on to the Roer FE. I changed my mind a dozen times about what Vita's BC should be like, and this is what I settled on. It wouldn't be Vita if she wasn't a little insane.

As I mentioned before, Elsa cursed your study rolls. You still got some good stuff out of it, but not as good as it could have been. Still probably going to save your exam grades.

I'll be at Comic Con this weekend, so no promises on Field Exercises 3: First Day: Morning coming out too soon.

As always, I hope you enjoyed, tell me what didn't work, thanks for the supporters on