For some, it's merely an inconvenience, stealing away their warmth and disturbing their haircut. For some, it's a blessing, chasing away the smog haunting the streets they live in if only for a moment.
But for whose who know how to listen, it's no mere wind. It's a tune. Somewhere in the city the Flutist is playing. And the winds rise to carry their melody through every street, to have it reach every nook and cranny of the old metropolis.
Ordinary people are blissfully unaware anything is going on. On those already knee-deep in the stuff of legends, it has no effect but sounding pleasant, echoes of a different story rebounding harmlessly on the tale already deeply entrenched within their soul.
And then, there are the others. The few on the fine line, aware enough to hear, not enough to resist the lure. Those, the song changes, if only for a moment. Until the last note is played, they become creatures of air, modern sylphs invisible but for their clothes. Gravity turns into a suggestion as they move as freely as the wind from avenues to alleys, from rooftops to sidewalks, daring agents of mischief sowing chaos in their wake.
This won't last long. It never does. But, in the meantime, anyone lucky or unlucky enough to cross their path is in for an interesting time.
Location
Possibly anywhere the city (player's choice, specify in post).
A bit verbose, isn't it?
Definitely. This event had to be self sufficient, so it combines in one single post: setup, choices, consequences, rules, rolls... It's basically two events and a half merged into one.During the game, all these will be split more evenly through threads and IC days.
The base rules
This event follows strictly the default single-post event rules, namely:
- Players decide by themselves, without the need for GM approval, which power/weakness tags they feel should apply to each roll.
- Power is capped at 3 for each given roll.
- Each tag can only be used once this event.
Unusual faces
As this is a tutorial event, some NPC might roll in it.This is not standard by any mean and should not be expected elsewhere.
In general, in CoM, GM never roll themselves except for the purpose of example.
Rule of one
Make only one single, self-sufficient, post in this event. RP-ing with others will have to wait for the actual game.
All in the past
This demo event will have no mechanical effect on the game proper, whatever your choices and rolls here.Additionally, it has all outcomes stated in clear from the beginning while some future events might have more mysterious delayed consequences (though never without a fair warning).
A gust of wind. And suddenly, out of nowhere, a sylph by your side, searching your belongings for the item that would be the funniest to take away from you.
The item
Determine an item that your character has on them and that has some true significance for them. That's the one the sylph is after.
Elusive as air
The sylph starts with the following defensive tags: quick, weightless, unpredictableEach roll will specify if and how they apply.
Optional: Stop the wind
Once this event, at any point before taking any other action, you may attempt to use some tricks of your own to dismiss some of the sylph's advantages. That might be something as mundane as pinning them down or something as impossible as freezing still the air all around you.Choose the appropriate power/weakness tags for what you've got in mind.
Then :
6-: You must have missed something about the nature of the sylph as, whatever you tried, it simply did not work. No effect.
7-9: Choose a number of the sylph's defensive tags up to your Power. They don't apply anymore until the end of the event.
10+: As per 7-9. Additionally, you may either remove one additional tag or grant yourself the terrifying:+1 status.
This is an aggressive action.
Choose
What are you willing to do to retrieve your item?
Choose one of the two following approaches and apply its instructions.
Choose one of the two following approaches and apply its instructions.
Soft rebuke
You trick, distract, sweet talk, the sylph away from their current objective.Determine appropriate power/weakness tags for this action.
Unless it has been taken care of, apply a -1 Power penalty on account of the unpredictable tag (before capping to 3).
Then :
6-: In spite of your best efforts, the sylph does not change their mind and grab what they were looking for. Turn to The chase.
7-9: You do prove distracting. Just not enough. Gain the status fascinating:+1, then resolve the 6- effect.
10+: You manage to persuade the sylph you are more interesting than your stuff. Go directly to Your move.
Strong no
You make it clear, with or without a show of strength, that things could get ugly if the sylph doesn't change their mind quickly.Choose appropriate power/weakness tags for that bout of intimidation.
Unless the sylph's unpredictable tag has been disabled, -1 to Power (before capping).
Apply the bonus from the terrifying status if you have it (reminder: extra from status do not count toward the Power cap).
Then, :
6-: Whatever you can do, the wind is confident it can get away fast enough for it not to matter. Turn to The chase.
7-9: You do get them to back down. But not without a bit of roughing up. Take a bully:-1 status and jump to Your move.
10+: They get the idea that the game isn't worth the candle. Jump to Your move.
This is an aggressive action.
Dealing with consequences
Only take into account any the following sections the text explicitly directed you to, as a result of your choices and rolls.
The chase
The sylph has managed to get their hands on your item and is now attempting to flee into the night with it!If, despite the item's importance, you decide to let them get away with it, jump directly to The calm after the storm.
Otherwise, you must find a way to close the distance with a being moving around like a platformer character with an air dash.
Choose appropriate power/weakness tags for a chaotic hunt through the city.
Reduce the calculated Power by 1 (before capping) for each of their following tags still active: quick, weightless
Then, :
6-: In the end, you couldn't catch the wind and the sylph disappears into the night. Note that your item is lost and turn to The calm after the storm epilogue.
7-9: You've managed to get on the sylph's heels. But you won't be able to get back your possession without going for a tackle or similar violent action. You may choose to have this action be treated as aggressive to apply the 10+ effect. Otherwise, apply the 6- effect.
10+: You outrun – or outwit – the sylph and cleanly snatch back your possession. Turn to Your move.
Your move
Now, you've truly caught the attention of the sylph, beyond the status of simple ephemeral game partner.You weren't what the sylph expected you to be. And now they're hesitating about what they should do with you next. Whatever you say or do next is very likely to tip the scales, one way or the other.
If you don't wish to engage any further with the wind elemental, they'll soon get bored and vanish into the night, in search of a less puzzling plaything. Turn to the Calm after the storm epilogue.
If you want to exchange with them, choose appropriate tags to discuss, amuse, impress, or any other positive interaction.
For each aggressive action you've taken this event, apply a cumulative -1 penalty.
If you have any of them, apply the modifiers from the fascinating and/or bully status.
Then, :
6-: You've convinced the sylph. But not in a right way. Several of their fellows have joined them. You are now surrounded by a bunch of deadly silent ghostly silhouettes. Go to the A long night epilogue.
7-9: The sylph is distracted, and shows interest once again if your precious item. If you're okay with handing it to them for the time being, note that your item is lost and go to the A talk with the wind epilogue. Otherwise, they increasingly get more and more inattentive, until they suddenly leave without a word. Turn to The calm after the storm epilogue.
10+: You've succeeded at making the wind listen to you. Go to the A talk with the wind epilogue.
A single outcome
Only the epilogue you've been sent to will make sense in context. Disregard the others.
Epilogue 1: The calm after the storm
The sylph has disappeared. Eventually the music dies down without you having encountered another one. Now, you only have to deal with some of the consequences of a bunch of superpowered wind beings having run loose in the city for a couple of hours.For a start, according to the last news, some of the streets on your way home have been littered with fishes literally raining from the sky…
Epilogue 2: A long night
You could have done without that. The sylphs have harassed you until the very last note of the song, and it wasn't pretty for at least one side of the conflict. You hope you aren't due for an encore the next time they show up.But first you might have to deal with the more immediate aftermath of that unexpected storm.
Epilogue 3: A talk with the wind
Talking with a sylph is not something humans are wired to do. Even humans like you. There are blanks in the conversation, misunderstandings, long moments after which you realized you were discussing two very different things all along.It's not uninteresting however. Maybe even pleasant. You've learned a bit about a lot by the time the melody ceases and you find yourself facing a quite confused mundane human being. They only remain shocked for a short moment however, as their brain and the Mist soon cooking a rational explanation for how they ended up there.
A clean state
At the end of the event, discard any status you might have gotten and erase all Attention you might have marked.
One last thing
In addition to the above, if your item was lost:⇨ If you took any aggressive action this event, it has yet to resurface to this day.
⇨ If you took no aggressive action at all, it will eventually find its way back to you in the weirdest possible circumstances: inside a flower pot dropped on your head as you get home, within the piece of cake you had saved in your freezer, etc. Any scenario as long as it's silly enough.
