Between the Lines, Chapter 18 (Patreon)

The cool touch of the metal goblet beneath his fingertips was a welcome respite after the evening he’d just had. Robin had filled it to the brim with actual wine, of a decent vintage. It made a change.

He still used [Lesser Phantasm] to enhance the experience. He wasn’t yet made out of gold pieces, after all!

The interface stood open before him, in all its blazing blue glory. Tier 2. New spells. New abilities.

Of the Tier 2 spells now available to him, he was tempted of course by [Sorcerous Mark], [Phantasmal Voice], and [Lesser Mindreading]. Each of them had their obvious uses (though he was very tempted to take [Phantasmal Voice] to make the tavern seen haunted, or to chain several set renditions of his more popular songs to play in keyed sequence, like some kind of magical jukebox).

[Sorcerous Mark]

Tier: 2

Circle: Invocation, Enhancement

Range: Self or familiar only. Touch required.

Duration: 27 hours

Effect(s): The caster is able to inscribe themselves or others with a tattoo or mark that grants the bearer access to certain special effects or abilities. These options include, but are not limited to:

Level One Effects

-Increase any proficiency by 1.

-Gain a minor increase to your luck. Probabilities will slightly turn in your favour.

-Gain the ability to resist the negative effects of a single given environment (desert, tundra, etc.).

Level Two Effects

-Caster level increases by 1.

-Increase any proficiency by 3.

-Increase any property by 1

Level Three Effects

-Increase any property by 3.

-Gain an innate ability to resist hostile magics. Note that this is NOT immunity!

-Caster level increases by 3.

Constraints: The creation of a [Sorcerous Mark] is no easy feat. 9 minutes of time are required for each level of mark created. Any one being may bear no more than three such marks at any one time. Level One effects can only be imbued by an individual with a caster level of 7 or higher. Level Two effects require a caster level of 14 or higher. Level 3 effects require a caster level of 21 or higher.

[Phantasmal Voice]

Tier: 2

Circle: Illusion, Oratory

Range: Short.

Duration: Permanent unless dispelled.

Effect(s): You are able to enchant a location or object with an auditory illusion that plays whenever a specific trigger is met. This sound may be anything the caster is capable of replicating, though it cannot exceed the normal volume or complexity restraints on the caster. The duration may be no longer than 69 seconds per level.

The trigger may be designated at the time of casting, and can be anything the caster imagines. Trigger objects, events, or other phenomena only cause the spell to activate if they are within 27 feet per caster level when they occur. The caster may choose to limit the trigger range to a shorter distance within the maximum when casting the initial spell.

Spells of concealment may fool the trigger of this spell so it is not recommended as a reliable replacement for proper wards or alarms.

Constraints: Because this effect is a permanent one, the creation of a [Phantasmal Voice] has an additional requirement. The caster is struck mute for 9 times the duration of the [Phantasmal Voice] created. After that time the caster’s voice returns to normal. This effect cannot be circumvented through any means magical or mundane, short of divine intervention.

[Lesser Mindreading]

Tier: 2

Circle: Divination, Aura

Range: Short. 69 feet + 3 feet/level

Duration: 69 seconds per level

Effect(s): Detect the thoughts of nearby sentient creatures or forces. Able to pick up surface thoughts with focus, concentration, and time. Strong-willed individuals may be more resistant to this effect.

Constraints: This ability is not precise enough to allow you to pinpoint the location of a sentient mind you cannot see or otherwise sense with abilities other than this spell.

Reluctantly, Robin decided to wait on [Sorcerous Mark] and [Phantasmal Voice]. [Lesser Mindreading] just offered too many uses and opportunities, even though he would not be able to use it terribly often.

His levelling up bonus went into Cunning, as usual, and he spent what little experience that remained after ascending a tier on bringing his Deception score back up to the maximum.

Then he turned his attention to his peculiarity options. [Effortless Illusions] could wait until next level, now that he had decided on [Lesser Mindreading]. He might pick up an additional illusion spell in the near future, but there was no guarantee, and there were other, more immediately useful options.

Foremost among these was enhancing his connection with Rerebos. Recent events had shown that the little dragon was an incredibly useful scout, but the empathic-only nature of their bond over distance was an annoyingly strict limiting factor.

[Improved Familiar Bond] was a potential answer to that problem.

[Improved Familiar Bond]

You have dedicated time and effort to maintaining the bond you share with your familiar, and it’s paid off. Choose one of the following effects:

-Increased Power. Your familiar gains access to more of his natural abilities while summoned to this plane.

-Two-Way Symbiosis. You gain one ability your familiar possesses and he gains one you possess.

-Strengthened Mind. You and your familiar may communicate telepathically at distances up to 27 feet per your effective level.

You may select this peculiarity up to three times.

Robin selected the peculiarity and chose the Strengthened Mind option. Telepathy at nearly 200 feet would come in handy. He’d already seen how useful it was being able to cast [Visual Phantasm] as only an act of will; he wanted more magic that he could use without telltale words or gestures giving him away.

Too bad it wasn’t an illusion effect. That would have boosted the range by an additional 81 feet.

The Increased Power option would be next. He’d discussed some of Rerebos’s abilities with the little dragon. Taking that option would allow his familiar to become invisible, making him a better scout and keeping him much more safe in the process.

Plus he could use it as an inducement to get Rerebos to do more of the things Robin wanted him to do, at the cost of fewer shinies.

He had a new [Bardsong] ability too, so he was no longer limited to simply [Command Attention]. Robin had seen the description for [Song of Arcane Power] and snapped it up at once. It boosted the effective caster level of any he considered an ally who could hear it, including himself. Who was a better all to himself than himself, after all?. If you could be your own worst enemy, no reason you can’t also be your own best ally!

It didn’t last long, but neither did most combat. And there were some longer lasting spells that Robin planned on taking eventually that would maintain the elevated effects of their initial casting for their whole duration, even once the song was through.

How did people stand the wait? There were spells he could see that he wanted now, damnit! Robin sighed.

Before he could spend any more time feeling sorry for his lack of world-shaking arcane might, a voice slipped quietly into his mind and disrupted his introspection.

Hello Robin.

Ruprecht’s voice suddenly sounded in the bard’s mind. It was faint, and weak, but definitely there. And before Robin could formulate a reply it came again.

Open your back door. You have a delivery.

Robin wrangled his curiosity all the way down to the cellar and through the secret passageway that led into the undercity. There, on his proverbial doorstep, was a small wooden chest.

He went to pick it up but it sprouted legs and scurried inside before he could.

A mimic! A very small one.

But likely very fierce as well, Robin concluded, looking at it in the cellar light. The style of the chest was very ornate, and the clasps looked like gold, rather than bronze.

As the door closed, the chest opened, revealing a terror of sharp add pointy teeth and, unexpectedly, Ruprecht’s gem resting on its tongue!

We’ve helped one another once before. I have a proposition for you, if you’re interested. My advisor is against it, but I think it’s worth asking you.

A quest prompt suddenly appeared before Robin’s eyes even as Ruprecht began describing what he was suggesting.

New Quest! [Mysteries of Tarin-Tiran]

Ruprecht, the sentient dungeon, has proposed that the two of you go together to explore that ancient place. He will provide a safe haven for you and your party to rest, you and the party will provide him with protection and samples of things you find (on a reasonable basis) so he can expand his collection of samples.

Potential Reward(s): additional knowledge of illusion magics; an increased alliance with a sentient dungeon; unknown or forgotten magical lore and precious magical items.

Do you accept this quest? Y/N?

Robin mentally accepted the quest. He’d been hoping to go to Tarin-Tiran someday himself, and this opportunity was too tempting to pass up.

Even though the danger, even with Ruprecht’s aid, would be extreme.

I assume you will recruit some of the compatriots that accompanied you when you last visited me? Or will you avoid the problems that might naturally arise from such a course of action?

‘I’ll want to recruit a couple of them, I think,’ Robin said. mind already working at the problem. ‘We’ll need to stage a scenario when we find a likely location—I can send Rerebos out to scout one—and make out like you’re someone new. Or perhaps very old and newly reawakened. Yes, that would fit with the legend of Tarin-Tiran.’

I’ll trust in your inventiveness.

Robin flashed a smile. It was even partially sincere! His mind was mostly elsewhere already.

He could definitely recruit Drev and Jhess. Savra might be willing to come along but Robin would really prefer Fiamah if he could convince her to take some time away from the Sisters Sharp for a quest of this nature.

That would still leave them without a tank, though, and Robin did not fancy heading to a dead city filled with a megadungeon without someone strong enough to hold the line.

He’d have to make some enquiries at the guildhall. And check the library for any maps or charts there might be. Oh, and find someone to look after the tavern while he was gone.

It hit him the. The reality of it. This was going to happen.

He was going to Tarin-Tiran.