A Spellweaver In Action
Berlis faces an ambush in the dark.
Level 3, SpellWeaver 3, Fax Iacta 1, Stone Shape 1, Mage Light 1
Since he has bound a Spellweaver Role rank into each spell, they are unavailable for other spells unless released, so rather than rolling each at Level 3 + Spellweaver 3 + Spell/Maneuver rank of 1 he will only be able to use Level 3 + Role 1 + Spell 1.
"Goblins!" Berlis snapped his head up from his notebook at Hilla's cry to see her cradling Dorn as he crumpled with a goblin arrow in his shoulder. Across the chamber to the northwest he saw dark faces peering around the frame of the ruined door.
Goblins. Individually weak, but probably numerous. Generally poor organization. Skillful artisans in their own twisted way, but not large, not strong, not especially smart. Far superior vision in the dark, and Halflings, fully present in the Spirit Realm. Too bad he hadn't a Balefire… He tucked away his notebook in calm reflex as he reviewed the tactical situation. He slapped his enormous leather hat back on.
He had all his spells bound. He already had a Light point-cast on the end of his staff to illuminate the room and had been using it to check his notes, Persistent and Guidable. He considered releasing the power he had bound into it, but while that would give him more flexibility for other spells it would also dismiss the light already active, leaving his party in an utter darkness which gave the goblins no trouble at all. Stone Shape wouldn't keep them out; they were excavators, they'd tear it down faster than he could build up enough thickness to prevent it. Dorn was down and Hilla was a noncombatant, so this was up to him.
He heard the dull twang of another arrow. "Averte!" he shouted, raising the back of his left hand almost in reflex.
He resists with Level 3 + Spellweaver 1 (his other ranks are tied up in other spells) + Stone Shape 1 = EL5, rolling 5d2 (1,0,0,0,0) for a 1. The goblin, Level 1 + Sniper 1 + Bows 1 = EL3, rolls 1d[0-3] for a 0. It fails, but with only one die isn't critical.
A thin sheet of stone as wide as his head sprang up from the floor to interpose at an angle in front of the incoming missile, but the arrow sailed high, missing entirely. Even so, he heard them squawk at his forceful and supernatural response, and scramble for cover in the hallway, out of sight as the sheet of stone crumbled.
Well, at least they aren't pouring into the room. A bold assault would have won them the day handily. Now it's my turn.
He resisted the urge to start tossing fire, mostly because they were all around the corner out of sight and would be really hard targets. He touched the tip of his staff and flicked the Mage Light there to the floor near the doorway — the light over there would make them easier for him to see, and him a harder target for them. He did this absently while he considered his strategy, and since they were apparently considering theirs for a moment as well, decided to take this opportunity to prepare for a more dramatic effect later. "How is he?" he asked as he moved to the right, past his friends.
Dorn slapped Hilla's hand away weakly and pulled out the arrow with a hiss of pain. It wasn't barbed, but he was bleeding. She was already rummaging in her pack. "Gonna get a potion in him." Berlis nodded. That might well be enough. He just needed to buy her time, and keep them all from being overrun. He circled his hand around the head of his staff and summoned the keys to mind.
"ignes inferni, venite, mihi nunc servite…"
With Level 3 + Spellweaver 1 + Fax Iacta 1 = EL5, he banks 2 as a Wager for a final EL3 and rolls three dice, gathering shaped power into a reservoir in the crystal to support casting later. He rolls (1,0,0) a 1 against the DL0 spell (no opposition), enough to mount the power as a lens. The GM gives him a Focused Fax 2 persistent Boost.
The crystal atop his staff briefly smouldered, then burst into an otherworldly flicker as if there were flames behind it. He held it before him, but no goblins appeared just yet.
That was…good? He was skeptical. He wanted to start building a stronger Fax Iacta now, but took his opportunity to diversify. He touched the Earth sigil on the staff and called another set of keys to mind. "vis etiam lapidis, nunc mihi servite…" He slid his hand down to the leaded iron foot on the staff, and bumped it with his fist.
With Level 3 + Spellweaver 1 + Stone Shape 1 = EL5 he again banked 2 for a Wager bonus, rolling three dice against EL3 (1,1,1) for a critical success! With no Luck Tokens spent he had no room to accept one, but the GM bumps his resulting persistent Wagered Boost to the 3 he rolled instead of the 2 he intended, and names it Stone Mastery 3.
The shoe of the staff crusted with a sudden film of dust; it thickened into a cap like alabaster which shone in the dim light, a polished semiprecious gem. He held it close, the foot near the floor, his other hand poised behind the glittering crystal, and squinted at the quiescent door.
"Hilla," said Dorn, placing his hand on hers. "We used the last one already."
"Damn!" She pulled out a kerchief and blotted at the wound, then frowned and cocked her head…
"Berlis!" She shouted and pointed to the other wall furthest from the door. In an instant Berlis realized why they hadn't attacked — they were waiting for their companions to get into position on the far side.
"Contradico!" he boomed, waving the staff at the threat from the new front.
With Level 3 + Spellweaver 1 + Stone Shape 1 + Stone Mastery 3 — Darkness 2 = EL6 he rolls 3d[0-2] (1,1,0) as opposition to the archer firing from the door behind them. This goblin is also Level 1 + Sniper 1 + Bows 1 and rolls three dice (1,1,0) for a 2 as well.
The goblin that snuck around behind them fires, but the blades of stone burst from the floor right in front of him in the darkness. They miss him entirely but startle him badly enough that his shot goes awry as well.
The first archer also leans out and fires, but with the light so close he is nearly blinded.
The first archer is now also at Light —2 for EL1, and rolls only one die for a 1. Berlis rolls his passive defense as resistance of only his Level 3 = EL3 with three dice (1,1,1) for another critical success!
The first archer manages to aim his arrow past the light, but as Berlis extends one hand toward the other door, the crystal atop his staff flares, and the arrow heading for his chest bursts into ashes and smoke in the air!
Again he cannot accept a Luck Token, but the GM declares that he has been concentrating and preparing so much for the Fax Iacta he has yet to use that the keys flare in his mind, and the spell reflexively incinerates the arrow in the air. (It's just drama, but it's fun.) As the bonus for the crit, the GM uses it as a free intimidation attack on all the goblins. None of them are Level 3, and they are not prepared for a powerful wizard! They all immediately roll their resistance checks, and with the remaining effect being more than their base Level even if they succeed, they flee in terror.
The goblins squeal and turn to flee. Berlis quickly throws a Light into that hallway with a hastily mumbled "fiat lux" so they won't be surprised again, but only sees the last of the goblins turning at speed around the corner farther down. He takes the enormous hat by the brim to slap his knee and briefly wipes his brow before setting it back in place. When he turns back to Hilla and Dorn they are both blinking at him, dumbfounded.
"What?" he asks, mildly puzzled, pulling his notebook back out to finish checking his notes.