(Vol 2) Chapter 57: Light of Mine, Clandestine

Marjorie smiled at the revelation about Light. “I see. Well, don’t let me keep you. Congratulations on that too, dear.”

Sammy couldn’t help having a strong, mundane warmth at the casual motherly term, as well as just that tone of ‘Oh, well, go ahead and have fun, don’t get back too late, now.’

“Thanks, Teach — see you soon!”

I wish she could meet the others… well, shit, she could if I Maze people… omigawd, she could have tea with Tashome! Chat with Gramps- I mean Ors!

Samantha gasped out loud as she thought of Estara meeting her. Estara! Oh, that would be so good for her… Ooh, and Galynth. He needs some motherly influence. And then I gotta bring Azure with me sometime.

But she couldn’t get ahead of herself. It was feasible — all in due time. Right then, she needed to make sure enough of her Devouts were praying to give her the Light FE… and they were. More than enough were already in process, clearly picking up on her need or perhaps the nearness of it.

Well, okay then. I guess butts are safe after all.

She found it difficult not to just wait impatiently for it to get there. Azure, who’d already prayed to the max in the wee hours, noticed Sammy was relatively idle somehow and got her attention.

“Your Majesty,” Azure sent, “I’d like to strongly request you take me with you to Geirkos. Considering that I can disguise myself even as a human, I think it shouldn’t be much of a problem for me to be recognized — and I know you need me here but I’d like to meet the others in person and you wouldn’t have to keep someone here to guard me and-”

“Okaaaay, Azure,” Sammy interrupted wanly. “I wanted to take you with me to the dryad’s house, too, wanted to take you flying… but that’s out for today, I guess. But anyway, I understand what you’re saying. I’m sure that rogue Aramis already spoke to you about the potential mission?”

“That’s correct. I-”

She interrupted again. “Look, that’s not going to be anytime soon, and it’s not for sure either.”

“Be that as it may, it’s easier to help while being there. Under disguise, I know many places I could go for information. And if you’re really going to rough up Andemen’s man…”

“What, you want to be there? No way. I’m just going to have a little friendly chat, me and him. That letter didn’t tell us jack shit. We still need to know what he plans if he discovers you.”

“If you must. But I could probably find out more.” Despite her words, there was actually a slightly pleased note to them. Subtle, but Sammy was getting better at reading her.

“Not worth the risk, Blueberry.” Fuck! I can’t use that, damn it. Major nuclear pet name, strike it from the vocab! “Ignore that last. Sorry. But yeah: not worth the risk. Even describing a fake you might tip something to your ex.”

“You can call me Blueberry. Whatever nickname you like, Samantha. I adore them.”

“Azure…” She said it in the weakest manner of admonition.

“Yes?”

“Nevermind. I’ll take you to Gierkos. How could I resist, after all?”

The feel of a huge, beautiful, mesmerizing smile lighting up her mind. “Exactly, Your Majesty.”

How could a smile be that bedazzling? She has to be a goddess in disguise. There’s no other explanation…

It was not much longer distracting herself with the odds and ends of her realm before the prayers ticked by and then the final one hit. Immediately when she had it, she spent the 150 Light FE.

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4 FE (Mirrors, Illusion, Fate, Light) obtained from Devout worship. Converted to Light FE.

Domain [Light] gained. Grant Prayer (Light) gained.

The quest “What Comes With the Dawn” is complete. +25 FE (Light) gained. Powers Light Manipulation and The Dawn Will Rise added. Special Traits Perfect Vision and Light Absorption added.

Synergistic effects added to Mirror Communication, Create Illusion, Dazzling Spectrum, Mirroring Duplicates, Reflect Force, and Alter Fate.

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The immediate effect of the domain was sharp and almost explosive to her, her chosen region of influence being smack dab in the middle of the day. Brightness — searing brightness — to engulf and consume, to incinerate and blind her… but she became it.

Such a conceptual core element to the world was not like being anything else she’d been. ‘Mirrors’ was somewhat physical but highly focused, even if distributed. Illusions were tied strongly to human perception, and Fate was tied to the eternal souls of consciousness… not to mention rather restricted in her capacity to comprehend and absorb.

Light on the other hand was just an energetic cascade over the world, most precisely the sun, but her sense of it was more in relation to Calrenazzod and the atmosphere that it bounced within… it wasn’t localized or capable of translation to human designations… but like the vague feel of warmth and existence.

Strongly tied to hope, Light filtered many prayers that touched into that metaphoric abstract — in fact, just the need for those lodged in ‘Darkness’ opened a door to her. She ached more than ever to answer them… which made sense. Light was normally the opposite of being hidden like she was trying to be. Nonetheless, that was what she had to do.

This little light of mine, gotta keep it clandestine…

She pushed it all away, just as she had to with Illusion and Fate. She’d do it carefully or not at all. And she wouldn’t be a downer about it, either! Because… more powah!

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Light Manipulation

You can create and manipulate light. You may create 'normal' light at will, up to the intensity of sunlight. This is however desired in a radius around you up to 20 meters x deity levels. You may also create a cone (100 meters x deity levels) or a beam up to a meter wide (distance continuous until inhibited by other matter).

Mild heat is also generated. All manner of colors within the visible light spectrum are possible. Concentrated effects can create the semblance of 'fireworks' and the like.

This can be used to blind or stun similar to normal light (i.e. temporarily) with relative impunity — effectiveness is determined by a normal level comparison test, modified by prevalent lighting conditions (i.e. less effective in better lighting). Stunning is for 5 seconds, and blindness is 5 seconds plus 5 per additional level of failure.

Any form of magical darkness in radius of your light is dispelled immediately. Only a deity power or spell specifically designed to resist divine light can persist against this. Add +5 Effective Levels in any comparison test of this nature.

Once per day for free, or for 1 FE (Light) or 2 FE, concentrated intense light may be formed into a laser-like searing blast. This must be visible as a pulse of glowing white or some combination of red, green, and/or blue, but it is utterly silent.

You may attempt to attack any discrete target for full intensity to a range of 400 meters plus 100 meters per deity level. This is a range category — reduce Lethality Grade by 1 at a range exceeding this, and by 1 at additional multiple (for example, -2 LG beyond double the range category, -3 LG beyond triple, and so on). Accuracy is +8/+6/+4/+2/+1 within 10/50/100/200/500 meters.

Lethality Grade equals Effective Level +1. Base level is through [Goddess]. One additional class may add as normal, providing (level/3, rounded up) to the base — this includes [Wizard], [Rogue], [Scout], or certain other Special Classes. Attack type is Beam (Burning) — this is a physical attack and armor protects normally, but it counts as Armor Penetration 2.

Alternately, the blast may form a kinetic explosion at the impact point — this forgoes Armor Penetration, location targeting, and silence, but causes a small AoE Crushing attack that reduces in LG per meter from the impact point.

Alternately, you may form a blinding attack that causes no wounds but forces a comparison test at +3 Effective Levels for you if you accurately 'hit'. Failure stuns for 5 seconds and blinds either for 1 hour or permanently (you must choose per attack) due to catastrophic eye damage. This is still a physical effect.

For 2 FE (Light) or 4 FE, an AoE of searing light may be generated. At maximum effect, it is a cone to a distance of 2 meters + 2 meters per deity level OR a spherical AoE of diameter 2 meters + 1 meter per level, to a range of 30 meters + 10 meters per level OR a Line 1 meter wide to a range of 60 meters + 20 meters per level.

You may warp the shape within this radius to avoid allies. Attack type is Burning, with Lethality Grade the same as the searing blast above. Armor Penetration is 2. This also causes stunning and blindness to those within, by a normal level comparison test.

Twisted Light (Illusion Synergy): You can drape your various effects in fake imagery instead of the default 'look' of Light Manipulation. For example, a light blast could look like a magical bolt of flame or ice instead of pure energy. You may also add or alter sounds. You may also 'dim' effects (up to half intensity), but you cannot make them invisible or inaudible.

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Pew-pew for real. I guess the only issue is it all being physical rather than magic, so defenses are a little higher. But that might be a good thing against mages, who’d probably try and have more magical protection. And permanent blinding? Wow.

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The Dawn Will Rise

(Fate, Light) At will, you may resonate an aura that reflects the positive outlook of the future. Any allies within this aura are filled with hopefulness, optimism, warmth, and energy (if they so receive it).

This affects all within a radius of 5 meters per deity level, centered on you. They have +1 Effective Levels to accomplish any active task you encourage them toward, and +3 for resisting fear, morale effects, charm, and mental control effects, or stunning/pain/shock effects (the two effects cannot stack). This bonus does not apply to you.

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I feel warm just reading it! Perma buff aura. More layers to punch higher.

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Perfect Vision

Power (Divine). You cannot be blinded or stunned by any form of light, whether natural, magical, or illusory (but note you can still be fooled by illusions). Except in absolute darkness, you can see perfectly as if it were daylight. For any test/comparison to notice something involving sight (including discerning illusions), add +1 Effective Levels.

Behind the Veil (Illusion Synergy): Add an additional +1 Effective Levels for detecting illusions. If you win a contest by 2 or more, you may see entirely through and ignore them, even if physical.

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Light Absorption

Power (Divine). You are immune to any [Light] based attack and can in fact absorb it as temporary, virtual FE that can fuel your abilities. This will resonate around you as an obvious glowing aura, at up to 3 FE (Light) per deity level, and bleed off at 1 FE per minute.

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Logical immunities and passives. Heh. I can have people charge me up if I want, too.

Next, she checked out the modification to Mirror Communication:

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Illuminate the Other Side (Light Synergy): For 1 FE (Light) or 2 FE, you may generate normal light through a mirror portal, as through your Light Manipulation power, though you cannot use the intense FE-costing attacks (but the lesser stunning and blinding effects are possible within range). You may do this for up to 10 minutes per deity level.

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Hmm. A little more intense and ranging than what I’ve managed with the surface illusions. I wonder if and when I can use illusions through them too?

Next up — and somehow she knew it was going to be Big, Big, Big — were the Create Illusion enhancements:

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False Heat (Light Synergy): You may add subtle (at best 'warm') heat signatures to your illusions, thereby fooling those that rely on such senses, but note that the comparison test if failed will generally allow them to see through, though at penalty.

Hard Light (Light Synergy): By expending 1 FE (Light) or 2 FE, you may fashion a discrete, singular element (such as an object or a creature) of your illusion into physical 'hard light.'

This looks however it was designed, but is a substance like crystal, hollow, and exceptionally fragile — any construct is half Create Illusion levels (rounded up) for durability purposes. When damaged to any degree (or a 'fake creature' taking a wound), it will shatter quickly into a flash of light. You may puppet and move it around telekinetically within the illusion radius (if you can lift it) at 5 meters per second.

Attacks with physical force can be effective, and the hard light can create very sharp edges, but note that any creature does not have 'powers' related to their form and is entirely limited by the physical construction at the time of creation (it cannot be altered without another expenditure and conscious action).

Use the normal class comparison for Create Illusion for effectiveness. Independent hard light constructs always start at -1 Effective Levels, however, due to their lack of illusory flexibility.

A Persistent Illusion will become a fully physical hard light construct — it cannot be controlled, animated, or levitated through this effect nor via Light Manipulation. It is otherwise physical, crystalline matter.

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Sammy gasped multiple times while reading over it.

I can make my own shiny things!

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« (Vol 2) Chapter 56 | Table of Contents | (Vol 2) Chapter 58: Casting a Shadow »

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Note: Small remainder of the stuff left next time, and fur shur the Sheety McMeaty (aka the Status).

Note 2: I may begin uploading earlier in my day now that I'm a little more ahead of the game. I can start with this, then schedule RR first thing. I think it'll increase my overall efficiency over time to do that. :P We'll see.