Carthrat-World Savior: An adventure in misplaced optimism

[Carthrat]

"What *I* do with it, huh?" replies Carthrat, blinking. "So.. like, what *can* I do with it? Anything? Can I summon that guardian on a whim?"

He tries that, or at least *thinks* that.

[Bean Bandit]

"No. The marble I gave you is called 'The Armoury'." Wizard reveals. "Hmm..." After a moment of thought, he ducks under the table again, and begins rummaging around. (Holy hell, does he have a subspace pocke under there or something?) Emerging again, he holds a rapier in his hand, and gives it to you.

"Take a close look at this. Memorise EVERY detail, and then hand it back."

[Carthrat]

Tom eyes the rapier, then studies it, carefully, even pricking his finger slightly with it. In particular, he checks out the hilt; some of these swords had pretty elaborate stuff done to them.

"It's nice," he comments, handing it back when he's done.

[Bean Bandit]

Wizard takes it, grinning a little in anticipation. "Now. I want you to hold your hand out in front of you...and 'draw' the sword in your hand with your mind. Reach out and feel for the marble's effects as you do."

[Carthrat]

Carthrat reaches to his (waistline? That was one of the things that went with his pants; one of his favourite belts. Cursed witch.), and tries to.. draw a rapier!

[Bean Bandit]

Wizard sighs and rubs his face with his palm. "...No. My bad, my bad. Draw it in your hand. Only with your mind as the pencil. You see?"

[Carthrat]

"Nope!" replies Carthrat, cheerily. "I'm a lousy artist, you know." At that, though, he tries to.. focus a *ray of beaming light* from his forehead that draws a rapier. At least, that's how he envisages it.

[Bean Bandit]

Oddly...that's not too far from what begins to happen. A glowing blue dot appears, and begins to scribble in the air, a ghostly rapier gaining form and substance! Carthrat can FEEL it pulling on his imagination, drawing on the details there, and the recreation is startlingly exact! The blue dot fades, leaving Carthrat with a copy of Wizard's sword!

(New Techique: Armory level 1: Blade trace - User may create a bladed weapon that has been seen with his own eyes at the cost of 1 EP, +10 to make it permanent. If not, it will vanish within an hour.)

[Carthrat]

"Hey, this is pretty cool!" says Carthrat, twirling the rapier a little. "Got anyone around who can actually teach me how to, y'know, use it?"

[Bean Bandit]

"To use it well? Probably not. But you won't need a great deal of skill. As long as you 'aquire' a large amount of weapons, you should be able to trump a sword with a bigger sword, or a gun. But Guns are harder, because you have to understand how they work to get a functioning one, and odd characteristics, like size, weight, detail and the like increase your odds of getting an imperfect copy." Wizard explains, stowing his version of the sword.

"All you have to do is see it to be able to 'trace' the weapon."

[Carthrat]

"I see," replies Tom, shrugging. "I have a very vauge understanding of how guns work... perhaps you could explain the details to me better.

It seems, though, that my best option right now is to find as many weapons as I can. I'll keep that in mind. I don't suppose you've got any more junk floating around? Sounds like I could use all of it.

And what about this guardian?"

[Bean Bandit]

"I have a few odds and ends." Wizard replies dismissively. "As for guns, your knowledge needs to be quite exact, if you want to produce copies as accurate as possible. I'd recommend books." He examines you carefully. "As for the guardian, the process is a bit more draining than simply swallowing a marble. Would you like to ask some questions, first?"

[Carthrat]

"It sounds like you've got some answers in mind," replies Carthrat, eyeing the Wizard. "Why don't you just tell me what you've got, instead of having me fish for answers?"

[Bean Bandit]

"Because the answers depend on the questions." Wizard replied, rubbing his wild white hair. "But, if you need a place to start, let's just say that you're the raw materials. I'll draw what's needed from your mind, and give it form and substance."

"Once made, I'll teach you a simple trick used by summoners to grant their summons physics defying physical abilities. That way, you have an unlimited supply of weapons, and a superhuman bodyguard." The old man chuckled. "Not much, but it should signficantly improve your odds of avoiding a hero's death, huh?"

[Carthrat]

"Or any other kind of death, with luck," replies Carthrat, shrugging. "So.. what would *I* look for in a bodyguard, huh?

That's.. a good question. I've never really needed.. or even wanted one before. Someone who can, uh, lend a voice of reason from time to time? Pull me back before I run over the edge off a cliff? Eh. I'm really not that sure."