proceed to new world (do not ask questions, do not collect delightful prizes)

[space_between]

Here is a young woman curled up on a bed, shivering, having thrown off her blankets when she woke earlier.

She is asleep. For now.

Comments

[space_between]

"Start with -- what are the Physical and Mental Augments?"

[shadopolis]

"The first physical augment is to be able to change another being's gender, physical features and coloration with a touch. You may only do this at their request and to their specification.

The second is to be able to make people who look into your eyes forget the last 24 hours, or replace the last ten minutes with something fictional.

Both physical augmentations will increase your grace, elegance and physical beauty.

The mental augmentation will immediately make you a natural prodigy at any single field you choose. You will find that studying this subject comes as easily to you as breathing. Futhermore, you will be able to read minds with a touch, and surface thoughts from a short distance."

[space_between]

"--How broad can the fields for the mental augmentation be?"

[shadopolis]

"Any academic field, from physics to geology."

[space_between]

"Is magic an academic field for this purpose?"

[shadopolis]

"Alas, no. There is not yet a developed enough science."

[space_between]

That is unfortunate. "Are any of the fields non-existent in or dramatically different from my world?"

[shadopolis]

"Architecture, perhaps? The styles of construction are somewhat different from the ones in your world."

[space_between]

That's-- interesting, but not particularly important for her purposes.

"What are the social and creative augments?"

[shadopolis]

"If you select Social augmentation, you will become a peerless orator. When speaking to a gathered crowd, you will be able to convince almost anyone of almost anything. Your charisma in other contexts will be slightly increased as well. If you select Creative augmentation, you will gain a natural talent at the creation of clothes, and telekinetic control precise enough to sew with. If you have no telekinetic ability, you have a short range: if you already had telekinesis, this augment doubles your range."

[space_between]

"Does the telekinesis apply to things other than sewing? Precisely how large is the range? --Are there any drawbacks to the social augmentation?"

[shadopolis]

"Yes. Twelve feet. No."

[space_between]

"I don't suppose I can get more than one Augmentation." she says, sighing. "What are the -- what was it -- metaphysical augmentations?"

[shadopolis]

"Yes, you can get more than one Augmentation. Up to five. The first Metaphysical augment allows you to call the demon cards. The second allows you to project your spirit from your body and wander the world ethereally, with no range limit."

[space_between]

"I can? --are there any disadvantages to doing so?" she takes a breath. "What are the demon cards, and what does calling them do? What state would my body be in while I wander ethereally?

[shadopolis]

"Yes. No. They allow you to read the past or future of a willing participant. Your body would be alive, but unconscious."

[space_between]

"...is it possible to use them to investigate my retroactive past?" Pause. "Is my body protected in any way, for the ethereal projection?"

[shadopolis]

"Yes, no."

[space_between]

So. Social augmentation, the demon cards and-- she apparently decided at some point she was taking the criminal family.

She contemplates that realization for a moment, and then says quickly: "What are the service augments?"

[shadopolis]

"The three Service augments represent the ability to summon demonic artifacts.

The first calls a set of five demonic shields, which will orbit you in battle, independently deflecting attacks against you.

The second calls a levitating demonic orb, which you can see through as if you were where it was. It can morph its surface into slashing and piercing shapes, and may harm things immune to conventional weaponry.

The third allows you to call demonic armor to yourself while you are in your true form. The nature of this armor is dependent upon your demonic heritage."

[space_between]

"What is the true form? --What does the armour do for each of the demonic heritages?"

[shadopolis]

"It is the shape that your demonic blood allows you to take. Blood demons and Annique demons are continually in their true forms, while Grathas and Umber demons can only maintain it for an hour a day. Umber and Grathas armor speeds regeneration and increases resilience to magic; Annique armor increases magical resistance and allows you to teleport; and Blood armor allows you to fly and speeds regeneration."

[space_between]

She will just. Come back to that.

"What are the Knowledge Augments?"

[shadopolis]

"The three Knowledge augments represent three tomes. They will be given to you on your birthday, at a rate of one tome per birthday. They are as follows: the tome of Life, which allows to to steal life with a touch, and give away your own lifespan to others: The tome of Death, which allows you to see and command the dead: and the tome of the Gateway, which will allow you to teleport to any place you have previously been in the new world."

[space_between]

"What is the life that is stolen? What can the dead do? Does seeing somewhere through the demonic orb count as being there for the tome of Gateway? --Do I need to have the tomes with me to use them?"