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]

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?"

[shadopolis]

"Maximum possible lifespan. Fight for you, tell you things they know, or construct things for you. No and no."

[space_between]

She winces slightly. But if she took from people who were dying and she couldn't save, if she took from people she would have to kill anyway-- "What happens if someone loses all of their maximum lifespan? --Are there any renewable sources of lifespan?" She doesn't expect that to be the case, but it's worth checking.

"How often can the augments be used? Are there any downsides to any of them you haven't already mentioned?"

[shadopolis]

"They die. Only one, from the Hermit card. It depends on the Augment. Yes."

[space_between]

"What are the downsides you have not mentioned? --and how often can each Augment be used?"

[shadopolis]

"The Life tome will fix your apparent age at an age from six to twelve. The Gate tome will require you to sacrifice your true demonic form. You cannot turn off the Death tome's power, and its pacts only last for twelve hours. All Service augments only function for one hour per day. The first Body and first Metaphysical augment can only be used once per day. The second Body augment can only be used five times per day."

[space_between]

She considers this. "What is my maximum potential lifespan without any influence from the Life tome? How does the Gate tome interact with the armour Service augment? Can the Service augment's hour be split over multiple shorter periods in the course of a day? --How does 'per day' function, is it 24 hours from the previous use or -- does the world even have 24 hour days?"

[shadopolis]

"All Lilim live exactly ten thousand years, unless they gain lifespan from some other source. The Gate tome will grant you a new kind of armor for your Service augment - a dark robe that will strengthen your body and allow you to change your body into a cloud of black mist. Yes. Days end and begin at midnight, and yes, they are twenty-four hours."

[space_between]

"Are there other sources of lifespan?"

What else does she need to know? Oh, yes--

"Would sacrificing my true demonic form have other effects other than no longer being able to use it? How long do the Gateway, Life, and Service augments take to activate?"