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Lev Lafayette wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:1244845835.1375.22.camel@squirrel" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">On Tue, 2009-06-09 at 09:52 -0300, Sam Elliot wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">By now, Icthya has wandered over and has got the jist of what is going
on. She pulls her companion aside for a moment and speaks in a low
voice to him. "Not all their horses are transformed. For this service,
perhaps you could ask for their fastest steed; one which can travel in
the Plateau and limit the time we must spend there."
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><!---->
"I'll take this as a given.. Indeed, two of the fasted steeds! The city
is at stake!"
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
Aalmon reaches out and gives his hand a firm shake "For the sake of the
friendship between my people and the empire I will do my utmost."<br>
<br>
The two travellers walk out into the street in time to see a pair of
racehorses being led by their grooms. Aalmon walks around them
assessing their speed and spirit, looking for a horse that is a stayer
more than a sprinter but above all a horse that will run for the love
of running, speaking to Icthya as he does so "Either of these will be
fast enough at the gallop, the trick is to toughen them up enough that
they can stay at the gallop for so long a ride. I have magic and skill
to aid them, if you have any spirits that would help them tough it out
then it would be a good idea to use them. Otherwise I think you will be
needed to look out for any danger and see it off while I concentrate on
the riding, even without a nomad uprising the roads of this province
would not be entirely safe. Ride with me, you are slight enough that
you will weigh less than the armor and kit for war and I know you well
enough to trust your abilities over any mere bronze."<br>
<br>
Having selected his mount Aalmon begins to speak softly to it and feel
his way over its flanks and legs with his hands to check for any
injuries that might weaken it, calming the horse he tries to get to
know it as it gets used to him "There now, I can feel you know the joy
of the chase, of running faster than any other horse just because you
can. Well boy today you will run further and faster than you have ever
done before." Aalmon takes out his magical tome and lets the power of
the magic within tingle up his arms. As be pronounces the words of the
spells he feels the way that the book is rooted into the very planes of
magic and draws on that power and connection- he takes the moonstone
talisman and it shines with a crimson light as the power flows through
it. With the last words of the spell he blesses the horse so that its
joy in running can give it the toughness to keep running. As he checks
the saddle and tack he calls upon the planet spirit that guides him
"Come forth old friend and help us stay the length of this road without
falling by the wayside or losing our path."<br>
<br>
In the saddle at last Aalmon takes the message and tucks it into his
courier's pouch. With a pat on the neck he gives the horse one last
little personal blessing to help it bear the hardship of the long run,
then reaches round to lift Icthya into the saddle before urging the
horse forwards. As they pass the gates he spurs the horse into a gallop.<br>
<br>
OOC: What Aalmon is trying to achieve is to keep the horse at a gallop
all the way by means of magic, which should then take 3-4 hours
depending on the exact route. His active ability turned out to be the
Tough with Joy spell from his grimoire, which he also has as a
stand-alone spell in a moonstone talisman (it could just as easily have
been Withstand Rigors of Travel but it sort of turned out this way when
I sat down to write it up). So thats a 17 ability with two +1 augments.<br>
<br>
He is using most of the attuned essence he has available for a +5
augment. He is also using his common magic Bear Suffering to get the
horse through its tougher moments for a +2. More significantly he is
going to try to release his planet spirit from its talisman to add its
15W Stay on Path, if he cannot release it then he will resort to just
the +4 augment.<br>
<br>
His Care for Horse, Riding and Owner of Horses abilities should all
make it easier on the horse one way or another for a cumulative +6
between them. If the route is reasonably obvious the rest of his
courier abilities do not really apply as they face no real challenge. <br>
<br>
The duration of the ride will apply a -9 penalty and Icthya riding
along might apply another penalty (I would have thought a smaller one
but its not my call). If he beats the resistance of 14 he should be
able to gallop all the way without stopping - unless something else
happens along the way.<br>
<br>
<br>
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