Title:          Strata: C-I. Shadows of the Past
Description:    A solo Cypher System campaign by bss.
Footer:         Numenera, the Cypher System, No Thank You, Evil!, Invisible Sun, and their respective logos are
                trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Monte Cook Games
                characters and character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are trademarks of Monte
                Cook Games, LLC. Content derived from Monte Cook Games publications is © 2013-2022 Monte Cook
                Games, LLC. <a href="/cypher/fan-use-policy">Full Disclaimer</a>.

# Shadows of the Past

> I started by rolling for my two cyphers, disguise module and heat attack.

Cyne crawls through the muddy ditch, rain beating on his cloak and furthering the miserable conditions he finds himself
in, attempting to evade the local guard searching for him. His previous attempts to slip into the library in plain sight
having failed, his next plan was to attempt a night infiltration, where he now finds himself ducking from alley to
alley, hiding in ditches, and the like, until he can no longer hear the guards. He must give them every sense that what
they saw was just an errant townsperson, or perhaps a figment of their imagination, before he can continue.

> The guard is decent but not amazing, I figure, so let's call them level 3, but it's dark and rainy, and Cyne is
> trained in sneaking, so eased two steps...
>
> 1d20 = 2; **failure**
>
> welp

The guard, three of them in the immediate area, find Cyne, who pulls himself out of the muck while he is surrounded,
raising his arms slightly, in a somewhat insincere surrender. *What is my move here?* he wonders. *There's always
lying...*

"Just on my way home," Cyne somewhat awkwardly sputters, definitely not prepared with a practiced lie.

> D3 Intellect task, hindered one: 1d20 = 11; **failure**

The guards are not buying it, and begin to close in. *I don't need to kill them,* Cyne thinks, drawing his greatsword
from overhead, attempting to get the jump on them. *But I do need to get out of here.*

> D3 Speed task for initiative: 1d20 = 16; **success**
>
> D3 Might to hit a guard, one level of effort, also using Charge Weapon: 1d20 = 5; **failure**; 3-1 Might, 2-1
> Intellect cost (current levels: Might 13, Speed 10, Intellect 12)
>
> geez

Cyne strikes first, rushing in for the attack, but slightly misses, unable to make contact. His enchanted blade hums
with energy, but strikes nothing but air.

> Three attacks from the guards, going to take things one at a time. D3 Speed defense, with one level of training.
>
> 1d20 = 6; **success**, 1d20 = 14; **success**; 1d20 = 14; **success**
>
> let's just roll right into another attack, trying to get something going here. Cyne attacks again, same as last time
>
> D3 Might to hit a guard, one level of effort, also using Charge Weapon: 1d20 = 1; **fumble**; 3-1 Might, 2-1
> Intellect cost (current levels: Might 11, Speed 10, Intellect 11)
>
> you've got to be kidding me

Cyne and the guards trade ineffective blows, Cyne deftly dodging, and the guard focused on by Cyne deftly side-stepping
his blow. Misfortune seems to beget misfortune, as another guard spots the melee in the process, joining in and adding
to the list of attackers.

> Attacks from the now four guards. 11, 20, 2, and 19.
>
> New stats after the damage: Might 8, Speed 10, Intellect 11

Continuing to dodge blows, Cyne gives the second attacking guard a quick slip, causing him to lose his balance and fall
face-first into the mud and muck of the alley. *A bit of luck, finally,* thinks Cyne. And then, just as suddenly, a
guard finally makes contact, striking Cyne. The last guard also misses.

> D3 Might to hit the prone guard, one level of effort, also eased a step as the guard is prone, also using Charge
> Weapon: 1d20 = 11; **success**; 3-1 Might, 2-1 Intellect cost (current levels: Might 6, Speed 10, Intellect 10)
>
> Guard takes 9 damage and is incapacitated in one blow.

Cyne finally strikes, landing a strong blow on the guard who slipped, dropping him. *This is stretching me further than
I hoped it would...* thinks Cyne, as he prepares to dodge another batch of attacks.

> D3 Speed eased one from training: 19, 19, 6

Two guards slip on the muck, not falling, but losing their focus for a moment. Their defenses aren't lowered, but they
may have a harder time striking Cyne for a moment, letting him focus on the remaining guard.

> D3 Might to hit the unslipped guard, also using Charge
> Weapon: 1d20 = 9; **success**; 2-1 Intellect cost (current levels: Might 6, Speed 10, Intellect 9)
>
> Guard takes 9 damage and is incapacitated in one blow.

Another guard taken care of, Cyne prepares for the next batch of attacks, though the guards' off-balance attacks are
especially awkward and ineffective...

> D3 Speed eased one from training, and one from the guards being off-balance: 12, 11

...and dodged easily. *This is getting to be a distraction,* thinks Cyne, still intending to get into the library
tonight. *One more.*

> D3 Might to hit one of the two remaining guards, also using Charge
> Weapon: 1d20 = 1; **fumble**; 2-1 Intellect cost (current levels: Might 6, Speed 10, Intellect 8)
>
> "you've got to be kidding me" x2

However, his attempt to take out a remaining guard and make a quick getaway backfires completely, as Cyne loses his
balance and falls straight on his face in the muck. The stench of mud and waste is momentarily overwhelming, and his
defenses are completely lowered for a moment, allowing the guards a perfect opportunity to strike.

Knowing this may be the end of his adventure if he's captured here and now, Cyne strains himself to dodge as best as he
can from the ground, as the guards rain blows.

> D3 Speed eased one from training, hindered one from being prone, and with one level of effort: 1 **fumble** again!?
> does my dice rolling bot need looking at?
>
> 5 damage from the hit, and -3 Speed from the effort: current levels: Might 1, Speed 7, Intellect 8
>
> D3 Speed eased one from training, hindered one from being prone, and with one level of effort: 3 **failure** oh boy...
>
> Might 0, Speed 2, Intellect 8
>
> That brings me to **Impaired** and without much room to spare. (Effort costs 1 extra per level, minor/major effects
> lost, and bonus damage is reduced to 1)

*urk --- The guard's not letting up!* Cyne's options are limited, still on his back, fighting against the weight of the
mud seeping into his clothes. He has no choice but to be conservative, and hope for a bit of luck; he picks himself up,
to prepare for the next round of blows, and does his best to prepare.

> D3 Speed defense roll, eased one from training: 7 **success**, 10 **success**.

*Okay, breathe. This isn't over yet.*

> 1d6+1 first heal: 7, thank god. new levels: Might 7, Speed 2, Intellect 8, back to **Hale**. I figure this way I can
> take two hits and still stay out of Impaired state.

Cyne takes a moment to catch his breath, and feeling just a bit smug despite his circumstances, quips, "any chance we
can just call this a draw?" The guards, however, are not interested in the offer.

> D3 Speed defense roll, eased one from training: 8 **success**, 17 **success**.

"Okay then, fine. I guess we'll continue doing things this way."

> D3 Might to hit one of the two remaining guards, also using Charge Weapon: 1d20 = 10; **success**; 9 points of damage
> so another guard drops; 2-1 Intellect cost (current levels: Might 7, Speed 2, Intellect 7)

Definitely feeling more than a bit lucky, Cyne steps forward and --- *finally*, he thinks --- connects with his
enchanted greatsword, causing another guard to crumple to the ground, incapacitated. The numbers are finally in his
favor, but he still has one guard to worry about.

> D3 Speed defense roll, eased one from training: 19 **success with minor effect**. Perfect, glad I healed, too, so I
> get soemthing to take advantage of --- a window of opportunity!

The remaining guard swings wildly at Cyne, missing and losing his footing. This is Cyne's opportunity to put distance
between himself and the one remaining guard again, and he quickly takes off. He is winded, reeling from multiple blows
from the guards, and perhaps even weighed down by the mud he collected on his clothes --- he can't rely on extra effort
at this point, drawing instead on whatever natural ability he has left.

> D3 Speed task to flee and lose the remaining guard: 19 **success with minor effect**. yesssss

Cyne gets away, quickly losing the remaining guard chasing him, and even finding a discrete, covered corner in the alley
to gather himself in. He takes some time to ensure he has lost the last guard, and tends to his wounds --- wraps,
mostly, he is not exactly a field medic.

> 1d6+1 second heal: 2. well I guess that offsets the amazing first roll, which I definitely needed. Might 7, Speed 4,
> Intellect 8.

Having collected himself, Cyne turns his attention to infiltrating the library. The Grand Library of Berna is known for
its collection of works related to lost civilizations, and it is little more than a hunch that brought Cyne there, but
the best lead he has at the moment. Pulling his hood back up over his head, both to shield himself from the rain and to
dodge any remaining bits of attention, he approaches the library.

The battle with the guards certainly took a toll on him, and as he approaches, he goes over his plan one last time. He
has one shot at this, he figures, after some pushy talking during the day, if he can't get in and out tonight, he'll
likely have heightened the security and scrutiny over the archives for a while. He needs to navigate a series of walls
and peaks to get into an area of the library that is less protected, and then use his knowledge of the wards inside to
get back down to the archives without causing any issues. Accomplishing that should net him four, five hours to check
his item against some records.

> Difficulty 4 Speed task to jump multiple walls, scale walls, and so on, to enter the library, eased by one with a
> level of Effort: 1d20 = 1; **fumble**.
>
> what the hell
>
> I think I can treat the fumble as an extra d6 of damage as he falls somewhere in the process before getting in. 1d6 =
> 1. -3 Speed expended, -1 Might damage, putting Cyne at Might 6, Speed 1, Intellect 8

The plan fails spectacularly, and Cyne quickly finds himself injured further and with no choice but to slink back into
the shadows, dejected. His ankle sprained and with no more time to rest, he must rest and regroup while coming up with a
new plan.

Cyne checks his pack again, specifically a piece of parchment found among his things in storage before he left Dirge. It
bears a strange and elaborate crest, suggesting a notoriety of some sort, but the style is unusual and flared, and not
the sort of art Cyne is familiar with.

> todo: two recovery rolls, come up with a plan B to get this information
>
> resting (sleeping in an alley): Difficulty 2 Intellect, eased 1 by training: 17; **success**
>
> 2#1d6+1 heals: 3, 5. healing up to Might 6, Speed 4, Intellect 13.

Easily enough, Cyne finds a dry alley to hunker down in for the night, and has a moderately restful night. As he sleeps,
he dreams of purple crystal cities illuminated by aurorae, a common albeit unexplained dream. He wakes, and begins his
search anew for a way into the library. Considering the direct approach --- or approaches --- did not yield anything,
his next shot is to see if he can find his way through the labyrinth of tunnels underneath Berna, but not in the
condition he is in this day.
