I was back out in the snow with Nanny Shank. The wind changed directions. It was coming out of the West, but lulled and shifted to the south. In that infinitesimal pause the swirling snow cleared.

What in the name of cryptozoology was this ugly thing? Something tall enough to look me in the eye gazed at me, a hulking brute of a biped. It was also blurry. Literally, the thing was rippling along its outline. Despite the fact that this thing was both huge and coververt in shaggy red brown fur the distortion effect made it difficult as hell to see. One thing that was clear was the hate filled eyes. The fang-filled gob of its open mouth was also crystal clear.

I made a split second decision. I manifested a layer of Ablative Shell onto Nanny Shank.

Attack from Photogenic Bigfoot successful

You take 2 points of damage.

Titanic Regeneration plus 44 hit points

HP: 560/560

The blurry mob lunged forward and bit me on the neck. Fangs pressed down on my throat and hooked deep.

“UHmm!” the bigfoot grunted. It had expected blood to flow and my neck to break. It tried to gnaw through me but my skin was too tough for its teeth to part and my muscle and bone did not yield to the pressure. It tried to throw me. I did not budge.

I turned, pulling the bigfoot with me to find two more of the fuzzy freaks bearing down on the old lady. To her credit she was drawing a handgun to shoot one of them. The second one was gonna try and bash her head in.

I continued to ignore my new necktie and decided to step in to help Nanny Shank.

Lug check… Successful

Attack from Photogenic Bigfoot B Blocked

Counter-attack successful. Photogenic Bigfoot B takes 43 damage.

Attack from Photogenic Bigfoot C Successful.

You take 3 points of damage.

Counter-attack successful. Photogenic Bigfoot C takes 31 damage.

Attack Successful. Photogenic Bigfoot C takes 49 damage.

Attack from Photogenic Bigfoot a Critical Success. You take 8 damage

Counter-attack successful. Photogenic Bigfoot A takes 30 damage.

This immediately devolved into a brawl. I kicked the second bigfoot’s arms. This sent its double overhand slam off course from crushing Nanny Shank. I then hit the jerk with a left hook to the solar plexus. That didn’t kill it but it did cause it to stagger backwards. I then ducked my shoulder over the goblin. The third bigfoot hit me. The impact rattled bone but barely did anything. I slammed my elbow into its stomach as revenge, and then hit it with an uppercut. Jagged teeth went flying but the mob didn’t die. I should have activated Claws of Darkness. Oh well. Nanny Shank put four rounds into the equivalent of the ‘ten’ ring on the monster's torso. That killed it.

I had just enough time to think, ‘Good. Fuck him in particular,’ when that first bigfoot bit harder. It turns out ignoring a giant ape monster chewing on your neck was dumb. As the increased pressure cut off my ability to breath, I began to suspect this was how they fought. Sneak up on someone, ambush with a bite to a vital area, pin the target, and then bite harder the next round. Stealth mobs were dangerous.

As I had that realization I pummeled its head with my fists.

When I didn’t kill it with the first hit, I fought dirty. I placed both hands on either side of its head and gouged its eyes with my thumbs. The creature bit down harder still before it screamed. Crunch! That killed it. It turns out bigfeet cannot survive having their skull split open when you rip the eye sockets apart.

The last one would have been a problem but my new go-to dick move of using Destruction to turn the ice to water and then Craft to freeze someone into the ice. That trapped most things instantly. Okay, that is making me sound too smart.I am sure it looked deliberate but this flop and freeze was basically a panic move. However the big bastard was still trapped from the thighs down. Its arms were still free and it chucked a bowling ball sized rock at Nanny Shank. It hit her dead center in the chest, but the armor took the impact fine. She only went flying a short distance.

I am a good protector.

“Hey, just give up,” I stepped between Nanny Shank and the last Bigfoot.

As soon as I was within reach It took a swipe at me. I dodged it easily and had to concentrate not to counterattack. That was getting reflexive. Yet another thing to keep an eye on.

“I just want to talk to you,” I tried again.

It lunged at me trying to bite. I blocked with a stiff arm. The shove knocked it off balance. It couldn’t actually fall over in the ice.

“What are you doing?” Nanny Shank asked after climbing back to her feet.

“Trying to talk to it,” I kept locked on the creature. “I should be able to talk to it.”

“It’s a mob, a monster made by the system. No one can talk to it. They just kill,” Nanny Shank dusted herself off.

“How sure were you that humans were mobs a month ago?” I asked.

“Eh, like 85%,” She admitted.

“Last chance talk to me or I will have to end you,” I explained to the bigfoot. I turned on Claws of Darkness. Might as well make it quick. It tried to hit me again. A block followed by two devastating punches and it was dead. I tossed the bodies into my inventory. It was getting full again.

The old goblin was still watching me. After a while she said, “Let’s get back to camp.”

“Do you want me to carry you?” I asked.

She shook her head, “Nah. I don’t want the kids to think I am getting too old. Get this ice off me.”

I got her back to camp in one piece. She went off to reorganize the stew shower. It was getting lazy, apparently. I found Brand and Angelic still in the command tent.

“Why were you guys hanging back?” I asked.

“Separating Brand and Janie,” Angelica explained. “You are going to need to actually talk with him at some point to learn what he knows about Chet, Waldo, and Madigan. “

“Nanny Shank said he can’t testify,” I said.

“Testify, no. That doesn’t mean he can’t tell you everything. Then you can use that in the trial,” She insisted.

“Fair point,” I turned to Brand. “What do you got?”

Brand considered, “Chet is going to be your best witness. Besides the fact he is the one who landed the killing blow, he is not that clever. If you get him talking, he will start saying things that will turn a jury against him. Find a way to imply he is weak and he will argue. Use that to bait him into admitting his crime.”

I nodded, “What about Waldo?”

“He understands how bad this is for him. He will sell out Chet, but he is probably too afraid of his teacher to directly accuse him. You need to play on that fear. Trick him into thinking he is just saving himself and you should be able to get him to implicate Madigan.

That was a lot less righteous sounding. “And what about the big guy?”

Brand frowned. “That is the hard one, the man has good social skills. He is going to play to the crowd. He isn’t going to be bullied or goaded easily either. I doubt you can get him to admit to anything or directly implicate himself. He can simply say that his students are lying to push blame on to him. Likely because you pushed them to.”

“What?” I asked.

“He is going to make this into you manipulating things,” Brand cautioned me.

“What do I need to do?” I asked.

“What are your social skills at?” Brand asked.

“Intimidation at Trained. Everything else is at Untrained.” I said

“Seriously?” Angelica asked. “Huh.”

“That… is unfortunate,” Brand said diplomatically.

“Could you teach me?” I asked.

“I don’t have the Mentor Skill,” Brand said.

“Can I just teach you the Mentor Skill and then you can teach me,” I offered, expecting to be disappointed.

“Ooh, abuse the system,” Angelica smiled. She took a few steps back to watch the proceedings. “This should be funny.”

“No harm in trying,” Brand said, but the look on his face implied that something could go wrong.

I placed my hand on his head.

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Mentor Check… Successful

I then selected the Mentor Skill… nope no ticket from narrators. This was happening.

Brand blinked, “I’m shocked that worked.”

We all waited for the other shoe to drop. Nothing happened.

“Teach me your ways, international Man of Mystery.” I prompted leaning down so he could reach my head.

“What are you doing?” Brand asked, stepping back from me.

“Don’t you need to touch my head to use the skill?” I asked.

“No, that’s silly,” Brand said.

Angelica laughed.

“Why didn’t anyone correct me?” I asked, loudly. I wasn’t mad. I was embarrassed. Don’t mock me, I'm vulnerable.

Angelica laughed louder, “Who… who is… gonna?”

“Hold still,” Brand instructed before placing his hand on my chest. Oh fuck everyone.

Mentor Check… Successful

Deceit Skill is now at Trained Level

Mentor Check… Successful

Leadership is now at Trained Level

Mentor Check… Successful

Brush Off Is now at Trained Level

Mentor Check… Successful

Perform: Public Speaking is now at Trained level

Perform: Public Speaking has shifted to Perform.

Mentor Check… Successful

Intimidation is now at Expert Level

Mentor Check… Successful

Retort is now at Trained Level

Mentor Check… Failed

Persuasion did not break through.

“Well damn,” Brand frowned. “Of course it would be Persuasion that fails.”

“I should be fairly close to breaking through,” I considered.

“Okay, I know I was laughing, but are we sure mind effects are the best path forward?” Angelica asked.

“Social skills are mind effects?” I was really starting to doubt this plan.

“It’s a grey area,” Brand said, in that polite British way.

“Gray area,” I pressed with American bluntness .

“With your Scale the force of social skills could override people's choices. What is your Face Attribute?”

“26,” I said immediately.

Brand made a face that implied that was higher than he wanted to hear, “The first big step is at thirty. You will easily roll above that.”

“So you’re saying I am two levels away from passively influencing people?” I hated the sound of that.

“No you have been doing that the whole time, but once your attribute is at thirty the results will be more noticeable.” Brand explained.

“That does answer a few questions,” Angelica said.

“What?” I asked.

“I mean you come across as charming and cute as you lumber around like a giant homeless gorilla.” Angelica pointed out.

“Hey,” I started. Her claims made no sense. Gorillas live outside or in the zoo I guess.

Angelica cut me off, “Doug, you are literally living out of your pockets.”

“Inventory,” I interjected.

“An inventory full of corpses. Corpses you use to build things. That’s creepy and weird, but when you do it, meh. The fact you never change your clothes has the same energy.”

“Do I smell?” I asked.

“Oddly pleasant,” Brand answered.

“Pretty sure you have pheromones,” Angelica added. “Because you smell like sandalwood instead of blood and BO.”

“He has a hint of brandy and grass,” Brand stated.

Angelica shrugged, “If you say so.”

“What if I don’t use Social Skills?” I asked, avoiding the topic of my musk.

“Then you will be letting people decide for themselves by the weight of your words alone,” Brand said.

That didn’t sound great. I was probably going to say something like ‘shit’ or ‘bastard’ or ‘fuck’. That last one was ole reliable, rivaled only by ‘uh’ and ‘um’. Still, it felt like the right thing to do. Maybe I was handicapping myself, but social skills seemed…like the wrong thing to do. It felt like taking away people’s choice.

“Left Hand?” Toad called from outside the tent.

“I am in here with Brand and Angelica,” I called back.

“...are you decent?” he asked. It is fascinating how a polite society question can have such rude implications.

“Everyone thinks I am the IRS,” I muttered.

“Huh?” Angelica asked, clearly not getting the joke.

“Fucking everyone, at least in April,” I explained. “Come in, Toad.”

“I have come to arrange our plan of attack,” The short Goblin declared as he swept into the tent.

“What are you thinking?” I asked.

Toad descended the stairs, “We must present a confident and logical front. That means we must know the space. Be able to play to the crowd as we also address witness and fend off opposing council.” Toad stopped dramatically before asking, “That reminds me, where is the trial to be held? I would like to survey the arena.”

Oh Shit.

I turned to Angelica, “Could you find Brunhilda, and have her meet me half way between the camp and the Mandir.”

“Sure,” Angelica crawled out of the tent.

“What is happening?” Toad asked.

“I am going to build us a courthouse,” I explained.

“Of course. With a few hours before the trial, now is the time to build a court.” Toad said. If he was confused he hid it well. “I shall join you.”

Toad, Brand and I wandered back out into the blizzard. The roar of the wind alone would be too much. Shit, Shit, Shit. This was an oversight. I doubted I could just call time either. Well I could, but that would be a lot of credibility shot.

I stopped when we got roughly to the spot of the Photogenic Bigfoot ambush.

Construction check… Successful

Ice Wall created

That created a good twenty feet of wall. The ice mold and rose like a wave before solidifying, but the wind simply whipped around the edges and over top. Four more check and I had a hundred feet of wall. Then the wind changed again and we were in the way again.

“Hey Buddy, whatcha up to?” Brunhilda asked.

“Building a courthouse,” I said, willing another wall into existence. “Please help.”

Brunhilda frowned, “Were you going to build it out of ice?”

“If I have to,” I admitted.

“That’s a bad idea. Ice is prone to melting from heat, and is only good in compression. You get any of it in tension from say, a bending moment, and…” Brunhilda moved her hand to indicate a sudden snap.

“Do you have a better suggestion?” I demanded. I was getting pissy, but I needed to beat the clock.

“Yeah, Blood Iron,” She answered, ignoring my tone. She pulled a pickaxe out of her inventory and quickly cut about a foot cube into the ice. “Fill that with blood,”

I dug into my inventory and tossed some blood into the hole.

Brunhilda handed me a silvery needle, “Get a drop of your blood too. Toss it in and we can craft it.”

I forced the needle through my skin. It didn’t really hurt, which was nice. I flicked the blood into the hole.

Craft check… Successful

100x Blood Iron Brick created

Blood Iron Brick

This is a Epic Scale construction material made from the concentrated iron found in the blood of mobs. Structures made from this will be 30% more resilient to damage, but are more prone to being ominous.

“Let’s do it again, I figure 10,000 bricks should work.” Brunhilda said. If getting roughly a hundred times the material you put into a craft check was unusual, she didn’t show it.

99 gallons of mob blood and 99 pricks later we had a massive pile of building supplies.

Angelica watched me more or less magic gallons of gore into bricks, “This is the shit I am talking about.”

I ignored her, because I was taking the high road. Any claims of me simply not being clever enough to refute her are simply highly accurate slander.

Brunhilda tossed me a bag of sand. “Probably need another five hundred bricks of glassteel. You should be able to make that with a gallon of blood, a pinch of this mana crystal, and a drop of your blood. Think ‘clear’ as you Craft.” She took my hand, “Let me help.” I could feel a buzz as she added her stats to my craft check.

Craft check… Successful

50x Blood-Tinted Glassteel plates

Blood-Tinted Glassteel plate

This is a Heroic Scale construction material made from the concentrated iron found in the blood of mobs and reinforced with mana crystals. Structures made from this will be 30% more resilient to damage, but are more prone to being ominous.

Note: Structures made from this material will have optical properties similar to that of glass.

It didn’t take long to make more plates.

Brunhilda nodded, “Now for the construction. First the foundation, then the walls, then the roof. Don’t think about windows or interior just yet. Dome the ceiling.”

I did what she told me.

Construction check… Successful

Blood Iron Foundation 80’ x 80’ created.

Brunhilda stomped her foot on the newly formed stone square that was solidifying underneath us.

Warning: Foundation is unsteady. If not address-

Foundation is now Steady.

It is good to have friends. I kept building. Another effort of will.

Construction check… Successful

4x Blood Iron walls: 3 Stories created.

That was a more than a bit sinister. The Blood Iron bricks melted and flowed into the shape of reticulated walls. The end result looked like a wave of gore surging and then freezing just before cresting.

“Nice. Put a lid on it, buddy,” Brunhilda encouraged me.

Construction check… Successful

Blood Iron Dome Created

And then we were in the dark. The odd thing is, despite literally being in a seal box with no light, I could still tell exactly where everyone was. Hmmm. Probably something to do with being spawned from the Titan of Darkness.

Brunhilda also didn’t have any issue with the dark. She walked over to a wall and hit it with a hammer. A perfect rectangle fell out of the wall. The odd bit is despite the fact she hit it once with a sledgehammer a frame had formed. This let some light in. She looked at me, “Get to making windows. Opposite side, every five feet, three foot window.”

This required both a Destruction check and a Craft check for me. I also had to be a lot more deliberate.

Brunhilda put the doors in and then we had to build a quick scaffold to get at the ceiling, and put three large arc gaps in it. The windows weren’t that hard to fit in place. A fist full of Construction checks and they popped right in.

That said once we settled the last window in…

Construction check… Successful

Red Hall of Justice Created

Red Hall of Justice

This Epic Scale structure is built on a foundation of the life’s blood of destroyed enemies. That is certainly one way to set the tone for any trial. All Deceit skill rolls will apply one level of Scale penalty with these walls. Any agent of the court carrying out a sentence within these wall will make rolls with two additional levels of Scale.

Note: This Structure has the Ominous Condition

Ominous Condition

This Place is Spooky. Any roll to resist fear or fear effects will apply one level of Scale penalty.

The light of the sun through those windows was tinged with a blood-red hue. It made the shadows of this place twist and darken. I could feel the angry eyes of a predator on the small of my back.

“Yep, this place is haunted,” Angelica opined, glancing around with a deadpan expression.

“What, do you think I trapped the souls of hundreds of snow lions and shaped them into this building and now they are suffering for all eternity?” I asked.

“Basically. And they are clearly mad about it,” Angelica said, clearly not affected by the sanguine architecture. .

“Good. Fuck ‘em. I am going to write ‘The Dog Lover’s Manifesto’ here one day,” I declared.

Immediately being bit by a soon to be murder big cat, only deepened my resolved.