CYOA: The New World's Price

YYou play the 'Melody of Might', and your guy starts hitting harder. Immediately after, you pick up the harp, and slam it down on the head of the enemy. The enemy disappears.

"Not bad, not bad. You don't win the award for 'win with the least songs', however, since a few people used the harp like that before playing a song. Counter-intuitive to learning how music works, true, but I can't get a little ingenuity go unrewarded, can I?"

You are tossed a vial, and you catch it. It disappears when you do.

You got 25 units of Ecto! Ecto is a Tiricoure essence, 'The essence of spookiness, obsession, and envy. Usage increases aptitude for Form and Endow. May cause patronhood and the urge to be near humans.'

"Um... where'd it...?"

"Not for you, kid. Not directly. 'S best not to think about it too much. Here, you've also earned these."

The skeleton takes out what looks like a wallet, and fishes 5 glowing cyan four-pointed stars.

You got 5 SP(✦). 

"Huh? For some reason, I find myself physically unable to... oh."

"Huh? What is it?"

"Look, kit, I'll level with you. There's a tiny window in which each world can send their champions, between which is a gap, that varies based on the world. But, every so often, perhaps 1 in 50 times, two world's windows... overlap. Time runs incredibly slowly here. A second in the outside is five hundred thousand here, but every so often, you get a session like this."

"And that means..."

"A buncha things. Most importantly: there's someone else here with you."

"Is that bad?"

"In some ways. In other ways, it can be a pretty sweet deal. Let's go meet them!"

A path opens before you, and the harp disappears. Your overly-thin friend runs down it with considerable speed. There is nothing else left here; you figure you might as well follow.

---

You are face to (cliff)face with a large rocky wall.

Sticking out of it, are some crystals with words inscribed on them. Two red crystals (Melee), two green crystals (Magic), two blue crystals (Psionic), two gold crystals (Healing/Buffs), and two turquoise crystals (Music).

There's someone standing in front of the sign with their back to you, beside a darkly cloaked figure wearing a white judge-wig. She seems to be quite tall and thin, with light purple hair, and quite a tan.

Your skele-friend sidles up to you, grinning.

What do you do?

You use your cat powers to sneak up behind the person facing the sign.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" you say suddenly.

She spins around to face you.

As she turns to look at you, you immediately feel a strong emotion overwhelm you.

Hatred.

Her eyes are pools of green and gold with swirls of red, divided by numerous bands of orange and gold, and they're similarly contorted with loathing.

What... what is this?

"There is a reason this kind of relationship is called 'Soul Rivalry'." the judge says. "By its nature, the session focuses such things as self loathing, and despair at the inability to control or receive information what feels like an extension of the sense, similar to a numb leg or a blind eye. You'll also feel any emotion directed at you as being directed at your counterpart."

She narrows her eyes at you. "Hello, I'm... Sephes."

What do you say?

"Hey, why are you so angry? I didn't do anything to you." you say, forcing down the negative feelings, and managing a smile.

"...Did you not hear what he just said? I'm not angry... Not rationally, anyway."

"It's in our best interests to work together, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily," says the skeletal judge-guy. "Here:"

He raises a hand, and the ten Soul Points in play rise above his head.

✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦ ✦

"You have five Soul Points each. Every time you die, you spend one to come back to life. So, if Sephes died, this would happen:"

✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦

"However, there must be balance between the two. If Sephes were to die again, this would happen:"

✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦ ✦
✦ ✦

"Thus, if one member were to be significantly better at dying, their very existence would be a liability. If one kills the other, the killer receives all the other's Soul Points, and the other dies." 

"Besides which," The skeleclown continues. "Most of the perks of having a Soul Rival stay once they're dead. You share levels, but not EXP. When one of you levels up, the other does also. However, if your partner dies, you keep your EXP when you level up once, losing it when you level up the next time. Once your partner is dead (permanently), their stat points will be counted as yours, though you won't be able to use them. There are, however, items that you can use to take them..."

You glance at Sephes, but her expression isn't readable.

"Hey, guys?" you say. "Maybe it'dve been better if you didn't tell us that?"

"It tends to not work out for either party if they are left to discover it on their own," says Judgey. "Now, you have a choice. Look!"

He stretches out a finger towards the sign Sephes was staring at earlier.

"Every crystal taken allows you to use items of weapons or instruments of that nature. Taking two of the same colour gives you increased aptitude with that type, and allows you to perform actions of that nature without equipment. Examples: Having two red crystals allows you to fight with your fists, and dual wield swords, having two gold crystals allows you to sing solo, or ad lib. You may take 3 more crystals."

"Usually it's only two, however there's one for every session, and one for every person in the session. So, you may choose one each, and the last you must agree on."

Sephes turns to you questioningly. What do you say?

"I think I'll definitely take music."

"Mm, that might be a good idea. My charisma's pretty high too."

"How about another music?"

"If you want." she's smiling now. It seems to be her natural state of being. It's ever so slightly strained still, however.

"The others can be basically anything, but I'd rather have some sort of combat, and for it not to be strength-based."

"Yeah, strength's a big no-no for me too. My willpower's really high, I think I'll choose that."

"Fine. What would you say to another music?"

"Hmm... it might be quite an advantage to be one of the very few people who's both a master of music and able to defend themselves, but what about healing?"

What do you say?

Oh, no charming required to convince her.

So... Shared music, healing Kitty2, mental Sephes?

So... what's the final decision? 2 musics or a heal and a music?

Pick up two musics. We don't need healing.

"Honestly, I'd rather be some people's brandy, rather than everyone's cup of tea. Let's go with double music."

"Okay then..."

You are now proficient in Psionics.

You are now very proficient in music. 

You may choose 2 feats:


Storybook grace: Allows you to use charisma and dexterity while pulling a noble, hilarious, or dastardly stunt.

Bardic Lore: Use intelligence and charisma to recall interesting or useful facts about a settlement, environment, or monument.

Wielder of destiny: Use strength and charisma to liberate and use items of great importance.

Unlikely Finding: Use luck and charisma to increase the likelihood of finding something you set out to find in a seemingly unrelated place.

Know Thine enemy: Uses charisma and wisdom to ascertain such details as an enemy's weaknesses and remaining health.

But Thou Must!: Uses charisma and willpower to fight unconsciousness and death when striving to do something.

True Musician: Quadruples the rate at which you learn to play a song while practising it, and increases proficiency slightly when hearing it played.

Determinator: Uses will and determination to fight death and unconsciousness.

Selective Disability: Become able to manifest a mental disability at will. Choose one of the following: memory loss, hypermania, sociopathy, OCD, or schizophrenia.

Crumple: Uses strength and will to destroy something in your palm.

Mind extraction.: Use intelligence and willpower to pull something from an unconscious being's mind, if touching them, also inflicting damage.