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Encounter Conditions
Must have lured the hermit into the field of flowers
Initial Text
Your image makes its way through the reflections of trees, carefully following your movements to avoid bumping into the trees or being tripped up by their roots.
Eventually, you find a clearing, where a familiar old man goes through a rapid series of sword forms. Three or four will blur by in quick succession, then he'll pause, then a different series.
He doesn't show any sign of stopping or, indeed, noticing your reflection at all.
Summary of Choices
- Challenge him - Lose 1 HP or Begin Swordfight Challenge if you have a sword
- Toss in a sword - (Only if you have a reflected sword) Begin Swordfight Challenge
- Watch him work - Gain 4 XP in Perception
- Mirror his work (Only with a sword equipped) Gain 4 XP in Reflexes, and Swordplay or Parry
- Follow his footwork - Learn Leaping Dodge or Dive for cover
- Catch his reflection - (Only with an antique hand mirror equipped) Gain 6 XP in Reflexes
- Leave him be - Walk away
Choice Text and Results
Challenge him
(Without a sword-like thing equipped)
You stop to challenge him and he lashes out with a sword, slashing into your reflection. Wow. He's just too fast.
You feel kind of like the proverbial guy who brings a knife to a gunfight. Only more the reverse. You're pretty sure guns wouldn't help, even if you wanted to shoot up your antique mirror.
A single stream of blood trickles from your reflection's wound, but he nods and goes about his business as though it's been settled. You glance down to see the same stripe of blood on yourself. That's still just weird.
You take 1 damage.
(With some kind of sword-thing equipped)
The hermit draws his blade and says something, pausing long enough to realize you can't hear him. Then he says it louder, or at least you'd guess so, his mouth gets bigger at any rate.
He exaggeratedly pantomimes a single finger up for 'one' and then cuts himself on his rusty blade and points at it until you nod. To the first blood it is, apparently.
Begin Swordfight Challenge
Toss in a sword
You toss the glass shard underhand at the mirror. It flashes through seamlessly as a sword and you whip your reflected hand up to catch it.
Yeah, that was pretty badass.
Begins Swordfight Challenge
Watch him work
He either doesn't notice your reflection or pointedly ignores it, instead flowing endlessly from one sword stance to the next. The guy's certainly in good shape… better shape than you've ever been, despite his apparent age.
If you want to beat him, you'd have to outthink him, anticipate his moves and hope you can react fast enough to counter them… maybe wear him out, it's possible his stamina is less impressive than his footwork.
Despite your hope, he doesn't collapse to the ground at the end of his workout, just take a drink of water and sit down for a while.
You've earned 4 XP in Perception
Mirror his work
You draw your own sword and he looks at your reflection suspiciously. When you make no motion to attack, he returns to his routine, letting you follow along.
He's just going through forms, really, but it's a good workout and probably solid practice for real swordplay.
You learned a new Technique: Swordplay or Parry
You've earned 4 XP in Reflexes
Follow his footwork
Your reflection watches him from the safety of the trees, trying to follow the old man's movements. It's hard, he's damned fast, but you learn a thing or two.
You learned a new Technique: Leaping Dodge or Dive for cover
Catch his reflection
You pull out your hand mirror and hold it before you. It reflects back and forth with its larger kin, creating an infinite tunnel of cracks and impurities.
He seems to understand what's happening, dodging and weaving around the cracks spreading through his world, but you finally catch him. And in a moment, there is no hermit, just endless flaws and cracks through the mirrors.
You've earned 6 XP in Reflexes
Leave him be
You turn your back on the mirror for a moment, ignoring the reflections.
See Walk Away