Okay, I hadn't understood it at all, I thought we were in a cave near Mons Electi.
For the combat situation, really, this wasn't my intent. Letting you pick the best option. It seems you want me to react mostly round per round in declarative action, while I tend to do things like "he'll do this, and then probably that is A, this if B".
I understand, though, how stating that he'd cast "treacherous floor" if appropriate could have given you this impression, whereas in my mind, it was laying out a path of probable actions he'd do. Actually, I thought this was helping you Of course the decision would be mine to make! But I can see how this may be confusing and unclear to you, so I'll try to be more "Next round, I do this".
Aaargh, sorry, I must lay out 2 paths:
If this is at the season's start, before he enchanted LoH. He must come back with Tria.
If this is at the end of the season, he can get back alone.
Case 1):
He'll flee with Tria and Thera. Use Second Sight to try and locate Tria. Roll as above.
Case 2)
He'll try to take a shot at valerian. But thera needs to come back with tria.
So he'll shout "Tria, don't bother with me, flee with Thera!"
Then, either he has cast Eyes of the cat and he'll use SS, or he hasn't yet and will. Is it okay?
"Well, Tria, I thought I'd give you a parting gift for spying on the Roman Tribunal, lo these many years. And it seems you've involved Apollodorus's puppets into your little scheme. This is an unexpected surprise and delight. Whether I kill you or cause you to turn tail and run, I'm satisfied."
Thereaposa doesn't have second sight, so she has to rely on Isen finding Tria.
While searching frantically for either Tria or Valerian, hoping this'll distract the cullprit a moment
Oh, come on, you wouldn't be able to kill a blind sheep if it was standing in front of you...
Is the roll above enough to perceive either of them? Or do I need to make another?
(Just to tell: Priority is getting everyone to safety, but if he perveives Valerian and not Tria, he'll probably take a shot at him )
If I understand what happened: We were supposed to put an ambush in a cave near ME, Tria took us in through her regio network, and we were ambushed while making a stop through a cavern in italy, that's right?
No. Tria was wandering around Rome. She discovered she was being followed and entered some caves (Point A). She then took a detour to Mons Electi, and borrowed us. We returned to Point A, intending to set up the ambush there. However, Valerian was already there, with a pile of mooks, intending to jump Tria.
Dex or Athletics? Does this count as climbing?
Theraphosa's Per 1 + Awareness 3 (specialty:food does not apply) = 4 + die
Dex 3 + Athletics 3 + specialty climbing 1? + climbing bonus 3? = 3, 6 or 10 + die
Round 1: [2] = Dex 5, Athletics 8, or Climbing 10
Round 2: [[10, 8]] = Non-botch zero, unless more than 1 botch dice. 3,6 or 10
Random rules tangent: Theraphosa has a MR equal to either her Might (15) or Viscaria's Form. Does Viscaria's Affinity with Terram bonus apply to Theraphosa's Terram MR?
EDIT: I am assuming that Theraphosa pretty much has to keep singing in order to keep the mooks down. Between that, and needing to get back to Tria, I assume this takes up all her actions. However, if she sees a chance to snag an Arcane Connection to Valerian, especially using a web attack, she'll take it.
That's enough to form up around Tria, who then takes Isen and Viscaria past the regio boundary and guides then a moment later guides, Isen and Theraposa into the Magic Realm. A few minutes pass of walking through a featureless cave and suddenly everyone is covered in water, and soon after everyone returns to Mons Electi, just outside Viscaria's sanctum, whereupon Tria says, "It appears my activities have drawn someone's interest. It's about time. I honestly thought he'd show up sooner than later and lulled myself into a false sense of security." She then swears at herself.
Tangent again: I forgot that Theraphosa also has Perfect Balance, adding +6 vs tripping or falling.
"A pity that we could not obtain any of his hair or blood. I believe I heard enough of his voice to make an accurate representation of him using music, but it would be easier if I knew what he actually looked like. Clearly, we need to begin gathering Sympathetic Connections.
"His attack on you was rather blatant."
Theraphosa has now seen Tria many, many times, but the only magic she's ever seen her use is the Cave Walking magic, which is purportedly non-Hermetic. She wracks her brain for any memory or discussion of Tria's magical prowesses.
Int 1 + OoH Lore 5 + history speciality 1 + die roll 4 = 11
She's got nothing, and indeed, Ra'am has never said anything about Tria's strengths, though he spoke at length about Prospero. Also, Tria did spend some time at Phoenix (a season) as a guest of Ra'am's when he designed a new Longevity Ritual for her.
And I didn't mean to hit submit so quickly on the rules thing. Affinity affects the final score, so of course that counts. Puissant counts for MR, too since it is being used, albeit passively.
Aaaaaaaaah!!!
Gonna hide myself in shame I feel so dumb for not understanding it
I'm not sure I understand what you meant.
As I see it (and IIUC*, JL thinks the same way), Viscaria's Terram score uses affinity and puissant, and Thera can use it
So, if, say, Viscaria had 80xp in terram (score 12), which becomes 120 with affinity (score 15), with puissant.
Her effective terram score is 15+3 = 18, which Thera can use instead of her 15. She wouldn't use the 12, without affinity and puissant, since that ain't Viscaria's score.
Now, Viscaria's affinity wouldn't multiply Thera's MR from 15 to 22, nor would any Puissant Terram further bring Thera's MR from 22 to 25.
*tired of writing If I Understand Correctly
Isen nods.
Sadly, this assessment error deprived us of an opportunity to strike directly at him. But we gained something nonetheless. Information. He wants you dead, and wants it enough so as to strike at you himself. It is interesting to see him acting so openly and brazenly. This is not a desesperation strike like their attack on Appolodorus. He seems to be getting careless, and overridden by his anger and sense of impunity. This is good, and something that we can maybe use to our advantage.
IIRC, in this very thread, she used Rego Imaginem to transfer her image and voice to an item she was supposed to leave behind when laying the trap.
"Yes, it certainly seems like the game he's playing has changed. I wonder if he's been demon-possessed? And why exactly was he so willing to pull that cave down around his own head, as well as the heads of his minions?"
(Theraphosa likes the word "minions." She says it with relish, every time.)
I don't think so, answers Isen
Such a demon would have to either penetrate Valerian's Parma, or his Covenant's Aegis. While still possible, this is not very probable.
The cave is more surprising. Yet, if he had a powerful enough* ward against Terram, or was able to cast The Leap of Homecoming, it would hold little danger to him.
I may be wrong, but I really think that he is mad with power, and cares about nothing but the realization of his goals
*He means with enough added magnitudes to give, say, +25 soak. This'd be lvl 45, without considering the duration
"Valerian is not normally incautious like this, it may be that Bilera has kept him effectively leashed and he chafes at this. I had expected to deal with agents of his, but not him directly. I expected to have his attention, but never have him attend to me so...directly, if that makes any sense."
She pauses, and ends the Rego Imaginem effects. "I don't suppose I could spend a few days here? I need to take some time to think about my next move. I don't know if Valerian is unleashed or if this is an act of insubordination, which I hope it is."
((This story has progressed about as far as I can take it at the present time... It's not over, but I have some other events to resolve themselves before I continue this story, and a number of those events have a degree of luck or player choice which will influence the rest of this story.))
"I think in the manse. A hot meal, a hot bath, a compliant grog, and a warm bed are something I would appreciate... All of those luxuries have been few and far between the last 5 years.
((Let's come back to this thread... Tranquillina may want to interrogate Tria a bit, too. She was not present at Tribunal, and had given her proxy to Maris.))
After a couple of days, when it seems that Tria will have had time to restore herself, Tranquillina will invite the visitor to her receiving room for lunch and conversation. She will certainly spare no expense (nor the servants' time) in presenting a luxurious spread for Tria. Tranquillina will not change her facial appearance (although she will sport a formal hairdo), but she will wear a distinctive outfit: a leather-hued dress adorned all over with the markings, contours, and annotations of a map, interrupted only by her Bonisagus fibula. As she passes through the door from her sanctum area to the receiving room, she decides to leave it open, as a silent half-invitation should Tria desire a tour.
"Welcome, sodalis," she greets Tria, with the usual self-consciousness of remembering not to display the same deference she did while Tria's apprentice. "I heard that you have had a harrowing few days. You were attacked by Valerian the Hoplite?"
"Yes. I a goodbye kiss, if you will. I have been busy in Rome lo these many years. I will, perhaps, moderate my excursions there over the next year. The next choice for Tenens will be more conventional in their approach, I'm sure."
Of course the decision would be mine to make! But I can see how this may be confusing and unclear to you, so I'll try to be more "Next round, I do this".
I feel so dumb for not understanding it 
