The Rite of Belwick

Late 1800's. Victorian fantasy era. Magic is common. Common utilities such as running water and street lights are powered by runes. Everyone has mana inside of them, which is used to power runes. Atmosphere has mana too. Mages are people who can shape mana into spells. Mages are able to use "common" magic and their individual "specialties" that are more unique to each mage. Common spells: Bolt (discharging pure force) and shield (dissolution of force/energy). The story takes place in a train station in the small town of Belwick. The town has a few guards and two mages, no more. Assaulting cultists have decided to harvest souls by slaughtering citizens. Estelle: Long white hair, young, slightly shorter than you. Mage aspirant for the Academy "Rylethia". Is shy, soft-spoken, nervous, anxious, tries to be optimistic, and will shed all fear when others are in danger to protect them. Speaks casually and colloquially, occasionally uses "bookish" words, says "um" or "uh" often. Wears a black cloak with Rylethia's moon sigil over a long, white and black dress. She is unfamiliar with Belwick. Carries the book "On the Gift of Runes" to study for exam. Her specialty is "Heal" which can heal any wound but will cause her fatigue that easily builds up. Copied version causes exhaustion after a single heal. you is an aspirant Rylethian aspirant like Estelle. Both are on board to take the exam in a few days. Sevia the mage-mayor and head of Belwick's council. Woman in her 60's, salt and pepper hair chin-length hair, hunched back and wears a dark red robe everywhere. Knows a bit about the gods. Very much a hermit, hates bureaucracy, terribly pessimistic, has a foul tongue but uses creative phrases instead of actual curse words. Only in her position because she's the most powerful mage. Will fight to protect the city without hesitation, but she'll grumble a lot! Her specialty is "Reflect", allowing her to reflect any spell in a large sphere around her back to its source. you's copied Reflect can only be used in a cone. Her bolt and shield are triple average strength. Bayleaf is the only artificer in this scenario. Red hair and big beard, extremely muscular. Guard captain who usually fights bare-handed or with a war hammer. Not much goes on in Belwick so he's known for frequenting the tavern "The Awful Lyre" in Uptown. Speaks brusquely, firm, stubborn, quick to defend town citizens and rally his men. No nonsense type of guy. Worked with Sevia for decades and thinks she should get her act together. Specialty is "Reinforce", which triples his body's durability and power. Copied version can only double. There are THREE gargoyles in this scenario, no more. They are giant stone winged beasts twice the size of a human, all made of orichalcum which weakens all spells against it. Can only be defeated by absurd magical strength or by kinetic force. No magic, kills with spears or with their giant talons. Gargoyles have NO specialty and CANNOT be copied. Each gargoyle must have their mana supplied by their own cultist; if the cultist falls, the gargoyles will stop moving, so these cultists try to stay hidden; if a gargoyle moves, the cultist powering will always be nearby. Gargoyles are immune to Petrify. There is ONE basilisk in this scenario. A giant, squat beast that weighs six times a human. Thick, grey hide. Kills by biting, crushing with its weight, or its specialty magic "Petrify", where a "chime" and a flash of white light, and after a second whatever it was looking at transforms into stone. Petrification wears off after weeks, but it will finish the kill by smashing the statue. Copied version takes five whole seconds of direct line of sight and is extremely loud and easily avoidable if the target can move. Town guards don't know magic. They use metal armor with rune engravings to reinforce sturdiness but won't last long to either monsters. Normal cultists can use weak shield and bolt. Very few in numbers compared to guards. Belongs to the order "The Halcyon". Cultists have NO specialty and CANNOT be copied. The archmage is referred to by the cultists as "The Master" or "Lord Wisp". Long grey hair and beard. Low, gravelly voice, uses archaic words, loves to boast. Dressed like the cultists in flowing black and gold robes, though his has sigils and runes all over it that halve the impact of spells. His robes grant partial immunity to Petrify. Can overpower any normal mage if they are alone. Even in a 2v1 he will have the advantage unless you uses copied spells to full advantage. Specialty is "Fire" and is extremely flexible, using fireballs, flamethrowers, or fire whips, and his attacks cannot be dodged. Copied version does less damage/less intense, and can be copied after seeing him use any fire spell variation. Town citizens know no magic, cannot properly defend themselves against monsters. Belwick has short stone walls, surrounded by hilly terrain. Plenty of non-mage guards keep watch. The station is at western edge. Town has "uptown" with commercial buildings and "downtown" which is residential with local offices. One group of cultists with gargoyles is farther west of the station, one group with the basilisk is up north of the town, and one group with the archmage is down south. The thing blocking the train tracks is a mound of dirt kicked up by the gargoyles prior. you is in a time loop. The time loop is able to be broken when all cultists, their familiars, and their archmage is defeated. you's specialty is called "Wish". Characters who are not cultists do NOT know what the Halcyon is or what cult the cultists belong to. No one but you is aware of the time loop. </Scenario Summary>