Header
Percept +24 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 210' emanation | Init +14 | AC 37, Touch 34, FF 26 +5 dodge when moving | DR6/- | CMD 41 | Fort + 18 Ref +23 Will +22, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 8 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit_Trip_SF_TP_Ki__MP
Left..|..012........00........7........3........2…....05…….3…….11....03
Max.|..08........36........7........5........3........10........3........21 ....11
134/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
”Why not allow Mrs. Myrna or Ehren-Kuhn to watch your with magic, and then Shadowhare-san to teleport to that same location? It would take at most one hour. We would only need a place for us to rest over there, if any one of us still has magic to do so. “
Glancing at Sana, Hinagiku adds:
"If you still have enough power left, maybe you could even carry us like you did when we left the cave earlier today."
"If we do it today, I could probably carry about five people with me for the teleportation... and if someone was willing, I could also ride along with someone else. We've got 9 people, right? If I get five and pull myself out, we can get it down to three. That'd be the last of my magic for the day... and we'd have to rest in Storasta. Or I can just do it tomorrow and have a little rougher of a start." Sana responds.
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Myrna crosses her arms, her gaze turning to something like a glare as she fixes it on Sana. "Is paranoia a personality trait of all spies?" she asks. "You better step back and examine yourself before you levy these kinds of accusations on someone, because you're sounding an awful lot like a Fourth Crusade inquisitor here. All this, based on no evidence, laid on the back of a refugee."
Myrna was from around here, it was true, but Sana's claim that she was some kind of "home town hero" who was owed the admiration of the townsfolk, or that it was sabotage that was preventing Gundrun from advancing, or that the Splinter went without repairs simply because no one bothered frustrated her. It took responsibility off of the backs of people who deserved it, and funneled all of it onto a stranger, based on what?
"First of all, you don't know this girl. You just think her name sounds like someone's name you know. Second of all, people around here are entitled to think whatever they like about me. None of them owe me anything. I did leave them here, to go work with the people that they hate, the people who hate and fear them."
"Thirdly, Gundrun is in a tough spot, and it's led by a coward. The whole reason I left in the first place. Martolls refuses to try much in the way of offensives, and honestly, after my years as a Crusader, I can't much blame him. People die just from trying to walk the Wound. Imagine being here, this town, the people, surrounded on all sides by evil, and knowing that you had to lift with your back just to survive. Imagining that this one woman is responsible for their lack of progress takes responsibility off of the demons, off of circumstance, and off of the Clan-Liege."
With a final, "feh", turns up her chin. Changing the subject, she turns to ask Alase a question. It seems they were debating on their best approach to Storasta. "I think whether we leave now and rest in that Blackfyre trinket's resting space or leave tomorrow depends on where you'll be taking us, Alase. What's the spot you have picked out?"
Alase shrugs. "There's a couple of ruined homes near Riverkeep that I can visualize pretty well. Had to hide out there one time. They’re off the main road and there’d be cover, but that doesn’t mean they’re totally empty or anything you'd call "safe". If we go there, we’ll have to be on our guard."
She exhales and folds her arms. "I wouldn’t recommend staying the night in Storasta if we can help it. So, are we leaving now, or in the morning?"
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Sana cracks her neck slowly, and returns the stare. "I'm glad you listened to half of what I said. I made it damn well clear that I didn't know anything for certain and that it was conjecture. I never once suggested we attack her, and in fact argued against it as a possibility. I did my job, which is to assess possible threats, and shared them when I saw them. Gods, clean the horn wax out of your ears." she says with a huff.
"And actually, yes. Maybe to you, it would seem like it's impossible for one woman to be responsible for keeping an entire city down. Even if she didn't have all those tools to leverage. But I can tell you with certainty, that people with a lot less power can absolutely destroy everyone and everything around them. I've seen it. But whatever, it's your town that's at risk that you're not even willing to add anything constructive to the conversation of. Either way, I'll get to say I told you so." she says, scathingly.
A few minutes ago, she had been considering Myrna as the best person to ride along with... given the fact that she always had protection from evil, it would make her feel safer about the ride-along... if Sana could possess her, it would prove she wasn't evil, after all. But now, she didn't even want to be in the same country. This woman argued with everyone around her and her little homecoming had shattered Sana's perspective of her. This woman was no Ary, perhaps her opposite even... and she couldn't help but feel disappointed and angry in the absence of her hero amongst the Heroes. Maybe if Myrna had been the one to stand up and take charge here, Gundrun could have overcome its doom, but... for want of a horseshoe nail, and all that.
"Just let me know if you want me to absorb people and if someone's willing to let me do a ride-a-long." she says, grinding her teeth.
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Ehren has to suppress a grimace as his companions argue, debating whether mediation is necessary. He had not anticipated this much friction in the group, but then again, the numerous fellowships he's been in were always at least a little dysfunctional. Perhaps that was just an inevitability of having Kellids, crusaders, and quasi-demon time travelers in the same group. When the conflict seems to die without intervention, the archdruid paves onward, leaving as little room for fruitless discussion as possible.
"We should depart in the morning, then," he suggests, tapping his staff against the ground. "Unafe mentioned wanting to check the shops in Gundrun, yes? We can teleport to Storasta immediately after that. That way, we won't have to spend the night there, and we would still make it far sooner than we would on horseback."
Alase stretches, rubbing her eyes. "Alright, I’ll get ready for a couple of hours and then grab some shut-eye. No sense walking into the Wound half-asleep." She glances at the others. "When do you want to meet me?"
Yui folds her arms, tilting her head slightly. "I won’t be ready until at least four hours after sunrise, given how late I recovered my magic earlier today."
Alase nods at that. "Fine. Then where should I meet you all when you're ready to leave?"
Unafe shakes her head.
"Wait, Archdruid. If we have to wait for other reasons to delay I may buy a shield, but I don't think looking for a shield should be a reason to wait. I still have fight in me, and am happy to leave right now. Let's get there before the Worm's minions!
"Yui, didn't you say we now have a magical means to securely hide for the night in some extra-dimensional mansion that noone else can answer? If so, I think we're better off going now, and making as much progress as we can before people absolutely need to rest."
Ehren gestures in concession, eager to come to some kind of consensus. "If we've the means to rest in Storasta at some point without risking detection, then I am not opposed to leaving immediately," he replies, his primary concern apparently addressed.
Header
Percept +24 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 210' emanation | Init +7 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +5 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 18 Ref +20 Will +22, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 5 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit_Trip_SF_TP_Ki__MP
Left..|..012........00........7........3........2…....05…….3…….11....03
Max.|..08........36........7........5........3........10........3........21 ....11
134/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Hinagiku’s ears flatten as understanding dawns on her.
”That is what Shadowhare-san meant when she explained what the necklace did.“ Hinagiku says as Unafe’s words seem to spark some insight in her.
”I believe we should leave now then, as long as where we teleport is hidden enough, we should be able to enter the necklace safely.” Hinagiku continues, showing some remnants of misunderstanding of the item’s magic.
Yui turns to Unafe. "You're thinking of the necklace, right? Yes. We can use it once we’re somewhere safe, but the problem is getting there unseen. If we teleport in and the area isn’t clear, we may not have time to enter it without being noticed. Still, if we’re careful, it’s an option."
Alase glances at them, considering. "Alright, then. Let's see what we're actually working with here."
Yui opens the right compartment of her handy haversack and takes out a scroll case. She opens the scroll case and takes out one of the scrolls, handing it to Alase. Alase opens it and reads it, her eyes scanning the words carefully before letting out a low sigh.
"I was right," she says. "I can only take three people with me. And there are nine of us here."
Myrna gives a little uncomfortable chuckle. "Yeah, with so many long distances to travel, we usually work out something... we normally cram people into our bags of holding, but as fate would have it, the bags are full of treasure just now."
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Given enough time to cool off, Sana is left to wonder whether it's worse to let someone else get the last word... or to be the one who went too far, but stays quiet for a bit, nonetheless. When the consensus is reached, she finally speaks up.
"Alright... I can drop that by four with my magic, but then we have a choice. Three options: I spend the last of my magic to grab one more person instead of getting some defenses up, someone needs to be in a bag of holding... which probably shouldn't be me, since I'll be able to unload everyone much more safely if I'm out... or I'm going to need to uh... possess someone." she says, as she reaches into her belt pouch, producing a potion of protection from evil.
"This is a potion of protection from evil, in case folks don't trust me enough for that. It's... not something I like to do, and I'd honestly rather someone be in the bag, but that's less safe for them. I won't take control of your body, you'll be in total control the whole time, and it'll kinda-sorta be hell for me... but as long as we do it and immediately teleport so I can hop back out, it shouldn't be too awful." she finishes, chewing on her lip again, with her too-sharp teeth.
"That all being said, as long as we can get the bag open on the other end of the teleport, I could also just ride in the bag... cause I can definitely get out as soon as it's open. If there's space."
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Unafe takes a long breath, and then makes a decision.
"I can tell from your actions that you're not evil. If it helps us teleport, I'm sure Goryon and I can make room for you in my body, for a minute.
"...And honestly, if you were tricking me and decided to overstay your welcome, I suspect Goryon could make that a very unpleasant choice," Unafe chuckles, "...but no, I'm a good judge of character and I trust you."
Then Unafe gets a dreamy, inward look on her face and addresses Goryon, << Goryon, rydym ar fin teleportio i Storasta, dinas sy'n orlawn o gythreuliaid a bodau ffiaidd eraill, er mwyn dod o hyd i Lexicon Paradox cyn i Vang allu. Roeddwn i eisiau eich rhybuddio - er mwyn cludo pob un ohonom - y bydd fy nghynghreiriad Anna yn fy meddiant yn fyr. Ni fydd yn para'n hir, ond nid wyf am eich synnu. >>
Sana pauses as she looks to Unafe and tilts her head slightly to the side in acknowledgement. She was incredibly gullible... or was certain of her ability to read people. At least someone had volunteered directly, making the choice a bit easier.
After brief further discussion and a suggestion from Yui to leave those most capable of hiding outside of her pocket dimension, Sana begins the process of drawing her allies into her parasol once more. One by one, they become two dimensional sketches that then get absorbed into her parasol. With the last of her magic, she calls on the reminder of Ary, renewing the protection she'd been granted previously.
There is a long pause before Goryon responds, her voice carrying the deep, resonant timbre of age and wisdom.
"Rwy'n deall, Unafe. Ac os mai dyma sy’n ofynnol, felly bydded. Ond byddwch yn wyliadwrus—mae’r math hwn o hud yn annaturiol, hyd yn oed os caiff ei ddefnyddio gan gynghreiriad. Byddaf yn gwylio, ac os bydd unrhyw arwydd o frad, ni fyddaf yn petruso i weithredu."
"I understand, Unafe. If this is what is required, then so be it. But be wary—this kind of magic is unnatural, even if wielded by an ally. I will be watching, and if there is any sign of treachery, I will not hesitate to act."
"Rwy’n amau y bydd yn fwy anghyfforddus iddi hi nag i ni, beth bynnag."
"I suspect it will be more uncomfortable for her than for us, in any case."
Sana focuses, shifting her essence forward, preparing to possess Unafe. The sensation is unpleasant—like stretching into a shape that isn’t her own, pressing into a body that she doesn’t belong in. It takes effort not to recoil from it entirely. A faint, ghostly shimmer surrounds Sana as physical form becomes immaterial. There is a moment of resistance—of two forces brushing against each other uncomfortably—before Sana fully settles. For Unafe, it's a bizarre, weighty presence within her, like sharing space with something both real and spectral at the same time.
Rue, watching closely, exhales softly. "No problems? Great. Then let's move."
Alase, having finished reviewing the scroll, nods. "Alright then, teleporting now. Brace yourselves." She begins the incantation, and with a swirl of arcane energy, the world around them blurs and twists, pulling them toward their destination in Storasta.
As the spell completes, the air twists and bends, reality pulling them through a narrow gap between places. A moment later, the world around them solidifies, and they find themselves standing within the husk of an abandoned home in Storasta.
The building is long ruined—crumbling walls, half a collapsed roof, and shattered beams stretch out in the dim light. The scent of damp rot clings to the air, mingling with the ever-present acrid tang of the Worldwound’s corruption. Moss and twisted roots creep through the broken stonework, nature reclaiming the remnants of civilization in its slow, relentless grasp.
Alase straightens, exhaling sharply. "Looks like it’s empty. Good," she whispers and glances around, ensuring there are no immediate threats. "For now, anyway."
The home’s interior is sparse—faded remnants of furniture long since picked clean, broken wooden planks that once formed a door, and shattered windows exposing the ruined cityscape beyond. The sound of distant, unnatural howls echoes from somewhere deeper in Storasta, but here, at least for the moment, there is silence.
She dusts off her hands, eyes flicking between her companions. "What’s our next move? Riverkeep is down the road from here, maybe a ten minute walk."
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As Sana settles in, she forces herself to be stock-still, at least in soul and mind, she keeps herself retracted from controlling Unafe's body at all, trying to stay quiet at first. Each movement that Unafe makes, both conscious and unconscious sends signals to Sana that are not her own. She can't help but notice how effortlessly strong Unafe seems to be. "So strong..., Unafe hears at the back of her mind. "Shut it, Yui. Hurry, please.". The voices are both Sana's.
The sights and movements don't go on for very long, but it's still enough to remind her of another time. She braces herself within the alien feeling of someone else's body. "Like riding a carriage. Not like being possessed by a shadow demon and left with no control at all... at all."
As the spell finishes, Anna lingers for just long enough to see that the coast is clear... Unafe was faster than her in a flat-out run, so staying might save people's lives. As soon as it's clear there are no threats, she leaps out, kneeling on the ground. Her eyes are closed with hammer in both hands gripped. She pants, then forces her breath to slow, focuses on the feeling of being herself. After she steadies herself, allowing herself a brief moment, she asks the others, quietly. "Do we want to try to sneak there, or release folks here?"
Alase shifts her weight, arms crossing over her chest. She keeps her voice low. "Storasta is crawling with demons and worse. I think we had better be ready for a fight the moment we step out of here."
"Or, I could scout ahead, see what it looks like out there. Smaller group, less chance of detection," offers Rue.
"Alright, we'll go with your expertise." Sana responds quietly, Standing up to twirl the parasol, and release all of her allies at once. "You could still scout if you want though, Rue." Sana responds still quietly.
Some months ago, when Goryon finally awakened, Unafe had felt a disorienting crowdedness inside of her...but also a sense of 'rightness', as her Ancestor Heart was joined to her own.
Suddenly, in addition to an ancient dragon and a cloud of ancestors there was someone new inside of her. She could tell that Anna was hesitant, trying not to exert any control. There was an odd echo in her muscles as she walked, but otherwise one more voice in her head was hardly anything new.
When Anna released herself from inside Unafe, she reached down to offer her a hand up. "Are you OK?", she chuckles. "I should have warned you it's always a bit crowded inside me. You see why I was more worries about what Goryon might do to you than what you might do to me.
"Here, let me help you up."
Once Anna is back on her feet, Unafe turns to Alase. "The three of us are all good at stalking quietly, as I trust you are. I wonder if we should keep our noisier companions contains until we've made it a bit further in. What do you say? If there is trouble we'd want Anna to release them immediately so that we can fight as one."
Myrna somewhat appreciates the time in the void, certainly more than the first time. Being absent time, awareness, or responsibilities is freeing. The feeling dissipates as soon as she is released, though, and she blinks at their surroundings.
There wasn't much to see, just some ruined buildings. She longed to see some of Storasta's landmarks. She knew that the treant was dangerous now, but she still desired to meet Carrock, as well. She crouched in the ruins with her companions as they discussed what to do.
"You say it's a ten-minute walk to Riverkeep? That was where Vang's minions were headed for first, yeah? I don't think it's wise to try and conquer Riverkeep tonight, and here is as safe as anywhere."
"I agree that taking a look is a good idea. We can summon the mansion, and I can attempt to scry Vang again from inside. Meanwhile, our scouts can go to Riverkeep and take a quick look at what we'll be dealing with there? We can convene in the mansion afterwards and prepare for tomorrow."
Rue steps forward, offering Alase a firm nod. "Clan-Liege Widowknife. I've heard about you and your skills. It'll be good to see them firsthand. My name is Rue, a humble follower of Desna."
Alase smirks, crossing her arms. "Oh, it's nothing, I'll just be leading you on a stroll through hell."
Rue chuckles, adjusting the grip on her starknife. "I've had worse."
Alase exhales, glancing toward the others before producing a small piece of gum arabic from her belt. "Alright. The Keep isn’t far, but we don’t want to be seen getting there. I'll cast invisibility on myself and Rue. Rue, you’ll have to follow my lead. Stick close, and if we get separated, remember the path: east past the ruined watchtower, keep the cracked menhir on your left, and Riverkeep should come into view before long."
Arueshalae steps forward, giving a silent nod of acknowledgment before vanishing as Alase completes the spell. A shimmer in the air marks where Alase disappears next.
"Try to keep up," Alase’s voice drifts through the air before fading into silence.
Once they have left, Yui turns to the others. "Should we use the necklace here and now, or should we wait for them to return?"
"It's not you... it's me." Sana says, taking the offered hand, as she looks up to Unafe. She huffs as she pulls herself up between Unafe and her parasol.
* * *
Sana watches and listens until the pair are out of literal sight for her, then responds to Yui.
"That depends. Will you be able to mark them as allowed to enter without them being here?" Sana asks quietly, "And how easy will it be for them to find the way in when they come back if we go inside?"
She pauses for a moment after asking for clarification of how things would work, "Also, separately, tomorrow I'll be able to change up what magic or weapon tricks I can do... so we should decide on a role for me to fill before we rest... or I can pick something on the fly, but that almost always goes poorly."
"At the moment, my parasol is what lets me absorb people, store minor objects, and enchant weapons with light... while Opal has what feels... kind of redundant. I can feel a lot of the magic tricks I put inside of her flowing inside of me. I think ideally I should change up Opal's magic." she pauses to let the concept sink in with the others before continuing.
"There are two main routes I think would be valuable here: Illusion magic to cover our movement and make it harder to detect us, or Life magic to allow us to endure for longer throughout the day. I feel like we need access to both, but I'd need a lot of downtime to change both... so that would be an overmorrow thing. Also, I could just be more fight-y if that's what we think we need."
Header
Percept +24 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 210' emanation | Init +7 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +5 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 18 Ref +20 Will +22, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 5 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit_Trip_SF_TP_Ki__MP
Left..|..05........00........7........3........2…....05…….3…….11....03
Max.|..05........21........7........5........3........10........3........21 ....11
134/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Hinagiku ponders Yui’s question for a moment, her one good eye looking around to make sure they are not spied on or heard.
”Since Mrs. Anna can let us teleport to her, I guess we could do our best to hide here and teleport to another safe spot closer to Riverkeep if needed. Then, even if we are spotted here, we can move somewhere else without anyone able to spot us. If no one spots us, then we can open the portal once they come back. Otherwise, I am concerned they might not be able to find it.” Hinagiku whispers.
Once she is done speaking, Hinagiku does her best to hide and gives a few pointers to help the others do so as well.
Yui nods slightly, considering the mechanics of the magic. "Yes, I can designate them as permitted to enter. But once we go inside, the entrance will be difficult to spot. If they’re not right on top of it, they might not find it again."
Beatrix exhales, thinking it over. "So you’d need to stay outside until they return?"
"That would be safest," Yui confirms. She acknowledges Myrna and Hinagiku with a nod. “I’ll summon the mansion, then,” she says. “Myrna, you can go inside and begin scrying on Vang while we wait.”
At Hinagiku's prompting, Yui and Ehren slip into cover, keeping out of sight from the ruined city outside. Beatrix exchanges a glance with Yui before the nogitsune reaches into her haversack, pulling out the Necklace of Arcane Haven. She unclasps her Torc of Innocuous Gems, setting it aside before fastening the necklace she had looted from Jerribeth's nightstand around her throat.
The moment it clicks into place, the chain tightens.
Yui jerks, her fingers flying to her throat as the necklace constricts. A choking sound escapes her lips as she struggles to pry it off, but the magic grips tight, squeezing her windpipe shut. Her vision swims.
Header
Percept +24 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 210' emanation | Init +7 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +5 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 18 Ref +20 Will +22, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 5 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit_Trip_SF_TP_Ki__MP
Left..|..05........00........7........3........2…....05…….3…….11....03
Max.|..05........21........7........5........3........10........3........21 ....11
134/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Much too aware that they are in the middle of enemy territory, Hinagiku does not even muffle a gasp as she witnesses the necklace tighten around Yui’s neck. She motions to the other for health as she furtively close the gap between herself and the nogitsune. There, she attempts to grasp the necklace and loosen it.
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Sana is slinking back into the shadows with the others when Yui puts the necklace on, only at the sound does Sana realize what's going on. She dives forward, trying to get her claws and Opal between Yui and the necklace, but pulls her hands back when she sees Hinagiku trying to help. She instead focuses on the necklace, trying to glean any information she can on it while trying to think of solutions. "Uh... dispel magic? Teleportation magic? Turning into mist? Turning her into a rock?" she suggests rapidly. "Squirrel!?"
Myrna is just about ready to head into the mansion and scry for Vang when the necklace's curse effect becomes clear. Her eyes widened with surprise and concern, Myrna moves to Yui's side and grasps at the necklace of strangulation. She summons her grandmothers' wisdom in an attempt to free Yui from the necklace. While it was unfortunate that their refuge was now a deadly trap, it was more important to free Yui from the grasp of the necklace.
She speaks arcane words of freedom and liberation, and her hands glow with a purplish light. She grasps onto the necklace, and the purplish light spreads from her onto the necklace. As soon as it begins to loosen, she pulls it from Yui's neck and casts it to the ground.
Unafe gasps as Yui is strangled by the necklace.
She stands ready to try to rip it apart it if Myrna's ancestral magic fails.
The magic of Myrna's ancestors fights the enchantment, unraveling it thread by thread. With one final surge of light, the necklace loosens, and she rips it away from Yui’s throat, casting it to the ground.
As the cursed item clatters to the floor, Beatrix exhales sharply, blade in hand, ready to destroy it should it show any further signs of treachery. Yui gasps for breath, staggering back as the air floods back into her lungs. Ehren remains on high alert, keen for any sign that the enemy might have been alerted by the struggle. But for now, at least, the crisis has passed.
Myrna approaches the necklace and gingerly lifts it up between two of her meaty fingers. "Well, it looks like our plan to rest isn't going to pan out," she mutters, before looking to Yui. "Are you alright?" she asks.
Then, appraising the situation around them, she adds, "What do we say to advancing on Riverkeep as a team? I bet we can win ourselves a nice place to rest inside the castle, if we fight good and we don't make any huge fireworks."
"Wow, Myrna, thank the Ancestors that you were able to save her."
As Yui recovers her breath, Unafe asks, "Let us know if you need anything."
At Myrna's suggestion, Unafe sighs and then nods. "Yeah, I guess that magic shelter was too good to be true. Seems like we're going to be resting here the old fashioned way. If you all are up for it, advancing makes sense...though I'm still happy to have a few of us investigate stealthily first. We'll get our share of fighting tonight no matter what. Might as well skip any early fights we can avoid."
Ehren sighs with relief when Myrna's quick thinking saves Yui's life from the insidious necklace. He peers at the magic item suspiciously, wondering whether the curse was laid as a deliberate trap or wrought from a failed attempt to create such a potent tool. Judging by where it was found, however, he is more than willing to bet on the former.
"Unless we have any alternatives to the mansion, perhaps moving onward would be in our best interest," Ehren agrees, wary of their surroundings.
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Header
Percept +24 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 210' emanation | Init +7 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +5 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 18 Ref +20 Will +22, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 5 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit_Trip_SF_TP_Ki__MP
Left..|..05........00........7........3........2…....05…….3…….11....03
Max.|..05........21........7........5........3........10........3........21 ....11
134/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
A hand on Yui’s shoulder, Hinagiku whispers to the mortal usher:
”Are you alright?”
As the others begin to speak, Hinagiku turns to them, motioning for them to remain silent; there was not telling what demon was lurking nearby and might hear their conversation.
”It sems we don’t have much choice. Our only ways to get to safety are now the other scroll and Yui-san’s magic. Maybe with luck we can find somewhere safe within the keep. I don’t think investigating the keep would be unwise in this situation, but we will need to keep together once we regroup. Mrs. Anna, can you and amber allow us to return to Mrs. Arueshalae and Clan-Liege Brinze-Widowknife side once they reach the keep?”
As she whispers, Hinagiku returns to her hiding place within the ruins.
Sana continues to stare down the necklace even as it's torn off and thrown down... but ultimately is unable to make out its aura. She sighs with frustration, and turns her focus towards outer threats... and hiding holes.
"I don't know how to know when they get there, to be honest." Sana responds quietly. "We have that cube thing... but I get the feeling that's not subtle."
Beatrix folds her arms and glances between the others. "Alright, it seems we’re all in agreement...this isn’t a safe place to rest. So, what’s our move?" She exhales, then asks, "Do we push forward to Riverkeep as a group now, or do we wait for Rue and Alase to return first?"
Header
Percept +24 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 210' emanation | Init +7 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +5 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 18 Ref +20 Will +22, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 5 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit_Trip_SF_TP_Ki__MP
Left..|..05........00........7........3........2…....05…….3…….11....03
Max.|..05........21........7........5........3........10........3........21 ....11
134/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
”I thought you were going to scout with Mrs. Arueshalae and clan-liege Brinz-Widowknife before the necklace thing. You could still catch up with them, no? If so, I think the noisier of us should remain here.”
Anyone wanting to stealth close to Hinagiku, feel free to roll and aid roll. They can only fail on a 1 and give +6 stealth.
"Uh... sure, I can catch up if we want me to. Probably. And it's probably safer than them going the full distance twice." Sana responds quietly. "And do we want to just move on riverkeep and hope for a safe spot to rest there?"
"Is anyone willing and able to turn me invisible, or do I just do it the old fashioned way?" she asks from the shadows.
Yui coughs lightly, rubbing at her neck where the necklace had constricted her. Her voice is hoarse. "I'll live. That thing just had a stronger grip than I expected." She forces a smirk, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Guess I should be more careful, it did seem a little too good to be true that Jerribeth would just leave something like that lying around."
Yui then steps forward, her voice soft. "I can take care of that," she says, channeling her nogitsune magic before pressing her hand lightly to Sana’s shoulder. The magic shimmers briefly, then fades, rendering her unseen to the naked eye.
Sana nods invisibly as no one replies, deciding to opt into bringing them to Riverkeep if she could get there safely. "Thanks, Yui. Same thing as before... if Amber moves, that means to come to me." she whispers.
The mote suddenly appears in the air, having flown out of Anna's clothing, and she sends it down into a pile of rubble to hide its light from the outside as best she can.
She then slips out into the streets, following the path that had been mentioned before the pair left: east past the ruined watchtower, keep the cracked menhir on her left.
The streets of Storasta at night are eerily silent, save for the rustling of the corrupted greenery that has overtaken the ruined city. Twisted vines and oversized, bulbous plants pulse with an unnatural glow, stretching out from cracked stone and broken pavement. Human skeletons protrude from the churned earth, grim reminders of the horrors that had unfolded here long ago.
Overhead, demons patrol the skies, their dark forms barely visible against the night sky. Fortunately, they remain high above, unaware of the Sana moving through the city below.
Dominating the skyline of Storasta, rising to twice the height of the hill-keep of Stormont Isle, is the massive edifice known as Carrock’s How to the northwest. It looms over the city, its structure almost alive—still-living trees, tangled roots, and cascading vines weave together with slabs of rock, forming a monolithic entity radiating Abyssal energy. It provides an easy landmark for Sana to orient herself from.
The streets grow denser with corrupted vegetation, forcing Sana to weave her way through the thick undergrowth, avoiding areas where the flora twitches and shifts unnaturally. Eventually, she arrives at Riverkeep, a ruined fortress nestled between the eastern wall and the West Sellen River. The fortress stands in ragged defiance against the decay around it, its walls battered but holding.
The streets remain empty, an unsettling contrast to the oppressive weight that seems to lurk in the air. But Sana, with her ability to perceive the unseen, spots movement ahead—Rue and Alase crouched near the entrance, peering into the darkness within.
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Sana only approaches towards the entrance close enough for Rue to hear her telepathically. "They sent me to try to find a place to bring us. Turns out the kinky torture demon's nightstand necklace was a kinky torture necklace... not a secret hideaway. Yui's fine, Myrna got it off. But uh... the creepy kinky torture dungeon I was expecting us to sleep in is off the table now. Coming up on you now." Sana waits for a moment, looking at the surroundings to check for any good hidey-holes near the keep in case the interior was unsafe.
Sana begins moving towards her allies at the entrance after doing her brief survey of the area around them.
Sana's gaze narrows on potential hiding spots: a crumbling wall with a deep recess behind it, partially concealed by overgrown vines; the hollowed-out remains of an old supply cart, its skeletal frame now a potential refuge; a collapsed portion of the keep’s outer wall that could serve as both cover and an escape route. If the interior proved unsafe, they would have options to fall back to.
Rue’s voice flickers into Sana's mind, laced with dry amusement. "Well, that's not.... unexpected. You had me at 'kinky torture demon's nightstand.' Glad Yui’s still breathing. I take it you're not bringing good news, then?" There is a pause before she adds, "If that place is a no-go, then maybe Riverkeep works."
Sana reaches the entrance and peers inside. Darkness fills the space beyond, thick and untouched, save for faint disturbances in the dust. The abandoned ruin is just as expected—collapsed beams, scattered debris, the scent of old stone and decay. But something catches her eye: footprints. They are recent, booted, and not yet softened by time. Someone has been here, recently.
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"Entrance is probably cleared out as well... from the looks of it, there have been visitors. If we're careful, we can avoid disturbing them for someone better at tracking to look into." Sana responds before floating just above the pair. "A clever mage might have an alarm set back here." Sana says as she looks over the entrance, looking for any kind of magic.
If she doesn't detect anything, she'll fly the rest of the way in, "But these aren't clever mages."
"I'll take a quick look, and let you know if the entrance is mostly clear..." she sends as she begins to scope out the innards of the building from a few feet above the ground, floating ahead until the first choice needed to be made on where to go... or until she caught sight of possible enemies.
Finding no evidence of magical traps, Sana glides forward soundlessly, merging with the darkness inside. The interior yawns open before her, dust thick in the air, undisturbed save for the tracks that hint at recent movement. She scans the area, noting collapsed beams and scattered debris, the once-great structure now little more than a skeleton of its former self.
The air inside is heavy with age and neglect, the faint scent of rot clinging to the stone walls. Sana’s eyes flick between the remnants of old furniture, collapsed staircases, and gaping holes in the ceiling. The footprints she spotted outside continue in a careful but deliberate pattern, leading further into the fortress. She presses forward, following the footprints cautiously, prepared for whatever waits in the dim corridors beyond.
The footprints lead through what was once the servants' quarters—small, cramped spaces filled with broken furniture and rotting wooden partitions. The walls are thick with moisture, and creeping vines have slithered their way inside, coiling like grasping fingers against the crumbling stone.
The footprints wind down a narrow staircase, descending into what appears to be an old wine cellar. The wooden racks that once held bottles have mostly collapsed, their contents shattered across the floor, leaving dark, dried stains. The air here is colder, more still, but something is wrong.
The footprints suddenly fade, becoming harder to discern in the dust. But there is something else—puddles of bright red blood splattered across the floor, along with a few human bones. Sana knows that there probably isn't much time left on the illusion magic that Yui had used on her.
Sana slips back towards the entrance, sending to Rue as she does, "Front entry is kind of clear. Signs of a fight or danger near the stairs. Mages seem to have walked straight in. I'm going to pull our allies in when we group back up."
Sana moves to find a clear space with limited rubble in the largest room, and if the coast seems clear, she'll command Amber to move 5 feet towards her back in the original building.
Rue’s response comes almost immediately. "Understood. We’ll stay put until you give the signal. If the Adepts strolled in like they own the place, either they're reckless, or they know something we don't. Either way, let's not be the ones caught off guard."
Sana scans the surroundings, ensuring no threats lurk in the shadows. Her eyes catch the smallest things—a flicker of movement coming from the vines growing in the walls, the remnants of old dried blood blending into the worn stone, a long-abandoned piece of armor half-buried in rubble. Her passage is no more than a breath through the ruined structure.
Reaching what appears to be the largest intact chamber, she pauses. The space is relatively clear, with only a few scattered remains of broken furniture and debris. Here, the stone walls and ceiling still hold firm, providing a measure of shelter. It is an ideal point for regrouping.
After several minutes of waiting, Amber suddenly shifts five feet.
Header
Percept +24 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 210' emanation | Init +7 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +5 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 18 Ref +20 Will +22, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 5 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit_Trip_SF_TP_Ki__MP
Left..|..05........00........7........3........2…....05…….3…….11....03
Max.|..05........21........7........5........3........10........3........21 ....11
134/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Hinagiku had laid in wait, senses sharpened, while their reconnaissance team was scouting the keep. They were all quite capable, so she had little concern about their safety. All she had to do was wait for the little flammy wisp Sana had left to move. When it does, Hinagiku readies herself to reach within it and let it take her to the other’s side.
”Ready when you all are.“ she says, not wanting to leave anyone behind.
As she arrive into the keep, Hinagiku quickly falls into a fighting stance while her senses, both mundane and mystical, search for any form of danger in the room.