GM supervillan's 5-09 Traitor's Lodge (Band of Foxes) (Inactive)

Game Master supervillan

Itami finishes coming down the stairs, the world in slow motion. Just like that, the demon is gone and Onna is dead. I must be strong for my family. I've suppressed my pain before, doing it again for them is nothing. Perhaps even this kind of pain pleases the Dark Prince?

Steeling himself, he puts a steady hand on Hiiragi's shoulder. For a while he says nothing, then he hugs her.

"I will help you carry her out," he offers quietly. "She deserves a more fitting place to rest than here." I was too slow. If I was faster, that would have been my old bones instead of Onna's young spirit.
________
Feels bad y'all. F*+&.

Toshi steels herself, removes her hat and moves to assist Itami with the retrieval of Onna's body.

Onna's remains are returned to the ruined chamber above the lab.

As you try to make sense of what happened you briefly glimpse the phantom of a large, bull headed creature across the room. It doesn't seem to have noticed you, but you're clearly not safe yet.

Kenta recovers consciousness thanks to Itami's wand.

You run back to the archive where you first met Valais - carrying her and Onna with you.

OK, what are you doing with Valais?

Itami nudges Valais with his foot. "I say we turn her over to the Society and let them figure it out. If she's out cold, like this, she can't resist," he suggests.
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Heal up as best as we can (Infernal Healing for whoever wants it), move Valais to a safe place, then deal with, what hopefully isn't, a ghost minotaur.

You've no actual need to deal with the ghost minotaur. You can just leave with the unconscious Valais if you wish.

Hiiragi is... quiet, mostly. She’s going to be useless for decision-making for the time being.

Theoretically, if we do want to deal with the weird minotaur thing, we could always... come back for it?

Kenta twitches in his sleep as his body slowly mends. His mind is dragged into a weird dream/vision. Hanging from the long rope in a large warehouse in the dark. He can barely see other shapes near him, but can't quite make them out. Trying to move his hands, he realizes he is tied quite securely. Looking down he sees the glint of metal jammped into his shaved arm. His eyes go wide as the sight of his blood being slowly drained. He goes to release a scream and gasps awake.

Sitting up slowly and alone he tries to recall where the hell... yes this feels like hell. His skin reeks of brimstone. Trying to spit the taste out of his mouth he slowly stands and reaches for his sword. Nothing there. Pulling out a smaller weapon from his waist, he looks around and things start falling into place. A heavily injured Valais lays nearby and he sees the stairwell they went down... yesterday?

Then he hears it, the wailing for Daikitsu from below. Rushing to the stairs he sprints down them two at a time. The scene below is gruesome. Hiiragi cradling the body of a fox, head mangled beyond recognition. He glances as Toshiko and Itami standing quietly and puts it together.

Walking next to Hiiragi he simply puts his paw on her shoulder and then growls, "Where is it? Where is the thing that did this to her?" He moves over and picks up his greatsword and points it at the other pieces of bodies in the room, "Was it them? Did they escape retribution by dying?"

______________________

Later

"Let us get out of this hellscape. Maybe... maybe the society will see our value and be willing to bring her back?"

”Gone,” whispers Hiiragi in a ragged breath.

——————————-

Hiiragi’s fingers tighten around Oman’s shoulder.

”If they do not see her value, I will make them see,” she chokes.

This is weird. A little like attending one's own funeral.

Might as well pull up a chair :P

"We've done enough here. Let's get back to the Lodge," Itami suggests. No sense in approaching the ghost if it'll leave us be. There is much to do for Onna. Putting his equipment away, he grabs hold of his sleeve and wipes Onna's face clean, then moves her hair out of her face.

"Valais will need to be carried as well. Kenta?"
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Seems safe to say that our collective priority is convincing the Lodge to raise/restore our friend, so I say we just leave the ghost to do ghost things (though do share in the discussion thread what we missed! :D). Itami won't stop anyone from healing Valais, but he's never considered her less than an unstable liability, so he has every intention of letting the Lodge sort her out.

If everyone is on board with heading for debriefing, I'll move us along this evening (12 hours or so from now). I'll certainly fill in some of the gaps for you in Discussion afterwards.

Itami won't stop anyone from healing Valais, but he's never considered her less than an unstable liability, so he has every intention of letting the Lodge sort her out.

Used up all my daily heals elsewhere... but if Valais was within 30 feet she should be feeling better than she has in a while.

Kenta slings the body of the hybrid demon/human with a heart of gold over his shoulder. Her steady breathing comforts him that she isn't dead so that hopefully she will be able to someday atone for her cowardice.

"If she had stood with us, we could have killed that thing that did this. Instead she fled and forced us to fall back in chaos. She may call herself a venture captain, but those are not the actions of one."

Going to say that Valais is out of the range of Hiiragi's channels upstairs when they are used; this actually makes it a bit easier, because otherwise she has to be asked/persuaded to come back to the society. She's concerned about all those crusaders on the streets reacting badly to her appearance. Being unconscious and over a paladin's shoulder solves that problem though :)

Deciding to leave the ghostly apparition well alone, you return to Starrise Spire. Fellow Pathfinders react with shock at Valais' appearance - some of them knew her before her transformation - but they are glad to have her back. Some volunteer to help nurse her back to health.

Others commiserate with you over Onna's sacrifice. A crusader-pathfinder applies a Gentle Repose spell, whilst runners inform the the higher-ups in your factions in case favours should need exchanging. ie Prestige expenditure.

A few days later, Venture Captain Jorsal returns to Starrise Spire and asks for your report. When you attend him, Valais is also there. She is still the worse for wear, but is well on the way to physical recovery, if not mental.

Jorsal goes over the the evidence that you recovered. "It's as bad as we suspected. Thurl is a traitor to the Society. His knowledge of Jormundun predates our own by several years. Even worse though is his association with fiends, and what he did to Valais."

"We will flay him alive I am grateful for your help, Pathfinders. Though I don't know how I shall live like this, I would be dead if not for you, and the sacrifice of your comrade Onna."

"We will do everything in our power to restore you, Valais" Jorsal interjects.

"Thank you. And my apologies for posing as a Venture Captain. It helped me make sense of my situation down in Thurl's lab. THE MEWLING KITTEN WILL PAY."

"I am sorry for the loss of your comrade." Jorsal adds. "There are, of course, a number of crusader priests within our ranks... but they are in high demand. Still, if you have sufficient pull and can provide the necessary diamond component, I'm sure Onna could be raised. If that's what she'd want."

Valais Durant goes into hiding at Starrise Spire whilst she and others research possible remedies for her condition, and Jorsal of Lauterbury sets about making urgent reports to the Decemvirate regarding Thurl's treachery...

You've achieved a full success - but had you not returned Valais alive to the Lodge the mission would have been a failure; more details in Discussion thread shortly.

Hiiragi spends those days exerting her influence.

As a priestess of Daikitsu, she entreats her fellow clergy—of her god and others—to pull strings for her; she entreats her disciples to pray. As she enters discussions with Society officials, she takes careful note of their appearances and mannerisms; when her way is blocked by simple permission, that Venture Captain or Master of Scrolls or bureaucrat finds themselves conveniently at hand to give a few words of approval while Hiiragi is elsewhere.

What’s more, she empties her purse into the skulk’s collection plate.

Her usual Kitsune makeup is not reapplied each morning as usual, but is left where it is; the paint has run and thinned in streaks beneath her eyes, and smudges over the days between Onna’s passing and the debriefing.

Itami fronts some of the early gold for the diamond required to restore Onna's soul to her body. Afterwards, he is only seen fleetingly and usually in the company of dark priests.

On the day when Onna is to return from her vacation to the Boneyard, he limps determinedly into the room. From the way he holds his back, it is clear it is tender too. He is followed by a woman wrapped in dark grey robes. From what little you see of her face, she is covered in piercings and hair has been completely shaved from her head.

Making sure his usual head bandage conceals his eye, he gives each of you a weak smile and waits for the restoration of life to begin.

A few days after your debriefing, you gather in an anonymous chapel in Starrise Spire, various retained clergy in tow.

Using the large diamond purchased with a combination of your gold and influence, a crusader-priest calls Onna back from the Boneyard.

As the miraculous magic repairs Onna's broken body, you see that it is not Onna's face. For a brief moment you wonder if somebody switched the body, but then you remember that Onna, like Hiiragi, can take the appearance of humans that she has met. The face is almost familiar, but not quite. For it is the face of Valais Durant before her ordeal at the hands of Thurl.

As the spell completes Onna draws breath once again.

The crusader steps back. "She will need to rest" he says, before he departs. Itami's companion steps forwards. She begins her own prayer, sprinkling diamond dust over Onna before your friend fully wakes.

"കുട്ടി, നിങ്ങളുടെ കഷ്ടത ഇതുവരെ അവസാനിച്ചിട്ടില്ല."

Then she too retreats, with a nod towards Itami.

Only one Restoration per week for removing negative levels - but the second one can be applied before this scenario is 'officially' complete.

Strictly, Realistic Likeness can only copy specific humans, per the Kitsune Change Shape ability. Valais is now a variant unfettered eidolon; but it seemed apt to allow the copy of her human form.

Ahem - I almost forgot. Some of you got worms.

In addition to seeing to Onna's return to the land of the living, Hiiragi, Onna and Toshiko have to deal with parasites. Spending a few days dead was enough to also kill off the parasites within Onna, but Hiiragi and Toshiko need to fight off the infection.

After six desperately uncomfortable hours of vomiting blood and abyssal worms up, both Hiiragi and Toshiko survive the infection and make full recoveries over the next few days.

The +4 is from having someone to hold our hair :P

Due to the earlier decision to retain her makeup until Onna’s return, Hiiragi’s face after mourning her AND vomiting is an utter wreck, actually.

”Onna!” gasps Hiiragi as her face is knitted back together—admittedly in Valais’s shape—and her chest begins to rise and fall again.

Tears drop from her face once more, but her smile makes it clear she is weeping with joy.

Toshiko spends a few days in convalescence, first ill, then in rest and recovery.

Sionnach Brummagem stood in a line that seemed infinitely long, yet she could not determine a feature of anyone immediately around her. Vague shapes of differing sizes were all moving forward at the same languid pace. Onna wasn’t sure why they all had to wait in line, but like the others, she just knew she had to get ‘there’.

None of the other kitsune were with her, but she thought of that as a good thing. She wasn’t sure why she thought that, but she was convinced the others were not supposed to be here yet. I miss them all.

Onna tried again to figure out how she arrived here, but it was just so fuzzy. In the end, how one got here didn’t really matter. Still, the bard remained curious. All she remembered was hearing Hiiragi call her name, and then six golden chimes. They had a lovely ring to them, pure. Filled with love. The cadence had been interesting as well. The first came, followed by a long pause as it resonated with hopeful expectation. It was beautiful. A single note that brought a tear to her eyes. Then came the second chime. This one felt more insistent, as if pulling Onna toward…something. The next four chimes were a desperate staccato. One right after the other. Onna remembered being overwhelmed by the strength of emotion held within those glorious bursts. She was suddenly aware that she somehow missed an opportunity. An experience that could have made her soul feel more…complete? Whatever it was that she never got to do, it felt like it must have been important. Again, the chimes came to mind.

Then she was here. Where was that again?

Sionnach

Onna looked around, but she was sure no one near her spoke. Actually, that was the only word she remembered being said since she arrived. She scanned the area again, but had to keep moving. She didn’t want to lose her place in line.

Sionnach

There it was again. She spun expectantly. I’m not making this up. Someone is calling me.

Suddenly, a magnificent woman was beside her. Slightly tanned skin and ankle-length chestnut colored hair. There was no breeze, but Onna was certain the hair was moving. Woven within those locks were strands of bright red, green and gold that shimmered. However, what lured her in were those almond shaped eyes. They were without a doubt the most striking thing she had ever seen. Wait, were they different colors?

The figure took the kitsune’s hand within her own, interlacing her fingers with Onna’s. Realization struck her. She knew who this was. But it couldn’t be. Shelyn! Her mind was having trouble processing it all.

You have more to do little one. More songs to sing for me. Shelyn then held up her hand that held Onna’s within her own. There is also something beautiful you forgot to do. Onna’s mind was a whirl. What had she forgotten?

Shelyn was pulling her out of line now. What is it? What I am supposed to do?

The goddess leaned over and whispered in her ear.

***************************************
Eyes fluttered open. She felt drops on her face. Was it raining? But they were warm.

”Onna!”

Hiiragi! Her heart swelled. Her eyes focused. Hiiragi’s makeup was a mess, but she had never looked so happy before, or so lovely. Right, the thing I forgot. Onna leaned forward and hugged Hiiragi tightly, as if nothing else mattered. Onna held the priestess, softly weeping. She then brought her face up to meet Hiiragi’s gaze. So many things to say, emotions that had been left unsaid. There were mere inches between them, separated by long, warm breaths.

She took one of Hiiragi's hands, and interlaced it with her own, just as Shelyn had. Onna brought her right hand up and brushed some of the tears from the crusader's cheek. The bard couldn't help but smile. "You look terrible." She then slid her hand to the back of Hiiragi's neck and gently pulled her close, the distance between their lips slowly disappearing.

AAAAAAA

Hiiragi's grip around Onna as they embrace is a little stronger than "firm." She holds the bard like if she drops her, Onna will slip right back toward Shelyn's embrace.

"You look terrible."

Hiiragi chokes on a giggle that spreads her smile further. "You look like a Venture Captain," she whispers back.

As Onna's features revert to her own, Hiiragi lets out a shuddering gasp, and before she can say more, Onna is rising to meet her.

Onna can probably hear her heartbeat thudding in her chest from the inches between them, her arms trembling as they hold her, as they draw closer...

As they kiss.

Hiiragi's lips meet Onna's and they pour into each other, all of Hiiragi's grief exploding into delight and passion and relief all at once. Her fingers dig into Onna's shoulder as she holds her close, and when finally they part, the shrine maiden is shaking like a leaf, with great, shuddering breaths.

"Can... can we do that eight more times?" she asks, a sheepish grin on her face.

Onna feels a thrill of energy pass through her. She holds Hiiragi a bit more loosely now, less desperate. She feels the crusader trembling. Onna gently rests her forehead against the shield-maiden's. "I'm not certain eight will be enough for me."

A wave of fatigue washes over the kitsune. "Sorry. I feel like I have been running for days. I'm exhausted." Slowly, the last moments she can recall crash into her. "By the gods! Are the others alright? Kenta! We have to get him to a healer. What about Tosh? She was invisible, but I doubt it lasted that long."

Onna holds Hiiragi at arms length, seeking out any injuries. "Are you hurt?" Seeing no obvious wounds, the bard embraces Hiiragi again. "I was so worried about you. I had to make sure you weren't alone."

She pulls Hiiragi’s cheek to her chest and lays her own cheek down atop the warrior's. She whispers, "I'd never leave you behind. That's why I went last. When I saw that demon reaching out..." Onna's body goes stiff. "Wait...the claw. It reached out...I thought the metal would keep me safe." More memories flood in. "There was the sound of metal shrieking. I remember thinking how high of a pitch it was. Then another scream...not metallic...softer, a woman's. I wanted to turn and see who it was, but I couldn't. There was just the claw. It ripped through the railing. The scream, it was mine. And then it...then it..." She pulls back from Hiiragi, a look of confusion quickly changes to horror. "By the Eternal Rose...did I...did I...die?" Onna’s chest heaves as the realization cuts through her. She crumples into Hiiragi, weeping uncontrollably.

”Of course you’re tired,” she whispers, her fingers gliding over Onna’s cheek; she has the hands of a worker, but a craftswoman’s gentle touch.

”Kenta’s fine. No new scars, even,” she chuckles. ”Toshi is replacing slugs with alcohol. Itami... he helped, he pulled some strings. I... Daikitsu knows I haven’t touched a plate in days. I’ve... it’s been a busy time, and I was sick too...”

Her head lays lightly on Sionnach; she doesn’t dare let its full weight press upon her, as if such a thing might break her.

When the realization dawns, it dawns equally upon Hiiragi. She does not know.

Oh, poor Onna...!

She doesn’t say a word, though. When Onna falls apart, Hiiragi holds her together, thankful to the base of her soul that this time it is not literal.

”You’re safe now,” she whispers, after a minute has passed. ”I... I’ve placed an order. I was weak, there was... was nothing I could do. I never want to feel that again. I... I cannot lose you again....”

She buries her face in Onna’s hair, holds her close to her chest. ”You have always stood over me when I opened my eyes. I could not let yours stay closed forever.”

She’s quiet for a moment, and then another. The two exchange shuddering breaths. Gratitude and horror and grief and joy all come over them in waves.

”I... Onna... I will not blame you if you don’t want to to back into the field,” she whispers. ”But wherever you go... wherever you go, Onna, I would like to go with you.”

Numb from the revelation, the bard is nearly catatonic. Hours pass. Onna feels fragile, vulnerable, as if she will shatter. The only thing preventing that collapse is the woman next to her. During this entire time Onna makes certain she is always in contact with Hiiragi. Holding hands, embracing and eventually laying her head upon Hiiragi's lap. It is in this position the bard finally falls asleep.

Sometime in the dark of night, Onna twitches in a fitful sleep. "Make it to the stairs, have to make it." She awakes with a start, sweat pouring from her temple. She looks around in a panic. Realizing there is no danger, she calms down. Onna reaches out for Hiiragi. With a rueful smile. "Sorry for ugly crying all over you. Though, I guess its a good sign that you're still here after seeing that. As first dates go, this has to one for the books." It is clear to both women the levity is a hollow attempt to lift their spirits.

Finally, "I don't understand why I'm so sad. I'm here. I'm with you, and everyone else is alright. So, why do I feel like this. I have this pall over me. I just don't get it." She once again interlaces her fingers with Hiiragi's. "What I do know, is that now that I have you by my side, everything else will take care of itself." She gives the priestess a kiss. "After all, Shelyn sent me back so we could be together. Who am I to argue with that?" She lays down again and soon drifts of to sleep. This time, her rest seems peaceful. It will take time, but the bard has begun the journey of recovering from the emotional trauma of departing this mortal coil.

With Onna's head on her lap, Hiiragi finally feels the peace she needs; when the bard finally wakes again, her shrine maiden is blinking herself awake.

She listens, her free hand twirling a bit of Onna's locks beneath her thumb. "It's all right, it's all right," she whispers. She has never died before... but she can imagine the trauma.

Hell, she can see the trauma.

"After all, Shelyn sent me back so we could be together. Who am I to argue with that?"

Hiiragi's face softens, and she gives a nervous laugh. "No pressure, right? I just have to make sure that two goddesses approve of me now."

She grins.

"Well. Perhaps three." She favors her bard with a grin at her own flattery.

Their sleep comes in odd rhythms, at first, moving eventually to a bed, and when finally they sleep for the rest of the night, it is with Hiiragi's arm draped over Onna's waist and her face in her hair. A quick bit of prestidigitation leaves her face, finally, bare of makeup.

It would not do to make her new girlfriend clean streaks of white and red pigment out of her hair, after all.

And so the two spend their first night together in serene safety.

Kenta doesn't do much during the time before the ritual. He spends a bit of it simmering in anger at his failure. Running the scenario over and over in his head to see what he could have done to be the one to die instead of Onna. But yet... he guiltily feels relieved it wasn't him.

The guilt just gnaws at him even more. Valais being tortured and turned into part of a demon. Onna being torn into a bloody pulp and ripped from her young life. He knows now that they plan to bring her back, that the society and the group are sinking resources into the ritual but still... will it work? Will she come back? Will she be the same or something else?

The days pass and the only thing keeping him together are the rituals of daily life. Wake up, polish armor, boots and weapons, say his prayers, clean his body, eat, check in with allies for any updates, train, volunteer at the hospital, eat, read the scriptures, sleep... repeat.

It's mainly his time spent in the medical wards that finally breaks him out of his inwardly examining funk. He isn't the only one dealing with the horrid aspects of life. Many others are too and much worse. On the day of the ritual he has a very cautious positivity about it. In full dress armor and clothing he takes his spot as a supporter and watches everything unfold. None of the spellcasting makes any sense, but he can see Hiiragi is very invested in everything.

At the moment of their embrace his eyes go wide and he feels a flash of heat turning his ears red. Embarrassed they fold back and he looks away. Was... is that part of the ritual? Oh my, I don't. I don't know if uh... I don't think I want to have to deal with that. Lady Taramyth, protect me from death and only take me when I need not return. I just... who would even finish the ritual for me? Who would I wake up next to? Ugh this is too much!"

Kenta shields his embarrassment and slips out of the room for some fresh air.