karlprosek, when you do get control of the threads, would you please remove Cenna from the active list so it disappears off my feed?
Thanks!
Enjoy your game, guys.
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Thanks for asking but I think I’ll pass.
I know about life upheavals. Best wishes to you! I'm OK with you deactivating the campaign.
Cenna uses a simple spell to prestidigitate the dirt off her clothes and body. She looks to the children afterwards. "Do you want to try it? It's not as nice as a bath and it tickles a little bit."
Cenna removes her boots and warms her feet by the fire, wiggling her toes in the threadbare socks. "If we're south of the Mudbowl then I think this is the Shrike or the Little Sellen. Rivers are a natural barrier. It's probably worthwhile to establish a border outpost here sooner rather than later. And reach out to the Lizardfolk village nearby to let them know of their new neighbors and allies." The sorceress speaks obliquely, avoiding any mention of the larger threats to the burgeoning kingdom. The children don't need to feel any less safe at the moment.
Cenna makes sure she doesn't speak in the past tense. "What's the name of your village?"
"Gray Gardeners? I don't think I've run into them." She adds, "I'm very sorry about your parents but I'm glad you and some of your townsfolk escaped."
Cenna makes an ease off gesture to Bydar. ”These kids are tough and smart to get here. I couldn’t a done it at their age. I doubt you could, either. Maybe they have their own plans. They don’t need anyone telling them what they will do.” She takes a section of dried fruit from the rations she handed the kids but leaves the rest with them. She addresses Elish like an adult. ”I know you didn’t expect the trolls. Did you have a plan if you ever got away from them? Because, if you don’t or if you could use a place to rest up while you figure out what’s next… you can come with us to town. It's a few days from here.” She indicates Christian with a nod, ”He’s got connections with the lord of this land. You’d be welcome in town… with food, beds, whatever you need. Besides, I owe Samil a debt for the warning about the trolls. The least I can do is get you somewhere safer, put some food in your bellies, and give you a little help.” She tries her best to offer a reassuring smile.
As the smoke clears, Cenna smiles at the ash drifting down. She spins the rod on her palm then re-sheathes it before heading around the building to the front door, calling. ”Kids! You can come out. The trolls are gone… Hey, did you leave any of those dried fruits? I really am hungry.”
”They’re persistent.” Cenna notes with respect. It was a trait she admired... just not in creatures trying to eat her. In the swirl of melee, threading the needle with a spell was possible… but it wasn’t elegant. And the trolls were doing a credible job of tearing the men apart. Cenna would normally prepare people for what came next but she just didn’t have that kind of time to waste. She pulls the rod from its holster and triggers the eldritch object, weaving its power flawlessly into her spellcasting. An ember flies between the four combatants and explodes. The trolls, along with Christian and Bydar, are engulfed in a large globe of fire, like a miniature sun. Inside the globe, in all directions, there is only a loud roar and roiling flames. The fire consumes everything it touches… except for the two men. The flames somehow refuse to touch them even as they devour the trolls and incinerate the wagon.
Status: HP: 40 / 40 | AC:23 / T:18 / FF:20 | CMD:22/19 (24 grapple)
3rd Spells (4): xx
Effects:
With the kids hiding in the house, Cenna needs to ensure the troll stays focused on her. She angrily taunts the creature, ”You just don’t learn, do ya?! I’m the Dragon’s Daughter and YOU will burn like a scarecrow!” She hurls a ball of fire in the troll’s face then sprints around the corner of the house, trying to lure it into a chase… and praying it can’t charge toward her.
Status: HP: 40 / 40 | AC:23 / T:18 / FF:20 | CMD:22/19 (24 grapple)
3rd Spells (4): x
Effects:
DM, are the kids hiding in the building or should they be on the map? What they do affects my tactics.
As she moves away from the building, ensuring she can see the perfect spot, Cenna muses with a hint of a laugh, ”Alchemist’s Fire? Good precaution.” Then she casts a spell and flicks an ember in between the trolls. It explodes in a bright, roiling ball of flame, searing three of the creatures.
Status: HP: 40 / 40 | AC:23 / T:18 / FF:20 | CMD:22/19 (24 grapple)
3rd Spells (4): x
Effects:
Cenna sees the trolls and directs the children with a wave, never taking her eyes off the enemy. "Get to where the roads meet, NOW."
"Go away! Before the trolls eat you, like all the others! … I don't care anymore if the trolls eat me. Just let it all stop!" Cenna merely raises an eyebrow at the outburst. ”Trolls? ’Preciate the warning, Samil.” She rises and hands her bundles of food to the kids. ”Enjoy the snacks and stay behind me. Only trolls are dying today.” She leaves the building, moving to get her eyes on the river, scanning for targets.
When she gets only frightened stares from the children, Cenna shrugs as if this was normal. ”OK. Hope you don’t mind if I eat. I’m hungry.” She opens her rucksack and pulls out a couple days’ worth of rations and leaves them on the floor beside her. She takes one bundle and unwraps the cloth to reveal a stack of dried fruit. She starts eating them piece by piece, humming her enjoyment. Around a mouthful, she says, ”Did I tell you my name is Cenna?”
Damn. She was too close to the skittish girl to risk casting a spell to inform the others. Cenna didn’t want these little urchins to bolt because they could get hurt… but she also didn’t want to scare them to death by leading with restraining magics. And charming children wasn’t in her wheelhouse either. Double damn. She opts to split the difference in her approach. She tries to sneak quietly past the children and into their ‘home’. She sits down in the middle of the floor, trying to give them the safety of perceived distance. She curls her legs beneath her, and makes herself look as small and non-threatening as possible before lifting the veil of invisibility. She plasters on the most sincere smile she can muster before quietly clearing her throat, to draw their attention. ”Hi. I’m Cenna. I like magic, making new friends, and food. I have some food. It's just jerky, nuts, and bread. I might have some dried fruit, too. It isn't great... but do you want to share?”
Taking little at face value, Cenna explores around a corner - out of the child’s sight - and quickly weaves a spell around herself. Cloaked from sight, she moves back around the corner and approaches the child slowly to get a better look at them… the building’s interior, and anyone else that might be living there.
Cenna merely nods. "Taking a look for unsavory locals works for me." Cenna cat-foots toward the buildings, hoping to spot trouble before it spots her.
I’m for continuing southward. Hyah, mules!
Cenna has studied many things… but not animated Ivy patches with maws. Instinctively, she steps back, putting the doughty fighters between the steroidal vegepygmy and herself. Her initial instinct is to deliver the fireball Christian requested… but she’s not sure if she can successfully do that without cooking all the valuable mushrooms in the vicinity. So, she weaves a lesser spell and sends an orb of molten flame hurtling directly into the monster’s maw.
Status: HP: 40 / 40 | AC:23 / T:18 / FF:20 | CMD:22/19 (24 grapple)
3rd Spells (4):
Effects:
"If something lurks beneath the ground... a fireball won't help." Cenna pulls an ornate metal baton from its belt sheath and begins moving forward.
As she is slowing their progress down, Cenna puts on a brave face and tries to endure the stink even though it makes her eyes water and triggers her gag reflex far too often.
At the sulfuric stench, Cenna dry heaves twice then loses her last meal. ”Ugh.” She wipes her mouth, deadpanning, ”Pregnancy is hell.” Still bent over, the sorceress waves a hand at the others. ”I need to catch my breath out of this stink for a minute.” She turns and slowly heads toward the fresher air they recently left.
Status: HP: 40 / 40 | AC:23 / T:18 / FF:20 | CMD:22/19 (24 grapple)
3rd Spells (4):
Effects:
Needlework: Cenna considers the matter of payment for a minute. ”Call it a gift. Or, if that bothers you, feel free to laud my skills and refer the curious to me.”
Needlework: ”Is it safe to heal it early or best to leave it be?” Cenna puts a soothing balm over the fresh tattoo. ”I’m pleased. It came out quite well. Technically, you aren’t hurt; your skin is just pricked a lot. I’m not sure if you could heal it, even if you wanted to. I’d advise you leave it be a few days. I have more lineament if you need it. It shields against infection and reduces the irritation.”
While Cenna can provide only rudimentary help, she knows enough to buy cold weather clothing for the upcoming journey. Needlework: ”Is it possible to do a Songbird and Rose together? Perhaps the former clinging to the latter?” ”Of course.” She says warmly, ”You aren’t the first follower of Shelyn to ask.” She sketches the drawing of the figures on Bydar’s skin until he is satisfied, then she gets to work with her needles and several pots of inks held between the fingers in her other hand. She stretches her back when it is done, quite pleased with the results.
"Allies are there when the road gets rocky. And - sometimes - you have to test a bond to see how strong it is. Besides, helping us could be in the lizardfolk's best interests. If Taldor takes over, I doubt they will live-and-let-live with a band of lizardfolk on their doorstep. Repelling Taldor could be a cause we all share."
She nods to Bydar, ”Tomorrow it is then.” Cenna peruses the maps and considers the list of quests. ”There are many tasks and possibly little time. It seems to me it would advantageous to kill as many birds as possible with a single stone. If we head south to deal with the trolls, we could look over the Mudbowl on the way. And killing the trolls would certainly put us in better stead with the lizardfolk village. If we need them as allies when our enemies come, what better way to do that then rid them of a nuisance neighbor? It would also give us the opportunity to reconnoiter the area and possibly locate other food sources… Or am I misjudging matters?”
Cenna shakes her head, "No, it's your choice because it's your skin."
"Well, I'm at your disposal until we have something to do other than lifting a few pints." Cenna replies. "If you're serious about getting tattooed this evening, I should stop drinking."
I will assume no one else will be posting and we can move on??? Cenna has nothing to really contribute to this sabre-rattling scene.
Cenna tries to cool her anger. It helps that she has a somewhat receptive audience to her ideas. "I don't advertise my heritage. But you folks are putting a good deal of faith in me, so you have a right to know where my biases lay. Ask me real pretty some time and I might even show you my back tattoo." She adds with the hint of a smile.
Cenna’s generally pleasant mien gives way to simmering anger. ”Full disclosure, gentlemen and lady… I have quite a bit of dragon’s blood in my veins. I’m not inclined to allow some group of fools to hunt my kin for profit without regard to their actions or ages. I’d suggest we…” The sorcerer leaves the thought unfinished as she recalls something she’d read going through the barony’s intelligence reports. ”The Redshields, you’ve had run-ins with them before, yes? A shady group, involved in all sorts of foul activities. By all accounts you… we are forging relationship with dragonkind here. If war comes, even the prospect of having dragon allies may give potential enemies pause. So, is it possible the Redshields – or a patron of theirs – sent these dragonhunters here to undermine one of your – our – key advantages? Perhaps, we should start with a friendly conversation but be ready to have more than that if they don't answer our questions.” She adds, with some hesitation, "It may be worth considering a policy of forbidding unofficial dragon-hunting within the demense."
"Might be a good idea to see what kind of dragon-hunters they are. Some of that ilk don't distinguish between good and evil dragons. They are just looking for a valuable hide. I have a problem with that."
That works.
I'm not really familiar with the Kingdom building rules but I've been reading through them and the Charis facts. Also, Cenna is new in town and would probably need some time to put ideas together. That said, if we've got possible invasion problems, I guess I'd recommend a staggered approach to building project - a defense and then a mine or other resource project, then more defenses, etc.
Cenna considers for a moment, "Is there a thieves' guild in town? If so, it might be worth the time to speak with them about their 'patriotic duty' to look out for spies and report them to us."
I'm still here. I've just got nothing to add to this scene.
"I have to be a lady to be a princess? That ends my chances, right there."
The sorceress smirks at the notion of a hidden princess in town. "You certainly have some interesting problems. If I'm a princess, break it to me gently."
Cenna grins. "Unless your admirer is a giant kobold."
Cenna nods, considering the matter seriously. "I agree. I wouldn't mind a love letter in Draconic, or even Thassilonian."
”Draconic… not your typical romance language.”
Cenna can't help but ask the carpenter about the note. "May I?" With only a trace of a smile, she recites, "A gift for the charming, handsome lord of Charis." She follows with a cursory examination of the body. "It seems, my lord, that you have an admirer with impressive teeth and a skilled, predatory nature." She hands Christian his 'love letter'.
If Cenna is daunted by any of the realities or potential threats, it doesn't show. Her only comment is a question, "What time?"
The tattooist's eyes fire at the implied question as to the level of her talents. Based on the look on her face, Christian is reasonably certain that this petite woman doesn't back down from a dare. "Ohhh... challenge accepted, chief." Knee-jerk reaction over, Cenna's face becomes more sober, possibly a bit hesitant. "If you're serious then you should know a couple things before making a bargain, you'd rather not. I've gained a reputation in some spots of the River Kingdoms and Numeria. Nothing bad as far as the common people go. But - depending how superstitious you are - it can make some folks uncomfortable..." She stops dissembling and gets to the point, "I'm a sorceress. When trouble blows in my direction, sometimes I incinerate it. That's made me unpopular with some monstrous tribes recently and caused some townsfolk to worry."
Cenna raises an eyebrow that expresses a dollop of surprise, a hint amusement, and a dash of confusion. "I'm sorry, are you offering me a position?" She speculates on titles, trying a couple on in a self-deprecating manner, "Court Tattooist? Advisor to the Court on Matters of Ink?"
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