Duana's page

a wild changeling appears!

my crazy mom called me home to star as a villain in a softcore pornographic production satirizing james bond. another trick ending with a polaroid photograph of a leash mauled by a large hound. presumably my gelert. he's not been seen since.

we do not speak of the fate of the frost knight. it was written on the window glass, then promptly scrapped away.

and the constant crunching of ice cubes... *shudders*

anywho, hope ya'll are havin' fun. mah ice princess is probably off being some shade of villain for someone's gain somewhere... :)

Okay, letsee if I get this right..
Duana Defense against Zed Attack 01 (Weapons) 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2, 2, 2) - 8 + 4 = 4 Defense against Zed Attack 02 (Weapons) 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 1) - 8 + 4 = 3 what happens on a tie?
Duana Defense against Mental Attack (Discipline) 4d3 - 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 3) - 8 + 1 = 3

Duana deftly dodges the Zed's attacks, parrying with her steel, but is forced to her knees by the howls of the undead.

Duana fails to withhold a sanguine laugh at the wizard's advice, and incensed by the ghost's ability to slough off her steel as though her efforts were simply shadow play darts forward and attacks him again.

Duana Weapons 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 1, 1, 3) - 8 + 4 = 3

My arm is failing me, she recognizes as she slashes at the creature. What is this... weakness?

Oooh, combat...

When the Laurence ghost takes a swipe at her mother's knight, Duana snarls and darts forward with almost serpentine grace, striking at the creature with a flash of steel as she has no idea what its weaknesses are, or if she wishes to touch its... flesh?

Duana Athletics (essentially to flank) 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 3, 2, 1) - 8 + 4 = 5
Duana Weapons 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 3) - 8 + 4 = 3

"What happens if this thing touches me?" she calls to the others.

Duana, carefully hidden behind the gregarious mortals and their simple pet simply smirks. Oh what luxury in men to lose their minds for so little cause, she muses and pets Gelert's crown.

"Might someone explain to me why the skinny child with the juvinile charms is plotting our military tactics?" she asks, eyes flashing at Danny. "It occurs to me that he has not seen much less experienced failure in mutual combat. We should draw these things into a false sense of security, and ensure that they cannot escape from us."

Okay, I have finally pulled my head out of the clouds and gotten a full night's sleep in GMT-8, so anyone want to explain where Duana, and Emo Shaggy and Scooby are and what is currently going on?

I last left it at Danny pretending to be our mark for his version of Bob, and I dunno where we are now.

oh man, my stomach feels like it's still at 30k feet. wish i could settle with my bottle of tequila...

geh, i'm really having the worst time with jet lag. sorry for not being around more. I am following, i just can't pull thoughts together very reliably.

Duana, recognizing Esmeralada's back speech, wisely kept silent while the others bargained away their souls to the secluded wretch. She found it curious how Danny could reference such horrors with ease, but did not find them terrifying in the least to keep his mind about him and himself from promising the dangerous creature anything she desired. Now she could call upon him as she wished, a position Duana knew full well with family never came to any good.

She crawls through the oven and gives a nod as Danny assumes the madman's form. Completely out of her depth with magic, she is content to observe. Her back prickles with the rush of power, however, and she stills her hand from reaching from the cool and familiar steel by her side. Magicians may not be hurt by such things, she supposed, but she had been among fey for so long that it was a comfort. Creatures of the Wyld Hunt could kill in far more creative ways, but none could be so sure and final as Duana arcing with flash of steel...

Duana's smile persists. "Oh, Lady, if I were a product of the courts, surely you would be aware of me no?" she answers, "as you were of our Danny's mother?"

"You said that you had not had visitors in quite some time," she observes concerning the portal. "Why leave the portal open and put out food for hospitality if you were not expecting any?"

"I thought the scent of your delicious sweets might have concealed that of our metals, and did not wish to alarm," Duana replies to the lady's quip about steel.

Duana smiles an impish grin as Danny and Esmerelda speak. Now that the pieces have fallen into place, she is all the more willing to get the box and hurry to the Winter Court.

"Unfortunately, Esmeralda, we've prior appointments. Are you aware of the portal in your kitchen?"

Duana chuckles at Danny's clear apprehension. "It appears as though our hostess unsettles the Summer child," she says. "Lady, do you have any thoughts on why that might be?"

Duana's smile is feral and begins moving towards the kitchen and the lady's voice. "When I first arrived in the human world, when my lover was teaching me to read, I saw illustrations of such stories that you fear, Danny," she muses. "Grimm's Fairy Tales pale in comparison to the reality of the Never Never," she informs him and spares him a glance over her shoulder. "But if there is one thing all immortals fear alike, it is steel."

Can Danny even see where Duana has gone? Has my fletch training done nothing?

Duana remains peering into the house until it is clear that she has not been seen. At a height in the creature's conversation with the air, when she is least likely to be listening to anything, she will slink back to the group, using the same path she carved for herself previously.

"One female sighted, tall, white hair, and her goat. Possibly a second sentient creature, unknown. She was speaking to something." Duana shrugs. "This is neutral territory. Maeve's knight is hardly unknown, but if she is mad she may favor the Summer creatures," she smiles at Danny. "Perhaps this ones charms can be the key to unlocking that which we seek?"

Duana signals for the party to stop and looks about for sign of shadow to approach the structure cautiously. There, among the treeline was a faintly carved path rounding it, but without, scarcely enough shade to skulk. Fortunately, Duana had training enough to balance the lack.

Duana Stealth 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 1) - 8 + 4 = 4

She follows the scent of the bake, hoping to catch sight of that which dwelt within so that she might report it to the others.

Duana Alertness 4d3 - 8 + 3 ⇒ (3, 3, 2, 3) - 8 + 3 = 6 oh dear, i think that's the best roll I've ever had

Duana laughs at the simpleton's mumbled statement. "Such a darling pawn," she coos, "if you had the necessary courage to address such an insult to my face it would please me mightily."

Duana glances around at the scenery and is pleased. There is just enough shadow to skulk if she wishes, and perhaps, tear at the Achilles tendon of the pompous ass who insulted her, then ride him into the ground and call the hunt upon him. A feral smile tugs at the corner of her lips and she becomes vaguely aroused by the fantasy and she sings a soft lullaby in the language of the court that is a thinly veiled cautionary tale not to whisper secrets because Mab rules the air upon which they travel.

Without another mortal to appease, Duana drops her human guise completely, and for several long moments contemplates stripping down to her nylon and steel, but for the cosmetics still on her legs and how silly it would appear otherwise. If the threat of the necromancer is neutralized, the field would be excellent to hunt in, she was sure, hours of hunting and running and not one minute would pass without. Perhaps she could spend days avoiding Gabriel within and he'd be none the wiser, or able to find her.

Duana glances at Gabriel as her song concludes, pondering if he recognized the significance of the lyrics, then reaches and scratches behind Gelert's ear and encourages him to run before bolting herself.

Duana would share the information she has learned about the portal to Henri's gallery, and how time works differently there mentioned in the OOC.

"We crawl into the rabbit hole, like Alice, and spend several hours dancing amongst anthropomorphized childhood demons. Or, should you find that option to be deplorable, we can burglarize the home of a mad necromancer and discover what manner of wards he has in place first hand," Duana answers, her tone clipped and chilly. "Curious that I should find the portal through NeverNever safer but I have spent some time among wyld fae and they fear my Knight's steel and verbosity," she jests and laughs.

Remind me? She's left Gabriel and the cop alone to get their romance on.

What do you think you're interrupting? She's not "romantically inclined" towards the artist at all.

Duana slips the napkin into her purse. "Forgive my escort, he was raised in a generation that cares nothing for protocol," she apologizes as she rises. "If you enjoy the scotch, I will bring you another for your advance," she says and smiles, and rejoins the others.

Duana's plans for the morning and Henri's place are in the ooc, unless you wanna hash it out IC.

Duana laughs softly and takes the young man's hand in hers, then presses it to the side of her head. She uses her fingertips to guide his across the extra features her mother's blood had given her, particularly her tall and alien ears, and almost purrs with pleasure.

"Any other evening and I might show you a great deal more exciting features," she hums. "If you've a card, or... I can see that you've the ability to write upon napkins, I might ring for another commission."

"And what, pray tell is a starving artist doing in a bar with two workaholics and a lady who pays twenty quid for a glass of scotch?" Duana purrs, sitting on the stool beside the young man. She gestures to the bartender with her fingers for another. "Or is it your way to impress with these sketches and lure fine young gentlemen and ladies with disposable income to your studio?"

A Summer mind, Duana muses, a smile tugging at her sensuous lips.

"May I buy you a drink?" she inquires, letting the accent of the language of the Winter Court to bleed into her voice. For several hours now she has dwelt behind the facade of her human guise, and it was beginning to slip.

Sun Inn

Duana observes the man in the impeccable suit for a time, curious what could possibly compel a man to be reading the mortal rags so early in the morning. Everything she had seen of them, which... admittedly was not much, as she preferred slower moving forms of print media, it did not appear as though the "news" changed frequently. The mortal word was rife with conflicts, as was the Winter Court. In England, however, the conflicts were a good deal... further.

Duana glances at the man scribbling on a napkin as she approaches the bar and orders a scotch. She stays to the side of the man so the woman in white can continue to observe him from her vantage, but leans in a provocative manner since the woman's attention is honed.

"Allow a single drop of water to touch the surface," she instructs the 'keep.

Duana will try to make out what the artist is sketching.

Duana Alertness 4d3 - 8 + 3 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 3) - 8 + 3 = 5 Duana hears the dang colors!

"That gives us some three hours with naught else to do but entertain each other. I would suggest we visit the club and take in some lovely women, but I have burnt that bridge and pissed upon its ashes," Duana says, her smile sanguine. "And while group sex might entertain me..."

Duana sighs and looks about, her eyes narrowing when they fall on the youngsters. "They did not drive here. Shall we engage in what my peers call a pub crawl?"

Duana taps her fingernails on the surface of the table, considering their position. She dislikes magicians, having so little for herself other than personal glamour to make her appearance as hideous as other mortals. Glancing at the man behind the counter, she recognizes that this is hardly the venue to be speaking of their plans in a language that mortals could understand easily.

"Apologies," she says, inclining her head to Axe for a moment, and then continues in the language of the court for Danny. "Have you established whether or not there will be an audience to this production of ours? I shouldn't like for me to be involved with the police any further," she indicates Gabriel by narrowing her eyes when she looks at him.

"Do you believe this creature to be of sufficient skill and arrogance to open a gate to NeverNever?"

Duana hands the cellphone back to Gabriel. "They are at an eatery across the street from his business, and tell us meet them there," she says, and rambles off the location.

...

Was that license plate GB standard? or did it look, uh... foreign?

Duana Awareness (pick up details) 4d3 - 8 + 3 ⇒ (3, 2, 3, 1) - 8 + 3 = 4 all right!
Duana Investigation (uh, what was that?) 4d3 - 8 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3, 3, 1) - 8 + 1 = 3 yay!

Duana, feeling entitled remains looking after the exit of the car for a few moments before pulling the door of the eatery open and entering. She quickly determines Danny's location, looking ridiculous even among mortals, the slides into the stall beside him, placing a hand on his leg and a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you for the invitation," she says, her smile broad and as human as she can imagine herself being. She looks at the drinks on the table. "Started without us, eh? We'll get some proper drinks soon enough!"

Duana Deceit 4d3 - 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2, 1, 3) - 8 + 1 = 1

Assuming the conversation with Andrew is over...

Duana clicks the button on the cell phone to end the call, enraged by the dull light that suddenly kicks on as a result. Some fletch she was, glowing like Bunny under the lights in the club. Bunny...

"What?" she demands of Gabriel's scowling face. "I remind you that it was you who required that I stay. You cannot be angry with me for fulfilling my end of the bargain when it does not suit you."

Duana is silent for some moments, so still as she watches the interaction between Gabriel and the police woman that she scarcely draws breath. "Your concern for my well being is noted," she says softly, "and... sweet," she admits, "but as a rule I do not traffic with demons. Especially ephebophiles. I find the practice morally repugnant." The jest, like good British humor, is especially dry.

"Bunny is safe, if that is your concern. My..." Duana pauses and sighs. "She is not alone. I did not believe that G required my protection."

Duana's Conversation with Danny

"I would," she answers simply. "If only to transport our parcel as promptly as possible to avoid further mishaps. Unfortunately, Gabriel is pandering to law enforcement at the moment. The good Lord nearly destroyed a human child in his mighty rage, and apparently it would have insulted him to call the authorities to his place of business," there is a slight purr in Duana's voice at the last.

"When we have finished here," Duana peers at the pair, "which... may be some time, apparently you modern gentlemen prefer to gab, we will meet you. Might I confirm the address?"

After getting the location from Danny, Duana hangs up.

As the meet between the two mortals continues, Duana's fingertips seek out the numbers on the cell phone that Andrew had given her to contact him in the morning. She waits for an answer whether live or machine, then speaks without need or care to introduce herself.

"G mentioned that he had not heard from you. I dealt the vampire lord's power base a large blow. It is not safe to meet me."

When they near the bridge, Duana asks for Gabriel's cell phone and finds a dark corner in which to hide.

Duana Stealth 4d3 - 8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 3, 2, 2) - 8 + 4 = 4

She uses the phone to call Danny.

"The vampire lord will be meeting your henri at five, and he is none too pleased with the man."

"She is your kind, not mine," Duana replies. "Although, I am adept at not being seen, if I wish. I and..." she pauses and looks to the hound. "If you wish, you can travel with Bunny. I will remain with Gabriel."

Duana, who has raised Gelert up from a pup, recognizes his hesitance to remain with her. Bunny, simple as a flour paste and as filling had called her companion from her side. Duana vaguely registered a pang of pain, then looked to the human creature crumpled on the floor. With Gabriel's assistance, she takes the girl in her arms, being careful to support her head on her arm.

"Gabriel," Duana whispers in the language of the court while they follow Bunny. "This girl's family hired the detective to look for her. We cannot involve the weres in this, the human authorities are the only who can see to her now. Do you know any one that can assist us with this?"

"No," Duana decides. "Contrary to appearances, it is not my intent to involve you and yours in unfavorable dealings. If you will not allow the authorities to take this girl, myself and my escort will. We've protection from the Lord, by his own oath," she observes, and looks to Gabriel. "Help me carry her. My hound can guard us."

Duana moves towards Bunny, and with her eyes locked with G's as though imploring permission, reaches and lays a comforting hand on the middle of the simple young woman's back. "She is not forgotten, little one," Duana soothes, her eyes only for G. "Who is this person who she spoke of?"

Duana is being deliberately careful about names.

"I ate well this morning," Duana demurs with a smile of her own. She looks to Lucy still laying on the floor. "I believe that one needs medical assistance. Should someone call the authorities?" she inquires pointedly, sparing a glance for Gabriel.

hehe, then what I told him is neither factual or erroneous. Excellent.

Inadvertantly, I am following Danny's sneakaroo plan, and embarrassing the Lord, which makes me happy.

:D

Okay, I found the answer, and while Danny did not actually say these words to the winter folk, he pretty much paraphrased his plan, which I think would include the location of the meet. Apologies if this is too forward.

"He will be where the three rivers join, at the dock, where the Nidd enters the Ouse at five in the morning."

"And I will hold you to your oath," Duana replies, and also looks to G, flush and almost dizzy with power.

And an anonymous phone call to the police about the missing girl, now with physical trauma would not go well for you at all...

"Lord Lawrence misplaced his manners," she says sweetly. "My escort can confirm that I offered no violence."

To crush you beneath my heel, Duana muses, at the height of arousal. When G nears her nostrils flare, Lawrence's fury and the musk of his second nature overwhelming hers. The girl lying crumpled on the floor might have upset her once, but... she should have known better than to play with monsters.

"The box," Duana answers, "in exchange for Henri's location at five this morning, giving you some hours to prepare an appropriate response."

Duana stalks up to the idiot lord, her sculpted calves placing her heels in perfect rhythm with the beat so that when she speaks she has only need whisper to be heard. "And to hear my lineage recited from your rotten mouth. Diana, daughter of Maeve, grand-daughter of Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness."

"I have defended my title from lords and ladies with greater power than that rotting sack of flesh you call a host could muster since I was a girl," Duana says calmly, letting her accent bleed into her speech like Maeve might her ice. "I have decided that you are an ignorant simpleton, and as such, it is my responsibility to educate you," she concedes and crosses her legs as a lady of reputable birth might, spine going rigid.

"The magician Henri has betrayed you. He has engineered this war with the ghouls to occupy your forces, and play you for a fool. I am in possession of evidence of your idiocy which I may destroy, or... perhaps simply take it to the wolves?" she suggests. "How embarrassing would it be for them to learn that you are incompetent? And with your numbers engaged in this war, and, perhaps the support of the huntress and goddess Diana... upset the flimsy premise upon which you base your power?"

Duana Intimidate 4d3 - 8 + 2 ⇒ (2, 2, 1, 3) - 8 + 2 = 2

Duana's smile is predatory, and she rises and gestures for Gelert to come to her side. She scratches behind his ear, then cups his muzzle and gently lifts his chin to her, almost as intimate as a lover, though with none of the sexuality, a clear distinction of her fae heritage. "What say you, my hound, would you like to run with Bunny?" she asks in the language of the courts.

Uhh, i'm not sure what a TN 3 is, so I will roll and you can tell me if I failed. :P 4d3 - 8 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 2) - 8 = 1 if 3 was the target, I likely failed. Oh, Target Number. ha. shows how silly I am.

"All, hmm?" Duana hums in response, and taps her lips. Her eyes watch intently for his reaction to the gesture, whether or not he is actually interested in women or simply in terrorizing young girls who have never known fear in their lives. She bites the tip of the finger softly as she considers. "I choose not to believe your lies. If no information is held from you, how is it that you do not recognize your betters when they are so clearly identifying themselves to you?"

"I happen to know that you employed one low born scum known as Tybalt to investigate for you, so I know that your resources are few. Lord is only a title in these lands, no? And one rarely given to any with merit. Look at your queen in those disgusting hats!" she jests. "Such a figure of authority, a prune gliding about with a hat the size of the world. And her sons married commoners," she jabs further.

"Mmmm, yes, Lord of York," Duana practically purrs, becoming aroused by this particular challenge, and wishing for the creature to see. She can feel herself straining at the edges of her human guise, the disgusting mask she wore about the humans, lurking behind it as though a large predatory cat held behind bars. "Can you place my name as of yet, Lawrence, or shall you stroke your child a bit longer and continue to stall with your bravado?"

Duana Intimidate 4d3 - 8 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1, 3, 3) - 8 + 2 = 2 these dice freaking hate me.

"I would not dream of robbing you of the pleasure a young girl must evoke in your dead flesh," Duana says and smiles a seductive smile.

"Who we are is of little consequence. What we offer, however, is. We are in possession of knowledge which pertains to you directly, knowledge which we are free to act upon, or... indeed, to ignore and possibly to destroy."

"This is a curious performance you are staging," Duana observes to the lord. "One less obsessed with titles may observe that having this creature upon your lap only serves to indicate that your position is weak, and you require the comforting presence of a pet to meet with a power greater than yours. Or are you simply hiding behind her for the sake of convenience?"

Duana Intimidate 4d3 - 8 + 2 ⇒ (2, 3, 2, 1) - 8 + 2 = 2

"I should say we do," Duana replies, allowing her court accent to bleed into her English. She does not deign to stand. "Taste, for one, breath for another. You may call me Diana."

Duana Discipline 4d3 - 8 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 1) - 8 + 2 = -1
Duana Presence 4d3 - 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 1) - 8 + 1 = 1

Last bit from me before I sign off for the night.
Duana Lore 4d3 - 8 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 2) - 8 = 1 wow, a good roll

Duana feels nauseous watching the little girl put on an erotic show. "Is this legal?" she asks Gabriel, loudly. "To force children to perform in such a manner is taboo, is it not?"

Certainly there must be some manner of law against this... Duana muses. "Forgive me for my impudence, but you do not appear to me old enough to carry yourself in those heels, much less any amount of information to your master. Inform him that a lady very much disposed towards honoring appointments awaits his pleasure."

Edit

Duana spares a wary glance at the girl, Bunny, but recalling what she said about mates the other day, inclines her head showing that she gives her permission for Gelert to go ahead.

"To think that lovely one eared chap would have struck that bird last night," Duana sighs in English. "I thought her simple at the time, but my expectations have been exceeded. She might be a perfect mate for Danny," she comments and laughs.

SACRILEGE!! THE WHISKEY FIEND IN ME IS SEETHING IN RAGE RIGHT NOW!!

Duana's eyes grow as wide as saucers when Bunny returns with Jack Daniels and a bottle of Coke. Her lips bend around the word what several times, but she appears incapable of speech for quite some moments, just staring at the simple woman. She places a hand on Gabriel's thigh for comfort, likely the first time she has ever done so, and counts the moments between breaths before speaking again.

"My thanks for your hospitality," Duana begins carefully, shifting her gaze to the bottle of cough syrup the dim witted dancer had brought them, and keeping them there. "The language we were speaking is my milk tongue. Very few hear it spoken, it is... a secret," she leans slightly into the girl and whispers in her ear, catching her stride after almost a minute without. She pulls back again and ceases touching Gabriel before he might snap her hand off at the wrist. "We are doing quite well, thank you. Bunny, might you tell me if Lord Lawrence is available to speak?"

"I do not believe that we will be harassed here" Duana replies with a note of amusement. "However, if you feel as though you are ill used, you might convince me to join the Summer Child on his mad adventure. Live ordinance within the city limits?" Duana purrs. "No amount of police involvement could keep me from enjoying that spectacular display."

Duana, noting the display between the creature Bunny and Gelert, lets her gloved fingertips play across his crown, then slide down his nose in a bit of a tease.

Sorry if I have been playing Duana as distant to her dog, I just haven't known if you were actually continuing with us.

"We have seen each other nude," Duana replies in the language of the courts. "The girl as well. Simple, but quite lovely. If it please you, I will purchase her charms for a dance."