Elizabeth Rose Adamell's page

Hannah focused on peeling the carrots in front of her and kept her ears open to the conversations around her. Her ability to gauge any potential emotional storm around her had kept her out of trouble so far. And at the ripe old age of twelve (or thirteen, depending on who she believed) she considered that a win.

"Raymond, is that water boiling yet," Melissa asked. The young man kneading the dough on the table in the center of the large kitchen leaned back to check the large pot on the stove. "Not yet," he replied.

"Let me know the moment it starts, please." The red-headed woman stepped close and rested a hand on Hannah's shoulder. She tried to avoid flinching, but it seemed that she didn't hide it too well as Melissa removed her hand almost as quick. "How are those carrots coming along, Sweetie?" she asked.

"I'm about half-way done, Miss Melissa," Hannah replied. "Hannah, we've talked about this," Melissa said with mock sternness. "You don't have to call me 'Miss'. You're not a servant - you're family now. You can call me Melissa."

"Yes, Miss ... I mean, yes, Melissa."

Melissa reached out and made sure that Hannah saw her movements as she reached out to squeeze the girl's shoulder.

"How does a woman get a cup of tea in this thrice-blasted place?" another voice called out.

The red-headed master of the kitchen turned to glare at the thin woman standing in the doorway. Well, thin except for the huge round belly that made her look as if she had swallowed a large melon. "Miss! You shouldn't be up! We can bring you tea," Melissa growled. She stomped over to where a large teapot sat on the even larger stove. "Hannah? Would you get a stool for Miss Elizabeth?" she called over her shoulder.

Hannah put down the knife and, after wiping her hands, raced over to grab a stool for the grumpy woman. She was still working out the hierarchy and relationships in this place, but she had learned quickly that while Miss Melissa ... oops, Melissa was head of the kitchen, Miss Elizabeth was Mistress of the entire compound. Even if she looked about ready to burst with a baby at any moment.

"I can get my own bloody tea and my own bloody stool, Thank You," the tight-faced woman snapped out. Even so, she accepted the stool that Hannah brought her with a grateful nod and sat down heavily upon it.

"What's all the commotion?" a deep voice asked and everyone turned to the other doorway that lead to the dining hall to see a large man with a little boy hanging from his neck enter the steamy kitchen. Hannah was pretty sure that the man, Saleh, was the husband of either Melissa or Miss Elizabeth. She knew that Dylan - the little boy doing his best to strangle the large man - called him 'Papa'. Of course, so did Little Saleh who was slightly older than Dylan. They'd both referred to baby Christoff (that Melissa carried around at times) as their brother so she was reasonably confident of how they related. However, they both called Melissa 'Mama `lissa' and Miss Elizabeth as 'Mama `lizabeth' so she still wasn't completely sure who was who's mother.

"Your wife is supposed to be resting and she's now bothering me in the kitchen for a cup of tea," Melissa said with a huff as she approached the man and give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Liz, you need to ..." Saleh began.

"What I need to do is have this bloody baby so I can get back to teaching my classes," Miss Elizabeth snapped back before he could finish.

"It will happen when it's meant to happen and not a moment before," Melissa countered, walking over and handing the woman a full teacup on a saucer. "Now march, Miss, back to your room and lay down," she ordered, one hand outstretched pointing back the way the woman had entered from.

"Very well, I will do as you command ... for now," Miss Elizabeth said, standing back up and wobbling just a bit. "Hannah?" Melissa questioned, turning to face the young girl. "Would you be a dear and walk with Miss Elizabeth back to her room. We wouldn't want her to drop her tea."

"Yes, Mi... Melissa," Hannah answered with a nod. She reached up and took the pregnant woman's arm and escorted her through the archway.

They walked for a while down the hall in silence before Miss Elizabeth spoke. "So what do you think of our little bit of controlled chaos, Hannah?" she asked.

"I like the food," Hannah replied with a shrug. "And nobody gets drunk."

"That's probably because Melissa won't let me have any wine," Miss Elizabeth said with a chuckle.

"Miss?"

Miss Elizabeth waved off the question. "Nothing to be concerned about. I don't drink that much anymore. And you don't have to call me Miss. I'm just Elizabeth here. Unless you're in one of my classes we're all equals."

"But Melissa calls you Miss Elizabeth, so I thought ..."

"Melissa will probably call me Miss Elizabeth until the day she dies. Even in spite of the fact that she is my wife."

Hannah's face scrunched up in confusion. "But I thought Melissa and Saleh were married?"

"They are and we are," Elizabeth explained. "Melissa is my wife and Saleh is my husband."

"Oh."

"So she just threw you in and left you to paddle, eh?" Elizabeth asked with a smirk.

"What?"

Elizabeth shook her head with a smile. "Little Saleh, Dylan, and baby Christoff are all Melissa's natural sons and Saleh is their father. Atticus and Raymond were foundlings like yourself. When Melissa found them on one of her ... excursions into the city, like you, she couldn't leave them in the situations she found them, so she brought them home."

Elizabeth gave a little laugh. "I must say, there have been times that I've wondered if we should just keep her here locked up here rather than let her come home with any more strays."

Hannah frowned.

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said, noting the change in demeanor of her companion. "That was very indelicate of me. I never want you to feel that you're anything but welcome here. We're very happy to have you as a part of our family." She chuckled. "And Melissa has always wanted a daughter. Sometimes I think that's why she insisted that I carry at least one. She's had three sons and figures that I'll be the one to give her a daughter."

"Is that why she brought me here? So she could have a daughter?" Hannah questioned, frowning.

Elizabeth sighed. "Sometimes I think the gods gave me two feet just so I could have an extra to put in my mouth," she said with a shake of her head. "No, Hannah. Please believe me when I say that were you a boy or girl, in your situation, Melissa would still have brought you home to us. She wouldn't let a child stay in a place like ... that."

"It wasn't too bad," Hannah said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I just delivered drinks. They said I wouldn't have to be a second floor girl until I turned thirteen."

Elizabeth's face darkened, but she made an effort to not let her anger at what might have happened to the girl affect her tone. "In any case, don't you find it more pleasant here?" she questioned.

"Oh, yes. I don't have to bring anyone drinks."

Both girls looked down at the cup of tea that Elizabeth was still holding and laughed. They walked on in comfortable silence for a bit.

"So Melissa is hoping that you have a girl," Hannah asked.

"She will be pleased if the baby is healthy," Elizabeth answered. "But she would really like a little girl to mother," she added with a smirk.

They walked along.

"I don't remember my mother," Hannah said quietly, looking away. Elizabeth remained silent. "Do ... do you think it would be ok if ... if I called Melissa, 'Mama `Lissa'?"

Elizabeth looked away for a moment, composing herself and then reached up to brush at her eyes. "I think she would like that very much," she finally replied in a steady voice.

They walked on in silence for a bit longer before a woman with long, blond hair approached. "Hello, Angelica," Elizabeth said as her eyes narrowed slightly. Hannah had played with a girl around the compound who was named Angelica as well and had the same blonde locks this woman had. Perhaps she was the girl's mother, but having the same name was a little strange. Why it was ok for Little Saleh to be named after his father, but it was strange for Angelica to be named after her mother, she didn't understand. It just was.

"Hello, Elizabeth," the woman replied with a friendly smile. Her eyes drifted down to the large swell under Elizabeth's dress. "Have you decided on a name?" she asked. "Not yet," Elizabeth replied. She seemed to consider her question for a moment before asking, "Any suggestions?"

Angelica's smile broadened. "I've always like the name ... Elena."

Elizabeth seemed to stumble slightly and reached out for Hannah's hand for support. "A girl's name?"

Angelica nodded slowly. Without another word she walked away, only pausing to look back over her shoulder and add, "And write to your sister." Elizabeth gave a single nod in response.

Once the woman was out of sight, Elizabeth gave Hannah's hand a squeeze. "Well, Hannah, it looks you're going to have a sister in a month or so."

Elizabeth waits patiently on the train for Melissa and Kragga to return with her death-defying husband.

Once back on the train, she waits until the others pass and then steps in front of Saleh to give him a cold gaze. This is followed by a stinging slap and then an embrace with trembling arms.

She holds him silently for long enough to calm herself and then with a soft kiss she turns and follows after the others to discuss strategy.

"nuq SoHmo' vay' Daghojmo'!" Elizabeth screams out at the creature as it begins flying away. She sends seven arcane missiles streaking toward the beast to punctuate her words.

Potent Unerring Darts: 7 + 2d6 ⇒ 7 + (1, 1) = 9

Sorcery Strain Roll - Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 - 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 3 - (2) = 16

For the first time since he's known her, Saleh sees Elizabeth entirely gobsmacked.

Elizabeth moves to where she can see the creature and draws in the ambient arcane energy into herself. When it's within range, she sends an arc of lightning towards it.

Using harness magic pool.
Potent Arcane Lightning: 5d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 4, 6, 2) + (6, 2) = 28
Agility Challenge for half damage.

Sorcery Strain Roll - Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 - 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 3 - (4) = 6

"There is magic capable of almost anything one can imagine," Elizabeth responds as she taps her chin in contemplation. "Unfortunately we are limited to the magic that Kragga, Melissa, and I are capable of, which is a much smaller subset then one's imagination."

"If it's a dragon of flame," she continues after a moment, "Then logic would dictate that my fire magic will have little to no effect. That leaves my lightning and arcane missiles. The lightning I can reinvoke, best case, twice more. My guess is that will be quite insufficient on its own. Hopefully, though, it will be enough to enrage the beast enough to bring it down. Once we do that, it will be up to you and Melissa. We will have to depend on steel over sorcery."

She thinks a moment longer.

"Speaking of steel ... you don't supposed we could just get the dragon to sit on the tracks and run it over with this metal monstrosity, do you?" she asks, with a hint of a smile.

"If we can convince the thing to come down to our level, we kill it the same way we would kill any other mad beast - with magic and blades. If you're asking me for a strategy then you're going to be disappointed; I've never fought a dragon before either."

Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Elizabeth eyes the beast and one could almost conjecture that she smiles just a tad.

"And now we will see who is the stronger," she mutters to herself.

"That's not ..." Elizabeth begins, but then trails off with a shrug. "You are correct as always," she says, rising up on her tip-toes to give the large man a kiss on the cheek.

"Keep an eye out for the dragon. I'm going to update Melissa on what's going on."

She exits the caboose to return to the engine and her wife to bring her up to speed.

"No. Then it will eat you along with all the other people on the train," Elizabeth says with a sigh.

"He's not going to be any help, Saleh," she continues, turning to her husband. "Would you please take him out of the equation for the time being?"

The woman then steps out the rear door of the caboose to see if it gives her a better view of the sky.

"So you made a deal with a devil to appease a dragon sent by a demon lord?" Elizabeth questions with a raised eyebrow. "And you didn't consider that it wouldn't go the way you wanted it to? Didn't consider that possibility even a little?"

She rolls her eyes and seriously considers loosing her husband on the man.

"Do you have any idea why the dragon wants the trains? Or when it will attack?"

"Magic can be tricky like that," Elizabeth gives Saleh a raised eyebrow. "And sometimes the people you learn it from aren't always upfront with all the possible consequences."

She turns a casual, but questioning gaze on Simon. "Who was it that taught you that spell?"

Getting frustrated at the resiliency of the pig-men, Elizabeth pools energy into herself.

Harness Magic: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Really?

Slow Action

Elizabeth shifts position so she can catch all of the pig-men in the arc of her next spell which follows quickly. Electricity surges forth from her hands

5 yard cone

Arcane Lightning: 5d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 5, 2, 1) = 17
Make Agility Challenge for half damage.

Elizabeth attempts something a little more ... more. Three darts race out to strike three different pig-men and then explode.

Each dart deals 1 damage to its target, then explodes in a 1-yard radius from a point within the target’s space. Everything in the area takes 1d6 + 1 damage, or half the damage with a success on an Agility challenge roll.

No map, so difficult to adjudicate, sorry. Targeting so that each small explosion will hit not only the original target, but at least one or two more.

Elizabeth almost casually sends off a ray of burning fire towards one of the swine.

Burning Beam - Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Burning Beam Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

That doesn't portend good omens for the combat.

Still unsure as to what she'll find in the caboose, Elizabeth nevertheless races forward to join Saleh.

If she makes it to the scene ...

Will Save: 1d20 + 3 - 1d6 ⇒ (14) + 3 - (2) = 15

"No, you stay at the engine!" Elizabeth instructs the red-head, who looks ready to protest. "We need someone we can trust here," she insists. Melissa crosses her arms petulantly and looks away before nodding.

"Thank you," Elizabeth says as she touches the woman's arm. With a turn and the sound of boots clattering on the metal floor, she races back to where Saleh is at the caboose.

Elizabeth places and pale hand on Melissa's arm and the red-head turns to her.

"Yes, he means us because that's what we were hired to do," she says in a calm voice. When Melissa opens her mouth to protest, Elizabeth reaches up to place a finger on her lips. "Enough. No, we weren't aware of the possibility of a dragon, but it changes nothing. We've been hired to escort this train and discover what happened to the others and that's what we're going to do."

She turns to the crew.

"We're going to continue on," she says with a nod towards the engine, leaving no room for argument.

Elizabeth gives the large man a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps you don't still have nightmares about clambering around inside a mostly dead and rotting dragon, but I assure you that I still get that image repeated to me on a regular basis."

She looks back over the devastation.

"They are quite real."

"I doubt they ended up in that state because they stopped," Elizabeth says with narrowed eyes as she looks at the ruins of the previous train with an appraising eye. "However, continuing on would seem prudent."

Elizabeth's eyes remain on the terrain outside and the ruins it displays.

"Everything about this says that it's not bandits or anything else that mundane," she says. "I believe that this will test our capabilities beyond what we've experienced before." She reaches out a hand to gently touch the man's arm. "Keep your eyes open and don't let down your guard."

Elizabeth's lips turn up into a slight smile at Saleh's comment. As the large man turns and walks away she tips her head towards the crew.

"Well met to both of you," she says. "We'll do our best to keep your train safe and you alive." She lets her gaze linger a bit longer on Simon. "I hope my competency meets your expectations."

Without another word, exits the engine and moves back to the first passenger car.

As they leave Elizabeth's students behind, the sorceress raises an eyebrow at Saleh. "And don't think you'll be just standing off to the side smugly when she finally has a baby of her own," she says with a nod towards Melissa. "I'll make sure that you get the brunt of her moods." She laughs. "You think she's a handful now when her moon-blood is upon her, just wait until she's in the throes of new motherhood."

At Melissa's exclamation of affront Elizabeth laughs louder and walks on.

"Very well. We accept your proposal," Elizabeth says with a nod. "When is it leaving?"

Once it's established when they'll be boarding and on their way, Elizabeth arranges for a nursemaid to stay with Teracina and Angelica. With that out of the way, it was just a matter of separating Angelica (who has currently reverted to her current-timeline infant state) from Melissa, who has been taking care of the baby.

"Are you sure she'll be ok with a stranger, Miss?" Melissa asked, fiddling with Angelica's blanket. "She gets fussy with people she don't know."

"She'll be fine. Teracina will be there to let her know where we've gone if she jumps to an aware state," Elizabeth countered in a comforting voice.

"Fine, just as long as I'm not expected to care for a swaddled babe," the dark-skinned woman interjected. "I signed up to learn magic, not to be a wet-nurse."

"That you did," Elizabeth said in a voice growing colder. "However, even when in my school and learning magic, you will find that we all must occasionally wear different hats. If that's not acceptable to you then you are free to leave."

Her bluff called, Teracina crosses her arms over her chest with a huff. "If that's what it takes, I guess."

"That is 'what it takes'," Elizabeth clarified. "Is that acceptable to you? Yes or no?"

"Yes," the woman snapped back.

Melissa's eyes narrowed. "Yes, what?" she snarled, only to be waved off with a raised hand and a shake of Elizabeth's head.

"Thank you," Elizabeth answered curtly.

"Among my students, I have discouraged delving into chronomagic," Elizabeth replies. "There are things that it can accomplish that nothing else can, but it is much more capricious to work with."

She looks towards where the blond-haired child had exited. "I don't know how much she retains between reversions. I don't have enough experience with her yet. She's only been here a day and a half. In that time, she's reverted back to an infant state twice. I haven't had a chance to study her in-depth. And she's not a plague rat to study under glass in a lab. She's a child."

She looks back to Saleh. "I'm not temperamentally suited to dealing with children, Saleh. I have no interest in having a child myself and that's not just because they're inherently messy. I ... don't get along well with children." She draws a deep breath. "Yes, I'll join you in a moment."

Out of sight of the grim building, Elizabeth collapses entirely into Saleh's arms. "Gods," she cries out, showing the emotion she's been burying. "Just get me away from that place. And I just want sleep. Honest, real sleep. With no bells or gongs or cold water or ... or other things. I could sleep for a week and I might just try."

Reduction in Insanity: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Health +2

Improved Spell Recovery

Immolate

Elizabeth nods and a spell of flame follows.

Once the remains have been consumed by fire, she approaches Saleh and Melissa. "Are you both ok?" she asks.

Melissa nods wordlessly and clings a little tighter to Saleh.

Letting Saleh comfort Melissa, Elizabeth releases the energy she's still containing before moving to examine the remains more closely.

Any knowledge on how to 'properly' dispose of a demon's remains?

Slow Turn

Elizabeth doesn't engage in the banter and begins moving farther away as the energy inside her builds. She continues to send missiles into the creature.

Potent Magic Dart: 1d3 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (6, 1) = 9

Strain Roll Bane: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 6) = 10
Will Strain Roll: 1d20 + 2 - 6 ⇒ (11) + 2 - 6 = 7

And the energy is released in a large burst.

Fast Atack

Heedless of her wife's diminishing capacity, Elizabeth continues her assault with basic spells.

Potent Magic Dart: 1d3 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (4, 2) = 9

Strain Roll Bane: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6
Will Strain Roll: 1d20 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (12) + 2 - 3 = 11

Fast Turn

Attempting to stick with spells that the demon can't avoid, Elizabeth sends another enhanced arcane dart to strike the creature.

Potent Magic Dart: 1d3 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (6, 6) = 15

Will Strain Roll: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 2 - (5) = 15

Fast Turn

Annoyed that the demon resisted her spell of time, she falls back to one of the basics as she draws in energy again.

"Let's see if you can resist this," she growls.

Potent Unerring Darts: 7 + 2d6 ⇒ 7 + (3, 5) = 15

Will Strain Roll: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 - (3) = 0

And again, she demonstrates that under stress she's unable to restrain the damaging energy she's taking advantage of.

Fast Turn

Banes: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 6, 2, 4) = 17

Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 - 6 ⇒ (5) + 3 - 6 = 2 And there goes Elizabeth's fortune as well. :)

Elizabeth pales at the sight of the creature, but seeing her lovers move with confidence around the thing only inspires her to hold faith.

She draws in sorceress energy and attempts to slow the creature.

empowered delay time

The creatures two banes cancel her two boons.
Intellect Attack vs Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
On a success, the target is slowed for 1 minute.

Will Strain Roll: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 2 - (3) = 7

The extra energy rushes out in a short range burst.

Fast Turn

Elizabeth reins in her frustration and directs her magical energies to heal a small amount of Melissa's wounds.

minor healing - regain half healing rate

Fast Turn

"Still in the way!" Elizabeth calls out. Resorting to her magical darts rather than her preferred lightning, she sends seven bolts into the giant.

Potent Unerring Darts: 7 + 2d6 ⇒ 7 + (5, 3) = 15

Strain Roll - Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 - 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 3 - (6) = 8

Her concentration slipping, the dangerous energy escapes her again.

Agility Challenge: 1d20 + 0 + 1d6 ⇒ (16) + 0 + (3) = 19

"Saleh! I can't fight him if you're in the way!" Elizabeth shouts out.

As her action, Elizabeth uses Spell Recovery to heal 6 HP and regain a casting of arcane lightning.

Strain Roll - Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 - 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 3 - (5) = 8

A pulse of forceful energy splashes out from the sorceress.

Elizabeth laughs coldly at the lumbering creature.

"Ah, the arrogance of the damned," she says. "You possess the largest brute you can find and immediately assume that makes you the most powerful. Fool. Power is proportional to will, not size. To demonstrate ..."

Drawing in the ambient energy around them, Elizabeth releases it in an arc of lightning that envelopes the giant and as many of the wargs as she's able.

Potent Arcane Lightning: 5d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 2, 4, 4) + (6, 3) = 25
Half damage on a successful Agility challenge.

Fast Turn

The sorceress continues to draw in mana and utilizes to send seven small bolts into the bugbear, the last one carrying an extra wallop of mystical energy.

Unerring Darts: 7 + 2d6 ⇒ 7 + (3, 4) = 14

Strain Roll - Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 - 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 3 - (3) = 13

Slow Turn

Elizabeth draws in more energy, feeling its warmth flooding her being. Using the stored energy from before and the new mana she sends out a trio of flaming bolts at the minotaur.

Fiery Volley Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Fiery Volley Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Fiery Volley Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Fiery Volley Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Potent Fiery Volley Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Fiery Volley Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 1 + (6, 1) = 13

Strain Bane: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6
Strain Roll: 1d20 + 3 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 3 - 5 = 7

Unable to hold on to the volatile energy, she releases it in a violent burst.

2d6 to everyone within two yards. Which shouldn't be anyone she cares about.

Harness Magic: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Once the beastmen have coming within fifteen yards, Elizabeth draws in mana from the world around her. Having ensured that her spouses are safely distanced from her she smiles as feels the magic touch her like a lover would. The potential is released as an arc of electricity snapping out and through the creatures ranks.

Potent Arcane Lightning - using pool: 5d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 2, 6, 6) + (4, 3) = 30
Agility challenge for half damage.

Strain Roll - Will Challenge: 1d20 + 3 - 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 3 - (3) = 15

Ah.

When you get a chance, if there's a link to the errata could you post it?

Regarding Harness Magic again ...

I don't think they play-tested this spell very well. Either that or they left out a sentence such as 'Harness Magic may not be used to cast itself.'

Otherwise, I think it's broken. As the description I posted above states, you create a pool of 1d6+3 energy that can be used to cast spells at one point per spell level. So it creates a minimum of 4 points and Harness Magic (which is a 4th level spell) can be cast out of it for 4 points.

Given preparation time, a caster could amass a huge pool of energy that lasts until they rest.

Elizabeth looks around to find a landmark a short distance away.

"How about you all go and wait and watch from behind those trees over there," she says, indicating a small group of trees about a hundred yards away. "You should be safe there and get a good view of the events."

"Yes, that would probably be the wise thing to do," Elizabeth responds.

Any knowledge of what a 'minimum safe distance' would be to prevent possession of one of the rabble?

"We'll find out, won't we?" she responds.