Inessa of Kavapesta's page

Sorry, I don't think I can delete my . post! I've waited too long past the point I can edit, apparently.

No worries, I didn't know you could do that at first either. And yeah, you have an hour (really 59 minutes) after you submit a post to go back and edit or delete anything. After that, it's written in stone forever. I can't tell you how many times I've realized there was a typo in one of my posts only after the hour mark had passed.

Anywho, now what you suggested earlier seems a lot less crazy. =) Do we want to hash out some first impressions of each other's characters or just let them come naturally during gameplay?

Maybe, but that's assuming the GM wants to bring you all in as if having been here the whole time instead of you all being late arrivals, I think. Not sure how GM Umineko wants to do that. Also, you can delete your dot in the gameplay thread and it'll still show up in your campaigns without having a blank post in the middle of the game, if you didn't already know that. ;)

Inessa is a Summoner with the Spirit Summoner archetype; basically she loses her summon monster SLA and a few class abilities to gain Shaman spirit abilities, spells and eventually hexes. She has the Life spirit; she can channel positive energy, so Anna might want to have a conversation with the party about her heritage before we fight any undead. There's also Vizaresh, Inessa's psychopomp eidolon.

Inessa hails from the Holy City of Kavapesta in Amaans county, home to the Pharasmin Penitence sect who have some fairly extreme views, among them believing (or at least purporting to their flock) that Inessa is a mortal aspect of Pharasma come to Golarion. It's a long story. But feel free to read it some time if you like.

Welcome everyone, and hi Sapiens! Third time's a charm, huh?

Welcome back, Viare! I'm glad I won't be the only one continuing on.

We have some promising submissions so far. I'm looking forward to finding out your selections when it comes time, GM.

Sounds good! I'm looking forward to getting this started again.

Thank you for keeping me in the loop! If I don't hear from you until then, have a Happy New Year!

It'll be a Christmas wish come true if we can get this started again! I hope we can, but I think we've at least definitely lost Mathias—he's been absent from his other games, too. Hopefully Viare and Toad Tongue are still here.

A Merry Christmas to us all, and Gosh bless us, every one!

I know that's the case with me. I feel like I've been in the kitchen alllllll week.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

A small pucker forms between two pale brows as Inessa considers the implications behind Viare's words. Even after Sheriff Caeller had detailed the unfortunate occurrences plaguing Ravengro, the young woman had not considered that an act as relatively innocuous as vandalism might have been connected to something more sinister until the other woman had pointed it out. "I agree..." Inessa says haltingly, her mind clearly struggling to wrap around the dark motives Viare has hinted at.

Then, like clouds parting to reveal a ray of sunlight, the worry on Inessa's features fades, leaving a small smile in its wake. "As I said, we are happy to help." Thinking that their business with the sheriff is concluded, Inessa means to take her leave when, on glancing at the sack of gold sitting on Benjan's desk, a sudden thought occurs to her.

"Sheriff Caeller, would you allow us to explore the ruins of Harrowstone Prison? The Professor... he was concerned that some spirits might not have been laid to rest." Slim fingers find the silver spiral at her throat, the holy symbol of Pharasma, and hold it up for the sheriff's inspection. "As a devotee of The Lady of Graves, I hope you can understand my desire to make sure such souls find their way to the Goddess."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

That's what caused me to lose the post the second time. The first time was my own dumb fault. I set my tablet down without turning off the screen, and when I picked it back up my thumb was on the refresh button. Le sigh.

I'm sorry to hear you're in hell this week. I hope it's short week. =/

It got through for me, but it's been a hell of a week. Fibro flare-up, migraine, and a sick puppy that can't sleep through the night because she needs to be walked every two hours has been... ugh. And then when I actually feel up to writing on Tuesday and Wednesday, I lose the post. Twice.

Oh well, at least things are looking up now.

Inessa huffs a quiet sigh as the sheriff leads them away from the memorial, the slanderous murmuring of the crowd deafening to the young woman. It is a far cry from the reception she is used to receiving from the communities she visited. Is this the treatment they have to face every day? Inessa wonders, her blue eyes swimming with equal amounts of pity and guilt as she glances at her companions. As they leave the accusing stares of the townsfolk behind them, Inessa wishes there was some way she could help right the wrongs that her companions must daily endure.

Hands folded neatly in front of her, Inessa stands before the sheriff's desk, giving the man her undivided attention. The more he waxes on about the recent troubles to befall Ravengro, the more wary Inessa grows about the lawman's reasoning behind bringing them in. Had she misjudged his intention back at the memorial?

The tension she feels suddenly bleeds away when the sheriff at last asks for their help in finding the culprit. Breathing easier once more, Inessa waits a few moments to regain her calm composure before addressing Benjan. "Well, considering the timing, I guess it's hard to fault the townsfolk for suspecting us. Thank you for giving us the benefit of the doubt, Sheriff Caeller."

After looking to the others—an attempt to gauge their willingness to take the sheriff up on his offer—Inessa gives her answer. "Our first responsibility is to see that Miss Kendra has all the help she needs in order to get her affairs in order and to settle a few remaining matters on behalf of the Professor. I hope you understand. But, if we can help the town in any way during our stay, I'm sure I speak for my friends here in saying we'll be glad to do so." She again turns to glance to her companions as she says so, looking for confirmation or, in Toad Tongue's case, begrudging acceptance of her words.

At the shop, Inessa hands over payment for the goods, cheerily returning Marta's smile. A lifetime of having such responsibilities handled for her by the Church has left her inexperienced with such things as purchasing foodstuffs, and her poor understanding of the value of simple goods shows as she takes no notice of the increased cost that the shopkeeper charges. If anything, the naive young woman thinks that the proprietress might be undercharging her considering how personable the woman has been. Thanking Marta for all of her help, Inessa takes her leave, exploring what sights Ravengro has to offer with the others before eventually returning to the Lorrimor Place for a night's rest.

Appraise: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

The next morning, Inessa wakes a handful of minutes before Viare has finished her meditation. If she notices that the other woman seems unsettled, she makes no comment on it and instead looks on with a strange mix of curiosity and wariness. While the Pharasmin is no stranger to morning prayers, she has a suspicion that the woman's ritual has little do with religious devotion. Of course, the possibility that Viare is praying ought not to be disregarded, but, to Inessa, that invited the question: whom was she praying to?

As Viare finishes her routine, Inessa bids her good morning with a kindly smile that belies her persistent misgivings about the woman. After a bit small talk, Inessa kneels beside her bed and offers silent orisons to Pharasma. Her prayers last no longer than a minute, and at the end they are answered in much the same way as they typically are. That is, with the holy symbol of Pharasma momentarily flaring to life on her brow and Vizaresh suddenly manifesting before her with the sound of flapping wings.

At the site of the Memorial, Inessa begins to feel slightly apprehensive as her fellows argue against the Sheriff's request. While such a thing might ordinarily go unnoticed by the young woman, she is able to tell that the Sheriff does not truly suspect them of the crime. Although, whether his judgement of them would change should they refuse to respect to his authority was another question entirely. Turning to the others she reasons, taking care to keep her voice from carrying too much, "We only cast a larger shadow of doubt upon ourselves by refusing to cooperate. Please, let's just do as the Sheriff asks. I'm certain that he only wants to speak with us in private."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

I'm sorry that life hasn't been kind to you of late, but I'm also thrilled that you're still here and willing to run this, GM Umineko, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. The synopsis sounds like a great idea, and just the thing we need to get this story back on the rails.

I hope you're feeling better soon!

I'm sorry to hear you'll be leaving. You'll be missed (leastways by me) but I hope all goes well with you and your family!

And then there were four...? If you're still interested in continuing GM Umineko, I feel I should say I'm perfectly okay with skipping the aforementioned scene and exploring and any other sort of plot-irrelevant fluff I've suggested and just moving ahead to tomorrow morning.

I'm sorry for the delay on my part. My Inessa muse is a fickle thing it seems. It's hard to get into the mindset of someone so... nice. Anyway, I hope to be much quicker with my responses going forward.

I'm glad you're feeling better, GM Umineko! And welcome back, Mathias! If indeed you are back. I know I probably wouldn't want to leave Ireland myself and have to come back to Florida. In fact, I'll probably take any place that doesn't have a hurricane season. Our neighborhood is still trying to pick up after Irma blew through.

Anyway, after this brief scene between Mathias and Inessa, I'll be ready to move on if everyone else is.

Inessa nods solemnly at Marta's words, but whether she is confirming that she and her companions will be staying at the Lorrimor House or that it was indeed a shame about the Professor's passing is ambiguous at best. In spite of her sadness, the shopkeeper's words warm her heart. It was nice to hear that more villagers than those who attended the funeral thought highly of the late Petros. It gave her hope that the men who dared to interrupt the procession to voice their baseless accusations were part of the town's minority.

"Thank you for your suggestions," Inessa tells Marta before turning to the others. Though she notices the looks she receives from Jin and Viare, if the unsuspecting young woman reads anything remotely negative in their gazes it is merely attributed to the former's seeming stoicism or her own lingering unease of the latter. Still, she gives them both a subdued smile as she says, "I didn't bring much with me in the way of coin, but if any of you see anything we could use, I'm more than happy to help pay for what I can." Visiting the market had been her idea, after all. It seems rude to the Pharasmin not to offer to cover their expenses.

Leaving the others to their conversations with Marta and the farmhands, Inessa peruses the various shelves of the general store. After a bit of searching she is able to find some of the staples she had set out to procure; travel cake mix, jars of sugar, sacks of potatoes. Items that even someone with her lack of skill in cooking would be able to make a meal out of. Anything to help ease the burden of their stay from Kendra's shoulders. As she tries to think of the things she might be able to prepare for the group in the coming days and weeks, she also tries, unsuccessfully, to bring one of the sacks of potatoes to front of the store. And speaking of burdens...

Glancing over toward her companions, Inessa notices that Mathias is the only one who seems not to be busy conversing with the townsfolk. Moreover, it would be a good opportunity to speak with him privately about her earlier rudeness at the funeral. And so steeling her nerves, she asks the man to join her for a moment. "Sir Gab—I mean, Mathias," she corrects herself with a self-conscious smile. "I don't mean to impose, but would you mind helping me with these?"

The soft smile Inessa has after finding villagers willing to speak to them slowly falls as the first farmhand spins his frightful tale. Miss Kendra said that the Professor fell from the balcony... Could the spirit of this headsman have been involved? A chill crawls up her spine at the very thought, one that has the young woman reaching for the silver spiral at her throat in an attempt to ward off the dreadful feeling. The smile returns, albeit a bit strained, when the second farmhand insists the stories are only that and nothing more. It's a comforting thought, one Inessa wishes she could believe, but the circumstances surrounding Lorrimor's death and the new information brought to light in his journal entries made that all but impossible. There is little doubt in Inessa's mind that something sinister lurked in Harrowstone Prison.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Bright blue eyes glance inquisitively at Viare as the other woman eagerly admits to her fascination with macabre tales. She tries not to judge the woman for her tastes—after all, the Professor's own scholarly interests tended toward those things dark and morbid. Inessa, however, is of the opinion that there is enough darkness in the world without needing to spread scary stories, and so politely excuses herself to speak with store owner on more mundane matters.

"We're going to be staying in town while Miss Kendra settles her affairs," Inessa tells the proprietress after proper introductions have been made. "Is there anything you can recommend in the way of staples or supplies? I'm afraid none of us were expecting to be asked to stay for a month, Miss Kendra included."

Inessa eyes Kendra as the woman admits to wanting time to herself. It seems wrong to leave her alone in her grief, but it occurs to the young woman that the greater wrong might be to ignore Kendra's wishes to soothe her own conscience. "We shouldn't be gone too long. Is there anything we can get you while we're out?"

After bidding Kendra farewell, Inessa moves downstairs with everyone else. "Come along, Vizaresh," she calls into the parlour while donning on her cloak. It would have made her feel a bit better about leaving Kendra alone if her guardian could have stayed, but, alas, their bond is such that he would grow weak in her absence. Nodding her thanks to Mathias for his chivalry, Inessa steps out onto the stoop to wait for the others, her companion following behind dutifully.

"Perhaps we could visit the market or a general store, if Ravengro has one," Inessa offers in response to Mathias's question when no other suggestions seem forthcoming. "I was thinking​ we might like to buy some supplies for our stay while we're out? I don't think Kendra was expecting to have a houseful of guests for a month, so it might be nice to replenish the larder. It would be one less thing she has to worry about."

While out and about in Ravengro, Inessa will try to interact with any locals that seem willing to talk and learn what she can of the town.
Diplomacy (Gather Information): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 241d4 ⇒ 1

A faint blush colors Inessa's cheeks at Jin's offer, but her warm smile is unwavering as she answers him. "I would be very grateful for your help, Zhu Jin," she responds with a nod of her head. "And if we're to call Ravengro home for the next month, it might be good to get acquainted with the town. But, please, call me Inessa. Or ...Inessa-san? That is, if you like, of course." Feeling as if she's shown her ignorance of Jin's culture and its customs, her blush darkens.

Tucking an errant lock of hair behind her ear, Inessa delicately clears her throat, willing away her embarrassment before turning to address Mathias. The imposing man's dark gaze is, unsurprisingly, able to easily dispel any lingering feelings of bashfulness. Although evidently still wary of Mathias's dark heritage, she remains determined to clear the air between them and to that end asks him to join them about Ravengro. "If you wouldn't mind showing us around the town, Sir Gabriel, I'm certain Zhu Jin and I, and anyone else who'd like to come, would appreciate your company."

I appreciate your confiding in us about your illness and I understand completely. Like I said before, as long as you're interested in running this, I'm interested in playing it. I hope you're feeling​ well again soon.

Inessa brings a hand up to cover her mouth as Kendra relates the circumstances of her father's passing, making an effort to stifle her horrified gasp. Oh, Professor... What a gruesome way to die! Seeing your death rushing toward you and being unable to avoid it. By Pharasma's grace, I pray he didn't suffer. With a shaky hand, Inessa traces the Goddess's spiral over her heart. "I've never known your father to be wrong about anything, Miss Kendra. If he thought this Harrowstone​ could be haunted by the spirits of the dead, I fear there may be some truth to these rumors after all. At the very least, we ought to bring this information to Father Grimburrow. I only..." The young woman trails off, her idle thought of 'I only wish the Professor had gone to the Church with his concerns' going unfinished. It was not her place to question the Goddess's will, whether she agreed with it or not.

Upstairs, Inessa briefly looks into each of the guest rooms Kendra shows them to, pleased to find there is ample space for all of them. It had been some time since she shared accommodations with another person. Once the Sisters had discovered that she had been marked by Pharasma, as they said, they pulled her from the girl's dormitories and made her stay in a private chamber. Despite their differences and her first impression of the other woman, Inessa is surprised to find that she looks forward to sharing a room with Viare. And with three beds to a room, the sleeping arrangements seemed to work themselves out without any awkwardness or impropriety, she considers, briefly giving a shy smile to the men clustered in the hallway.

"Oh, the driver that brought me here should be waiting at the town's inn or tavern," Inessa says in response to Kendra's offer. "I'll need to get my trunk from the carriage and give him my letter to take back to Kavapesta. If you could just point me in the right direction, I'm sure I can find my way there."

I feel your pain. I've been feeling a little out of sorts myself lately. Rest up as much as you can and I hope you feel better soon!

Inessa makes a slow circle around the room after Kendra shows her to the study, her eyes falling over the many books lining the shelves. Of particular interest are the encyclopedias detailing Golarion's history. The Professor had taught her a good deal of the history of Ustalav and planned to teach her more about the world at large in time. A wave of sadness threatens to overtake Inessa but she composes herself for Kendra's sake, turning to give the woman a sympathetic smile as she shares a fond memory of her father. "Thank you, Miss Kendra. And not to worry about the post; I'll ask the driver to bring it back to Kavapesta with him."

After penning a brief letter to the Holy Mother of the Cryptgate, Inessa seals the envelope and brings it with her into the lounge, rejoining the group in time to overhear the reading of Petros' journal. "Necromancers? Here in Ravengro?" She turns her look of incredulity and worry from Mathias and the journal in his hands to Kendra. "Surely the townsfolk would have noticed the presence of such... unsavory outsiders in their community?"

Slightly troubled by Kendra's own suspicions about the contents of the chest, Inessa watches warily from her chair as Viare opens the box. Once the lid opens and nothing frightful happens, she breathes a quiet sigh of relief but makes no move to inspect the contents of the chest herself. Rather, Inessa turns to regard Kendra, watching as the grief-stricken woman takes in her father's last words for her. When the moment to do so feels right, Inessa speaks with Kendra in hushed tones.

"A month... It's... rather longer than the Sisters are expecting me to be away. But as a Pharasmin and, more to the point, a friend of the Professor's, it is my duty and privilege to honor your father's last requests, and I'm certain they will understand. Might I use your stationery so I can send word back to Kavapesta?"

Yeah, I know the frustration. I must check my posts for typos and things like five times after I submit them. Nothing's more irritating than when I still find a mistake an hour and some minutes after I posted. ><

Anyway, I'm sorry to keep everyone waiting. My allergies have been acting up these past few days, leaving me an incoherent, stuffy-headed mess. But I'm feeling better now (for as long as it stops raining down here) and ready to move on if everyone else is.

Inessa inclines her head to Jin. "Thank you. I was also sorry to hear of the injuries you suffered in defense of the Professor, but I'm grateful that you could be there for him in his time of need. You said before that you reacted brashly, but I think you showed bravery, if you ask me." Inessa casts a brief look forward the stairs, and after she neither sees nor hears any sign of Kendra, she turns back to the group. Leaning forward in her chair, she speaks softly to Jin, though the cozy lounge does nothing to keep her voice from reaching the others. "You also mentioned that you accompanied the Professor for a time? It might help ease a little of the grief in Kendra's heart to hear stories of her father's travels." She settles back into her chair with a shy smile. "At least, I should like to hear them, if you wouldn't mind. I've seen and heard so little of the world outside of Kavapesta..."

At Toad Tongue's question, Inessa's smile turns slightly indulgent as she regards the goblin. She doesn't fail to notice that his concern for food extends to them all and, once again, she is impressed by his manners. "I'll see if we can't find something to have with the tea when Miss Kendra comes back down. What sort of things do you like to eat?"

Inessa blushes slightly when Viare detects her unease concerning Naleka. "She does seem very docile. I didn't mean to imply otherwise, I'm sorry. I've just never seen one so close before. How long have you had her?" Rather than agree or disagree with Viare about one day holding Naleka, she simply smiles, if a touch uneasily. "One day, perhaps."

When Mathias mentions that his work is the duty of his faith, Inessa looks over the man once again, more closely this time and not thinking to attempt to disguise her curious scrutiny. "You are a servant of The Lady of Graves?" she asks when she sees no sign of Mathias' faith on his person, her hand rising to briefly touch the Holy Spiral settled at her throat. "Or, is it The Inheritor, rather?" On the topic of religion, Inessa seems to find it much easier to talk to Mathias without any sense of fear.

I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm glad you're doing fine. I hope things start looking up from here on out. I personally wouldn't mind a little more character interactions, but I leave it up to the group to decide whether we're ready to move on.

It's been pretty quiet lately. Is everyone doing alright?

Despite having listened to him speak at the funeral, Toad Tongue's polished greeting still brings a look of mild surprise to Inessa's face. Even though the goblin's smile comes across as more of a grimace, Inessa favors him with a soft smile in kind, his question and demeanor reminding her of a child taught to demonstrate his manners before asking for a sweet. "I'm sorry, I didn't bring anything to eat with me. But if you like, I could ask Miss Kendra for you when she comes back down?" she offers, believing that—the goblin's refined mannerisms notwithstanding—she might be able to make the request with a little more tact than Toad Tongue.

Inessa's smile falters slightly as Mathias steps forward but, to her credit, the young woman manages not to drop her gaze as she catches sight of those dark crimson eyes once more. Her own crystal blue eyes swim with unasked questions as the man introduces himself, yet at the end of his speech, rather than give voice to any of those questions, Inessa instead says, "That is a very noble calling, Sir Gabriel. Truly you do the Goddess's work."

When asked about her own relationship with the Professor, Inessa at last settles into the chair nearest her with a soft sigh. As she looks out the window once again, it seems by the unfocused yet haunted look in her eyes that she is more reliving her tale than merely recalling it. "Some time ago, I was traveling through the vales of Amaans to visit a little village that had endured some tragedy. But we never made it to our destination. A few days into our journey, we were beset by the undead. They swarmed the carriage, fell upon the drivers, the guards... It was horrible." She falls silent for a few moments, then, suddenly stricken by the inappropriateness of going into detail about the undead at a funeral, Inessa delicately clears her throat before continuing on to the less harrowing parts of her tale. "Only by the grace of Pharasma and the intervention of my guardian, Vizaresh, did I survive. Word spread of that awful night, and Professor Lorrimor was one of those who visited me to hear my story. He had a wealth of knowledge, not just about the undead, but also of guardian spirits, of the places beyond our world, and the people touched by those places." Inessa glances briefly to Mathias at the last comment. "I'm sad to say that much of what he tried to teach me that day did not hold. I had hoped, in time, that we would be able to speak at length about what he knew, but alas, it seems the Goddess had a different plan in mind for our dear friend."

As Viare speaks, Inessa gives her a guarded look, the Pharasmin's opinion of her having warmed only slightly since hearing the woman speak at the Professor's funeral. When Viare introduces her friend, Inessa draws back into her chair with a subdued gasp. It isn't until she notices that the viper does nothing more than sedately hang on the woman's arm that she calms, minutely, and manages to pull her gaze away from the snake and back up to her mistress. "I think the Professor was a mystery even to those that knew him best," she answers in a surprisingly even voice. "I doubt we'll know of the reason for his request until the Councilman arrives to read his will. Perhaps not even then," she adds, a fond little smile momentarily brightening her features at the memory of Petros' enigmatic nature.

"Oh, I don't mind helping with the tea," Inessa begins to say as Kendra makes mention of it, her eagerness perhaps betraying her unease about the strange group she finds herself a part of—but the grieving heir of Professor Lorrimor is moving up the stairs seemingly before she can register the young woman's gentle voice. Her attempt foiled, Inessa gives her fellow mourners a bashful smile before moving into the lounge room, her silent guardian following dutifully in her wake. Rather than take one of the seats offered, Inessa moves to stand at the window and look out at the gloomy hamlet that is Ravengro. As she does, the fingers of her right hand find the silver holy symbol of Pharasma settled at the hollow of her throat and begin to endlessly trace the spiral there.

A part of her, born of Kavapestan superstitiousness and the ignorance of one who's been sheltered her entire life, wonders self-consciously about what the Professor could have seen in her that he also saw in her present company. A goblin, a professed torturess, the man who seemed to know a great deal too much about the dark things that stalked Ustalav. But that incorruptible spark in Inessa—the part that refuses to give into idle fears, the part that strives to see the goodness in others too often overlooked—instead focuses on the common thread that binds them all together: Professor Lorrimor.

It is enough, she thinks, that the Professor held us all in high regard. Whoever these people are, whatever their circumstances... only the Lady may judge them. Petros put his trust in them, and I put my trust in him.

Taking it upon herself to break the heavy silence in the room, Inessa turns from the window to look at others gathered in the lounge. "I thought you all were very moving in your speeches on behalf of the Professor," she says, clasping her hands in front of her to keep herself from nervously reaching for her holy symbol. Realizing that they should not expect Kendra to be in the right state to make introductions on their behalf, she adds, "We didn't really have an opportunity to introduce ourselves during the procession. My name is Inessa."

I might have been overly optimistic before about my timetable on them having this little issue fixed, but I'm glad everything is finally operational now. Here's hoping it stays that way and we can get this story going again.

I also hope you enjoyed your convention, GM. If it was the sort of convention one goes to for enjoyment, that is.

Inessa remains at Kendra's side, weathering the old man's wrath and his curse in solidarity with the bereaved daughter until he and the other protestors are well out of sight. Once they are, Inessa breathes a sigh of her own and seems to deflate under the weight of what has transpired. With quiet words of gratitude to the other pallbearers, she takes her place at Petros’ side once more and continues the solemn procession to his grave.

Her own feelings are in turmoil as she watches the Pharasmin acolytes begin to bury Petros’ coffin, each spade of dirt adding to the pain of loss that had not dulled at all in the weeks since Inessa had received news of the Professor's passing. Try as she might to steel herself to say farewell to Petros, her eyes yet brim with tears and she feels herself on the precipice of losing her composure. Despite her esteem for the Professor, it had been ingrained in Inessa by the Sisters of the Cryptgate that all were equal in the eyes of Pharasma, and that no life was more special than another just as no death would more tragic than another. For Inessa especially, such excess of emotion in the face of death was frowned upon and even as she stands before the Professor's grave, she can't help but to think distantly of what the priests in Kavapesta would say if they could see her so upset over one man's passing. Yet before she can truly begin to feel the sting of shame from her perceived weakness, Father Grimburrow's words dispel her troubled thoughts. To hear a servant of the Goddess speak so highly of the Professor and with such praise for his work warms her heart as much as it makes the earlier conflict on the Dreamwake all the more difficult to fathom.

She listens as the Tien man, Zhu Jin, speaks of his relationship with the Professor, a small furrow appearing between her brows as he recounts his first meeting with Petros. Petros was not a man deserving of such senseless violence. Thank the Goddess that fate brought this man to the Professor's side that day. After Zhu Jin concludes his speech, Inessa waits a few moments for any others to step forward before doing so herself.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

Inessa approaches the newly disturbed earth with head bent and hands twisted together in front of her. Whatever spark of confidence, of charismatic eloquence she possessed on the Dreamwake minutes before seems to have left her spirit. As she speaks, her words seem more directed to the grave than to the assembled mourners and her gentle voice has trouble reaching those standing furthest from the front. "I didn't have the privilege of knowing Professor Lorrimor for as long as some of you might have, but, in our all too brief acquaintance, he has left a lasting impression on my life. He was a great man; a man whose very association inspired those around him to better themselves. I will miss him dearly.”

“His loss is one that will be felt the world over, for the world is a much darker place without him. As we gather to mourn his passing and celebrate his life, may we also honor his memory by striving to live each day as he did.” After her brief speech, Inessa takes her place beside the other pallbearers once again.

At the Councilman's word, Inessa tucks her fingers under the bottom edge of the cold pine coffin and prepares to lift it from the cart where it sits. As she does, she takes a moment to glance at the faces of those sharing in the privilege of escorting the Professor to his final resting place. Her gaze is first drawn to the deep brown eyes of the Tian man beside her. I wonder if he hails from those lands at the farthest reaches of the world. Perhaps that's where he met Lorrimor. The Professor often wrote about his travels to the most exotic of places. She offers the man a smile heavily tempered by sadness and the solemnity of the occasion. Inessa turns to share that same smile with the others gathered around the Professor's coffin, but it fades when she spies her new companions' countenances. At once, she sees a pair of mismatched eyes set into an alluring face, two deep crimson irises that peer out from a visage that looks as though it was painstakingly chiseled from some pale, greyish stone, and a set of icy blue eyes that would not look out of place on the faces of those gone on to receive the Goddess' judgement. By the Lady!

At that moment, the procession begins, and the pine box in which lies the body of the dearly missed Professor is lifted from the cart. Still recovering from the shock at seeing the unnatural gazes across from her, Inessa's grip on the coffin falters and only the diligence of her fellow pallbearers keeps the procession from a disastrous start. With a sheepish expression to serve as a silent apology, Inessa resecures her hold of the coffin and begins the steady march toward Lorrimor's grave. She walks with her head bent and her eyes downcast to watch that she does not misstep as much as to avoid meeting again the eyes of those on the other side of the coffin. So it is that Inessa takes no notice of the trouble awaiting them on the Eversleep until the heavy silence is broken by one man's shouting.

Inessa gapes at the exchange that takes place between Kendra and the villagers. She looks back to the mourners gathered at the end of the procession, expecting one of them or the councilman to speak out against what they were all witnessing. It isn't until the Tian man speaks - his clipped but poignant words conveying in no uncertain terms that he was willing to go through the mob by force if need be - that Inessa realizes that they, those of them who had been personally summoned to Petros' side, would have to be the ones to speak up in defense of their friend and mentor. In the time it takes her to choose her words, the one with the oddly matched eyes speaks first. "Please! There is no need to escalate matters with threats of violence," she pleads, unable to mask her look of appalled distaste at the other woman's outburst. Feeling the need to intercede on the behalf of both parties, Inessa quietly asks that they bear the Professor's coffin without her momentarily. Once the coffin's weight has been redistributed amongst them, Inessa ducks out from underneath it and moves to stand at Kendra's side. Pharasma, help me show these misguided men the error of their ways.

"I understand your concerns. I know how easy it is fear that which we do not know, to think what we cannot understand must be sinister. But just as Pharasma is the Goddess of life and death, so too is she the Goddess of all the mysteries found therein. Petros Lorrimor was a man who devoted his life to studying those mysteries and sharing his knowledge with those around him. Although he was not an ordained servant of Pharasma, in a way, you could say that he spent his entire life doing Her work. Would you truly deny a righteous man the final rites that he deserves? Would you profane the memory of a goodly man without just cause? Would you raise weapons against a daughter grieving the loss of her father?" Inessa pauses at this, looking around to the faces of those young men who were so easily swayed to their elder's ill-conceived scheme. "So I say to you now, do not let your fear lead you down this blasphemous path. If you cannot believe the words of strangers when we tell you that we lay to rest a good, honorable man, then have faith in Pharasma and Her chosen servants. Have faith that the Lady of Graves has bore witness to all of Petros deeds, and trust that She would suffer no necromancer to be buried within Her hallowed grounds. If you will not join us in mourning the loss of this great man, then at least allow us lay him to rest in peace."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

I was able to join using that link, thanks! I understand about the excitement and wanting to get it right the first time. I can't (\won't\shouldn't) speak for the others, but I will say that for as long as you feel excited about running this game, you can count on at least one person showing up to the table.

I'd like to stick to Paizo as well, but I'd be willing to give Roll20 a try if that's what the group wants. But honestly, I don't think a day or two more of this (which is hopefully all the time they'll need to resolve it for good) will kill anyone's drive to play. Some of us have been anticipating this game for a month now.

Speaking of Roll20, I've tried the links at the top and in your last post, but they just redirect me to the last game I've been in. Do you have another link?

Yeah, I just learned that a few people in my other games experienced it, too. Since I wasn't getting the little goblin graphic Paizo usually shows when they're down and I could access it through my phone, I thought it was just my ISP. Glad it's not the case. Too bad I didn't figure it out before I reset everything.

All night long, I thought the site was down because I couldn't get it to load on my tablet. This morning, I tried to access it on my phone, with the WiFi off, and it loads perfectly. Long story short, I'm posting from my phone while I try to sort out why my ISP suddenly doesn't like Paizo, so please forgive any typos I've overlooked.

As a side note, going off of Gothic Horror archetypes or tropes, I tried to model Inessa after the Ingenue. If she lives that long, I do plan on having some character development go on (because you just can't be a doe-eyed darling forever when you're trying to foil BBEGs), but if it gets to the point where it's eye-rollingly obnoxious, feel free to say so. I've been on the other end of that before, so, yeah. PM is fine. =)

Anyway, I'm glad the game is underway! Looking forward to all the interactions between this very strange group of people.

On that most dismal day, a lone black coach travels along the empty road leading into Ravengro. The heraldic crest of the Holy City of Kavapesta marks either side of the carriage - three crowned skulls beneath the spiral of Pharasma. Inside, the coach's occupant sits with a heavily creased letter in her lap, reading and rereading its contents by what little light finds its way into the cabin. Despite having the privilege of meeting Professor Lorrimor only once, for the interview after her harrowing ordeal in the Hundred Haunted Vales, the two maintained a written correspondence for some time preceding his passing. Although she was always glad to receive a letter from the Professor, no matter how infrequent they were, part of her feared that the good Professor responded to her letters more out of a sense of decorum or even pity than anything else. After all, he was a scholar of no small renown who spent the days even in the twilight of his life exploring lost ruins and visiting the most remote and far-flung of places to share his knowledge with others - things she had not dared to dream of before she met him - while she was a cloistered young woman, ignorant and unwise of much outside of her life in the Cathedral. Yet write her the Professor did, each letter a cherished gift wherein he would tell her of his latest find or a bit of Ustalav history not commonly known, and, at the end of each, he would encourage her to seek out ways to enrich her life, no matter how small. You cannot live your life for everyone else. You must live it for yourself, he had advised her, not long before his letters stopped altogether. It wasn't until receiving the summons to Professor Lorrimor's funeral that she understood how well he must have regarded her. To learn that this great man requested that she be among those who saw him to his final rest made his passing all the more profound.

"We're coming into Ravengro now, m'Lady."

The rough voice of the driver brings Inessa back from her bittersweet reminiscences. ”Thank you,” she tells the kindly man that has seen her safely through the long journey from Amaans to Canterwall, although she is uncertain if her soft voice carries over the sound of the wheels grinding over loose gravel, for he does not answer back. Neatly folding the letter once more, she places it in the satchel with the few other belongings she's brought with her, exchanging it for her well-worn copy of The Bones Land in a Spiral. The Goddess’ Word had never failed to bring her peace in troubled times past, but now, Inessa finds herself going over the same text repeatedly without grasping meaning, her mind fixed on other matters. Without conscious thought, her hand moves to clutch at the silver holy symbol of Pharasma at her throat, her fingers tracing the blue whirl that represents the soul’s journey back to the Mother. Across from Inessa, a long serpentine neck brings to her eye level a fearsome draconic head wreathed in a crown of thorny spikes. Although his features would be inscrutable to any else, Inessa can easily read the concern that he feels due inasmuch part to the amount of time they spend in each other's company as to the unique bond that they share. A bond through which her companion can sense her mounting anxiety.

”Forgive me, Vizaresh,” she apologizes, shutting the holy text with a sigh. ”I know not why I'm so troubled. I've been a part of countless funerals by now, speaking on behalf of the departed, comforting the families that have been left behind, and yet this one is so different. Death is supposed to be but another stage of life. I know this, and yet knowing it does nothing to lessen the pain I feel now that Professor Lorrimor is gone…” The young woman abruptly breaks off, her willowy form shaking under the sudden, silent sobbing her words bring on. It is some moments before Inessa has the composure to speak once again, and throughout it all her companion sits silently, watching and waiting, ever impassive. After taking a deep breath, she continues, ”I only wish to honor his memory and to be able to give his grieving daughter some comfort for the trying times that lie ahead, but I fear… The Professor's passing has affected me so that I fear I won't find the words to do either.”

With her confession lingering in the silence of the cabin, Inessa can't bring herself to meet the psychopomp’s ancient gaze, feeling foolish for having voiced such a concern to an ages-old being. The coach lurches to a sudden stop, and Inessa can hear the driver step down from the bench and come round to open the door. As she hastily dries her eyes and prepares to disembark, she is overcome with a feeling of warm reassurance that passes through her link with her protector. The sentiment causes her eyes to water anew. After giving Vizaresh a grateful smile, Inessa prepares herself to say goodbye to a great man.

The door to the black coach swings open. Dressed in robes colored in the somber palette of Pharasma's faithful - violet and grey - Inessa steps down from the carriage and looks over the small gathering of the Professor's loved ones. Trailing closely behind her, Vizaresh exits the cabin, the shifting of his bulk causing the carriage to rock and squeak with every step until all four of his crow-like feet are settled on the damp earth. The psychopomp gives an indulgent stretch, unfurling great, tattered wings cloaked in the same deep black feathers that cover the rest of his body. Those who are acquainted with Pharasma's holy text will know the creature as one of the Goddess’ servitors, the grim magistrates that oversee the courts of the Boneyard. “The dragons who eat men's souls,” the more superstitious of the Lady's followers fearfully whisper. Although he is much smaller than the Yamarajs written of in Pharasma's holy book - standing at the shoulder no taller than a boy who has come upon his seventh winter - to the Goddess-fearing, his presence is no less daunting for it.

After a quiet exchange with the driver - who nods deferentially before retaking his seat on the bench and steering the coach back into the village proper - Inessa approaches the veiled woman she assumes to be Professor Lorrimor's​ daughter. ”Miss Lorrimor? My name is Inessa.” As Inessa greets Kendra, she takes the woman's hand in both of hers, hoping the touch will bring her some small comfort if her words fail to. ”I know you will likely be hearing this often today, as is only right, but I just wanted to tell you that your father was a great man who will be greatly missed. I am so very sorry for your loss.” She gives Kendra's hand a gentle squeeze - wishing in that moment that she could do for the grieving daughter what Vizaresh had done for her earlier - before releasing her to greet the other mourners.

And when the Councilman asks for pallbearers, Inessa does not hesitate to volunteer for the honor, moving to stand near the middle of the coffin’s right side. As she waits for the procession to begin, Inessa takes the opportunity to look over the other attendees, eager to learn more about the late Professor through the sort of company he kept.

I'm so thrilled to have been picked to be a part of this game! Thank you, GM Umineko!

Personally, I like rolling for my own saves; I feel that it gives me a sense of agency about what happens to my character, if that makes any sense. The same goes for what I would consider "active" skill checks (Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Swimming, etc.), but I'm definitely in favor of the GM rolling for many things for expediency's sake, such as Initiative, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, AoOs... Most things, really. I'm also okay with using theater of the mind for simple combats.

I'd love to put up a character for consideration while there's still a little time left: Inessa, a Celestial Commander of Pharasma. Character sheet and background are in the alias.