Jalros

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber. 337 posts (23,806 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 43 aliases.


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Human Swashbuckler 4

Earlier

"Nadja! Nadja!" her mother's voice calls into the secret room underneath the Sandpoint Theater, interrupting her vigorous training regimen.

She yanks off the red bug-eyed mask quickly and slides it along with the pair of jagged-edged sabres she'd been practicing with into the small cubby beneath the reed mats. "Yes, mother?" she calls out, pulling off her gloves to manipulate the lock and reset the deadly trap on the cache.

Nadja's mother's face appears in the trap door. "You're taking too long. You should have it locked down in half the time you're taking."

Still breathing hard from the exercise, Nadja jumps up and grabs the lip of the trap door, then pulls herself up. "You didn't use the bell. I thought--"

"You should always practice speed, Tith'Kali." Her admonishment softens, and Astrid touches her daughter's cheek with affection. "If they found out who we are, we'd have to leave Sandpoint. So we keep who we are secret."

Nadja nods, understanding. "Yes, mother. But, we'll have to leave sometime, right? When will I get to see Mediogalti? The Crimson Citadel?"

Astrid smiles. "You will. Someday, when our master calls you to stand before the Vernai and the Blood Mistress. But until then, this is our home." She looks over Nadja with motherly pride. "And we must continue to play the part. Abstalar Zanthus has asked you to meet him at the cathedral. You should go."

===============

Nadja Galinthia arrives at the cathedral, slightly out of breath, likely from having run all the way. Or, more likely, the nimble and flamboyant girl climbed, lept, and swung her way there from rooftop to rooftop.

"Hey!!!" she shouts upon arrival. "Aw, yes! Food! I'm starving!"

Planting herself in a chair and scooting it up noisily to the table, she grabs a roll and has it nearly to her mouth before she remembers. "Thank you for the blessings. Blessings and good tidings. And all that."

"So," she says through a mouthful, "what's the occasion?"


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Reference image Buffs: HP: 69/69; AC 19, t 13, ff 17; Saves: F +5, R +5, W +10; CMD 18 (22 vs trip); Reservoir 8/14; Perception +16
Cosmic Dungeon Lord wrote:


"Please pardon the act. I figured that a familiar face would draw your attention more easily," Sorshen remarks, still speaking in perfect Common.

"I'm quite familiar with your face, thank you," Kallie mutters under her breath.

Kallie listens to Sorshen describe the Gluttonous Tome and it's promise to bring back yet another Runelord. She raises a finger. "Excuse me. This isn't one of those situations where we help you remove all of your old rivals, leaving no one to oppose your new bid for power?"


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Can't post until later today. That'll give Amkarang a chance to post, but otherwise I'll bot hhim to keep this moving


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Session 12: Everyone Faces Heartbreak
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Halcyon Prep

The halls of Halcyon Prep have become adorned in pinks and lavenders as Valentine's Day fast approaches. Large painted banners announce the Valentine's dance, proudly declaring it to be a Sadie Hawkins-style event wherein the ladies are expected to ask their dates to the dance instead of the gents.

Those who have been to Hal-Prep in previous years know that this is a bit of a twist on what has usually been a standard, seasonal-obligative dance. event. For the members of First Class who had been unexpectedly absent for the last couple days, they find themselves behind the curve both academically and socially. While they receive excuses for their absences from official channels, there is no such thing for the missed social interactions.

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Caio

Caio arrives at school through his usual route from the tunnels out of Unity Base and the block-and-a-half walk to the campus grounds takes him past Skyler's favorite spot to people-watch. She's there, heavy coat and toboggan protecting her from the morning chill, when he comes into view. Her mouth opens slightly when they make eye contact, but she doesn't call out. She doesn't even smile, though her eyes bore into his intensely.

She slowly reaches up and grabs the knit cap covering her head and pulls it off, causing long, pink locks of hair to fall across her shoulders down to the small of her back.

===========
Horizon

Shin goes through the motions for the first half of the day, catching up as best as he can for the days missed. Once lunch period finally hits, he enters the cafeteria and finally spots Valerie -- at school going as 'Tasha' -- sitting with Alden and a few of the other football players and their girlfriends.

She makes eye contact with him once he spots her. She's got a tray with a scant amount of food in front of her, which Alden seems to be picking through.

===========
Connie

Being super smart means that a few days' worth of missed classes require only a modicum of attention in class and the skimming of a few pages. Unfortunately, it also means getting stuck with whoever the teacher assigns you in AP chem projects. Which happens to be one of the new students, Fae Miller.

The purple-tipped girl regards her with mismatched eyes. "Hello there," she says with a smirk. "Lucky me; everyone in the class wanted to be your lab partner, which meant the teacher gave you to me. Said you could 'bring me up to speed.'"

She steps aside to reveal her current experiment. "I thought we could demonstrate the heterogeneous catalytic conversion of CO2 to CH3OH. What do you think?" A quick glance shows that Fae has taken several steps in the project. "Do you need me to explain?"

===========
Maeve

Femtite's dread anxiety over Duke Zepar and the possible machinations of Chastity's church are forefront in her mind when she arrives at school. At her usual time, Chastity is dropped off at the traffic circle in front of the main building. For an instant, Maeve's anxiety melts away when Chastity sees her for the first time in days and gives her a bright smile.

The first half of the day is a whirlwind. Chastity doesn't stop by the restroom to apply makeup, citing a need to turn in a paper that she'd gotten an extension on. The rest of the periods that morning required Maeve to hustle to catch up for the days she'd missed.

It's not until lunchtime that she was finally able to truly attempt to catch up with Chas and her friends. Once seated at their usual table, Raquel, Gina and Ngon excitedly welcome Maeve back from her "emergency."

Raquel is busy on her phone while Gina and Ngon elbow Chastity. "Well? Sadie Hawkins dance?" Ngon says. "This is where the ladies have to face the possibility of rejection!"

Gina looks at him out of the side of her eye. "Oh? I need to be worried about rejection? Are you, like, assuming I'm going to ask you?"

He smirks. "Well, you know what they say about assuming. U plus Me plus Ass, is, Ing-ing. And I'm down for that."

Gina gives him an incredulous look complete with eye-rolling, then giggles despite herself. Chastity, too, stifles a laugh.

Triumphant, Ngon looks at Raquel, still texting away at her phone. "So, I assume you'll be bacheloretting it up? Huh?"

Raquel flushes with a smile. "No, I've got a date. He said yes."

Chastity gasps. "Gabe?!?! He'll go with you?!?"

Raquel squees in response. "Yes! He's going to be my date! Eeee!" The two hug tightly.

"What." Gina looks at Raquel. "Who's Gabe, and, what?"

"My cousin," Chastity says with an irrepressible grin. "I'm staying at his house while our apartment is being fixed. Raquel came over the other night, and, well..."

Raquel blushes. "I know. It's weird, but I think I finally get it. He's cool in a dorky way. Likes horror movies more than me. I mean, I think I finally understand the whole mashing genitals together thing." That causes Chastity to blush more brightly.

Gina just stares. "Um." Her eyes glance at Chastity, who seems inordinately pleased. "Raquel. Are you still... aro?"

Raquel opens her mouth to speak, but her phone beeps. She looks at it and giddily starts responding. "Sorry, he just texted me back. OMG, I need a dress! Like, a real dress!"


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Indarius/Umboriax:

A tear runs down Kyana's smooth cheek after listening to the dragon speak. "I'm tired of justifying my choices. I'm sorry for what you have to deal with, but I'm not changing my mind. If there's a chance you can save this world, I'll fight. Gods, I'll fight. If you can promise I'll stay Kyana if we have to escape, then yeah. Fine. I'll endure whatever pain you're talking about."

Femtite:

At the mention of Myra, Summer gets a faraway look for a moment while she carefully adjusts herself in the chair. She then tries to reassure Femtite. "Hey, character death is necessary to make a meaningful game. If you couldn't die, then there's no stakes. I didn't like dying. Getting snagged by a stupid teleport and pulled away so I didn't have any real chance to get away was pretty rude, but I think I had a good death scene. And I was excited to play Ambrose! I've always wanted to play an Artificer. I mainly stuck with Myra for so long because we needed a healer so bad."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

"Two? Then why not focus your attacks on the one on the right. I will try to charm the one on the left the moment we step foot in the room. Be careful not to threaten the one I am planning on charming, or else it will throw off my spell easily. You have seen a charmed giant before, so if it works, you should know."

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
If the group is in agreement, when we go in: whatever giant is on the left, Will DC 17


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia shudders in disgust. "You may despise Irrisen, but at least we do not ascribe to the belief that a man's esteem is increased by the number of women he's bedded while simultaneously holding that a woman's worth is diminished the more times she's shared her bedchambers."

Turning back to the topic of choosing their path, she gestures to Samuel and Llewellyn who are busy with the door. "It seems our choice has been made, but feel free to ask for guidance if your drunken god will provide wise counsel."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

"I think you must be conflating 'maiden' with 'virgin', Callix," Letitia says. "When your attitude toward the carnal act is procreative and not recreational, you will have moved to the next stage even if you do not bear a child. Though it's certainly possible to accidentally make that transition if you... recreate too often without proper precautions in place." She smirks.

When Samuel chooses the door by chance, Letitia's mouth twists in distaste. She hated letting something as important as their next course of action be decided by chance, but she didn't have any means of determining the correct path. Except...

"Once the door is open, consider: if the passage goes down, we will likely be going in the right direction. If it goes up, it likely will not. We are seeking the Eon Pit, after all."


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Staying Put:

It takes a while.

The heroes, aided by encouragement from Kyana and Bron, follow through with the efforts to identify the real souls amongst the population of Harrowguard.

The first person discovered is the proprietor of the Dancing Stallion Inn, a large tavern and inn near the center of town. Denn Silvertooth is a burly fellow with a scraggly beard that runs his establishment with a firm hand, not afraid to toss drunks and brawlers out on the streets if they get out of line.

The Dancing Stallion becomes a good central point where the rest of the real people are brought, including the Seer Lucidity and Mayor Hawkran. Lucidity, however, looks extremely sickly.

In the Hall:

"Wait!" Kara shouts. "Take me--" she tries to get out before Princess Constance disappears.

She spins around to face the others, looking wild-eyed. "What do we do?"

Brian shakes his head and shrugs. "I-- I don't know. Weren't we supposed to use the key? If she left with it, what do we do?"

"She's probably going to go kick the ass of this Quincy guy," Valerie suggests. "Or more likely, talk his ass off. So we wait." She turns to Shin. "I'm going to eat some more. Want to join me?"

Ambrose lights up at Femtite's interest in their technology. With a flourish, they draw the ornate crossbow for inspection. "This is my boom stick. Top of the line. It's got a walnut stock, dwarven-forged steel, and a hair trigger."

They go over the different cartridges that can be added to the bolts to produce various effects, like fire, flare, ice and acid. "Fate favors the prepared, as they say," Ambrose beams. "So, a tinker fairy as your mother! You must have seen all sorts of contraptions! What would you say is your favorite? I'm always looking for more inspiration!"
Giving Ambrose an idea for a new gadget would get influence. Waking up the player seems like it takes more than mere words. They intend to familiarize themself with the team and get ready for the newest quest.


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The Hall:

Conflux, since you didn't specify going through the doors (and expressed reservations), I'm assuming you're doing this outside

The columns and high arched ceiling, as it turns out, offer great acoustics. Princess Constance's vocals are ethereal as they sound just before the massive double doors.

Valorian's urgency to see her through the threshold melts away as he listens to her song. Kip stands wide-eyed, swaying slightly to the music.

Valerie clears her throat and turns to Shin. "Okay, I'm sorry. I really like Frozen to this day and I loved Elsa when I was little. And now I'm wondering if that had anything to do with me falling for Rory which is disturbing." She slaps a hand over her mouth, eyes wide in surprise at the confession.

The other two players, Kip and Valorian also start shaking their heads and blinking like they'd just woken up from a dream.

"Brian?"

"Kara? How long have we been playing?"

"Feels like months." She turns to Shin, Constance and Valerie. "Okay, who are you guys? I mean, outside the game."

"Oh, Connie's played before." Valorian/Brian turns to her. "I see Quincy's still got you in the damsel role. Sorry if I, um, came on a little strong. My backstory had sort of a Lancelot vibe."

Staying Put:

The heroes all stand agape at the general's transformation to an angelic being.

Only one of them, however, appears to be waking up. Bron the tall and well-muscled barbarian rubs his eyes. "Whoa. I was, like, Bron for real."

"You are Bron," the dwarf says.

"Greg?" he asks him.

Dargur rolls his eyes. "Not you too. Kyana's been talking strange ever since she was taken by that vampire. And we've got an angel here, confirming that the world really is in danger! We need you, Bron!"

Kyana interrupts. "Regardless, we need to save this world. What do we need to do?" she asks Caio.

"But this is just a game--"

'--It's real enough! It's worth saving, Miguel! If not for you, for at least some of us!" She pointedly turns to Caio. "What do we do?"


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Back in the Halls:

The doors remain open and the light remains steady. When Femtite/Oshka addresses the disembodied voice, she gets no response. Trying to assess its intentions is like, to her, trying to figure out the motivations behind a prerecorded message.

Kipple the halfling moves to stand next to her. "I would say your intentions to help our quest and save the realm makes you worthy. Indarius just tried to force his way in. He said he wanted to help, but then at the last minute he attacked the door and wasn't allowed inside. But you've become a part of the group, so, I think that makes you worthy."

Constance can feel Valorian's urgency as he stands next to her, looking eager to see her across the threshold. She looks around at the doors and columns and steps and decorations and it's all very pretty, but it's still clearly a facade. It's as real as everything else in this world, which means it's aligning with reality about as closely as anything she's experienced. It's a very lifelike show, with the grandeur of a final act.

Shin's whispered compliment to Valerie might have gone over her head, but Constsnce would have picked it up. And its relevance might be more appropriate than he intended. Not regarding the witches, but the wizard.

She's stepping into the Emerald City, so now she needs to find the man behind the curtain.

Left Behind:

"Oh, there's a way to keep it going. It needs a sustainable power source," Alan replies.

Lola's voice comes on. "But from the brief glimpses I got, you're going to need source magic. That's not easy to come by. It's raw, untapped magic that's the fuel for your classic 'magic spells.' You can use another type, like fae or Infernal magic, but you'll basically just turn the place into another Hell."

"Without power, it'll get more and more frayed at the edges and in the places where no one who's real are. If all the real people huddle up in a small town, it might last a while. A few months, maybe more. But the more everyone is spread out, the more the world has to work to keep it going. Like butter spread over too much bread."

"Seriously, Alan?"

"Couldn't resist, Bill. At least I'm not calling it the Nothing."


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Valorian's tension lessens. "The vampire also spoke strangely and behaved as one not of the undead. Is this a similar change of heart you've wrought in him?" he asks the princess.

Turning to Caio, he asks, "And what of the key you carry? Would you part with it, leaving it in the princess's safekeeping? She says she trusts you. Do you trust her as well?"

Outside the keep, Elise blinks rapidly after Shin withdraws from the kiss on her forehead. "You haven't got us out of this yet?" she sighs. She steps back from him to the center of the grouping of various heroes, then throws her arms wide. Blue-white energy flares outward and the temperature drops to freezing in an instant. The rain converts to sleet and mist rises up in the newly frigid air.

In moments, the entire area is engulfed in a bank of thick cold fog.

What do you do??


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Drawing from the large reserves of groundwater just beneath their feet, Oshka creates a massive wall of water that Elise immediately blasts into a sheet of ice! Now that the combatants are pinned into an arena that better protects the spellcasters, Raiden flies from above issuing his challenge against the dragon.

The two rivals clash with electricity and shadow!

Raiden and Umboriax both take powerful blows

However, the distantly hollow words of the shadow dragon have the added effect of calling to Horizon's true self buried beneath the role of the half-breed warrior!


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HeroesQuest:

The heroes set out, using the map provided by Oshka and the nose of the tiger to follow the princess' trail. It is not long before they reach a dark and oppressive area of the forest where unnerving whispers and cloying shadows set the champions on edge.

"The jitterhobs lurk here," Valorian declares.

"No shit," the Witch mutters as she forms a slender knife made of ice in her hands.

Jade makes a series of sounds in her throat and Kip tries to calm her friend. "We should run. This is bad," she says, fear working its way into her voice.

"I've been in darker spaces," Ty'leth boasts, but even his voice is thin and reedy.

"Gather round!" the knight says with a clear and resonant tone. He holds his shield aloft and a golden light shines forth, banishing the darkness and pushing the fear aside. "Ninavae's hope burns brightest when fear would reign!"

He strides forward resolutely, leading the way. Bolstered, the heroes follow. Every so often Kip calls out a slight change in direction, but eventually the oppressive fear lurking at the edges of the paladin's aura dissipates entirely.

"Whew. That was, that felt real," Elise says after catching a breath she'd been holding. "Thank you, Valorian. What was next? Gumdrops or the Big Bad Doggie?"

Elise's question is confirmed by the appearance of a clear divergence in the trail. One direction leads to colorful blobs of sugar lining the path, while the other winds into a low and fetid swamp.

Jade immediately indicates the direction of the swamp while her hackles rise. "She went that way."

"And something big followed her," Ty'leth adds, standing up from the series of tracks he'd spotted.

Valorian draws his blade. "How long ago was this? Could we be too late?"

The elf looks grim. "A few hours."

"You said something about bypassing this swamp?" the Witch asks Oshka. "Would it be faster if we went around, in case she made it through to the other side? This is Connie we're talking about, after all."

"You speak of her like you know her," Ty'leth says, frowning.

Elise gives him a long look. She shrugs. "I'm a witch."


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The Joined. Danger +2, Freak +1, Savior +1, Superior 0, Mundane-1 Conditions: Hopeless Potential: 2/5

Shocked by the senseless slaughter of a man looking for a loved one, Viridi was about to do violence. With a thought, her spear leaps from where it had been lodged and flies to her outstretched hand. But before she could engage the blue metal figure, a massive wall interposes itself between her and her target.

She gasps at the vines that came to life to erect the wall, only to find that they are a part of a person!

Back on Naya, the tangle vines and strangle vines and mangle vines -- really, there were a lot of vines -- were hazards to be feared and avoided. But she had never seen vines as limbs! "What are you?!?" she gasps.


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Hall of Heroes -- entrance:

Ty'leth deftly reaches for the satchel, uses a knife to slice it open, and retrieves the key. He meets Indarius's eyes, looking slightly apologetic that it had to come to this, but he doesn't say anything.

Bron, however, looks tempted to deliver a killing blow. He stands over the trapped dragon as he considers slamming his warhammer down upon the back of Indarius's neck, ending the threat to Whitehelm for good.

He sighs and slowly shakes his head. "There is no honor in this." He joins his companions at the great doors, which open effortlessly for them. Golden light spills forth as they step through, feeling warm and unpleasant against his scales.

The doors slam shut with a thud that echoes across the chamber and Indarius is alone under the pressing weight of the chains anchoring him to the floor. Thoughts about his failure and his future become bleak.

The silence amongst the columns is oppressive.

Time drags along in the still and quiet and helplessness of his situation. Then, a voice echoes in his ears.

"Indarius, you have failed. You have failed to protect that which you were charged to guard. You may yet prove yourself, however. There are two more keys in need of protection.

"Yet, your failure requires a cost. You will serve one of the guardians of the key."

Indarius sees two hazy and stylized images floating before him. One is a demonic figure made of blazing fire, but otherwise reminding him somehow of Max. The other is a brooding armored warrior wielding a black sword that seems to drink in the light.

"Choose your new master. Under the demoness Eisheth, you will be reborn into fire as Charceryon! Or serve General Costa in shadows and darkness as Umboriax!"

What do you do??

================
A Demon's Carriage Ride

The coach travels at a steady pace along the road, the land passing by no longer showing the signs of corruption as in the palace.

The conversation between the princess and the demon raises uncomfortable truths to be explored in detail later, but the demon turns her attention on how she could find the heroes in this world.

It occurs to her that waiting in one place is certain to draw them eventually, rather than be a moving target. But moreso, she hasn't been paying attention to their surroundings. Nothing inside the coach will help, but maybe the features of this fantastical land might help.


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Reference image Buffs: HP: 69/69; AC 19, t 13, ff 17; Saves: F +5, R +5, W +10; CMD 18 (22 vs trip); Reservoir 8/14; Perception +16

Kallie folds her arms as her tail tosses indignantly. She really wished she'd have brought Leptonia along.

"So what? It's not like she ever visited me in the herd, or ever wanted a relationship," she snaps, trying to maintain control over her emotions by giving them a direction. "Should I rush into her cold, unliving arms and yell 'Mama'? This changes nothing."

"We just really need to get the thing we're after before an undead gets its hands on it."


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The Joined. Danger +2, Freak +1, Savior +1, Superior 0, Mundane-1 Conditions: Hopeless Potential: 2/5

Take a Powerful Blow: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 1) + 1 = 3
Yes!!

Viridi uses the momentum of her fall to twist in the air, strike the butt of her spear into a crack of split mortar, and swing out away from the crumbling building! She hits the slanted side of a toppling building and slides down with the scree of rubble before leaping out and away from the jagged foundation.

"Yuri!!" she shouts once she's back on the ground. "We gotta go!!"


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Frozen Paradise:

"We all have a seat at the table," Myra answers. "You do not."

The adventurers and the dragon leave Indarius's lair as a group, stepping out into the high-altitude cold of the mountain. Pulling their cloaks tight against the wind, they look first to make sure the key-bearer doesn't spread his wings and take off, then begin the trek down the glacier.

Vampire Weekend:

The servants cower and tremble again at the vampire's outburst. When their master's wrath again does not come, the one who suggested the Psy-key starts to move to a grand, curving staircase. "Th- This way, my lord." He takes up a lit candelabra to light the way.

Valerie had been staring at him silently ever since the key was named. "All right. You check that out, Kyana and me'll try to talk some sense into her buddies." She looks at the elf. "Right?"

"You mean get them to remember themselves? Not everyone will want to," Kyana says. Valerie's glare is unwavering. "Fine."

As the two go towards the sounds of the fighting, Shin follows the heavy-browed servant up the staircase to another dim and dreary hall lit only by the candles. The servant stoically leads his vampire master to the far end, where he opens a heavy wooden door revealing a spiral stairwell leading up.

Climbing several flights of stairs has the servant beathing heavily, though Shin feels no burning in his muscles at all. Eventually, they reach a well-appointed room with thick, old rugs upon flagstone floors, soft leather furniture, and bookshelves lining the walls. A dusty cabinet has a variety of bottles with a crystal decanter and goblets. A heavy shuttered window reveals this room is in a tower high above the rest of the castle.

A pedestal in the center of the room displays a red crystal rose under glass. Shin sees a soft glow in the heart of the flower petals, and ridges along the stem that reminds him of the teeth of a key.

The Princess and the Demon:

The stairs erupt into an inferno, sending waves of heat roiling out of the stairwell. The maid closest to the flames staggers back but not fast enough. Her skin chars and blackens from the heat, but her demon-possessed grin doesn't even falter. Her hair, too, burns away filling the room with an acrid stench.

At Femtite's instructions to put Princess Constance to bed, the maids jerkily approach including the scorched one, heedless of her own injuries.

"Come along, dearie. You need your beauty rest!" the burnt one cackles as she grips her arm with her charred hands. The others move her bodily back into the bedchambers, lifting her off her feet if they have to.

Constance learns her muscles are far too weak to put up much resistance. She thrashes feebly as she's lifted into the air and carried to her bed by her own attendants. The burnt one continues her crazed leering as her blackened flesh cracks while wrestling Constance into her bed.

Connie's fingers brush up against the wounded flesh, and she feels a surge of power flow out from her. Before her eyes, the wound repairs itself, black flesh sloughing off and revealing smooth and unblemished skin in its place!


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Indarius:

With a roar and surge of power, Indarius rips open the aether and follows the orcs to the source of the strange occurrences. His vision goes white and he feels weightless, not knowing which direction is up, down, or any other direction.
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The bright, colorless whiteness filling Indarius's vision eventually resolves into pale blues and greens, with blurry glints of gold and silver. As his eyes focus, he sees that he is in an ice cavern, with bright sunlight beaming in from a gap high above him.

Ice coats everything in view, and the slightest movement causes the rime around his scaled body to crack and splinter. The frost-rimed caverns go deep, shrouded in dark bluish shadow. The gold and silver appear as coins and other treasure, all locked behind a sheet of crystal-clear ice upon which Indarius is laying. Mine. My hoard, comes unbidden into his mind.

For a moment, Indarius content in knowing this, that he has amassed a great treasure hoard over his centuries of existence and that his name is whispered with fear amongst the lesser races of Harrowguard. Sometimes they come to bring him tribute so that he will not spread his wings and fly from his mountain lair like an avalanche. Even rarer, adventurers would come, drawn to his hoard and the hopes they could slay him. Inevitably, their valuables would be added to his treasures.

The feeling passes, and Indarius remembers himself.

What do you do??

====================

Horizon:

Tasha smiles at the compliment. "I don't have anything white, so I couldn't go full as Princess Leia, but the hair was easy enough... no, I'm lying. It was a f~~%ing pain. So I'm glad you like it."

The pair make it to the theater in time and take their seats. It's a smaller venue than the usual high-def, surround-sound giant multi-plexes that are outside downtown near the interstates. The seats are old and creaky with worn velvet upholstery and the rows are arranged in tiers going up with an actual balcony overlooking the stage.

Valerie reminds Shin that he doesn't have to buy her any popcorn when she goes to take her seat. There's not much time for small talk before the theater lights go dim and the curtain draws back to reveal the movie screen. In the booth above and behind them, the whirring of the projector begins, and a bright white light illuminates the screen.

Shin's eyes must have adjusted quickly to the darkness because the sudden light is painfully bright. It intensifies, requiring him to have to raise his hand against the silver glow of the screen. The rest of the crowd also react, as does Valerie who is experiencing it as well. Before he can react, his vision goes fully white and the whole world feels ripped away. Shin feels weightless, not knowing which direction is up, down, or any other direction.
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I
The bright lights of the stage finally dim to the point that Shin can make out what's going on. The actors are bowing and the crowd is applauding.

"Wasn't it marvelous, beloved?" Valerie's voice speaks out of the darkness next to him. "It's always nice to leave the castle and see what the mortals are up to, isn't it?" Shin turns to see Valerie in a form-hugging black dress cut low that exposes plenty of her creamy white flesh. Her lips are blood-red, and a trickle of that same color drips down from the corner of her mouth to her chin. She smiles, revealing a pair of red-stained fangs. A serving wench, her wrist showing several bite marks, stirs weakly at Valerie's feet.

"Mmmm. She was sweet. I'd like to keep her." She waves a hand and a glassy-eyed servant steps into the private viewing box. "See her taken to our carriage, then fed to get her strength back up."

As the servant collects the girl, Valerie grabs Shin's lapel, causing him to notice that he is also in an elaborate suit. She kisses him full on the lips, and he can taste the sweet, nourishing liquid on her lips.

It's just then that Shin realizes he also has fangs as Valerie's tongue dances across them! She breaks the kiss. "I'm ready to go back to the castle, beloved. Care to join me?"

What do you do??


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia shakes her head. "The hag is the mother, Caigreal. Jadrenka, the current Warden, is the Changeling daughter of the hag. The information we have is that Caigreal wishes her daughter to become a hag like her in a power play for control of Artrosia."

She checks the ingredients in her spell component pouch. "If Anna is Caigreal in disguise, then we'll know soon enough. I'll begin by hexing her, to strip away her resistances to other magics. She'll be much easier to deal with then. And if Anna is innocent, she will be unharmed."

Ready!!


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The Nanometeor Moving Ceremony

The air is crisp and cold, but the sky is bright blue on the day of the move. A sizable crowd of people huddle in their heavy coats and the puffs of their breath rise into the chill air to get a glimpse of the meteorite containing an entire civilization.

Ordnance had been selected to say a few words about the occasion. He is in one of his more common humanoid configurations, and is flanked by Imagerie and Whippoorwill.

"Hello. I'm honored to say a few words, not on behalf of the Pixite people, but for the many beings who have found Earth to be our new home. It is fitting that here in Halcyon City, which has been a refuge for many a star traveler, we set a place of honor for our microscopic guests. Earth has been my home for numerous years, and I am always impressed with the way most humans have come to welcome a being so unlike them. I count the whole race as my friends, and am sure the Pixites will come to feel the same. In this endeavor, the Alliance of Heroes has pledged to defend their home against all external threats. It's a dangerous universe, and only together can we find peace and security. Thank you."

A polite cheer rises from the crowd. Aliens have always been a source of nervousness and anxiety. While some have indeed been heroes and pleasant guests, there have easily been as many or more invaders and would-be conquerors.

A special guest is called upon to introduce the Pixite Princess and envoy from Nanometeor. A young man walks up to the stage, the president of the Femtite Fan Club, Conway Juszczyk!

He absolutely beams when he steps on stage and sees Femtite. Leaning toward the microphones, he says, "Hi, good morning. Thank you, Ordnance. Um, I was saved by Femtite, I think in one of her first acts of heroism on Earth. So, it's my privilege to introduce the princess of the Pixites. Femtite!"


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Dorn Household

Connie's prod pushes Reginald into the living room. He takes a few steps forward and lowers himself onto his knees. "Bring it in," he says, opening his arms for a hug.

===============
Horizon
Danger up, Savior down

Tenfold holds up his hands in a conceding gesture. "Okay. Fine. If you're right, good luck." He looks over in Siphon's direction. "And God help you if you're wrong."

==============
Conflux

Valerie is collecting Victoria when Connie catches up to her. The younger sibling is still talking with Shane Taylor and the two younger teens are reluctantly parting ways.

"I can't have a phone anymore. It's not safe."
"It's fine. Take this one, it's totally secure. Outside the Infini-Corp networks. Untraceable, hack-proof. I'll call you on it."
"Wow. Cool. But no Infini-Tok?"
"No. Sorry."
"S'okay. I waste too much time on it anyway."

"Vic, come on, we gotta go," Valerie says impatiently.

As Victoria and Shane give each other a goodbye hug, Valerie turns to Connie. "I know your super power is talking, but can you just not?"


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

"A message?" Letitia is forced to control a sudden bout of trembling. Her original hope of receiving clear aid in their mission to find Baba Yaga within Artrosia had almost been completely dashed. That hope suddenly surges back with Nostafa's appearance.

Letitia fights back the urge to share everything they've gone through as if telling her would be the same as telling Grandmother. But just because she was a willing servant of Baba Yaga doesn't mean she wasn't dangerous -- it was far more likely that she was a deadly creature. So she forces herself to be cautious.

"This is excellent news. I too am loyal to Grandmother. We have passed tests of worthiness within the Dancing Hut and took it from Elvanna's grasp. But she remains on Irrisen’s throne past her appointed time. We possess the mantle of the Black Rider. What is the message for us?"


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Sorry for the delay; didn't realize it should be me that goes next.

The remaining morlock keeps his frothing rage going as he follows the ghostly Aerel through the cavern. He pulls out a throwing axe and flings it at his target, but its nonmagical nature means it passes through the elf harmlessly.

His attack over, he turns and spots Grum and the remains of his comrades. He renews his grip on his greatclub and prepares to meet the orc in battle!

You're all up!


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia nods as the woman confirms desperately needed information -- that she was in fact the Warden and her guess that she was the same as the young woman they met in the Maiden. She isn't surprised that the revelation did not also come with an immediate alliance, even though she had hoped.

"Riddles, yes. Samuel, she said she could not aid us directly, so this is what we'll have to make do with. I also had to be reminded that Baba Yaga's ways are inscrutable. But consider: the womb of the Crone? At an advanced, a woman is will be barren. Anything growing there will not be good. Will it be what the followers of Kostchtchie seek? I imagine it will be so."

She thinks back to the riddles that the ravens gave them during their exploration of the Dancing Hut. "We've had another obscure riddle involving time. 'Look for this key where time catches up to us all,' is what the raven said. And now there is a 'Curse of Eons' which requires time to be on our side." She frowns in thought. "The raven spoke of the location of one of the keys necessary to control the Hut..."

She snaps her fingers. "Ah! The Warden is changing her appearance! She might be the Changeling -- not as an offspring of a hag, but one who changes! She must possess the other key."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:
Callix Ingritdottir wrote:
Callix takes a pull from her aleskin, "And, if you believe children's stories, an older witch is also at her meanest."

"Because she has little time for foolishness," Letitia replies with a smirk.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

Letitia also sees the similarities with the young woman they met previously. Callix's musing about her being the same person magically aged and not a relative reminds her of the scroll of threefold aspect in her pack.

That makes sense; it risks chaos to employ three wardens one for each statue, and a young maiden wouldn't be able to exercise authority in the Mother or Crone... just as they wouldn't in the Maiden.

Letitia steps forward and raises her hand in greeting to the crone. "Greetings, Wise One. I believe we've met your younger aspect. Our goals still align, if my guess is correct that you are the Warden of this section of Artrosia. We search for frost giant invaders and their allies who are enemies of Baba Yaga. Do you have counsel for us?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Samuel's question gives Letitia pause. "I shudder to think of a more dangerous section of the fortress given what we've already had to face, but it's quite possible. A witch is most powerful, most experienced, most crafty, in her final years. If the challenges here are commensurate, then we will be sorely pressed to survive."

She takes a deep breath as she tries to steel her nerves. "I have already made great strides in personal knowledge and power, far more than I'd ever expected for myself since my exile. Further, we've no other choice but to continue our exploration. Yet, we know of the way to the Mother, and could return there."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia smirks in response to the gunman. "I also have a potion of darkvision I brewed recently. But it will only help one of us, so this gem of brightness is the optimal solution."


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"Good morning and welcome to, 'The Facts Are Out There!' Your number one podcast on all things alien! If it's from outer space, other dimensions, or places Man Was Not Meant to Know, you can be sure we'll get to the bottom of it. I'm Glapnar of the Kedrona Nebula--"

"Dude."

"Haha. Kidding. I'm actually Theo Rosenthal, and the buzzkill with me is Matt Collins."

"Hey. I'm just trying to keep us legit."

"Of course we're legit. We predicted the Deathcap arrival earlier this year, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but I'm trying to keep us... oh forget it. Let's talk about the 'we come in peace' message we just got last night. There's always been a question about the glowing alien who joined the young team that came on after the Sentinels-- what are they calling themselves?"

"First Class, I think."

"That's right. Well, see our October podcast when we talked about 'pixites' the microscopic aliens that Femtite says she's from. We posed the question whether there really could be a whole society of aliens living on Earth that are too small to be seen."

"You didn't think it was possible."

"Well, yeah. A complex, intelligent organism with advanced technology just cannot exist along with frickin' amoebas and shit."

"But last night we got a broadcast from the pixites. They're saying they're not microscopic, but subatomic. And there's billions of them."

"It's blowing my mind, dude."

"I get it. We're going to talk about it, but first let's talk about this 'cast's sponsor..."

Maeve:

The nurse gives a noncommittal smile. "I'll see what I can do. You focus on you, now. Get some rest."

He dims the light in her room and leaves.

...

...

...

Maeve wakes up to the sound of a lamp switching on. She realizes immediately that she's no longer in her hospital room and instantly recognizes her surroundings as Chastity's bedroom. She's in the bed and sitting in the corner is Imagerie.

"Good morning. No, you're not actually in Chastity's room, but I prefer this to the hospital." She rises and walks around the room, inspecting the decorations and personal touches. "You have a better mental picture of this room than your own dorm," she comments with a sigh.

She turns to face Maeve directly. "So, what are we going to do with you?"

Indarius:

"That's a shame. Are your glamors not sufficient? Anyway, if you're not planning on being in class, let's meet straightaway. I'll be on the top of the south tower of the Halcyon Central Bridge. It's sufficiently far from any ley lines that could interfere."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

While studying the magical auras of the room, Letitia also notes the dead frost giants. She'd noticed them before, obviously, but the nymph was certainly a more pressing concern.

"Two dead giants. Fexkrus, the giant we met in the halls, said the invading force was roughly a dozen. That brings the total down to around nine, plus their demon and centaur allies. Perhaps more of Artrosia's denizens will have dealt with the invaders."

She thinks for a moment and calls out to Callix. "Would your god grant you the spell to speak with the dead? There are questions I would ask of these giants."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia steps close to stand over the body of the nymph and to feel the swell of triumph displace her desperation. She saw mouths move, but she was still deafened. By her own choice, Letitia realizes with surprise. She had the potion in her possession and could have easily used it without anyone else knowing. She had been taught to value only herself and the other Jadwiga, so of course she should have been the one to remove her impairment.

Instead, she gave it to Samuel.

She didn't hear his gun fire, but she smelled its distinctive smoke and could conclude he brought down the nymph. And if she'd been selfish like she'd been taught, he wouldn't have been able to do it.


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia keeps working on her alchemy with total focus. Her deafness prevents her from listening in on her companions' conversation and distracting her, she realizes. I might begin to miss this once I'm cured, she thinks with wry amusement.

Once the ice wall's duration expires in eight minutes, we should be on high alert. If the fey doesn't show, we can wait until Callix can restore her spells (divine casters don't have to rest 8 hours, they just get their spells renewed at dawn/dusk/midnight depending on their deity. We can wait it out until she gets her spells to cure our afflictions and then we can decide what to do.

Also, Callix, I think your spiritual weapon spell would keep attacking for its duration. It might have gotten a few more hits in. Which would help, since unless the fey has fast healing or cure spells, shell still be injured if we try to fight her again.


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

I get that DC automatically.

Letitia grits her teeth in frustration as she wastes a spell that could have made her hear again on Samuel's blindness that ends up having no effect. It was an unfortunate gamble, so now she remained deaf, Samuel had to use her potion, which left Callix still blind.

She keeps her eyes trained on the passage leading from the nymph's lair, making sure that she had plenty of time to slam her eyes shut if it approached quickly since her beauty would only be a problem if she got close. Yet, being blinded while also deaf would put her in a state she did not want to experience.

The movement of her companions' mouths in her peripheral vision lent to more frustration. She didn't know what they were saying and could only guess what they might be planning. Further retreat, more likely.

Panic at being deafened and possibly blinded as well threaten to claim her, but her upbringing as Jadwiga had taught her to resist fear at all costs. She channels that fear into a desperate plan. She runs through her available magics and realizes that she may have the key to victory if the fey pursues them.

"I have a plan in the event the fey pursues us. We should not retreat any further, because for my plan to be successful, it would require me to return to her lair," Letitia announces. "My wall of ice is only going to last a few more minutes before its magic expires. If she chooses to follow us, this chamber is large enough to allow Samuel a shot, maybe two, before she gets into range of her blinding power. Assuming you've noticed, Llewellyn and myself both looked at her but did not become blinded because we were too far away."

Letitia pulls out her cauldron. "Should she appear, I will first summon allies to help us out. Our best chance will be to overwhelm her. Callix, perhaps your god will bless you with luck as you swing at her blindly. The rest of you, do whatever you can to bolster yourselves against her powers. If all of you fall prey to her blindness, flee to her lair. That's where I will end the battle once and for all."


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Caio catches up to her easily because Gothic isn't walking particularly fast. She turns and gives him a flat look. ::I didn't have to remove the suggestions that Cortex put in you. The spirit already did that::

================
Unity Base

"You don't get to be the smartest one in the room when you're not actually in the room," Imagerie snipes.

"But, considering how brilliant you are," she continues, reigning in her emotions, "I can assume you are aware of Miss Robertson's religious upbringing and how that would be in conflict with her awakening identity? "

Still looking uncomfortable at skirting around the edges of a breach of confidentiality, the Alliance hero takes a breath. "The 'cognitive break' you are concerned about is honestly fascinating from a psychological perspective. It should have taken years of therapy to achieve her level of self-awareness. She managed to come to terms with the religious doctrines she'd been taught throughout her life that had fostered a dangerous level of repression and denial. I'd like to study her more, to see if there is a way to duplicate the effects of the faerie magic through conventional therapeutic methods."

Imagerie pauses and taps a few texts on her phone.

Nutcracker:

Chastity's cheeks turn a shade of red that rivals Maeve's dress at the compliment during the intermission. "I think I'm feeling the same. I can't imagine a more perfect night."

When the familiar chimes begin playing the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Chastity's hand tightens its grip on Maeve's. Her breath quickens when the ballerina appears, flitting about across the stage. She moves less gracefully than the other dancers, jerking with exaggerated moves like she was controlled like a puppet.

Chastity's short, rapid breaths suddenly catch, and she whispers a terrified, "No..."


================
"Well," Imagerie continues, looking up from her phone, "you probably wouldn't have contacted us with such alarmist language if that had been it. There's obviously more to it.

"Chastity's mind essentially reordered itself. All her pain, fear, and self-hatred had to go somewhere. Initially, I thought she just built up an irrational fear of Femtite. But... there's an, oh, how to put it? An authenticity to the fear. I wouldn't characterize it as irrational. I've worked with witnesses of super-powered events who have this same level of intense fear."

Nutcracker:

The Sugar Plum dancer continues to spasm through her routine, on her face a look of terror. Suddenly, she collapses, and the crowd reacts with shocked gasps.

"No no no no..." Chastity continues to mutter as her grip on Maeve's hand becomes painfully tight.

From the dancer's body rises a sickly purple-blue figure, no more than a couple feet high. It moves in a horrifyingly jerky motion through the air and over the crowd that is now beginning to panic.

Maeve recognizes the shape of the small figure, though its color is all wrong. It's clearly a Pixite, but the color of old bruises and funerals. "She's here! Oh, God, help us!" Chastity shrieks as she breaks her terrified paralysis and tries to pull Maeve to come with her.

The Sugar Plum Fairy jaggedly twitches as it surveys the panicking crowd with crazed eyes full of malevolence. Drawn by Chastity's movement, it fixes its stare on the two of them! Maeve hears a raspy voice, "Sister?"


================
Imagerie conjures up an image of a crazed-looking blue-and-purple Pixite. Save for the expression and coloration, she looks like their teammate. "Has Femtite ever spoken of having an evil twin?"


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Wow! We've been successful at talking our way out of fights, butni think that's about to change.

Oh, by the way GM Red, is it okay to assume that I'm always activating the hyperboreal robe in every combat? It's a free action, but sometimes I forget to mention it. But as a precaution I think Letitia would always have it going for every combat.


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Connie:

Raquel sighs, not looking especially comforted. "All right. I'll keep an eye on her. If she looks like she needs crisis intervention, I'll let you know."

***
Tacocat

Kennedy rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. When my team gets magicked into slipping up, I call it taking a professional interest."

The compliments force her to adjust her footing, Connie can tell. She leans back and does a second appraisal of her outfit, arching an eyebrow at the decision to wear short shorts in late November. Kennedy tosses her hair over her shoulders as she crosses her legs.

She laughs. "I picked this place because of the 'cat' in the name, Panther Pride. Didn't realize you came for the tacos."

Femtite:

It had been a while since she'd delved into the unresolved realities and the threads between what was and what could have been. She flits back and forth, finding and retracing the strands attached to Chastity in order to find out what might have occurred.

She finds an incredible snarl, a tangle of threads twisted around that weekend. She sees the alternatives to fae magic suggested by Millie employed:

-- a time stutter resets the day for Chastity, allowing Maeve a second chance to say the right things. Their friendship continues platonically with Chastity still dating Jonathan. Maeve is still invited to Thanksgiving dinner and is forced to watch Chastity and Jonathan sit next to each other. But the time stutter caused a chronowraith to begin stalking Chastity...

-- Pixite scientists create a neural manipulator that wipes Chastity's memory of the weekend. But before the device was ready, she had told her parents and the Reverend Riebold about the Pixite ability to become human. Her parents' reaction to Chastity's sudden amnesia was to take her out of school. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, Femtite still hadn't discovered where they'd taken her.

-- Femtite decides to take no action at all, talking her mother out of any direct intervention. Chastity returns to school in the following weeks, avoiding Maeve entirely and creating a rift between the friend group. Reverend Riebold's sermons and protests start to address the "Pixite menace" which is picked up by the local and even national media. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, Femtite sees this unrealized timeline branches off into multiple directions that fill her with dread.

You can adjust your labels if you want

===============
Midnight, rooftop

It's quite cold underneath the ever-present lights of Halcyon City. A light flurry of snow swirls in the icy wind.

Femtite doesn't show.

===============
1 am, First Class

Your communicators all go off. Whippoorwill's voice is on the other end. "Rise and shine, First Class. We've found the Villa associated with the Church of Higher Consciousness in Italy outside Milan. We need you to go see if you can locate Shane Taylor. We'd be doing it ourselves, but we've got to testify if we're going to stop this sale.

"I've already reached out to the Corps, they'll have the gateway open for you in a half hour. Good luck."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Ashling, we rested in Anna's quarters, so you should have all your spells.

"If we choose to face Kyrisjana, I recommend you use Yulin's sword, Ashling, if you are trained in its use. The adamantine sword is useful against golems, but it will not bypass the toughness of fey creatures."

Knowing that going to face the debased nymph would likely have them crossing paths with Anna reminds Letitia of the girl's story. She turns back to Maris.

Sylvan:

"By the way, we came upon another girl who claimed to be a captive in Artrosia. She said she was a noble, and had been put to work feeding the beasts in the Maiden. Do you know of her? She accused the Warden of being monstrous -- likely a hag. Is that true? Knowing what you do of Jadrenka?"


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2 Team (I'll just say Indarius teamed Femtite's roll)

Pieces of metal start falling off the golem as it reaches out for the stuffed bunny. It takes a step and leaves large chunks of scrap behind. A heavy gear falls off its shoulder, hitting the dirt with a thud.

Over the course of several minutes, the golem disintegrates into its component parts and leaves a pile of rusted scrap and junk.

The stuffed bunny stays inert and limp in Conflux's hands, but one can't help but notice a sense of hope and expectation in its glass eyes.


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Come on, you guys aren't even curious to hear what Letitia has been taught about the birds and the bees?

Let me join in on the appreciation for everyone's role playing in this campaign. It's been a blast.


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia plants a hand on her hip and turns to face Samuel. "Fertility is important. It is absolutely my duty to bear future Jadwiga." She waves a hand at the pillars. "This is an Iobarian witch ritual, but even Irriseni witches need to propagate. Not now, obviously; this is hardly the time. But when things are put right--"

She glances at Callix. "I mean, this isn't the time. Our only task is to follow Baba Yaga's breadcrumbs. We... should at least agree on this."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Forgot about the door.

"Samuel, I doubt this was left for us to eat. And there is a magical aura coming from the door. I can dispel magic if it's necessary, but let me first decipher these sigils and determine what sort of magic might be on the door."

Knowledge (arcana) (door): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34

Knowledge (arcana) (sigils): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30
+1 if it's ice or cold magic


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Reference image Buffs: HP: 69/69; AC 19, t 13, ff 17; Saves: F +5, R +5, W +10; CMD 18 (22 vs trip); Reservoir 8/14; Perception +16

Kallie stifles a giggle when Leptonia succumbs to her spell. She immediately crooks a finger, beckoning her new thrall to come and stand beside her. "Ah, Leptonia, we have so much to discuss. Let's watch and see how your minions fare, shall we?"


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia turns her head and meets the large eyes of her owl familiar. "Only in the traditional sense. Most familiars are small animals, and he regularly hunts them.

She looks back at Llewellyn. "It's risky for a witch to let her familiar roam too far. And most are skilled at staying out of sight. So it's possible that Anna is a witch and a Changeling... but it makes no sense for her to lie about that. Samuel, your heartstrings would be equally tugged by the tale of a girl terrified of being remade into a hag, correct?"

She shakes her head in frustration at the mysteries and the lack of certainty regarding the true motives of the denizens of Artrosia. "For all we know, both Anna and the Warden could be hags in disguise. Again, our best course of action is to find and destroy the frost giants. Maybe then the Warden will make herself known to us."


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia stifles a groan when Samuel brings up Anna. In a slightly mocking tone, she voices aloud, "Is there actually such a thing as a 'poor' noble?"

She considers the key being offered, and then takes the opportunity to study the woman up close.
You've said her skin is much paler than Anna. Does she have mismatched eyes? It's hard to tell in the picture.

The woman's mention of followers of Baba Yaga's greatest foe causes Letitia's eyebrow to arch. There was only one conclusion. "You speak of the frost giants and their centaur leader? We are aware of them, and sent one of them away already."

She decides to be direct. "Are you, in fact, the warden? You have yet to deny that you are, yet you do not seem overly concerned about the followers of the enemy invading. You say we must prove ourselves. To whom?"


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia half-smiles at Callix's comment. She's learning, the Winter Witch thinks. It wasn't so long ago that the Ulfen would have regarded anything inside this fortress as an enemy.

That being said, there were no guarantees. She resolved to be on her guard.


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

"I agree with you, Ashling, except it does us no good if Callix loses the power she channels from her god. She has to stay in his good favor, so if she cannot abide by our methods, we will have to follow hers."

She turns to Fexkrus.

Giant:

"My apologies for my companions. They chatter like goblins, don't they? You said you wanted to go outside, but you also were told to scout that small passage. When will you need to return to Vsevelod? What do you plan to do once you go outside?"


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Doom Track: ▣▣▣❑❑ Burn: 0
Influence:
Have: Derby, Dervish, Tumbler, 86, Ashley Mills
Labels:
Danger +3, Freak +3, Savior -2, Superior +2, Mundane -2. Potential 1/5
Afraid, Hopeless

Once the Hatwing is relatively close to her parents' home, Arcana asks to be let out. She gives Arcanum a "yes, you too," look. The pair float out of the bay door under their own power and head home.

Talking to myself:

<Silence>

"Go ahead. I have a pretty good idea what you're thinking, so out with it."

"... So... Were you thinking, 'he's going to do this to me anyways, so I might as well get used to it? Maybe he won't erase me if I, like, agree to it'?"

"I forgot about thinking that. But no."

"But this is more than just being curious. This isn't just wondering what it'd be like to have boobs for a couple hours?"

"You're right. It's gone beyond that."

"Do you like it more?"

"..."

"Do you like being a girl more than a guy?"

"At the moment... I don't see the need to change back. I'm perfectly content right now."

"Don't see the need?!? What about the professor? Have you really given up?"

"You're a construct. You lack context."

"Maybe I'm seeing things more clearly!"

"It's possible. Just... I can't keep two sets of memories in my head, so you're it. And it makes sense that you stay Wes since how you remember things, Wendy and I... aren't."

"Wendy. What about Ashley?"

"I chose Wendy. And she chose me. Even when I was a guy."

"Okay, then."

"Okay. I'm going to get changed and I'm going to meet back up with Wendy this evening. You get to be me in the meantime. Keep yourself safe. You're what's left of my masculinity. I don't want you going anywhere."

"All right."

<beat>

"So all those dreams of me and Wendy--?"

"Real. And fantastic."

"Cool."


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Not content to simply use a magical dowsing rod, Femtite repurposes a traffic camera and uses the two together to try and locate Max. When she activates the cobbled-together device, she gets a highlight -- back at Connie's dorm room!


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HP: 54/54, 4 thp, AC 18 t:13 ff:16, f+6 r+7 w+8; Resist Cold 5; Perc +15, init +2, Fly 8/9, Active:

Letitia smiles deviously. "Fighting him in this narrow corridor works to our advantage, yes. But perhaps we won't have to fight him at all. Let me see if I can bring him over to our side. Be ready in case he throws off my charms."

When the others are ready, Letitia moves down the hallway until she can see the giant Ashling spotted. She then casts charm person, while calling out to him in Giant.

Will save DC 16

Giant:

"Hello, what is your name?"

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