Xihe Katla's page

All right! :)

I'd certainly be interested in continuing, if you're up for it.

(And yes, I think I already said as much in the Legendary Worlds game, but good to see you back!)

Oh, no! :( That's terrible.

Sadly, I think we may have lost Reckless, at least from this campaign.

The Fox nods as Katrina walks away. She meets Mariane's gaze evenly, just a hint of a smile playing on her vulpine lips.

She catches Katrina's nod and comes over to Felina. "Hello, Felina. As I'm sure Katrina told you, I'm The Fox." She speaks soothingly, her voice calming and steady.

I'm assuming there's no need to RP out them having small talk. Basically, The Fox is watching for how she speaks, her mannerisms, etc.

"Thank you, Felina. Now, don't be startled..." The Fox passes her hand over her face... and suddenly, she looks just like Felina.

"Now, then," she says, her voice similarly changed, "They'll probably be expecting you to still be scarred. Forutnately I have something to fake that. And clothes... I may have something suitable."

She pulls an outfit out of her bag. "Is this enough like something you'd wear?" Whichever of the outfits she carries that looks most like what Felina is wearing--probably the peasant's outfit?

Bladed Brush - Shelyn whorshipers can use Weapon Finesse with Glaives

This Kitsune will have to look into that... and bug her GM to let it work on Naginatas as well as Glaives.

I was realizing I wasn't happy with The Fox's response there. So consider the last post void, and go with this one instead.

The Fox frowns slightly, in though rather than from worry. "Hmmm... yes, that would work. As long as she is not the type to scream when suddenly confronted with someone who looks exactly like her." She grins just a bit as she finishes speaking.

The Fox frowns slightly, in though rather than from worry. "Hmmm... yes, that would work. So long as you think she will go along with this."

"I'm aware of the danger," The Fox replied, "It's part of what I do. And I'd rather face the leader first when I'm fresh, rather than after fighting through the rest of the Grey Maidens, as long as I can avoid facing all of them at once. Now, if I'm going to do that, I'll need to know just how Felina ended up here. Any kinds of habits or mannerisms she has would be helpful, too."

Didn't they turn out great? Her outfit in the second picture is an idea of what her outfit might look like when she's being The Fox instead of Katla.

Hopefully so! It's annoying how Real Life always seems to get in the way of role-playing. I think it gets jealous.

The Fox waves her hand (unnecessarily)... and with startling swiftness her tails disappears, her snout shrinks into a human face, and when it was done, she looks just like a young woman she'd seen by the docks a few days ago, though still dressed in her usual night garb.

"I can be anyone I've seen, girls," The Fox explains, grinning. "And as I'm sure you noticed, I can walk straight up walls... among other talents"

She waves her hand again, returning to her true appearance. "What do they do with recent 'converts'? Would I have a chance to be alone with one of the Greys? Or perhaps with Kaetelyn or Dowen, to speak with them?"

They're not so much salutations as proverbs, but this (war)priestess of Shelyn tends to say, "All life has the potential for beauty" and "A life is a masterpiece in progress".

More Katla art. :D

"Standing aside is aid of a sort," The Fox mused. "Twelve... I can handle twelve if I face no more than two or three at a time, save for maybe the worst of the Grey Maidens. What can you tell me of the layout of the Crow? I'll need to know places I'm likely to face opposition, where those who will be foe and possible friend will likely be... and of course, names and descriptions for those who I might be able to talk to."

She pauses a moment, then adds, "If there's someone I could appear as that would be useful for sneaking in, that would be helpful, as well."

I should be clear, The Fox isn't planning on assaulting the Crow immediately (unless she thinks she can do so successfully from their description)... but she wants to know what she needs to work towards.

I got a new picture of Katla!

The Fox's gaze hardened, though she kept her tone light. "Well, I suppose it's time for a rescue mission, then. How much do you know about what's going on at the Crow right now? Where do they watch? How many guards are there?"

The Fox nods. "Good. Now, then, let me see what I may do."

She walks over to Felina, surreptitiously pulling out her holy symbol of Shelyn. She looks over the girl's wounds, and, deciding that they will not need a great deal of power to heal, calls on Shelyn's grace.

"全体性の美しさを復元シェーリン！" she quietly prays, touching the wounds with healing power. Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

"I haven't been spying on you in particular for long at all," Katla replies to Mariane. "As to how I know what I know, well, I make it my business to know what's going on here in the Shadow, so I have my ways of keeping track of things."

"As for Felina," she continues, turning to the sleeping girl, "I can, though there may be some scarring left if she's already had these for a while. If I have your permission...?" She gave the two girls a questioning look, with just a hint of a grin playing on her muzzle.

The Fox takes Katrine's hand, though she doesn't really need the help, and enters the room in a single flowing, acrobatic motion. She wasn't deliberately showing off--graceful movement was just a part of The Fox.

"Yes, that will work," she quietly agrees, following them into the back of the room. As they walk, she wonders what they make of her--a five-tailed fox-woman who was just standing on a wall as if it were the ground, with the blade of a naginata protruding from her pack.

Once in the place indicated, The Fox considers the two girls. "Now, I know I haven't given you any reason to trust me yet," she says after a moment. "Nor do I think I can earn it easily. But I can do this much--ask any question you wish about me, and I will answer it if I can without betraying the trust others have placed in me."

I love this mental image--two girls staring up out of the window at this Kitsune woman standing on the wall above. XD

"Hmm, well, I know you've lost a lot of ground, for one thing," The Fox says, ticking things off on her fingers, "I know you're mixed up with at least one Grey Maiden--which, in case you hadn't noticed, is bad news. And I know I'm going to do something about it with or without your help, because you most certainly aren't dealing well with your own problems."

She gave the girls another grin. "Or is that not quite what you were asking? If you're asking if I know about girls getting caught up in trouble that's way over their heads... well, I may know a thing or two about that, too. I know it'll be easier for them to get out of if they talk to The Fox about it, for one."

Maybe Diplomacy will work this time: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

"I'm The Fox," The Fox explains lightly, grinning, "And what I want is to make certain that no one else has to suffer having her face mutilated to match the tastes of a madwoman."

By now all trace of lightness was gone from her tone, replaced by steel as pointed as her teeth. But it suddenly vanishes as she smiles again. "I was just hoping you girls might help me with that a bit."

Diplomacy, if needed: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15 Ouch, hope I don't need that roll.

The Fox bares her teeth silently at the sight of the girls' suffering. This she must stop. Positioning herself above the window, she raps on the shutters, almost as if she were knocking on a door.

Hmmm... I've been realizing The Fox may have some trouble vigilante-ing without any Intimidate skill... XD

So how do they get up there... The Fox thinks to herself.

Fortunately for her, she doesn't need to worry about such issues, and in this case their boarding up of windows should play to her advantage. She would have to be wary for other watchers, though.

She quickly looked about (Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20) and then whispered the activation word for her slippers. She silently stepped up the wall of the orphanage, pausing for a moment next to a second-story window to again activate her gloves and peer through the wall.

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
Used another charge on Gloves of Reconnaissance and one charge on Slippers of Spider Climbing.

Carefully, wary for any signs of stirges, The Fox slips into a nearby shadow and resumes her true form. She stealthily stalks up to the former orphanage's wall, doing her best to stay out of sight of any possible watchers. She touches the wall about ten feet down from the original doorway, whispers the command word for her gloves, and then peers through the wall.

Stealth, if needed again: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19

The Fox gives Scab a final small bow before departing into the darkness.

She travels mostly in fox form, seeking to stay unseen as she slips her way through the Shadow towards the place Leron indicated. She is even more wary as she draws near, aiming to reconnoiter the area first in fox form before deciding on a course of action.

Fox Form Stealth: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (14) + 25 = 39

I should work up her Fox Shape stats and add them to her character sheet, as she uses the form enough she's probably going to be faced with combat while in it as some point.

She tossed him the last few coppers. "My thanks again, Master Quintus. Let us hope that your service tonight might save some few lives."

Does he have anything else to say before she departs?

Oh, wait, there is one more question.

The Fox started to turn to leave, but paused for just a moment. "These Tower Girls must surely have someone who stays ashore, yes?"

She debated for the briefest moment, then pulled out three more coppers, knowing Scab well enough to not bother asking without payment. "You wouldn't happen to know where I might find any of them, would you, Master Quintus?"

I'm assuming this takes place some years after the events of Curse of the Crimson Throne?

The Fox froze a moment. The Grey Maidens? I'm guessing they're common knowledge enough that Katla would have heard of them?

She shook off the thought with a slight shake of her head, then tossed Scab the silver piece. "Then I will have to be cautious in my approach," she stated, "In spite of the urgency this implies. Thank you, Master Quintus," she bowed slightly again, "As always, your services have been of great assistance."

Pausing a moment here to let him respond before she departs, but if he has nothing more to say, she'll go ahead and stealthily head towards the Crow. Well, as close as she can get without getting wet.

The Fox slipped a silver coin into her hand. "I'm given to understand they have a rather... corrupt idea of beauty," she said lightly. "Now, would you prefer this in copper, Master Quintus?"

"Greetings, Master Quintus," The Fox replies, responding to his smirk with a slight bow. As she straightened, she reached into her purse and pulled out several copper pieces.

Much less likely to get a man's throat slit than silver, she thought to herself, as she had before.

"I would like to hire your services this evening," she continued, jingling the coins slightly in her hand as she took a confident pose. "Have you heard of the 'Tower Girls', and if not, where within the Shadow might be called 'The Tower'?"

Have things not calmed down as much as anticipated? :( Or am I just being impatient?

We should say that The Fox has a contact among the more transient "residents", a man called Scab, who is one of many homeless people of the Shadow, a man who used to work at the golemworks above the bridge before he was caught stealing Irespan basalt and ruined.

Alternatively, there are a number of acolytes of Seranrae who once tried to restore the abandoned shrine of that Goddess in the district. Perhaps one of them might still be trying and be a contact for Katla.

She'd probably have both--she'd want contacts in both personas, after all. For now, though...

Once Katla had closed and locked the doors to the Swan-in-Shadow, she carefully looks out the windows to make sure no one is watching through them, then goes to her room. She carefully arranges her bed, making it look as if someone were sleeping within, then turns and walks down into her cellar. After listening a little while to satisfy herself that no one had somehow slipped in while she wasn't watching, she counts down the stones on the wall until she finds the right one, then carefully pushes the secret switch hidden there.

With a soft click, a section of wall unlatched, and she pushes it back, swinging open the secret door. As soon as she is through she pushes the door closed, listening for the click of the latch to make sure it was shut properly. That done, she quietly sighs as she looks over her hidden dojo.

This double life is wearing, Katla thinks to herself as she begins to gather the Fox's gear.

She carefully changes outfits, making certain she doesn't get any of her long hairs on the Fox's clothing. Once she's satisfied, she changes forms, smiling slightly as her tails sprout out and her face elongates into a kitsune's muzzle.

I may go by my real name in human form... but I feel more myself as the Fox, she notes to herself as she gives herself one last look-over before departing. But for now... the Fox and Katla must not be known to be the same, and so, the Fox must ask more about this Tower, while Katla 'rests from the strains of her self-imposed calling'.

She carefully listens and looks through her hidden exit's peephole before slipping out into the alleyway. She stays hidden as she makes her way through the Shadow, alternating between kitsune and fox form depending on how much cover she has. Soon enough she arrives at her destination--the place she can usually find 'Scab'.

Didn't it turn out great? And glad things are calming down for you!

Oh, I got another picture of Katla! This was done by the amazing Katie Hofgard. :)

Katla waits a few minutes after Harry leaves, then starts closing up the Swan-in-Shadow for the day. She needs to do some research...

How big is the Shadow? From the map, it seems like it's fairly small. And I guess we never filled in any ideas for contacts for Katla. Could she have someone she could turn to for asking questions about the Shadow? Perhaps some of the other clergy that do charity work in the area?

Hmmm... here is where The Fox needs some contacts...

Oh, have I mentioned that I specifically got the combination of Slippers of Spider Climbing and a Ring of Feather Falling so that someday, should she deem it wise, The Fox could climb up to the underside of the Irespan and then jump off to drop in on someone? I don't think it will be relevant anytime soon, but... it's there.

She'll probably want a potion of invisibility for it, though.

"That would be beautiful, Mr. Egrelt," Katla replies with a smile and a bow. "Farewell until then."

Now... is it really the Shadow Clock he's talking of? Or could there be another tower in the Shadow? Or... it could even be the name of a tavern or something. But I dare not ask. If it becomes clear that anything Katla asks about, The Fox investigates...

I sketched out roughly what I'm thinking of for the Swan-in-Shadow in Paint.

Whoops... forgot to put the wash basin near the main entrance. Well, it's there.

Not that large, though large for the Shadow. I have the picture in my head but still haven't committed it to silicon.

I have a feeling that, the way this is structured, we'll each have times in the spotlight and times where we're waiting on the other.

I'm thinking I need to sketch out the Swan-in-Shadow's floor plan, since it's likely going to be a major location in this campaign. XD

The Tower... well, at least The Fox now has somewhere to investigate.

Would that be the Shadow Clock, or is there another tower in the Shadow? Or would Katla not know?

Katla nodded sadly. "Then she has gone with them and not returned?" She asked, mournfully. "Please be careful yourself, Mr. Egrelt. The Goddess has granted me grace to heal some small injuries, but I can do nothing for death. Now, then, what evening should I expect you?"

"You can start whichever evening is most convenient for you, Mr. Egrelt. You simply need to inform me ahead of time, so that I can make certain to be here when you arrive, as I sometimes take advantage of evenings to do some errands myself," Katla replied, smiling at him.

She hesitated a moment, deciding how best to broach the subject, then decided on a course. "If you think it might help, Mr. Egrelt, I could speak to your daughter myself. Perhaps, as a Priestess of Shelyn, my opinion on matters of beauty might be of some aid to her?"

Or perhaps The Fox might come calling some night...

Katla listens intently to Harry's prayer as they kneel before the altar, knowing The Fox might have a hand in answering it. The Tower Girls... I shall have to investigate them, she thought to herself.

When Harry finishes, Katla adds a brief prayer of her own. "Oh Lady of Blossoms, I add my voice in prayer to you that you aid Crystalhue to see what true beauty is. I ask you also that you aid Mr. Harold Egrelt, that the beauty of his love for his daughter may reach her."

The rest of what I want to say, I'll have to say alone, she thought as she finished.

Katla stood and offered a hand to help Harry to his feet. "It seems there are still many things in the Shadow I do not know of," she commented, not quite sure if she should press the man for details or not.

I'm assuming, given her lack of Knowledge(Local), that Katla has never heard of these Tower Girls?

Sounds good.

"Fare you well until we meet again, Andrezi," Katla says, giving him a bow in return as she dries her hands. I'll have to work on not letting my suspicion show quite so much, she thinks to herself as the jeweler leaves. I think I scared him off. The Fox will have to make a visit to his shop sometime, though... nighttime seems most likely if he's involved with the gangs somehow.

Then she turns back to Harry. "Certainly, Mr. Egrelt! I apologize for not offering before." She stood back and waved at the wash basin. "There should be enough water in the pitcher for you still."

I rather suspect something else is going to occupy her mind shortly, or she might do so.

edit:
Oh, also, for what it's worth, Andrezi does have his Aura of Subjugation running (-4 to Sense Motive), as well as the Feign Innocence Social Talent, so it's unlikely that he'll come off as more than just an odd duck who cares a bit too much, and needs a lesson in personal security.

To The Fox lurking in Katla's mind, an overly nosey jeweler with a shop in the Shadow seems like it must be a front for some smuggling or fencing operation. Probably fencing--how could such a shop manage to fend off thieves without being in bed with them?

The fact that he seems completely honest and innocent will just convince said suspicious part of her that he's a particularly good liar... while the less suspicious part of her will be glad for a fellow appreciator of beauty in the Shadow.