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<blockquote data-quote="Echolocation" data-source="post: 8740584" data-attributes="member: 7011911"><p><strong>Session 83</strong></p><p><em>GM Recap</em></p><p></p><p>Some notes before I begin. I ran Adventure Eight with a focus on grief and transformation. To this end, we began this session with another flashback for the players.</p><p></p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="What happened?"]</p><p>Roughly twenty years ago, Riffian's father, leader of the Great Hunt, discovered the ultimate beast: an Ob construct. The Hunt tracked constructs down, with Riffian's father on the cusp of discovering the Ob's affairs at Cauldron Hill. Riffian's father hoped this would be the kill that earned him a seat at the Unseen Court. Unfortunately, Kasvarina used the Flint mystics and Ob gunslingers to ambush the Hunt and slaughtered their leader. The Lost Arc of Rieda will reveal this perspective of the shootout later in the adventure.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p><p></p><p>After the flashback, we returned to Angharad's chambers aboard the Roscommon. The woman introduced herself as Naomi Osborne, sent by the Unseen Court to guard the kineticist. See below for Naomi's full, and more complex, backstory.</p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Naomi's Backstory"]</p><p>Naomi is actually a widow kitsune named Kin Miura, who was previously married to a human RHC constable named Naomi Osborne.</p><p></p><p>The Miura's have a long history of service to the Unseen Court. A family of kitsune blessed (or some say cursed) with black fur and a reputation as creatures of ill omen: a clan of slinking, shapeshifting spies and assassins. The shadows of the Unseen. The fangs in the dark… Or so the rumours go. In reality, the services the Miura's perform are much more varied, although their abilities do lend themselves to covert work.</p><p></p><p>Rin never had much interest in that side of things though, despite a rare knack for taking on others' appearances. She was content doing bodyguard work for minor fey dignitaries visiting the Waking, and occasionally more mundane individuals when the Court didn’t require her services. Something about the simplicity of the mortal world appealed to her: a place where a shapeshifter in human form could go unremarked. No sideways looks of mistrust - or at least no more than the average stranger - and no obligations other than her current job.</p><p></p><p>Until a ruby-eyed human started sniffing around Rin's latest protectee like a hound on the hunt: Naomi Osborne, an undercover constable from Bole's RHC and the daughter of a wealthy family of Drakran mages and Risuri industrialists. Naomi charmed her way into the company of Rin’s charge for an evening at the theatre and everything went smoothly until Naomi couldn’t hold back her disgust at the terrible acting any more. (It offended her professional pride as an undercover agent.) Her target became rather miffed and replied that if she wasn’t enjoying the entertainment, then perhaps she should leave so everyone else could? Rin escorted Naomi out before the fey could take more serious offence.</p><p></p><p>The RHC agent immediately turned her charms on the bodyguard, seeking an alternate source of information, and Rin returned the attention: determined to learn the reason behind Naomi’s interest. Their mutual prying brought them closer than either intended, and when Rin's charge returned to the Dreaming and Naomi's investigation led elsewhere, neither of them was left empty handed: as the engagement rings eighteen months later proved.</p><p></p><p>Another seven months and they were wed - a low-key affair - and happy together, despite their demanding (and occasionally conflicting) careers. Or as happy as a fox in human form and a rogue who liked to pull people’s tails could be… And then almost a year later, "Till death do us part" became more than words.</p><p></p><p>…Although an actual parting might have been kinder.</p><p></p><p>Rin returned home one night to find her wife dead with a witchoil-coated blade in her chest. Shocked and horrified, she reached out a trembling hand to touch the hilt, and as soon as she did she could feel her wife's terror. Hear it. Almost sense her own life force pouring out of her as Naomi's had: pouring into the blade, trapped forever in unforgiving steel. In her mind Rin experienced Naomi's last moments: saw her injured attacker stumble out of the room and flee.</p><p></p><p>Reeling back from the connection, Rin spotted the blood trail and feral anger took hold. Tracking the murderer was easy - he hadn't made it far - but his last words made it clear that he was only a pawn: a piece in someone else's game. Vengeance unsatisfied, Rin found herself with two dead bodies and a ghost-infused blade. Eventually she brought herself to touch it again and in her presence Naomi's frantic soul calmed. Between them they devised a desperate plan: as a minor agent of the Unseen Court, Rin's reach in the Waking was limited, but as Naomi her resources would be greater. And as Naomi, there was a chance that whoever orchestrated the attack might try again - having seemingly failed the first time - and this time they could both be ready.</p><p></p><p>A favour from the fey altered Naomi's corpse to look like Rin's (probably something akin to <a href="https://www.aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Sculpt%20Corpse" target="_blank">this</a> spell) and Rin's shapeshifting took care of the rest. Disguise in place, she reported herself dead. The initial uproar and investigation led nowhere useful: the killer was dead and no concrete evidence was found to support Naomi's insistence that someone else had been involved, despite the presence of witchoil. Eventually the case was closed - ruled as a personal grudge or break-in gone wrong - and it was tactfully suggested that Naomi might benefit from focusing on something else; with especially concerned glances directed at the murderer’s weapon she'd appropriated from evidence and taken to wearing.</p><p></p><p>With their RHC leads dead and the expected attack not forthcoming, "Naomi" requested a transfer: to a position as liaison between the Unseen Court and RHC. From the RHC's perspective, her former wife's ties to the Court made Naomi an ideal candidate for the position - with the additional hope that it might give her space to work through her loss. And from Rin's perspective, it gave her the perfect excuse to continue associating with her fey patrons while maintaining the guise of being Naomi.</p><p></p><p>Rin's fey contacts proved unable or unwilling to offer meaningful insight though, and her new position's distance from regular RHC affairs stymied further investigation on that front. All Rin and Naomi knew was that the murderer had had access to witchoil and that divinations seemed useless in identifying the true culprit/s. Facts that have them contemplating the newly infamous Obscurati with increasing suspicion…</p><p></p><p>And now, three seasons after Naomi’s death, the Court needs someone to keep an eye on one of their most volatile assets: the fire kineticist Sir Angharad Cipith. An individual that the Seen of the Unseen, Asrabey Varal, also has an interest in, and whom Rin has had an encounter with previously… For when Angharad escaped from the Dreaming, it was Rin - acting on the orders of Thisraldion - who helped him. To Rin's knowledge, the fey have no particular plan for Angharad… but what mortal mind can truly comprehend the Court's intentions?</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p><p></p><p>As the conversation wrapped up and Naomi went to leave the cabin, a bell sounded from above deck: signalling an alert. Wisps of smoke began drifting under the cabin doors. Naomi cracked open the door to find the smoke thicker in the corridor: grey, ashy smoke. John and Lisandra exited their cabins and magically identified the smoke as a large Obscuring Mist. Naomi gave a brief, blase introduction and strode off into the smoke, subtly casting spells on herself as she went. The constables soon followed.</p><p></p><p>Atop the deck, the Roscommon's gnome crew shouted from the shadows:</p><p>“Lookout Lingenhall, can you spot anything from the crow’s nest? It’s all smoke down here!”</p><p>“Four ships! 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. The smoke bellows from a source about 2 o’ clock, quarter of a mile out, it’s moving close.”</p><p>Delft: “Why aren’t we moving? Tell me why we aren’t moving!”</p><p>Glittergem: “Lay day, Inspector. The anchor is still being pulled.”</p><p>Cynerburg: “Not hazardous, just obscures vision, Inspector. Strange, also traces of the Bleak Gate…”</p><p>Delft: “We’re moving now. Move this ship, Captain Maekkelferce! We’re sitting ducks.”</p><p>“Aye Inspector” a thud shakes the ship “I can’t move her, something is tugging starboard, someone check. Miss Roscommon, would you mind teleporting?”</p><p></p><p>The teleportation fails, for the thud was caused by Lya's Lament, a golden-horned submarine latching itself onto the vessel. Another vessel rams the opposite side of the ship as attackers board. A man swiftly scales the Roscommon from the submarine with a long, scorpion whip. It's an Ob ambush.</p><p></p><p>Delft quickly checks whatever surroundings he can through the smoke. Naomi introduces herself as a constable from Bole.</p><p>Delft scolded Naomi for worrying the Bole Chief Inspector: “Bloody hell, you should have notified them if you were going on leave!”</p><p>Naomi: “Look if they can’t find out where I went themselves… not the best constables.”</p><p></p><p>In combat, Delft drew his sword cane: “I’ll skinny dip with She Who Writhes before I let another one of you die!” He barked orders at the constables, acting as <em>inspire courage </em>(Delft is a rogue/<a href="https://www.aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Brawler%20Exemplar" target="_blank">examplar brawler</a>). Lauryn threw a delayed fireball at the onboarding enemies before teleporting to the vessel of the large ship that rammed them. She returns moments later, after sabotaging their boiler. During this time, the large ship point-blank fires their cannons into the Roscommon, tripping up friend and foe aboard with the shuddering impact. Using a planar lantern, the two other ships at a distance attempt to burn the Roscommon and its crew with spotlights.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]258555[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Lissandra threw some spells, Naomi and Angharad closed the distance, whereas John provided covering fire. Eventually, Team BAD killed enough of the Ob that the captain of the large vessel, a haughty naughty word-talking dwarven captain named Fulstov boarded with his cannon- and anchor-wielding ice giant. An ice giant that was promptly shrunk by John's mad shootist shrink ray. The captain returned fire by shooting a grappling hook from his steam-powered gauntlet, grappling Naomi and drawing him in for the kill. Angharad used an ability granted by the Ash Wolf to transfer 'conditions' from allies to himself, so he supernaturally remove the spike from Naomi’s flesh and implant it in his own. Naomi swore: “Bloody hell… I think ye’ve got the wrong idea about our relationship!” In ‘retaliation’, she cast Displacement on Angharad. Fulstov's ship began to retreat once its boiler exploded, and once his ice giant perished, he attempt to escape by swimming. He could was no match for the fire-jetting kineticist. When Angharad returned to the Roscommon with Fulstov, he had been fatally wounded by a fire blade delivered underwater. Lya's Lament retreated, leaving Team BAD with a few arrested Ob. The ships began to fade out of The Waking, presumably returning to the Bleak Gate.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]258556[/ATTACH]</p><p><em>A smol giant</em></p><p></p><p>Delft ordered the Roscommon crew to secure the prisoners, as he had a briefing to deliver to Team BAD. In lieu of a meeting room, the Inspector ordered everyone to a bedchamber.</p><p></p><p>Naomi: “Invited to yer bedchambers on the first meetin’, sir? Gosh. They do things differently in Flint, I see.”</p><p>Delft: “Yes, like doing our jobs.”</p><p></p><p>Naomi headed belowdecks while the others followed more slowly.</p><p></p><p>Lisandra to Angharad: “Not a friend of yours, I take it?”</p><p>Angharad: “One thinks, more of a handler from the Court.”</p><p>Lisandra: “Earned yourself a legit babysitter, I see. Impressive.”</p><p>“Only if she can keep up. If she interferes with one’s plans later on… people burn.”</p><p>“And what plans are those?”</p><p>(Angharad gave a decidedly not-nice smile) “Well there’s a spot open on the Court.”</p><p></p><p>Once everyone was snugly packed together in a bedchamber, Delft gave the party their next mission: find Kasvarina Varal and extract intelligence. Naomi has been in touch with Asrabey, who has requested she find Angharad and convince him to come meet Kasvarina, so she informs everyone of Kasvarina's location. Lauryn gave an overview of Elfaivar. John asked Cyneburg what was happening with teleportating, and she responded that she genuinely doesn't know. But she's sure it's something Team BAD could fix.</p><p></p><p>After spitting on the ship for good luck, Delft teleports out, worried that this might be the last time he sees his constables. The party make landfall and teleport via trees to a location close to Rumah Terakir. The Roscommon sails to Sawyer for repairs.</p><p></p><p>Angharad kept one of the +1 human-bane rapiers from the attack and after Delft was gone handed it to Naomi and told her to stab herself. The Cipith was suspicious of her red eyes indicating something inhuman and Naomi informed him he was right - partly. Half of her family is from Drakr and have demonic influences, although they are still human. The explanation proved sufficient to avoid a stabbing.</p><p></p><p>After the teleportation, Naomi felt nauseous and leaned on a tree. Angharad wood shaped the tree to entangle her in its branches in a kind of hug. She was unimpressed. He eventually instructed the tree to let her go after openly laughing at her struggles.</p><p></p><p>Angharad to Lisandra, as Naomi stalked off: “This One was never that bad, right?”</p><p>Lisandra: “Darling, you still are. It just grew on us over time.”</p><p></p><p>Looking around, Angharad and John spotted a massive footprint - tens of feet across - impressed into the ground.</p><p></p><p></p><p>John saw a druidic sign, containing directions to some kind of celebration nearby. Perhaps a wedding? Naomi was quiet at this. John suggested we go pay our respects and Lisandra agreed that making friends couldn’t go astray.</p><p></p><p>The party met a mad druid who was marrying a woman made of mud. Angharad officiated the wedding in the name of the Ash Wolf. Why did I as a GM do this? It was to give a bit of flavour to the maddening, Dreaming distortions around Sentosa.</p><p></p><p>After leaving the wedding, Angharad remarked that we needed to meet better druids. Pazamu and John were okay but the underwater druid off the coast of Ber and this one…</p><p>Angharad: “One was just being nice by saying you’re interesting, John. You’re actually kind of boring sometimes.”</p><p>John quipped back and grinned, unoffended.</p><p></p><p>En ruite for the ruins, the constables came upon a Dreaming-manifested cottage with the door ajar. Examining the individual parts from afar with a critical eye, Naomi detected no traps or signs of magic. It was only after getting close enough for Detect magic and seeing the entirety of the place past the jungle vegetation that she realised there was something terribly wrong about it…</p><p></p><p>It looked exactly like Naomi and Rin’s home in Bole.</p><p></p><p>Same flower filled garden surrounding it - completely out of place in the jungles of Elfaivair. Same architecture and paint job. Same dark splashes of witchoil and blood as that horrible night…</p><p></p><p>Upon realising that, Naomi froze. She scarcely noticed the questions of her fellow constables… Barely responded to their attempts to snap her out of it. She almost stayed still long enough for Lisandra to give into the temptation to cast Detect Thoughts to figure out what was happening. Then Naomi started toward the cottage. Lisandra and Angharad followed while John hung back.</p><p></p><p>As Naomi swung the door fully open, she was met with a horribly familiar scene: blood, witchoil, and a long-dead woman tied to a chair in the middle of the room—<strong>Naomi</strong>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Unique loot</strong></p><p></p><p>From Fulstov, the party got some neat technological loot:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]258557[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]258558[/ATTACH]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Echolocation, post: 8740584, member: 7011911"] [B]Session 83[/B] [I]GM Recap[/I] Some notes before I begin. I ran Adventure Eight with a focus on grief and transformation. To this end, we began this session with another flashback for the players. [SPOILER="What happened?"] Roughly twenty years ago, Riffian's father, leader of the Great Hunt, discovered the ultimate beast: an Ob construct. The Hunt tracked constructs down, with Riffian's father on the cusp of discovering the Ob's affairs at Cauldron Hill. Riffian's father hoped this would be the kill that earned him a seat at the Unseen Court. Unfortunately, Kasvarina used the Flint mystics and Ob gunslingers to ambush the Hunt and slaughtered their leader. The Lost Arc of Rieda will reveal this perspective of the shootout later in the adventure. [/SPOILER] After the flashback, we returned to Angharad's chambers aboard the Roscommon. The woman introduced herself as Naomi Osborne, sent by the Unseen Court to guard the kineticist. See below for Naomi's full, and more complex, backstory. [SPOILER="Naomi's Backstory"] Naomi is actually a widow kitsune named Kin Miura, who was previously married to a human RHC constable named Naomi Osborne. The Miura's have a long history of service to the Unseen Court. A family of kitsune blessed (or some say cursed) with black fur and a reputation as creatures of ill omen: a clan of slinking, shapeshifting spies and assassins. The shadows of the Unseen. The fangs in the dark… Or so the rumours go. In reality, the services the Miura's perform are much more varied, although their abilities do lend themselves to covert work. Rin never had much interest in that side of things though, despite a rare knack for taking on others' appearances. She was content doing bodyguard work for minor fey dignitaries visiting the Waking, and occasionally more mundane individuals when the Court didn’t require her services. Something about the simplicity of the mortal world appealed to her: a place where a shapeshifter in human form could go unremarked. No sideways looks of mistrust - or at least no more than the average stranger - and no obligations other than her current job. Until a ruby-eyed human started sniffing around Rin's latest protectee like a hound on the hunt: Naomi Osborne, an undercover constable from Bole's RHC and the daughter of a wealthy family of Drakran mages and Risuri industrialists. Naomi charmed her way into the company of Rin’s charge for an evening at the theatre and everything went smoothly until Naomi couldn’t hold back her disgust at the terrible acting any more. (It offended her professional pride as an undercover agent.) Her target became rather miffed and replied that if she wasn’t enjoying the entertainment, then perhaps she should leave so everyone else could? Rin escorted Naomi out before the fey could take more serious offence. The RHC agent immediately turned her charms on the bodyguard, seeking an alternate source of information, and Rin returned the attention: determined to learn the reason behind Naomi’s interest. Their mutual prying brought them closer than either intended, and when Rin's charge returned to the Dreaming and Naomi's investigation led elsewhere, neither of them was left empty handed: as the engagement rings eighteen months later proved. Another seven months and they were wed - a low-key affair - and happy together, despite their demanding (and occasionally conflicting) careers. Or as happy as a fox in human form and a rogue who liked to pull people’s tails could be… And then almost a year later, "Till death do us part" became more than words. …Although an actual parting might have been kinder. Rin returned home one night to find her wife dead with a witchoil-coated blade in her chest. Shocked and horrified, she reached out a trembling hand to touch the hilt, and as soon as she did she could feel her wife's terror. Hear it. Almost sense her own life force pouring out of her as Naomi's had: pouring into the blade, trapped forever in unforgiving steel. In her mind Rin experienced Naomi's last moments: saw her injured attacker stumble out of the room and flee. Reeling back from the connection, Rin spotted the blood trail and feral anger took hold. Tracking the murderer was easy - he hadn't made it far - but his last words made it clear that he was only a pawn: a piece in someone else's game. Vengeance unsatisfied, Rin found herself with two dead bodies and a ghost-infused blade. Eventually she brought herself to touch it again and in her presence Naomi's frantic soul calmed. Between them they devised a desperate plan: as a minor agent of the Unseen Court, Rin's reach in the Waking was limited, but as Naomi her resources would be greater. And as Naomi, there was a chance that whoever orchestrated the attack might try again - having seemingly failed the first time - and this time they could both be ready. A favour from the fey altered Naomi's corpse to look like Rin's (probably something akin to [URL='https://www.aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Sculpt%20Corpse']this[/URL] spell) and Rin's shapeshifting took care of the rest. Disguise in place, she reported herself dead. The initial uproar and investigation led nowhere useful: the killer was dead and no concrete evidence was found to support Naomi's insistence that someone else had been involved, despite the presence of witchoil. Eventually the case was closed - ruled as a personal grudge or break-in gone wrong - and it was tactfully suggested that Naomi might benefit from focusing on something else; with especially concerned glances directed at the murderer’s weapon she'd appropriated from evidence and taken to wearing. With their RHC leads dead and the expected attack not forthcoming, "Naomi" requested a transfer: to a position as liaison between the Unseen Court and RHC. From the RHC's perspective, her former wife's ties to the Court made Naomi an ideal candidate for the position - with the additional hope that it might give her space to work through her loss. And from Rin's perspective, it gave her the perfect excuse to continue associating with her fey patrons while maintaining the guise of being Naomi. Rin's fey contacts proved unable or unwilling to offer meaningful insight though, and her new position's distance from regular RHC affairs stymied further investigation on that front. All Rin and Naomi knew was that the murderer had had access to witchoil and that divinations seemed useless in identifying the true culprit/s. Facts that have them contemplating the newly infamous Obscurati with increasing suspicion… And now, three seasons after Naomi’s death, the Court needs someone to keep an eye on one of their most volatile assets: the fire kineticist Sir Angharad Cipith. An individual that the Seen of the Unseen, Asrabey Varal, also has an interest in, and whom Rin has had an encounter with previously… For when Angharad escaped from the Dreaming, it was Rin - acting on the orders of Thisraldion - who helped him. To Rin's knowledge, the fey have no particular plan for Angharad… but what mortal mind can truly comprehend the Court's intentions? [/SPOILER] As the conversation wrapped up and Naomi went to leave the cabin, a bell sounded from above deck: signalling an alert. Wisps of smoke began drifting under the cabin doors. Naomi cracked open the door to find the smoke thicker in the corridor: grey, ashy smoke. John and Lisandra exited their cabins and magically identified the smoke as a large Obscuring Mist. Naomi gave a brief, blase introduction and strode off into the smoke, subtly casting spells on herself as she went. The constables soon followed. Atop the deck, the Roscommon's gnome crew shouted from the shadows: “Lookout Lingenhall, can you spot anything from the crow’s nest? It’s all smoke down here!” “Four ships! 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. The smoke bellows from a source about 2 o’ clock, quarter of a mile out, it’s moving close.” Delft: “Why aren’t we moving? Tell me why we aren’t moving!” Glittergem: “Lay day, Inspector. The anchor is still being pulled.” Cynerburg: “Not hazardous, just obscures vision, Inspector. Strange, also traces of the Bleak Gate…” Delft: “We’re moving now. Move this ship, Captain Maekkelferce! We’re sitting ducks.” “Aye Inspector” a thud shakes the ship “I can’t move her, something is tugging starboard, someone check. Miss Roscommon, would you mind teleporting?” The teleportation fails, for the thud was caused by Lya's Lament, a golden-horned submarine latching itself onto the vessel. Another vessel rams the opposite side of the ship as attackers board. A man swiftly scales the Roscommon from the submarine with a long, scorpion whip. It's an Ob ambush. Delft quickly checks whatever surroundings he can through the smoke. Naomi introduces herself as a constable from Bole. Delft scolded Naomi for worrying the Bole Chief Inspector: “Bloody hell, you should have notified them if you were going on leave!” Naomi: “Look if they can’t find out where I went themselves… not the best constables.” In combat, Delft drew his sword cane: “I’ll skinny dip with She Who Writhes before I let another one of you die!” He barked orders at the constables, acting as [I]inspire courage [/I](Delft is a rogue/[URL='https://www.aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Brawler%20Exemplar']examplar brawler[/URL]). Lauryn threw a delayed fireball at the onboarding enemies before teleporting to the vessel of the large ship that rammed them. She returns moments later, after sabotaging their boiler. During this time, the large ship point-blank fires their cannons into the Roscommon, tripping up friend and foe aboard with the shuddering impact. Using a planar lantern, the two other ships at a distance attempt to burn the Roscommon and its crew with spotlights. [ATTACH type="full"]258555[/ATTACH] Lissandra threw some spells, Naomi and Angharad closed the distance, whereas John provided covering fire. Eventually, Team BAD killed enough of the Ob that the captain of the large vessel, a haughty naughty word-talking dwarven captain named Fulstov boarded with his cannon- and anchor-wielding ice giant. An ice giant that was promptly shrunk by John's mad shootist shrink ray. The captain returned fire by shooting a grappling hook from his steam-powered gauntlet, grappling Naomi and drawing him in for the kill. Angharad used an ability granted by the Ash Wolf to transfer 'conditions' from allies to himself, so he supernaturally remove the spike from Naomi’s flesh and implant it in his own. Naomi swore: “Bloody hell… I think ye’ve got the wrong idea about our relationship!” In ‘retaliation’, she cast Displacement on Angharad. Fulstov's ship began to retreat once its boiler exploded, and once his ice giant perished, he attempt to escape by swimming. He could was no match for the fire-jetting kineticist. When Angharad returned to the Roscommon with Fulstov, he had been fatally wounded by a fire blade delivered underwater. Lya's Lament retreated, leaving Team BAD with a few arrested Ob. The ships began to fade out of The Waking, presumably returning to the Bleak Gate. [ATTACH type="full"]258556[/ATTACH] [I]A smol giant[/I] Delft ordered the Roscommon crew to secure the prisoners, as he had a briefing to deliver to Team BAD. In lieu of a meeting room, the Inspector ordered everyone to a bedchamber. Naomi: “Invited to yer bedchambers on the first meetin’, sir? Gosh. They do things differently in Flint, I see.” Delft: “Yes, like doing our jobs.” Naomi headed belowdecks while the others followed more slowly. Lisandra to Angharad: “Not a friend of yours, I take it?” Angharad: “One thinks, more of a handler from the Court.” Lisandra: “Earned yourself a legit babysitter, I see. Impressive.” “Only if she can keep up. If she interferes with one’s plans later on… people burn.” “And what plans are those?” (Angharad gave a decidedly not-nice smile) “Well there’s a spot open on the Court.” Once everyone was snugly packed together in a bedchamber, Delft gave the party their next mission: find Kasvarina Varal and extract intelligence. Naomi has been in touch with Asrabey, who has requested she find Angharad and convince him to come meet Kasvarina, so she informs everyone of Kasvarina's location. Lauryn gave an overview of Elfaivar. John asked Cyneburg what was happening with teleportating, and she responded that she genuinely doesn't know. But she's sure it's something Team BAD could fix. After spitting on the ship for good luck, Delft teleports out, worried that this might be the last time he sees his constables. The party make landfall and teleport via trees to a location close to Rumah Terakir. The Roscommon sails to Sawyer for repairs. Angharad kept one of the +1 human-bane rapiers from the attack and after Delft was gone handed it to Naomi and told her to stab herself. The Cipith was suspicious of her red eyes indicating something inhuman and Naomi informed him he was right - partly. Half of her family is from Drakr and have demonic influences, although they are still human. The explanation proved sufficient to avoid a stabbing. After the teleportation, Naomi felt nauseous and leaned on a tree. Angharad wood shaped the tree to entangle her in its branches in a kind of hug. She was unimpressed. He eventually instructed the tree to let her go after openly laughing at her struggles. Angharad to Lisandra, as Naomi stalked off: “This One was never that bad, right?” Lisandra: “Darling, you still are. It just grew on us over time.” Looking around, Angharad and John spotted a massive footprint - tens of feet across - impressed into the ground. John saw a druidic sign, containing directions to some kind of celebration nearby. Perhaps a wedding? Naomi was quiet at this. John suggested we go pay our respects and Lisandra agreed that making friends couldn’t go astray. The party met a mad druid who was marrying a woman made of mud. Angharad officiated the wedding in the name of the Ash Wolf. Why did I as a GM do this? It was to give a bit of flavour to the maddening, Dreaming distortions around Sentosa. After leaving the wedding, Angharad remarked that we needed to meet better druids. Pazamu and John were okay but the underwater druid off the coast of Ber and this one… Angharad: “One was just being nice by saying you’re interesting, John. You’re actually kind of boring sometimes.” John quipped back and grinned, unoffended. En ruite for the ruins, the constables came upon a Dreaming-manifested cottage with the door ajar. Examining the individual parts from afar with a critical eye, Naomi detected no traps or signs of magic. It was only after getting close enough for Detect magic and seeing the entirety of the place past the jungle vegetation that she realised there was something terribly wrong about it… It looked exactly like Naomi and Rin’s home in Bole. Same flower filled garden surrounding it - completely out of place in the jungles of Elfaivair. Same architecture and paint job. Same dark splashes of witchoil and blood as that horrible night… Upon realising that, Naomi froze. She scarcely noticed the questions of her fellow constables… Barely responded to their attempts to snap her out of it. She almost stayed still long enough for Lisandra to give into the temptation to cast Detect Thoughts to figure out what was happening. Then Naomi started toward the cottage. Lisandra and Angharad followed while John hung back. As Naomi swung the door fully open, she was met with a horribly familiar scene: blood, witchoil, and a long-dead woman tied to a chair in the middle of the room—[B]Naomi[/B]. [B]Unique loot[/B] From Fulstov, the party got some neat technological loot: [ATTACH type="full" width="877px"]258557[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" width="729px"]258558[/ATTACH] [/QUOTE]
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The chronicles of Team Big-hearted And Determined (B.A.D.)
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