Barsoom Tales II: Romance, Revolution and BLOODY REVENGE!!! -- COMPLETE
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barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
Yeah, no kidding.
This was one of those moments where I realised my PCs were capable of exerting an immense influence on the world.
That's Nevakada headquarters they're in the middle of, the heart of the Kishak effort to take over the world. It's about to be annihilated. This is like the Symbionese Liberation Army (or any random tiny group of uncontrolled malcontents) setting off a nuclear bomb inside the Colorado Springs NORAD headquarters.
The bit with bullet, by the way, was actually Etienne's player using the "Gremlins" swashbuckling card (a mechanical device fails to operate) to cause Shang's torture device to malfunction, thus giving them all time to get away. One of the best-played cards of all time.
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
What A Woman's Got To Do: 12
The great city of Luc'Davarionne rose above the headlands like an great mountain of buildings, hanging in mid-air without any sign of support.
It was the most outrageous thing Elena had ever seen.
A cone miles across at its base, rising hundreds of feet into the air, composed of nothing but thousands of buildings, from great palaces to rickety tenements, connected by rope bridges, cables, ladders and in some place stone arches, all of it forming an immense web of overwhelming size.
The Wavereaver was still miles away, but the enormity of the city stunned all aboard. Elena stood at the prow with Isaac and Etienne to gape at the sight. Beneath the fantastic structure they could see the tiny lines of breakers unrolling against the cliffs. The city just hung there, only connected to the land by a thin bridge extending out from its base.
"What's holding it up?"
Mateo joined them with a chuckle.
"The whole thing is built on a huge spiral. It starts right there, where that bridge is, and winds up and up and inwards and inwards until it reaches the top. The whole city is built on or hung off that spiral."
"But what holds that spiral up? What is it?"
"Nobody knows. I heard that it goes right up the Emperor's palace, and even inside, and that right at the very top sits the Peacock Throne itself."
Etienne pointed.
"Looks like it's raining underneath."
"That's not exactly rain."
"Oh. Ew."
Arrafin stepped up to the rail beside Isaac and smiled brightly.
"Hey guys! Wow, look at that."
All three of her companions shouted at the same time.
"Arrafin!"
Elena recovered first and pushed past Isaac to grab her friend's shoulder.
"Where the hell have you been? You've been gone two days, Arrafin. What happened to you?"
"Nothing. Nothing much. So, that's Luc'Davarionne, huh? Wow."
"Don't give me that, Arrafin. What happened?"
The Naridic girl tried to pull away but Elena's grip was far too strong. She struggled angrily.
"Let go of me!"
"What did she do to you? Where have you been?"
"We were-- I was in Kish. They know."
Arrafin pointed at Isaac and Etienne. She quailed a little under the concentrated study of all three of her friends.
"She had to. She had to get better. She. She killed them. The Kishaks. She's better now."
Sudden anger flared up again.
"It was just a bunch of Kishak bastards, anyway. What do you care? They're all trying to kill us. Now they're dead. Whatever. I'm fine. It's over. I'm here."
Mateo spat over the rail.
"Sounds like you folks could use a party."
He nodded at the great city rising up in mid-air before them.
"The Luc's the best place on Barsoom for a party, let me tell you."
Elena sighed.
"I could sure use a drink."
***
The Wavereaver swung at anchor, sheltered from the ocean gales by the high cliffs of the harbour at Luc'Davarionne. Nearly directly overhead, the immensity of the bizarre city covered half the sky.
Clambering down into the tender that had come to take the passengers ashore, Isaac looked around in sudden surprise.
"Anyone seen Nevid? Isn't he coming?"
Etienne shrugged.
"He said he wasn't feeling well."
Isaac settled back into his seat and as the little boat pushed away from their ship, chuckled.
"Last time Nevid had a few drinks he still had a ghost for a girlfriend, didn't he?"
Elena forced a hearty smile at Arrafin.
"Now, Arrafin, I've decided we're going to ditch these guys and have our own kind of fun tonight. Natacha filled me in on all the places in Luc'Davarionne where a couple of girls can have a good time..."
"A couple of girls? I mean, uh, great."
Arrafin stared at the approaching wharf with a set expression. Her owl huddled in amongst the thick curls spilling over her shoulder.
"That sounds great."
***
The door to Arrafin's cabin opened slowly, spreading a lengthening finger of light across the floor.
Nevid peered in. He looked carefully around the room without entering. Still standing at the doorway, he turned and scanned the deck of the Wavereaver, empty and lit only by a few lanterns. With a swift motion, he slipped into the narrow cabin and closed the door behind him.
Inside, he lit a candle and crossed to the unsteady trestle Arrafin used as a desk. Her massive spellbook sat amidst scattered papers. Nevid sat on the three-legged stool and studied the black-covered volume.
It was gorgeously detailed, the leather cover tooled and polished and inlaid with silver traceries. Its manufacture was unfamiliar to the young man, but he assumed it was Lohanese in origin.
Opening it, he found assured brushwork in an unfamiliar hand. He ignored the personal declarations and flipped to the meat of the book.
Grasping Shadow:
It is necessary to open one's soul through the practice of meditation in order to take hold of the power that enables sorcery. This practice is known as "grasping Shadow" and it is the first step in learning sorcery. The novice must be extremely cautious as it is dangerous..
Nevid set the candle carefully on the desk and began reading in earnest.
***
"You haven't been drinking at all!"
Arrafin protested, indicating the wineglass before her as evidence. Elena was unimpressed.
"You're not drunk even a little bit. Not even a little, little bit."
Music thundered around them, and the heat and the smell and the noise was making the Naridic girl feel ill. Elena had brought them to the most ridiculous place Arrafin had ever heard of, with dancing boys and outrageous costumes, but she took a healthy swallow of her wine to try and placate her friend.
Elena sulked.
"I brought you here. This nize place. And you're. You won't have fun. Just sitting there."
"Elena..."
"Don't! Tell me what's going on with you. I thought we were friends. Everything we've been through. But now you don't tell me anything."
"I... It's hard."
"Is it her?"
"Well."
Arrafin reached out and took her friend's hand. Startled, Elena sobered up for a second and lost her pout.
"Look, I know I've been... not so friendly. I wish I could explain. Sorcery is scary. It's changing me inside. I can feel it."
"Then stop. You don't have to."
"Yes, I do. Who else is going to stand up to the Tyrant's Shade? Elena, my brother is dead. My father is dead. I have to do something."
"I know, sweetie. I just wish it wasn't like this."
"Me, too."
The two women stared at each other for long seconds, and then Arrafin snatched up her glass and drained it.
"Alright, you win. Get me drunk -- if you think you can, Saijadani."
"Was that a challenge?"
The waiter heard the shrieks of laughter and headed that way.
***
"I don't think I've ever seen a woman do that."
Isaac was a quiet drunk, Etienne had realised. That made it his responsibility to ensure a fun night, and he felt he'd done a good job. Isaac was chuckling and watching the dancing girls with more interest than he'd shown in anything since they'd spent an afternoon seeing how much Farouk ibn Zaoud could lift.
The bar was noisy and crowded but expensive enough to retain a sense of class. And the girls were beautiful. Etienne had heard Hinsuan woman were lovely, and certainly the Scarlet Belt was doing nothing to refute that rumour.
He grinned as a dark-skinned beauty slid into Isaac's lap, much to the Saijadani's startlement.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
"Huh?"
Etienne's grin vanished as a second girl slipped herself onto his lap, reaching up to stroke his cheek.
"Uh. Uh."
Etienne.
"What now? No, not you. Oh, never mind."
Is now a bad time?
Etienne sighed, watching the confused Hinsuan girl sway off through the crowd.
"It's fine. What?"
I've lost contact with the Blood Council Sanctuary in Luc'Davarionne. Sister Morikage was supposed to give you some information about the Blood Mother but I can't get a hold of her. I need you and the others to go to the Sanctuary and find out what's happened.
Etienne looked over at his drunk friend, who was happily fondling the half-naked woman in his lap.
"How about tomorrow?"
Etienne.
"I'll see what I can do. But don't expect too much."
The great city of Luc'Davarionne rose above the headlands like an great mountain of buildings, hanging in mid-air without any sign of support.
It was the most outrageous thing Elena had ever seen.
A cone miles across at its base, rising hundreds of feet into the air, composed of nothing but thousands of buildings, from great palaces to rickety tenements, connected by rope bridges, cables, ladders and in some place stone arches, all of it forming an immense web of overwhelming size.
The Wavereaver was still miles away, but the enormity of the city stunned all aboard. Elena stood at the prow with Isaac and Etienne to gape at the sight. Beneath the fantastic structure they could see the tiny lines of breakers unrolling against the cliffs. The city just hung there, only connected to the land by a thin bridge extending out from its base.
"What's holding it up?"
Mateo joined them with a chuckle.
"The whole thing is built on a huge spiral. It starts right there, where that bridge is, and winds up and up and inwards and inwards until it reaches the top. The whole city is built on or hung off that spiral."
"But what holds that spiral up? What is it?"
"Nobody knows. I heard that it goes right up the Emperor's palace, and even inside, and that right at the very top sits the Peacock Throne itself."
Etienne pointed.
"Looks like it's raining underneath."
"That's not exactly rain."
"Oh. Ew."
Arrafin stepped up to the rail beside Isaac and smiled brightly.
"Hey guys! Wow, look at that."
All three of her companions shouted at the same time.
"Arrafin!"
Elena recovered first and pushed past Isaac to grab her friend's shoulder.
"Where the hell have you been? You've been gone two days, Arrafin. What happened to you?"
"Nothing. Nothing much. So, that's Luc'Davarionne, huh? Wow."
"Don't give me that, Arrafin. What happened?"
The Naridic girl tried to pull away but Elena's grip was far too strong. She struggled angrily.
"Let go of me!"
"What did she do to you? Where have you been?"
"We were-- I was in Kish. They know."
Arrafin pointed at Isaac and Etienne. She quailed a little under the concentrated study of all three of her friends.
"She had to. She had to get better. She. She killed them. The Kishaks. She's better now."
Sudden anger flared up again.
"It was just a bunch of Kishak bastards, anyway. What do you care? They're all trying to kill us. Now they're dead. Whatever. I'm fine. It's over. I'm here."
Mateo spat over the rail.
"Sounds like you folks could use a party."
He nodded at the great city rising up in mid-air before them.
"The Luc's the best place on Barsoom for a party, let me tell you."
Elena sighed.
"I could sure use a drink."
***
The Wavereaver swung at anchor, sheltered from the ocean gales by the high cliffs of the harbour at Luc'Davarionne. Nearly directly overhead, the immensity of the bizarre city covered half the sky.
Clambering down into the tender that had come to take the passengers ashore, Isaac looked around in sudden surprise.
"Anyone seen Nevid? Isn't he coming?"
Etienne shrugged.
"He said he wasn't feeling well."
Isaac settled back into his seat and as the little boat pushed away from their ship, chuckled.
"Last time Nevid had a few drinks he still had a ghost for a girlfriend, didn't he?"
Elena forced a hearty smile at Arrafin.
"Now, Arrafin, I've decided we're going to ditch these guys and have our own kind of fun tonight. Natacha filled me in on all the places in Luc'Davarionne where a couple of girls can have a good time..."
"A couple of girls? I mean, uh, great."
Arrafin stared at the approaching wharf with a set expression. Her owl huddled in amongst the thick curls spilling over her shoulder.
"That sounds great."
***
The door to Arrafin's cabin opened slowly, spreading a lengthening finger of light across the floor.
Nevid peered in. He looked carefully around the room without entering. Still standing at the doorway, he turned and scanned the deck of the Wavereaver, empty and lit only by a few lanterns. With a swift motion, he slipped into the narrow cabin and closed the door behind him.
Inside, he lit a candle and crossed to the unsteady trestle Arrafin used as a desk. Her massive spellbook sat amidst scattered papers. Nevid sat on the three-legged stool and studied the black-covered volume.
It was gorgeously detailed, the leather cover tooled and polished and inlaid with silver traceries. Its manufacture was unfamiliar to the young man, but he assumed it was Lohanese in origin.
Opening it, he found assured brushwork in an unfamiliar hand. He ignored the personal declarations and flipped to the meat of the book.
Grasping Shadow:
It is necessary to open one's soul through the practice of meditation in order to take hold of the power that enables sorcery. This practice is known as "grasping Shadow" and it is the first step in learning sorcery. The novice must be extremely cautious as it is dangerous..
Nevid set the candle carefully on the desk and began reading in earnest.
***
"You haven't been drinking at all!"
Arrafin protested, indicating the wineglass before her as evidence. Elena was unimpressed.
"You're not drunk even a little bit. Not even a little, little bit."
Music thundered around them, and the heat and the smell and the noise was making the Naridic girl feel ill. Elena had brought them to the most ridiculous place Arrafin had ever heard of, with dancing boys and outrageous costumes, but she took a healthy swallow of her wine to try and placate her friend.
Elena sulked.
"I brought you here. This nize place. And you're. You won't have fun. Just sitting there."
"Elena..."
"Don't! Tell me what's going on with you. I thought we were friends. Everything we've been through. But now you don't tell me anything."
"I... It's hard."
"Is it her?"
"Well."
Arrafin reached out and took her friend's hand. Startled, Elena sobered up for a second and lost her pout.
"Look, I know I've been... not so friendly. I wish I could explain. Sorcery is scary. It's changing me inside. I can feel it."
"Then stop. You don't have to."
"Yes, I do. Who else is going to stand up to the Tyrant's Shade? Elena, my brother is dead. My father is dead. I have to do something."
"I know, sweetie. I just wish it wasn't like this."
"Me, too."
The two women stared at each other for long seconds, and then Arrafin snatched up her glass and drained it.
"Alright, you win. Get me drunk -- if you think you can, Saijadani."
"Was that a challenge?"
The waiter heard the shrieks of laughter and headed that way.
***
"I don't think I've ever seen a woman do that."
Isaac was a quiet drunk, Etienne had realised. That made it his responsibility to ensure a fun night, and he felt he'd done a good job. Isaac was chuckling and watching the dancing girls with more interest than he'd shown in anything since they'd spent an afternoon seeing how much Farouk ibn Zaoud could lift.
The bar was noisy and crowded but expensive enough to retain a sense of class. And the girls were beautiful. Etienne had heard Hinsuan woman were lovely, and certainly the Scarlet Belt was doing nothing to refute that rumour.
He grinned as a dark-skinned beauty slid into Isaac's lap, much to the Saijadani's startlement.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
"Huh?"
Etienne's grin vanished as a second girl slipped herself onto his lap, reaching up to stroke his cheek.
"Uh. Uh."
Etienne.
"What now? No, not you. Oh, never mind."
Is now a bad time?
Etienne sighed, watching the confused Hinsuan girl sway off through the crowd.
"It's fine. What?"
I've lost contact with the Blood Council Sanctuary in Luc'Davarionne. Sister Morikage was supposed to give you some information about the Blood Mother but I can't get a hold of her. I need you and the others to go to the Sanctuary and find out what's happened.
Etienne looked over at his drunk friend, who was happily fondling the half-naked woman in his lap.
"How about tomorrow?"
Etienne.
"I'll see what I can do. But don't expect too much."
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
I will say this: Not a SINGLE character will survive to be present at the end of the final episode.
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
What A Woman's Got To Do: 13
"Listen, guys, just try to hold it together. Please? We need to check this out. It could be important."
Arrafin and Elena burst out laughing at the pleading look on Etienne's face. Arrafin was particularly unstable and stood slumped against her friend, shaking with laughter.
Elena tried to compose herself. She twisted her neck to look over where Etienne was pointing.
At the gate of the Blood Council sanctuary, two armed Lohanese men stood watchful and alert.
"There're guards. Guards. There."
"Right. Look, there are never guards at a Blood Council sanctuary. Not men, that's for sure."
"Okay."
Isaac blinked a few times, trying to keep up with the conversation.
"What's going on?"
"Shh!"
"But I want to know why we left that place with the girls. What the hell?"
Etienne gritted his teeth and pulled his drunk friends further back into the alley.
"Look, there's something wrong here. We have to find out what's happening inside that place."
Elena giggled and gave Etienne a friendly shove.
"You're into Lohanese chicks, aren't you?"
"Elena. Guys. We need to get inside there. Well, I need to get inside there. Stop laughing, Elena. Once I'm in, I can assess the situation and stop laughing, Elena, and if I need help I'll let you know. But I need someone to distract those guards."
Arrafin pushed past everyone else and staggered towards the sanctuary.
"No problem. I mem'ized a spell. Stand back."
"Uh, Arrafin, maybe that's not such a--"
Etienne jumped back in alarm as Shadow erupted around the Naridic girl, licking outwards in hungry curves before settling back into her slender body.
"It's a dancing spell. Cause 'lena said we were dancing n' I don' know how. To dance. So dancing spell. Watch this."
Arrafin's walk lost all its stumbly gawkiness and with a fluid, sensuous sway, she strode across the street towards the guards.
They stared as she began gyrating and writhing before them, her hips rolling and her back arching as she rode the rhythms of the music coming from distant streets.
Her friends stared in just as much astonishment. Especially when she dropped her outer robes and began to undulate in nothing more than a linen shift.
Elena smacked Etienne.
"Yes, Arrafin's a girl. You wanted a distraction, half-breed, get to work."
"Right. Right."
Etienne shook his head and slipped through the shadows towards the gate. Elena looked over at Isaac who was still staring, mouth agape, as Arrafin continued to writhe and twirl in the street.
"Yeah. She's a girl."
***
Breaking into a Blood Council sanctuary, even on the instructions of a Blood Council sister, was not the sort of thing Etienne really felt confident about. If there was one thing every thief he'd ever met agreed on, it was don't break into Blood Council sanctuaries. Nobody who did so was ever seen again.
Etienne huddled inside the gate, listening carefully and scanning the darkness for any signs of movement.
Nothing.
He whispered to himself, "Blood Sister, I could use a little help right now."
Still nothing. Etienne rolled his eyes and pressed further into the compound. The low buildings and thick gardens revealed no sign of trouble, but the very lack of activity kept the half-Kishak alert. On his previous visits to such places, there were always servants bustling about, tending the gardens or cleaning or some such servant-like occupation, but here... nothing. Silence.
He reached the main building and crept up onto the wide verandah that stretched around its exterior. The wall panel before him slid aside at his touch and he slipped inside, waiting for a moment to let his eyes adjust.
"Meat. Meat."
"Oh, no."
***
"Should we do something?"
"Huh? Hey. Elena. Hi."
"Stop staring at Arrafin for a second. We could take those guards now. You take the one on the left, and I'll take the one on the other left. Okay?"
"What?"
"I said stop staring. On the left, okay? Get him."
Arrafin threw her hands up in the air and shimmied as best as her physique would allow. She was having a blast, dancing like this and feeling so lovely and hilarious and...
Then there was screaming and blood and Isaac and Elena were grinning at her and she felt very very self-conscious and grabbed at her robes, blushing furiously.
"Let's go."
"Lemme get dressed first."
"It's okay. Isaac doesn't mind."
Still protesting, but too drunk to efficiently clothe herself, Arrafin stumbled after her friends, who pushed open the gate and looked around the empty courtyard beyond.
"The screaming, I guess. That sounds like Etienne."
***
The misshapen, lurching figures could only have come from Shang. Their hissing cries and slashing talons surrounded Etienne in a knot of horror, but they fell apart when Isaac and Elena blundered into the room, laying about them with heavy swords.
One creature staggered backwards, right through a paper wall, furniture crashing aside as the twitching figure clawed at the floor mats. In the room beyond they saw a middle-aged Lohanese woman, bound and gagged.
"Sister Morikage? We're here to help. Sister Torokan sent us."
"She did?"
***
"A magic teacup."
Elena tried not to groan. Her drunk had worn off and her head was beginning to pound. Arrafin had passed out and lay sprawled behind them, snoring quietly.
They sat in a pristine reception hall with Blood Sister Morikage, who had turned out to be a quavery woman without any of the stern uprightness of character Sister Torokan always displayed. The Lohanese woman smiled encouragingly and nodded at Elena's disbelieving comment.
"Exactly. To restore the Sancuary of the Mother, you must pour out white tea on the ground from this cup. It originally belonged to the first Blood Mother, Hsia Lin. Until the First Sanctuary is restored, the Blood Mother cannot be brought back."
Isaac had one hand pressing at his forehead, and scowled at the floor as though it were responsible for his present discomfort. He winced and looked up at the older woman.
"Where is the First Sanctuary?"
"In the midst of the ruins of Zuyang, the city destroyed and cursed to eternal damnation by the Demon Goddess. The souls that died there still hover over the ruins and tear the spirits of any who enter."
"Oh, great. So let me get this straight. We take this... magic teacup... into a ruin haunted by thousands of angry homicidal ghosts, find the one patch of ruins that's your precious First Sanctuary, and then make a cup of tea."
"Exactly."
"I guess we look like suckers."
Arrafin sat up.
"The spikes. Farouk."
"Bad dream, Arrafin? Maybe you should lie down again."
"No, no," the Naridic girl pressed forward, suddenly animated. "Don't you see? Farouk can find the people with the spikes. Spirits can do that. Remember the Tarn? And Kaley? Farouk can find all the other people who have bits of the Blood Mother's soul. So we can bring them all together."
"Yeah, in this First Sanctuary. Then what?"
"Man Chon -- I mean, Madame Yuek -- can do the spell that will bring her back. Her soul."
"That sounds like a plan. At least, I assume it does. I don't think I've ever heard a plan before."
Sister Morikage's face darkened.
"You must not speak of the Demon Goddess so lightly. She has struck again, we know."
"Struck? Again?"
"Thousands are dead in Kish after she destroyed a massive portion of the city. Smouldering ruins and tortured souls are all she leaves in her wake."
Elena looked over at Arrafin as she spoke.
"Thousands, you said? She killed thousands of people? Were they all evil Nevakada agents, by any chance?"
"Of course not. She levelled entire city blocks in her rage. Half the city is still burning."
Elena's eyes drew narrow in anger.
"Interesting we didn't hear anything about this before now."
Arrafin swallowed and forced a yawn.
"Boy, I sure am tired again. I'll be lying down over here."
"You do that, Arrafin. Blood Sister, can you tell us anything about Isaac's mother?"
"What? Hey, Elena, stick your nose in other people's business much?"
"Shut up, Isaac. Blood Sister, we found a room with a cage and carpet of bodies. What the hell is going on with his mother? Is she dead?"
The Blood Sister sighed and bowed her head.
"I am not in possession of all the facts about your family's history, Senor del Valençia, but I can tell you this: your mother is not dead. You will know the moment she dies."
"Great. Thanks. Elena, shut up."
"Listen, guys, just try to hold it together. Please? We need to check this out. It could be important."
Arrafin and Elena burst out laughing at the pleading look on Etienne's face. Arrafin was particularly unstable and stood slumped against her friend, shaking with laughter.
Elena tried to compose herself. She twisted her neck to look over where Etienne was pointing.
At the gate of the Blood Council sanctuary, two armed Lohanese men stood watchful and alert.
"There're guards. Guards. There."
"Right. Look, there are never guards at a Blood Council sanctuary. Not men, that's for sure."
"Okay."
Isaac blinked a few times, trying to keep up with the conversation.
"What's going on?"
"Shh!"
"But I want to know why we left that place with the girls. What the hell?"
Etienne gritted his teeth and pulled his drunk friends further back into the alley.
"Look, there's something wrong here. We have to find out what's happening inside that place."
Elena giggled and gave Etienne a friendly shove.
"You're into Lohanese chicks, aren't you?"
"Elena. Guys. We need to get inside there. Well, I need to get inside there. Stop laughing, Elena. Once I'm in, I can assess the situation and stop laughing, Elena, and if I need help I'll let you know. But I need someone to distract those guards."
Arrafin pushed past everyone else and staggered towards the sanctuary.
"No problem. I mem'ized a spell. Stand back."
"Uh, Arrafin, maybe that's not such a--"
Etienne jumped back in alarm as Shadow erupted around the Naridic girl, licking outwards in hungry curves before settling back into her slender body.
"It's a dancing spell. Cause 'lena said we were dancing n' I don' know how. To dance. So dancing spell. Watch this."
Arrafin's walk lost all its stumbly gawkiness and with a fluid, sensuous sway, she strode across the street towards the guards.
They stared as she began gyrating and writhing before them, her hips rolling and her back arching as she rode the rhythms of the music coming from distant streets.
Her friends stared in just as much astonishment. Especially when she dropped her outer robes and began to undulate in nothing more than a linen shift.
Elena smacked Etienne.
"Yes, Arrafin's a girl. You wanted a distraction, half-breed, get to work."
"Right. Right."
Etienne shook his head and slipped through the shadows towards the gate. Elena looked over at Isaac who was still staring, mouth agape, as Arrafin continued to writhe and twirl in the street.
"Yeah. She's a girl."
***
Breaking into a Blood Council sanctuary, even on the instructions of a Blood Council sister, was not the sort of thing Etienne really felt confident about. If there was one thing every thief he'd ever met agreed on, it was don't break into Blood Council sanctuaries. Nobody who did so was ever seen again.
Etienne huddled inside the gate, listening carefully and scanning the darkness for any signs of movement.
Nothing.
He whispered to himself, "Blood Sister, I could use a little help right now."
Still nothing. Etienne rolled his eyes and pressed further into the compound. The low buildings and thick gardens revealed no sign of trouble, but the very lack of activity kept the half-Kishak alert. On his previous visits to such places, there were always servants bustling about, tending the gardens or cleaning or some such servant-like occupation, but here... nothing. Silence.
He reached the main building and crept up onto the wide verandah that stretched around its exterior. The wall panel before him slid aside at his touch and he slipped inside, waiting for a moment to let his eyes adjust.
"Meat. Meat."
"Oh, no."
***
"Should we do something?"
"Huh? Hey. Elena. Hi."
"Stop staring at Arrafin for a second. We could take those guards now. You take the one on the left, and I'll take the one on the other left. Okay?"
"What?"
"I said stop staring. On the left, okay? Get him."
Arrafin threw her hands up in the air and shimmied as best as her physique would allow. She was having a blast, dancing like this and feeling so lovely and hilarious and...
Then there was screaming and blood and Isaac and Elena were grinning at her and she felt very very self-conscious and grabbed at her robes, blushing furiously.
"Let's go."
"Lemme get dressed first."
"It's okay. Isaac doesn't mind."
Still protesting, but too drunk to efficiently clothe herself, Arrafin stumbled after her friends, who pushed open the gate and looked around the empty courtyard beyond.
"The screaming, I guess. That sounds like Etienne."
***
The misshapen, lurching figures could only have come from Shang. Their hissing cries and slashing talons surrounded Etienne in a knot of horror, but they fell apart when Isaac and Elena blundered into the room, laying about them with heavy swords.
One creature staggered backwards, right through a paper wall, furniture crashing aside as the twitching figure clawed at the floor mats. In the room beyond they saw a middle-aged Lohanese woman, bound and gagged.
"Sister Morikage? We're here to help. Sister Torokan sent us."
"She did?"
***
"A magic teacup."
Elena tried not to groan. Her drunk had worn off and her head was beginning to pound. Arrafin had passed out and lay sprawled behind them, snoring quietly.
They sat in a pristine reception hall with Blood Sister Morikage, who had turned out to be a quavery woman without any of the stern uprightness of character Sister Torokan always displayed. The Lohanese woman smiled encouragingly and nodded at Elena's disbelieving comment.
"Exactly. To restore the Sancuary of the Mother, you must pour out white tea on the ground from this cup. It originally belonged to the first Blood Mother, Hsia Lin. Until the First Sanctuary is restored, the Blood Mother cannot be brought back."
Isaac had one hand pressing at his forehead, and scowled at the floor as though it were responsible for his present discomfort. He winced and looked up at the older woman.
"Where is the First Sanctuary?"
"In the midst of the ruins of Zuyang, the city destroyed and cursed to eternal damnation by the Demon Goddess. The souls that died there still hover over the ruins and tear the spirits of any who enter."
"Oh, great. So let me get this straight. We take this... magic teacup... into a ruin haunted by thousands of angry homicidal ghosts, find the one patch of ruins that's your precious First Sanctuary, and then make a cup of tea."
"Exactly."
"I guess we look like suckers."
Arrafin sat up.
"The spikes. Farouk."
"Bad dream, Arrafin? Maybe you should lie down again."
"No, no," the Naridic girl pressed forward, suddenly animated. "Don't you see? Farouk can find the people with the spikes. Spirits can do that. Remember the Tarn? And Kaley? Farouk can find all the other people who have bits of the Blood Mother's soul. So we can bring them all together."
"Yeah, in this First Sanctuary. Then what?"
"Man Chon -- I mean, Madame Yuek -- can do the spell that will bring her back. Her soul."
"That sounds like a plan. At least, I assume it does. I don't think I've ever heard a plan before."
Sister Morikage's face darkened.
"You must not speak of the Demon Goddess so lightly. She has struck again, we know."
"Struck? Again?"
"Thousands are dead in Kish after she destroyed a massive portion of the city. Smouldering ruins and tortured souls are all she leaves in her wake."
Elena looked over at Arrafin as she spoke.
"Thousands, you said? She killed thousands of people? Were they all evil Nevakada agents, by any chance?"
"Of course not. She levelled entire city blocks in her rage. Half the city is still burning."
Elena's eyes drew narrow in anger.
"Interesting we didn't hear anything about this before now."
Arrafin swallowed and forced a yawn.
"Boy, I sure am tired again. I'll be lying down over here."
"You do that, Arrafin. Blood Sister, can you tell us anything about Isaac's mother?"
"What? Hey, Elena, stick your nose in other people's business much?"
"Shut up, Isaac. Blood Sister, we found a room with a cage and carpet of bodies. What the hell is going on with his mother? Is she dead?"
The Blood Sister sighed and bowed her head.
"I am not in possession of all the facts about your family's history, Senor del Valençia, but I can tell you this: your mother is not dead. You will know the moment she dies."
"Great. Thanks. Elena, shut up."
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
What A Woman's Got To Do: 14
"So, this is the home of a crazed vampire goddess. It's, uh, the creepiest place I've ever been."
Isaac, Elena, Nevid and Etienne stood with Farouk and a dozen or so strangers, all of whom stared around themselves in varied mixtures of shock and awe. And terror.
Around them rose an immense hall, tiled in brilliantly polished marble and dominated by a wide curving staircase that rose to a balcony high above.
But even the height of the balcony was dwarfed by the hall itself, a vast cavern of black pillars arching so high overhead they were lost in darkness. Each pillar writhed with detail, exquisite carvings in such profusion they made the stone appear to shift and twist in the candlelight.
Elena inspected the pillar nearest her and drew back.
The same woman, repeated over and over and over again. The same face, the same figure.
The Demon Goddess. Yuek Man Chong.
This great fortress was a temple to her glory. It was the creepiest place Elena had ever been.
"And that's saying something."
She turned back to the crew of strangers huddled together in confusion.
"Look, people, it's going to be okay. Just a few days, and we'll return you to your homes. I promise."
One of them, a heavyset Hinsuan man pulling at his beard, stepped forward belligerently.
"No! Take me home immediately. I don't know who you people are, or what makes you think you can--"
Elena sighed and smiled at the man, pushing a little with her mind. She remembered when this seemed like a difficult thing, a miracle. Now it was just the easiest path.
The man shook his head and subsided, and with him the willingness of the group to speak up.
"I've told you all. You'll be fine, but we need you for just a short period. We wouldn't do this if it wasn't very important. Now, we need to do a few things first, so... uh..."
"I have prepared guest rooms. Junko and Ryo will show them."
Elena and everyone else turned at the rich, amused contralto with the Lohanese accent.
Partway up the staircase stood Madame Yuek in one of her trademark gowns, rippling lace and rich brocade, sparkling with gems and gold and a crimson so intense Elena felt the need to squint as she looked at it. The vampire's hair towered up above her head in an architectural wonder of gold hoops and braids.
By her side stood Arrafin, slight and nondescript in her brown travel robes, her thick curls exploding out from her head in all directions.
"Our new guests will be fine. You, Arrafin's friends, come with us. We have much to discuss."
The statuesque creature turned and made her stately way up the stairs, one hand on Arrafin's arm. The Naridic girl quietly went along with her hostess.
"Arrafin?"
The girl looked back at Elena's question.
"It's okay, Elena. Come on."
The four friends at the base of the stairs looked around them in confusion. Two Lohanese women had appeared and were leading the other folks down a hall.
"What choice do we have, Elena?"
"Yeah, but Arrafin's..."
"Yeah. Looks that way."
Elena could only stare at Etienne for a second, then she blew out a noisy breath and stormed up the stairs after Arrafin and Madame Yuek.
The vampire led them into a high-ceilinged library framing immense windows that opened onto a breath-taking view down a glacial crevasse. Mountain peaks marched off into the distance, trailing icy plumes.
Madame Yuek settled herself on a divan and smiled as Arrafin sat beside her. She gestured to a semi-circle of chairs.
"Please. We have much to discuss."
Nevid stopped half-way into his chair, rivetted by some sudden understanding of the books lining the walls to a height of a ship's mast.
"Are those-- Forgive me, Madame Yuek, but are all those spellbooks?"
"Of course not! Only this side of the room. The other side is mathematical treatises, mostly, on sorcery."
Each side of the room held thousands of volumes. Nevid completed his sitting action, staring up at the ranks of books in awe.
"Now. First, I thank you for finding all the pieces of Tsin Kwan's soul and bringing them here. Well done. But now I'm afraid the real work begins."
"Just a minute."
Elena pointed at Arrafin.
"First, what the hell is going on with you two?"
"I thought it was obvious. We are lovers. What business is it of yours?"
All four stared in slack-jawed shock. Arrafin looked down at her feet, blushing, but she raised her head and shook her curls back, addressing her friends.
"I love her. You don't understand what she's doing, what she's going thro--"
"Hush, darling. It's okay."
"It's not!"
Indignant, Arrafin jumped to her feet.
"She never asked for this! Shang did this to her and she's just trying to, to, control it. To do as little harm--"
"Oh yeah, like those thousands of people in Kish. Or that village in Shaer. Yeah, no harm done there. Arrafin, listen to yourself. I don't know what she's done to you--"
Etienne snickered, but Elena steam-rollered on.
"-- but she is a monster! A killer! She says so herself."
Isaac stood and stepped between his angry friends.
"Guys. This isn't helpful."
He bowed to their hostess.
"Madame Yuek. Can I ask you a question?"
"I am not in the habit of explaining myself to peasants."
Isaac began to protest, but stopped as Arrafin tugged on Yuek's hand, and the two women exchanged pointed glances. Madame Yuek sighed, and then turned back to Isaac with a warm smile.
"Please, ask anything. We have no secrets."
"Uh. Okay. Look. You're obviously very, uh, powerful."
"You figured this out all by your-- Yes, indeed. I am."
Another scolding look from Arrafin quieted down the haughter in the vampire's countenance. She managed another smile, and Isaac continued.
"Why don't you... Go after bad guys? You know, take out the baddies, and leave the innocents? You have to admit, it's hard to... trust someone who seems content to kill folks who never did anything wrong."
"You have never had absolute power of others. I... "
Terrible sadness filled dark liquid eyes.
"I have learned that I am not capable of sitting in judgement on strangers without corrupting myself and all around me.
"I'm not sane, by any definition of that term. I feed on pain and terror and death, and when I lose control of myself, as I did in Kish recently, thousands pay for my error."
Her smile had faded and Isaac stepped back at the glower that emerged.
"I will not judge. I will not claim power that has not been granted me. I kill because I must, else I lose control of myself. I leave no witnesses, so that nobody knows I exist.
"And I am done explaining. Sit. Down."
Isaac sat.
"Now. Tomorrow we begin our attempt to restore the soul of Tsin Kwan, the last Blood Mother. I expect Matai Shang will attempt to stop us. He may be aware that you folks have gathered up a group of random individuals, and that will probably let him know what you're up to. However, he will not be able to find them here in my home."
Etienne nodded and broke in.
"Right, but we have to perform the ritual in the Blood Council Sanctuary in Zuyang. We have to--"
"I am familiar with the plan. Be silent. Shang will notice when I arrive in Zuyang and he will strike then, so we must wait until all the preparations have been made. Therefore, you will enter Zuyang, find the Sanctuary and consecrate it as the Blood Council instructed.
"At that time I will bring the holders of Tsin Kwan's soul and begin the ritual. Shang will most likely attack at this time so I will require your assistance in holding his forces off until I have completed the ritual."
Elena coughed and shifted in her chair.
"Maybe it's a little late in the game, but honestly, I get confused every time I try to work this all out. Why are we doing this again?"
Arrafin jumped in to answer.
"Shang shattered the soul of the Blood Mother and now the Blood Council has no leader. He's corrupted the Council to his own purposes."
Everyone spoke at once.
"But they say Madame Yuek killed the Blood Mother, don't they?"
"I thought Shang wanted to restore the Blood Mother. Isn't he after Nevid's brain?"
"The Blood Council don't know what's going on."
"I sure don't like that Shang guy. He's creepy."
The babble stopped as Arrafin got to her feet and waved for silence.
"Look. Matai Shang is a horrible monster. He turned a young woman into that for no reason other than it made it easier for him to torture her. He's tried to kill us a couple of times, and he clearly doesn't care who gets killed in his plans. He wants to prevent us from restoring the Blood Mother and honestly, that seems like a pretty good argument for doing it right there."
Elena scoffed.
"And you think if your new girlfriend brings back the Blood Mother, those women will be so grateful they'll let her go?"
Madame Yuek chuckled.
"Oh no. They want me dead, and once the Blood Mother is returned, they'll be much more able to do it."
"But that's crazy! Why would you--"
"I WANT TO DIE."
Isaac was watching Arrafin when Madame Yuek howled out her agonizing declaration, and he saw such a look of anguish on the Naridic girl's face that he reached across to take her hand. She paid no attention, utterly engrossed in her lover's pain.
"Don't you understand? I have been trying to kill myself for a hundred years. NOTHING stops this nightmare."
Madame Yuek shook, clenching her teeth and growling as she stared at the floor, fury radiating off her. After a heartbeat, she leapt to her feet and dashed from the room, her robes trailing behind her.
"Alright."
Elena strode over to Arrafin and yanked the girl up.
"What the f**k is going on, Arrafin? How long have you and-- "
"Over a month. Let go of me."
"You didn't tell us? How could you do this to us? We trust you, Arrafin. I thought we were friends."
"It was-- It just-- How could I tell you? I didn't mean--"
Isaac tried to step between them again. Elena threw Arrafin back and snarled.
"That's the last time I trust you, Arrafin. The last time. I'll do this Blood Mother thing, but then we're finished. You understand? I never want to see you again."
"Elena..."
"F**k you, Arrafin. Go play with your murdering vampire girlfriend."
Isaac grabbed Elena's shoulders as Arrafin ran from the room.
"Let her go, Elena. It's done. We--"
"You're okay with this?"
"I'm not! But what can we do at this point? We have to go along with them now."
"I know that! I'm just angry."
"No, really? Hey Nevid, maybe you shouldn't be reading Madame Yuek's books."
"So, this is the home of a crazed vampire goddess. It's, uh, the creepiest place I've ever been."
Isaac, Elena, Nevid and Etienne stood with Farouk and a dozen or so strangers, all of whom stared around themselves in varied mixtures of shock and awe. And terror.
Around them rose an immense hall, tiled in brilliantly polished marble and dominated by a wide curving staircase that rose to a balcony high above.
But even the height of the balcony was dwarfed by the hall itself, a vast cavern of black pillars arching so high overhead they were lost in darkness. Each pillar writhed with detail, exquisite carvings in such profusion they made the stone appear to shift and twist in the candlelight.
Elena inspected the pillar nearest her and drew back.
The same woman, repeated over and over and over again. The same face, the same figure.
The Demon Goddess. Yuek Man Chong.
This great fortress was a temple to her glory. It was the creepiest place Elena had ever been.
"And that's saying something."
She turned back to the crew of strangers huddled together in confusion.
"Look, people, it's going to be okay. Just a few days, and we'll return you to your homes. I promise."
One of them, a heavyset Hinsuan man pulling at his beard, stepped forward belligerently.
"No! Take me home immediately. I don't know who you people are, or what makes you think you can--"
Elena sighed and smiled at the man, pushing a little with her mind. She remembered when this seemed like a difficult thing, a miracle. Now it was just the easiest path.
The man shook his head and subsided, and with him the willingness of the group to speak up.
"I've told you all. You'll be fine, but we need you for just a short period. We wouldn't do this if it wasn't very important. Now, we need to do a few things first, so... uh..."
"I have prepared guest rooms. Junko and Ryo will show them."
Elena and everyone else turned at the rich, amused contralto with the Lohanese accent.
Partway up the staircase stood Madame Yuek in one of her trademark gowns, rippling lace and rich brocade, sparkling with gems and gold and a crimson so intense Elena felt the need to squint as she looked at it. The vampire's hair towered up above her head in an architectural wonder of gold hoops and braids.
By her side stood Arrafin, slight and nondescript in her brown travel robes, her thick curls exploding out from her head in all directions.
"Our new guests will be fine. You, Arrafin's friends, come with us. We have much to discuss."
The statuesque creature turned and made her stately way up the stairs, one hand on Arrafin's arm. The Naridic girl quietly went along with her hostess.
"Arrafin?"
The girl looked back at Elena's question.
"It's okay, Elena. Come on."
The four friends at the base of the stairs looked around them in confusion. Two Lohanese women had appeared and were leading the other folks down a hall.
"What choice do we have, Elena?"
"Yeah, but Arrafin's..."
"Yeah. Looks that way."
Elena could only stare at Etienne for a second, then she blew out a noisy breath and stormed up the stairs after Arrafin and Madame Yuek.
The vampire led them into a high-ceilinged library framing immense windows that opened onto a breath-taking view down a glacial crevasse. Mountain peaks marched off into the distance, trailing icy plumes.
Madame Yuek settled herself on a divan and smiled as Arrafin sat beside her. She gestured to a semi-circle of chairs.
"Please. We have much to discuss."
Nevid stopped half-way into his chair, rivetted by some sudden understanding of the books lining the walls to a height of a ship's mast.
"Are those-- Forgive me, Madame Yuek, but are all those spellbooks?"
"Of course not! Only this side of the room. The other side is mathematical treatises, mostly, on sorcery."
Each side of the room held thousands of volumes. Nevid completed his sitting action, staring up at the ranks of books in awe.
"Now. First, I thank you for finding all the pieces of Tsin Kwan's soul and bringing them here. Well done. But now I'm afraid the real work begins."
"Just a minute."
Elena pointed at Arrafin.
"First, what the hell is going on with you two?"
"I thought it was obvious. We are lovers. What business is it of yours?"
All four stared in slack-jawed shock. Arrafin looked down at her feet, blushing, but she raised her head and shook her curls back, addressing her friends.
"I love her. You don't understand what she's doing, what she's going thro--"
"Hush, darling. It's okay."
"It's not!"
Indignant, Arrafin jumped to her feet.
"She never asked for this! Shang did this to her and she's just trying to, to, control it. To do as little harm--"
"Oh yeah, like those thousands of people in Kish. Or that village in Shaer. Yeah, no harm done there. Arrafin, listen to yourself. I don't know what she's done to you--"
Etienne snickered, but Elena steam-rollered on.
"-- but she is a monster! A killer! She says so herself."
Isaac stood and stepped between his angry friends.
"Guys. This isn't helpful."
He bowed to their hostess.
"Madame Yuek. Can I ask you a question?"
"I am not in the habit of explaining myself to peasants."
Isaac began to protest, but stopped as Arrafin tugged on Yuek's hand, and the two women exchanged pointed glances. Madame Yuek sighed, and then turned back to Isaac with a warm smile.
"Please, ask anything. We have no secrets."
"Uh. Okay. Look. You're obviously very, uh, powerful."
"You figured this out all by your-- Yes, indeed. I am."
Another scolding look from Arrafin quieted down the haughter in the vampire's countenance. She managed another smile, and Isaac continued.
"Why don't you... Go after bad guys? You know, take out the baddies, and leave the innocents? You have to admit, it's hard to... trust someone who seems content to kill folks who never did anything wrong."
"You have never had absolute power of others. I... "
Terrible sadness filled dark liquid eyes.
"I have learned that I am not capable of sitting in judgement on strangers without corrupting myself and all around me.
"I'm not sane, by any definition of that term. I feed on pain and terror and death, and when I lose control of myself, as I did in Kish recently, thousands pay for my error."
Her smile had faded and Isaac stepped back at the glower that emerged.
"I will not judge. I will not claim power that has not been granted me. I kill because I must, else I lose control of myself. I leave no witnesses, so that nobody knows I exist.
"And I am done explaining. Sit. Down."
Isaac sat.
"Now. Tomorrow we begin our attempt to restore the soul of Tsin Kwan, the last Blood Mother. I expect Matai Shang will attempt to stop us. He may be aware that you folks have gathered up a group of random individuals, and that will probably let him know what you're up to. However, he will not be able to find them here in my home."
Etienne nodded and broke in.
"Right, but we have to perform the ritual in the Blood Council Sanctuary in Zuyang. We have to--"
"I am familiar with the plan. Be silent. Shang will notice when I arrive in Zuyang and he will strike then, so we must wait until all the preparations have been made. Therefore, you will enter Zuyang, find the Sanctuary and consecrate it as the Blood Council instructed.
"At that time I will bring the holders of Tsin Kwan's soul and begin the ritual. Shang will most likely attack at this time so I will require your assistance in holding his forces off until I have completed the ritual."
Elena coughed and shifted in her chair.
"Maybe it's a little late in the game, but honestly, I get confused every time I try to work this all out. Why are we doing this again?"
Arrafin jumped in to answer.
"Shang shattered the soul of the Blood Mother and now the Blood Council has no leader. He's corrupted the Council to his own purposes."
Everyone spoke at once.
"But they say Madame Yuek killed the Blood Mother, don't they?"
"I thought Shang wanted to restore the Blood Mother. Isn't he after Nevid's brain?"
"The Blood Council don't know what's going on."
"I sure don't like that Shang guy. He's creepy."
The babble stopped as Arrafin got to her feet and waved for silence.
"Look. Matai Shang is a horrible monster. He turned a young woman into that for no reason other than it made it easier for him to torture her. He's tried to kill us a couple of times, and he clearly doesn't care who gets killed in his plans. He wants to prevent us from restoring the Blood Mother and honestly, that seems like a pretty good argument for doing it right there."
Elena scoffed.
"And you think if your new girlfriend brings back the Blood Mother, those women will be so grateful they'll let her go?"
Madame Yuek chuckled.
"Oh no. They want me dead, and once the Blood Mother is returned, they'll be much more able to do it."
"But that's crazy! Why would you--"
"I WANT TO DIE."
Isaac was watching Arrafin when Madame Yuek howled out her agonizing declaration, and he saw such a look of anguish on the Naridic girl's face that he reached across to take her hand. She paid no attention, utterly engrossed in her lover's pain.
"Don't you understand? I have been trying to kill myself for a hundred years. NOTHING stops this nightmare."
Madame Yuek shook, clenching her teeth and growling as she stared at the floor, fury radiating off her. After a heartbeat, she leapt to her feet and dashed from the room, her robes trailing behind her.
"Alright."
Elena strode over to Arrafin and yanked the girl up.
"What the f**k is going on, Arrafin? How long have you and-- "
"Over a month. Let go of me."
"You didn't tell us? How could you do this to us? We trust you, Arrafin. I thought we were friends."
"It was-- It just-- How could I tell you? I didn't mean--"
Isaac tried to step between them again. Elena threw Arrafin back and snarled.
"That's the last time I trust you, Arrafin. The last time. I'll do this Blood Mother thing, but then we're finished. You understand? I never want to see you again."
"Elena..."
"F**k you, Arrafin. Go play with your murdering vampire girlfriend."
Isaac grabbed Elena's shoulders as Arrafin ran from the room.
"Let her go, Elena. It's done. We--"
"You're okay with this?"
"I'm not! But what can we do at this point? We have to go along with them now."
"I know that! I'm just angry."
"No, really? Hey Nevid, maybe you shouldn't be reading Madame Yuek's books."
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
Note that I've uploaded the first two parts of the story (Another Fine Mess and Frying Pan Fire) along with the Interludes as RTF files to the original post in this thread.
This was the moment that nearly broke the game. I'd been carrying on extensive extra-game activity with most of the players, with email conversations between sessions. So things like Etienne's connections with the Blood Council, some of the story around Isaac's mother, and other things, happened outside the game session and without the knowledge of all the players.
When people found out that Arrafin was having an affair with the Demon Goddess, they kind of freaked out. This is leading into the grand finale of the season, and the emotion levels were running really high. And as you'll see, there's more emotional shocks in store...
I'm wondering if it was over-telegraphed in this telling. I tried to include signs that something was going on, but I hope there was still a sense of surprise when the truth came out. I'd like to hear what people thought.
This was the moment that nearly broke the game. I'd been carrying on extensive extra-game activity with most of the players, with email conversations between sessions. So things like Etienne's connections with the Blood Council, some of the story around Isaac's mother, and other things, happened outside the game session and without the knowledge of all the players.
When people found out that Arrafin was having an affair with the Demon Goddess, they kind of freaked out. This is leading into the grand finale of the season, and the emotion levels were running really high. And as you'll see, there's more emotional shocks in store...
I'm wondering if it was over-telegraphed in this telling. I tried to include signs that something was going on, but I hope there was still a sense of surprise when the truth came out. I'd like to hear what people thought.
Was I surprised by the revelation of the affair? Somewhat, but not too much. Arrafin has shown herself to be nothing if not morally flexible. I was a bit surprised at the strength of the others' reaction, though. They really didn't see this coming? Given some of the other horrible things that Arrafin has had a hand in, a little freaky vampire sex seems pretty tame by comparison. That naive young scholar we met way back in Chimney seems to be long gone.
Great stuff as always, barsoomcore. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Great stuff as always, barsoomcore. Thanks for sharing it with us!
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
It's interesting to see how different one's frame of reference is for a game than for a story (or for real life). Killing innocent people, destroying property, risking one's soul -- all those things that in real life would be far far worse, are understood within the context of the game as acceptable, whereas leaving fellow gamers out of part of the story was very disruptive.
But it made for a helluva a great story. Even if I'm not telling it as such, you gotta believe me, it was gripping.
Desdichado
Hero
Yeah, well, those aren't real people. Their sacrifice doesn't have the emotional resonance of stuff that happens with more immediacy directly around the PCs.
Oddly enough, this kind of PC skullduggery is not unusual at all in games I'm in. The game I recently ran had a PC who snuck off in the middle of the night to buy a slave to sacrifice so he could get some divination done, for instance. Another one tried to steal his spellbook later so he could rip out the page with the ritual for summoning Dagon. He was too afraid that he'd actually do it sometime. Two PC's who decided that the Duskblade was a pompous ass stole most of his flasks of Holy Water and replaced them with Regular Water, hoping they'd get a chance to watch him throw them at undead in the future and laugh as he got ripped to shreds.
I agree; it does make for extremely fun sessions, though.
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