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Between the Shadow and the Light (Updated February 26, 2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="The Shadow" data-source="post: 8356080" data-attributes="member: 16760"><p>[This is the flashback promised in the previous post. If you haven't read that one yet, do that first!]</p><p></p><p>[This was a scene that SP and I played out to get a feel for the campaign, many moons ago. It's an introduction to Pete's sister Kate and her relationship to Pete and others.]</p><p></p><p>Pete was mildly alarmed when Tom drew him aside during a family gathering "to speak privately with me and your mother." Ties had been strained of late, but he couldn't think of anything that would have worsened the situation.</p><p></p><p>Once comfortably ensconced in his father's den, his parents looked at him with worried eyes. Tom cleared his throat and said, "Peter, we have something to ask you in the strictest confidence. This conversation doesn't go beyond this room, understood?" Puzzled, Pete crossed his legs and said, "Of course, Dad. What's up?" "I need your word on this, son." "I just gave it to you."</p><p></p><p>Thomas paused, then nodded. "Very well. We need your considered opinion on something. Your professional opinion, as a mage." Pete's brows shot up, and he put both feet on the floor again. "Do tell. What is it?" (He couldn't help being a little relieved it apparently wasn't about anything he'd done!)</p><p></p><p>Tom sighed heavily. "It's your sister."</p><p></p><p>---</p><p></p><p>It developed that Kate had been showing the tell-tale signs of a magical gift of late - little oddities and 'coincidences' cropping up with alarming frequency, if you knew what to look for. Tom sighed. "I wouldn't know, of course, but I suspect she's strong." Teresa added quietly, "It reminds me of you at the same age." Pete nodded, hiding a wince; his own 'breakthrough' to magical talent had been... notable.</p><p></p><p>"Well, I can certainly scan her for talent, but that almost sounds superfluous at this point. What is it you want me to do?" His father sighed. "Talk to her? Give her what pointers you can?" "I don't suppose you'll consider..." "No, of course not!" Pete rolled his eyes. "You and Tevye. 'Tradition!'" "It's tradition because it works, Peter. Can you imagine growing up with the knowledge of Shadow?"</p><p></p><p>Pete sighed. "I suppose not. ... I'll need to get her alone, of course." "We'll work something out."</p><p></p><p>---</p><p></p><p>His parents managed to fadge up an excuse to go shopping for the holiday feast, and to take Mark and Jake with them. Pete sat with Kate; they'd always enjoyed each other's company. Kate had gone a bit 'unconventional' since leaving home, dabbling in New Age beliefs and other things. Half the time Pete suspected it was as much to shock their parents as anything.</p><p></p><p>Pete gestured to the large quartz crystal she wore around her neck, along with a crucifix. "So do you really think those things contain energy?" She smiled innocently. "Well, I daresay they must... All those chemical bonds contain quite a bit of energy, don't you think?" "Come off it, sis. You know what I mean. Mystical energy."</p><p></p><p>She lowered her eyes and said demurely, "Well, I think they do, yes. But no doubt you disagree." "Oh, I don't know. I saw some pretty weird sh*t in Japan... stuff I couldn't explain just with logic, science, and the Catechism, you know? So I'm open to the idea there might be something more out there."</p><p></p><p>Kate narrowed her eyes at him for a long moment. Pete smiled when he noticed her making a surreptitious gesture with her right hand, and broadened it out into a grin when he felt the force of her spell-enhanced regard. "So now you know."</p><p></p><p>When she was finished studying him, she said slowly, "I suppose I do. How long has this been going on?" "I might ask you the same thing." "I asked you first." "All right. Ready for another shock, sis?" She rolled her eyes. "I think I can probably take a little surprise, Pete." Pete grinned openly now. "Since I was a little younger than you. And Mom and Dad know all about it." Blink, blink. That <em>did</em> take her aback.</p><p></p><p>After another long pause, she stated, "You, Dad, and Jake are in something together." It wasn't a question. "Ah, you noticed!" "Ha ha, funny boy. What- Wait. If you're about to tell me this is some sort of sword-and-sorcery setup, where Dad and Jake are warriors and you're a wizard, I <em>swear</em> I will throw something at you." "Well, I'm not allowed to tell you all the details, but... basically, yeah." She picked up a napkin threateningly, and he crossed his arms in front of his head: "Not in the face! Not in the face!"</p><p></p><p>After he had received his due chastisement and picked the napkin up off the floor, Kate asked him with honest curiosity, "How do you reconcile it?" "With the Church, you mean?" She nodded. "Yeah." "Can't tell ya. But it's all above board."</p><p></p><p>Kate shook her head in wonderment, then came to a decision. "Come with me."</p><p></p><p>She led him out to the old oak in the backyard; she'd always loved it. Whispering words under her breath, the ground opened up, revealing a set of rough earthen steps. Once down them, the earth closed once more and a warm light bathed a small chamber nestled in the roots of the tree.</p><p></p><p>Pete was flabbergasted and trying not to show it. "This is... really impressive, sis. How long have you had this place?" She grinned and mimicked his earlier question: "Ready for another shock, big bro?" "Um, sure?" "Since I was twelve."</p><p></p><p>Pete digested that. "Kate, I flatly don't believe you could have managed this on your own." She shook her head. "I had some help. I've been talking with fairies for as long as I can remember." Pete nodded, mind racing. "Faerie isn't all fun and games, sis. Some of them..." She snorted. "You think I don't know that? I appreciate the concern, Pete, but I'm a big girl."</p><p></p><p>"No, really, Kate! There are some really dangerous things out there! You-" "I've met some of them. I handled myself fine, thanks." "...Like what?"</p><p></p><p>She paused, remembering. "Once I was visited by a wolf as black as sin, always angry, thirsting for blood." Pete nodded: A murkwolf, he'd fought them himself. "And?" She grinned sweetly at him. "I patted it on the head and told it to play nice." "And?!" "It did."</p><p></p><p>Pete shook his head. "I won't say I'm not impressed, sis, because I am. Very. But there's a couple things you really do need to know." "Oh, all right. Tell me." "First off, a talent as strong as yours really needs training. There's all sorts of pitfalls that aren't obvious in the beginning, but..." "I'm doing fine, thanks. Not that I haven't encountered any pitfalls, but I've weathered them. I can do this, Pete - it's what I am." She grinned, not entirely pleasantly, and added, "A witch."</p><p></p><p>Pete didn't take the bait. "And second, there's things out there much worse than that wolf. Things you can't just pat on the head, no matter how witchy you are." "Like what?" Pete paused, then punched his knee. "I... can't give you details right now."</p><p></p><p>She smiled tolerantly and kissed his cheek. "I really do appreciate the concern, bro. But I can handle myself."</p><p></p><p>He tried to convince her, but she wouldn't hear of it. She's never been burned, Pete realized; it's all been fun and games. The danger has only been enough to give things a bit of spice.</p><p></p><p>---</p><p></p><p>Thomas went ballistic when Pete reported the incident about the murkwolf, of course. But what could they do?</p><p></p><p>"If you're not willing to tell her about the Shadow, Dad, I don't see what we can do at this point. And honestly, even if you did, I don't know that she'd react the way you want. She's playing with fire, yeah, but I don't think she'll listen until she's burned herself."</p><p></p><p>Tom ground out, "And if she burns down the neighborhood playing with matches? Can you live with that, Peter?" "I don't see that we've got a choice, Dad. What are you suggesting? She's stronger than I am - even without training, she might just be able to counter anything I tried."</p><p></p><p>"And so your professional opinion is?" "Either ditch tradition and tell her about Shadow, hoping for the best; or else wait, and hope for the best. I suppose you could bring in a team of mages to suppress her, but that'd burn every conceivable bridge - and I won't be part of it. Don't worry too much; she's good. Really good." Scarily good, he didn't add.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Shadow, post: 8356080, member: 16760"] [This is the flashback promised in the previous post. If you haven't read that one yet, do that first!] [This was a scene that SP and I played out to get a feel for the campaign, many moons ago. It's an introduction to Pete's sister Kate and her relationship to Pete and others.] Pete was mildly alarmed when Tom drew him aside during a family gathering "to speak privately with me and your mother." Ties had been strained of late, but he couldn't think of anything that would have worsened the situation. Once comfortably ensconced in his father's den, his parents looked at him with worried eyes. Tom cleared his throat and said, "Peter, we have something to ask you in the strictest confidence. This conversation doesn't go beyond this room, understood?" Puzzled, Pete crossed his legs and said, "Of course, Dad. What's up?" "I need your word on this, son." "I just gave it to you." Thomas paused, then nodded. "Very well. We need your considered opinion on something. Your professional opinion, as a mage." Pete's brows shot up, and he put both feet on the floor again. "Do tell. What is it?" (He couldn't help being a little relieved it apparently wasn't about anything he'd done!) Tom sighed heavily. "It's your sister." --- It developed that Kate had been showing the tell-tale signs of a magical gift of late - little oddities and 'coincidences' cropping up with alarming frequency, if you knew what to look for. Tom sighed. "I wouldn't know, of course, but I suspect she's strong." Teresa added quietly, "It reminds me of you at the same age." Pete nodded, hiding a wince; his own 'breakthrough' to magical talent had been... notable. "Well, I can certainly scan her for talent, but that almost sounds superfluous at this point. What is it you want me to do?" His father sighed. "Talk to her? Give her what pointers you can?" "I don't suppose you'll consider..." "No, of course not!" Pete rolled his eyes. "You and Tevye. 'Tradition!'" "It's tradition because it works, Peter. Can you imagine growing up with the knowledge of Shadow?" Pete sighed. "I suppose not. ... I'll need to get her alone, of course." "We'll work something out." --- His parents managed to fadge up an excuse to go shopping for the holiday feast, and to take Mark and Jake with them. Pete sat with Kate; they'd always enjoyed each other's company. Kate had gone a bit 'unconventional' since leaving home, dabbling in New Age beliefs and other things. Half the time Pete suspected it was as much to shock their parents as anything. Pete gestured to the large quartz crystal she wore around her neck, along with a crucifix. "So do you really think those things contain energy?" She smiled innocently. "Well, I daresay they must... All those chemical bonds contain quite a bit of energy, don't you think?" "Come off it, sis. You know what I mean. Mystical energy." She lowered her eyes and said demurely, "Well, I think they do, yes. But no doubt you disagree." "Oh, I don't know. I saw some pretty weird sh*t in Japan... stuff I couldn't explain just with logic, science, and the Catechism, you know? So I'm open to the idea there might be something more out there." Kate narrowed her eyes at him for a long moment. Pete smiled when he noticed her making a surreptitious gesture with her right hand, and broadened it out into a grin when he felt the force of her spell-enhanced regard. "So now you know." When she was finished studying him, she said slowly, "I suppose I do. How long has this been going on?" "I might ask you the same thing." "I asked you first." "All right. Ready for another shock, sis?" She rolled her eyes. "I think I can probably take a little surprise, Pete." Pete grinned openly now. "Since I was a little younger than you. And Mom and Dad know all about it." Blink, blink. That [I]did[/I] take her aback. After another long pause, she stated, "You, Dad, and Jake are in something together." It wasn't a question. "Ah, you noticed!" "Ha ha, funny boy. What- Wait. If you're about to tell me this is some sort of sword-and-sorcery setup, where Dad and Jake are warriors and you're a wizard, I [I]swear[/I] I will throw something at you." "Well, I'm not allowed to tell you all the details, but... basically, yeah." She picked up a napkin threateningly, and he crossed his arms in front of his head: "Not in the face! Not in the face!" After he had received his due chastisement and picked the napkin up off the floor, Kate asked him with honest curiosity, "How do you reconcile it?" "With the Church, you mean?" She nodded. "Yeah." "Can't tell ya. But it's all above board." Kate shook her head in wonderment, then came to a decision. "Come with me." She led him out to the old oak in the backyard; she'd always loved it. Whispering words under her breath, the ground opened up, revealing a set of rough earthen steps. Once down them, the earth closed once more and a warm light bathed a small chamber nestled in the roots of the tree. Pete was flabbergasted and trying not to show it. "This is... really impressive, sis. How long have you had this place?" She grinned and mimicked his earlier question: "Ready for another shock, big bro?" "Um, sure?" "Since I was twelve." Pete digested that. "Kate, I flatly don't believe you could have managed this on your own." She shook her head. "I had some help. I've been talking with fairies for as long as I can remember." Pete nodded, mind racing. "Faerie isn't all fun and games, sis. Some of them..." She snorted. "You think I don't know that? I appreciate the concern, Pete, but I'm a big girl." "No, really, Kate! There are some really dangerous things out there! You-" "I've met some of them. I handled myself fine, thanks." "...Like what?" She paused, remembering. "Once I was visited by a wolf as black as sin, always angry, thirsting for blood." Pete nodded: A murkwolf, he'd fought them himself. "And?" She grinned sweetly at him. "I patted it on the head and told it to play nice." "And?!" "It did." Pete shook his head. "I won't say I'm not impressed, sis, because I am. Very. But there's a couple things you really do need to know." "Oh, all right. Tell me." "First off, a talent as strong as yours really needs training. There's all sorts of pitfalls that aren't obvious in the beginning, but..." "I'm doing fine, thanks. Not that I haven't encountered any pitfalls, but I've weathered them. I can do this, Pete - it's what I am." She grinned, not entirely pleasantly, and added, "A witch." Pete didn't take the bait. "And second, there's things out there much worse than that wolf. Things you can't just pat on the head, no matter how witchy you are." "Like what?" Pete paused, then punched his knee. "I... can't give you details right now." She smiled tolerantly and kissed his cheek. "I really do appreciate the concern, bro. But I can handle myself." He tried to convince her, but she wouldn't hear of it. She's never been burned, Pete realized; it's all been fun and games. The danger has only been enough to give things a bit of spice. --- Thomas went ballistic when Pete reported the incident about the murkwolf, of course. But what could they do? "If you're not willing to tell her about the Shadow, Dad, I don't see what we can do at this point. And honestly, even if you did, I don't know that she'd react the way you want. She's playing with fire, yeah, but I don't think she'll listen until she's burned herself." Tom ground out, "And if she burns down the neighborhood playing with matches? Can you live with that, Peter?" "I don't see that we've got a choice, Dad. What are you suggesting? She's stronger than I am - even without training, she might just be able to counter anything I tried." "And so your professional opinion is?" "Either ditch tradition and tell her about Shadow, hoping for the best; or else wait, and hope for the best. I suppose you could bring in a team of mages to suppress her, but that'd burn every conceivable bridge - and I won't be part of it. Don't worry too much; she's good. Really good." Scarily good, he didn't add. [/QUOTE]
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