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Fantasy Terrorchild: Awakening

Enter Yourself New
Option 1: 4 Votes (57% - Range: 1-57)
Option 2: 1 Vote (14% - Range: 58-71)
Option 3: 2 Votes (29% - Range: 72-100)
Fae Roll: 60

2. Enter Yourself - You take off your hat and place it atop Corrinth's head, realizing that without your hat, they'd have no reason to think that you're anything aside from an ordinary tabaxi on the road to the royal city. They might not treat you well, but the fact that you're from Zuklanar and lack the accent of your kin in Chasamein might help you get around their suspicions.

"...Wait, you're going? Wouldn't it be smarter to just send Stalna?" Embryx asks as you prepare to move on.

She's right - your fae affliction is rearing its ugly head yet again, and you hadn't even noticed. At least the stakes seem rather low this time, but you can't help but feel a dread pool in the pit of your stomach as you can't regain your volition. Corrinth's mewling cries for home and it's long-lost familiarity ring in your memory like a warning bell.

"...Yeah, I know," is all you can reply before heading out of the trees and joining the path near the entrance of town, stuffing down your fears beneath a complacent facade. As your allies fade into the shadows behind the trees, you're almost certain you can hear them whispering and gossiping about you... Embryx and the lot have likely turned to Seith to ask him what his cleansing rituals would entail, and how your mind could be restored to normal. You silently resent it, wishing that they would simply wait until you're present to discuss your future. But if you're neither present nor future, then you must be past - like Kulka!

You nearly break into a fit of laughter, and struggle to tamp it back down. You miss when this was funny, and when you thought that Embryx' love would somehow see you through. But no, you're damaged, now - and seemingly getting worse as time goes on. You begin to wonder about the distinctions between common and fae magic, and whether or not becoming too familiar with the latter would damage your mind further. Just as your worst side emerges the more you indulge in dark magic, maybe your extensive use of teleportation is also jumbling up your mind. ...Or maybe that's not how it works at all.

Regardless, even if you don't turn into a miserable, incoherent lunatic like the changeling did, you can easily see how your life might begin to unravel based on a dumb decision here and there, or a poorly-timed laugh in the wrong place, at the wrong time... And speaking of which, you absolutely, positively can't laugh while in mixed company here. The coven may overlook your affliction, but commoners won't - and the worst thing you can imagine right now is accidentally exposing another circle because you can't stop cackling at idiotic wordplay in your inner monologue.

You huff in frustration. Regardless of how you feel about your allies' gossip, it's not until you're well within the perimeter of Afaeanon, and within sight of a number of locals who are in the midst of their evening chores, before you even feel capable of changing your mind. Of course, it's a moot point; now that you're standing here, it's too late to turn around and scamper back into the woods - you have to make the best of this.

You look around at the nearby buildings and find them quite elven. The structures are coiled around tall trees, many of which still holding their leaves despite the snow, or else adorned with needles like the hardier sort found in the north. Covered bridges connect many of these structures together, and candles and sconces flickering in the window give the town a strangely festive appearance, even in the quiet and cold. However, you can't make sense of any particular building's purpose from appearances alone - one that you first suspect is a tavern actually proves to be a large, single-family dwelling - perhaps for a noble.

Dejectedly, you search for any signage which can help you make sense of this place, only to be confronted by an older elven woman who approaches you unprovoked.

"Are you lost, tabaxi?" she asks in a voice which doesn't seem friendly.

You nod. "I'm looking for a traveler's inn," you reply in a clear voice, making it clear that you're an Imperial.

"I know the innkeeper; he doesn't serve your kind," she replies, indifferently. "Merchants and tradespeople have been warned not to travel at night. If you have to sleep on the road, it's your own fault."

Your lip curls. "Oh," you reply, unimpressed, as she turns and walks off with an air of self-importance. You resist the urge to follow her, but then contend with the thought of doing so, just for the satisfaction of putting an abstract fear in her mind. You rub your face, trying to massage the smile out of your cheeks until you feel a little less like a threat. Remember, you're just a normal tabaxi... You remind yourself. No more stupid ideas...

You push on, deciding that if there's a tavern - even if it's the same story as the inn - you can enter under the guise of looking for someone. You could then drop a hint that only your coven sisters would recognize, and leave. It takes time, but after another quarter of an hour or so, you chance upon a more ground-based structure that smells strongly of ale and baked goods. You realize that inns won't carry the same smells in this country without meat cooking in the pot, and give another sigh. You've been here less than a day and you already dislike Sonnamille more than you had expected.

Through the doors, you find the establishment to be rather small and unimpressive. A talented musician sits plucking on a lyre in the corner, while a bar maiden cleans up after the busiest point of the night. Only the elderly, nightly customers remain here, aside from a portly young man who might be the tavern's keeper, and another cloaked woman near the edge of the room who's nursing a late meal. If there's anyone here who'd be a witch, you'd assume the latter, but nonetheless you stick to your plan - especially since the barmaid is looking at you with alarm while trying to get the young man's attention.

"...Good evening," you say to the two of them.

The bar maiden stiffens up, answering you uncomfortably. "Can I help you?" she replies, indignantly. The young man, you now notice, is armed with a dagger in his belt, and as he turns around he practically freezes in place. You can almost sense the temptation in his eyes to reach for his knife. This is utterly ridiculous, you think.

You shake your head. "Not likely. I was looking for someone, but I don't think she's here," you say.

"Who?" the man asks.

You glance to the cloaked woman and see her just as uncomfortable as everyone else. The lyre player has even stopped making music. Not good. "...I'm looking for my sister," you reply.

"We haven't seen any others like you," the man replies, letting his hand rest on the table again. "...Not here, and not in Afaeanon."

His tone isn't as harsh as you would've expected. You begin to wonder if the elves have some legitimate reason for fearing the tabaxi, beyond simple hatred of the invaders from Chasamein. Maybe the tabaxi of the south sent spies and assassins deep into the country to drive up fear and paranoia? You don't know much about the war that plagued this nation; perhaps it's been worse than you previously assumed. "...I was following her to Ellifarre but we were separated; I assumed she would've stopped at the first town along the way, but I suppose not. If she comes here after me, tell her that Kulka and I have gone to meet with Callypseae."

The man nods. "Very well," he says. The others in the bar stay silent and simply watch you leave. Only after you've left the building entirely do you hear the muffled sound of music resuming. Greatly annoyed, you walk over to a nearby signpost and study it for a moment, hoping it will point to the roadway south, so you can reorient yourself. At this point, if a witch doesn't find you quickly and begin sorting this situation out, you might have to disappoint Kulka and take your anger out on the next elf to look down their nose at you.

A few minutes later, the cloaked woman and the musician leave the tavern together. As you watch from a distance, they bid each other goodnight before going their separate ways. Your heart falls as you realize neither is coming to greet you. Lastly, the bar maiden appears with an empty bucket and walks over to a well to draw some out. When she sees you, she doesn't quite react beyond an uncomfortable hesitation, but then walks right up to you.

"...It's a long walk to Ellifarre, sister. There's a home at the south side of town where you might be welcomed tonight. The owner is a fae hunter. She's placed a bough of holly over the entrance."

You're pleasantly surprised, although the fact that this possible sister is also a fae hunter is deeply concerning. Nearly half of your party is fae-touched, and Corrinth is stark raving mad. You have a strong suspicion that this isn't going to work, but you don't have much choice.

1. Roll the Dice - "Thank you, sister," you say quietly. As the bar maiden gives a quick bow and hurries away, you decide to pay the likely circle elder a visit and argue your case. If worst comes to worst, you could simply twist her arm for the night... Regardless, once you've sorted things out with the local elder, you can go back and get your party.

2. Take No Chances - "...I've come from Thandan," you reply flatly the moment you're certain that the bar maiden is a member of the coven, "and If that doesn't tell you who I am, then ask your elder. Tell her I'm coming with a party of six others, including a changeling, and that drow that's been killing for fun. Either we pass through without trouble, or you deal with all of us tonight," you warn as she stares at you in shock. "...Go!" you urge her.
 
Last edited:
Take No Chances New
Option 1: 1 Vote (14% - Range: 1-14)
Option 2: 6 Votes (86% - Range: 15-100)
Fae Roll: 94

2. Take No Chances - "...I've come from Thandan," you reply flatly the moment you're certain that the bar maiden is a member of the coven, "and If that doesn't tell you who I am, then ask your elder. Tell her I'm coming with a party of six others, including a changeling, and that drow that's been killing for fun. Either we pass through without trouble, or you deal with all of us tonight," you warn as she stares at you in shock. "...Go!" you urge her.

She quickly trots off while you try to remember the sights you passed on your way to the tavern. You imagine it'll be a while before the last of the patrons file out and the bar maiden is free to deliver your message, and so you decide to take your time, both in gathering your allies as well as returning since, at this hour, the number of townspeople who haven't retired to the bedrooms for the night is increasingly waning. Your pack of seven couldn't be more obvious trouble, and so you can only hope that you can charm or otherwise dispose of any watchmen patrolling Afaeanon after dark.

You leave the way you came, tracing the path up the road until you notice Stalna loitering near the edge of the trees. "Over here," she whispers as she beckons you in; it's thoughtful of them to leave someone to guide you back, since you aren't familiar enough with your surroundings to have found them easily on your own. Once you've departed the road, it isn't long before you're reunited with the group, and you do an immediate headcount to make sure that Corrinth isn't impersonating Stalna or anyone else.

You find Corrinth sitting alone next to Seith and leaning on him, staring away into space. She looks as if she's been quietly crying, which doesn't really surprise you since it's pretty much all she's done since you collected her earlier today. She tries to avoid your gaze, and you catch her fearfully glancing over at Embryx now and then. Seith doesn't seem to mind her very much, and in fact is in rather chipper spirits from the looks of things. The same can be said of Sharyx, although every ounce of happiness in the drow's body seems to curdle the moment it reaches her face and leaves you more uncomfortable the higher her spirits become. Embryx seems both bored and irritated by the company you've left her with, while Stalna is keeping to herself as well - probably out of a sense of unbelonging with such a crowd. Kulka, as always, is impossible to see beneath her hood at night, but you doubt that she's in much of a good mood either.

Relieved to see that everyone is where you left them, you prepare to lead them in, but Embryx stops you.

"Hold on," she says. "We were talking while you were in town. I wanted to know how those two knew about Corrinth before we met up," she says, gesturing at Sharyx and Seith. "...I thought I knew the name Alfaeanon already, but I didn't know why. And then it hit me - remember when we thought we bumped into Nytha, back at Glaskan Creek? This is the place Corrinth was talking about - where 'Nytha' supposedly lives. And she was headed this way when she bumped into the two of them."

You look at her tiredly, hoping that Corrinth's fixation on this town wouldn't cause you any additional grief tonight. "...Yeah? Why'd she stop for them?"

"We don't really know, but that's not the point." Embryx answers, testily. "The point is that I think that part of the story was actually true - and it makes sense that Corrinth would be looking for Nytha after what we put her through. You compelled her not to kill herself."

The realization finally hits you. If Nytha lives here, and Corrinth was looking for her, then Corrinth was probably looking to get herself killed by someone who knew her mother and watched her grow up. You imagine that Nytha would be merciful, and another pang of angst over the Eldest's Design - had she not orchestrated this run-in between the changeling and possibly the one man who could - and importantly, would - fix her mind, then she'd already be dead and in a way that wouldn't cause you much guilt. "...Yeah, I can see that," you reply. "If Nytha does live here, then we're probably right about to meet her. At least we'll know we can trust her, this time."

"At least," Embryx replies with a sigh. "Also, I asked about that sack Sharyx is carrying," she adds, more quietly.

You glance over at the smiling princess and regret it immediately, before looking back to your lover. "...Do I want to know?" you mutter.

She doesn't answer immediately, but instead thinks carefully. "Probably not," she eventually admits, "but you need to know, regardless. She's the last of her name because she killed all the other Valghemoras. She dug their hearts out of their bodies and put them in that bag, and she planned on giving them to you whenever she finally found you."

"Why me!?" you demand in your hushed voice. "Why would I want them?"

Embryx gives an ugly smile to punctuate how generally done she is with these newcomers to the group as she explains: "...she's not in any circle, and pretty much has no idea how the coven works. I know we're fucked up and evil and all that, but she somehow thinks we're even worse than that. So, I think she wanted to prove her devotion to the Grand Design. She wouldn't believe me when I said it doesn't work like that, and she wouldn't listen to Kulka, so I think she needs to hear it from you."

You look to the drow, feeling sick to your stomach. "Sharyx," you begin, hardly believing what you're actually about to say, "Bury your family's hearts. If you want the Eldest's respect, then do right by the coven. If you want mine, then do right by me," you explain.

Her rancid smile disappears. "Oh... Right away, sister," she replies. "...I look forward to earning your trust another way."

Kulka taps her cane. "How did the elves receive you, Agranne?"

"Worse than I was expecting, but don't worry; I didn't hurt anyone," you reply with an eyeroll. "Everyone ready?"

---
By the time you walk back into the town, you genuinely can't wait to sleep. After such an exciting start, you feel as if you've been ensnared by Syrith's plans so tightly that you can hardly breathe. Tomorrow, you promise yourself, you'll figure out how to break free from the fae influence and then get the hells away from Sharyx and Seith.

There's no one left in the open aside from the watchmen, and your large group is noticed from afar by a ranger almost immediately. He looks at you all, and you look back at him, and then he sprints away. You know this is trouble, and so you look to Kulka for permission to catch up and enthrall the man. As she gives a reluctant nod, you take off in flight, blinking forward with teleportation despite your earlier fears, and easily catch him before long. With a combination of spells, you silence him, hold him in place, rewrite his fear and loathing into trust and goodwill, and then release him to continue his work. You imagine it'll be a few days before he delivers the news of your arrival in town, but you'll be gone by then.

"Hold it!" another voice calls out in the distance. You look back to the group you left behind to find another watchman dropping out of a tree to confront the lot. "Identify yourselves and volunteer any weapons you have, by order of the Baron-"

You hear a thump and witness a kick of dust from the middle of the crowd, and before you can even react, the elf's head is tumbling down the road in your direction. Sharyx turns gracefully from where she landed after the lunge, stabbing the headless body behind her with a series of jabs, just like needles into a pincushion, before another windmilling swipe cuts through the trunk of his body and sprays blood all over the ground along with uneven chunks of flesh and bone.

You appear from a puff of smoke and resist the urge to scream at her. "...What are you doing?" you hiss. "After all the effort we've gone through to keep a low profile...!"

"We can use shadowmancy to hide the body," Embryx quickly suggests, still wide-eyed at the brutal display.

Kulka taps her cane several times in plain irritation. "Agranne is right, Sharyx. Every death we cause on this journey will make the coven's goals harder. We'll use manipulation and compulsion to get the results we want for now, understood?"

Sharyx snickers at the goblin. "I don't know how to use those techniques," she replies with a shrug.

"Then don't interfere!" Kulka snaps.

The drow looks to you to gauge your reaction and sees that you're in full agreement with Kulka. "...Sorry, sister. I won't get involved again," she replies, dejectedly.

One puddle of shadow later, and the ground is swept clean of blood and body parts. The grizzly act fully done, you proceed to the southern edge of town until you spot a home built into the roots of a towering, thick tree, with a holly branch positioned above the entryway. "This is the place," you say, walking down the pathway to the entrance and knocking on the door. You wait a long while, hoping beyond hope that it won't actually be Nytha who answers, and that you'll have a shorter discussion followed by a good night's sleep.

The door rattles and then opens.

"...Hello, Agranne," Nytha says, bleakly as she looks from you to the horrible group you've brought tagging along into her town. Her eyes linger long and sadly on Corrinth. "Hello, sisters."

Fuck.


1. Be Apologetic - Despite your attitude when talking to the bar maiden earlier, you don't really want to have any confrontation with Nytha right now. "...This isn't the way I wanted to do this, Nytha, but we need somewhere to rest. We'll be gone in the morning," you reassure her, hoping that she'll be of similar mind and simply let you in to get you out of the view of more watchmen.

2. Be Unfriendly - You can't pretend that you're the same person you were the last time you crossed paths. You're much stronger than anyone in Tashlaan ever believed you would become. Strong enough to topple Kingdoms. Nytha was only briefly your friend, and you don't feel particularly moved by this reunion, especially after Corrinth spoiled the feeling for you already. "We're sleeping here tonight, since your kin won't let me stay at an inn" you tell her, coldly.

3. Be Threatening - You already knew how you were going to conduct yourself from the moment you gave warning to the bar maiden. You're here to take what you want, and you don't care who it's from. "Let us in, Nytha," you order her.
 
Be Apologetic New
Option 1: 4 Votes (57% - Range: 1-57)
Option 3: 3 Votes (43% - Range: 58-100)
Fae Roll: 14

1. Be Apologetic - Despite your attitude when talking to the bar maiden earlier, you don't really want to have any confrontation with Nytha right now. "...This isn't the way I wanted to do this, Nytha, but we need somewhere to rest. We'll be gone in the morning," you reassure her, hoping that she'll be of similar mind and simply let you in to get you out of the view of more watchmen.

"Get inside," she says immediately, stepping out of the way so that you can enter first. The interior of Nytha's home is well-furnished, but distinctly used, and smelling unpleasantly of dust and old age. It seems that after leaving Mardenaal, two years ago, she decided to travel far to the east, so that she could be settled somewhere between Ellifarre and Thandan. The prior owner of this home must've passed away at some point before her arrival, and so Nytha was able to obtain it pre-furnished.

Why come here, though? You remember that she was from a different town, Elyadene...

You watch the others come in behind you. Embryx, ever the pragmatist, follows immediately. She gives a sly little smirk to Nytha that's met with a glare. They're still rivals, despite their time apart, it seems. Next ought to have been Kulka, of course, and Stalna even deferred to the elder. But before the goblin can hobble through on her cane, Sharyx cuts in front of her, leering unpleasantly and giving an insulting sort of faux-gracious bow to Nytha that makes the elf turn pale in the candlelight - clearly able to recognize the difference between someone who's merely rude, like Embryx, and a monster in plain sight. Seith doesn't hesitate to follow her, although he does give a little shrug to Kulka as he passes, as if he were a helpless accessory to the princess's behavior.

Kulka is yet again blocked, this time by Corrinth, a moment later - although you could hardly blame the changeling, who seems so utterly lost and confused as she wanders into the house that you're actually concerned that she doesn't know what's happening anymore. She pauses for an uncomfortably long while, staring at Nytha and tilting her head before giving a vacant sort of nod and passing her by. Nytha's hands clench fearfully and she can't look the changeling in the eye - she's must have imagined this moment coming from the moment she saw Corrinth as a newborn. If she really did plan to kill her all along, then you can't imagine that she would've done it with scorn. She shares in the pain, watching her slip, and would not have wanted her suffering to be so prolonged.

Finally, Kulka enters, ambling over to a nearby rocking chair which is rather too large for a goblin, and nonetheless hops up to seat herself, her cane naturally knocking a few times on the floorboards as it slows the rocking of the seat to a more comfortable pace for her. As Stalna enters behind her, Nytha regains her composure, having nodded respectfully at the elder and the polite human student as they came in from the cold. With so many people assembled, the house now felt stiflingly small, and it isn't long before the guests begin leaning against walls, bookcases, or curios, or else sitting on the floor.

Once she's finished shutting the door behind you all and locking it, she turns towards you. "...I've heard about the Terrorchild, you know," she says, darkly. "I've been hearing about it for years. I've heard how you're the elder of Mardenaal, too - how you disposed of Diala. Just today, word reached Afaeanon that the King and Queen of fucking Turadal were just added to your body count. Everywhere you go, death follows, Agranne. ...So, why the fuck are you here?" she asks, furiously.

"The red comet is coming," you reply softly, unimpressed with her anger. You've already decided that you'll take this moment to better introduce yourself to your new allies, since you'll be expecting more information from them soon. "...I'm going to see my blood sister resurrected from the land beyond death - a ritual which can only be performed for one soul every hundred years. But first, Kulka and I are going to pay a visit to Callypseae, in hopes that the elders can all come to an agreement to stay out of my way. If they can't, things are going to ugly."

"As if they already aren't?" Nytha lectures. "Of all the awful things you could've done, there is nothing worse than what you chose to do with the fae. I'm glad you and Corrinth are such a team, Agranne. In twenty years, there's going to be dozens of changelings just like her, all of Turadal and probably here in Sonnamille, too!"

Embryx can't help but snicker. "Corrinth isn't-"

"Shut your damned mouth, Embryx, I'm not talking to you," she snaps, only for Embryx to put the edge of her war scythe to her neck at a speed you weren't aware she was capable of - but having seen it, you now understand better how you didn't see the polearm coming when it knocked you unconscious in Thandan. Nytha stares back, wide-eyed and exasperated at the drow's readiness to betray her immediately after she opened her home to you.

Embryx, for her part, stares her down with the same steely gaze you've seen her wear in battle after battle. Quietly, and chillingly, she does what you've failed to do and reminds Nytha that things have changed since you last saw each other. She could easily explain the many different ways that she could tear Nytha down and destroy her all on her own, but instead she gets right to the point: "We're your elders, now."

"...O- Okay," Nytha says, lifting her shaking hands in surrender to show that she wasn't able to draw her wand. You can easily imagine that Embryx's behavior is a stark reminder of her own involvement in Diala's slaying. "...I know you didn't come here to kill me, so you'll put that down if I show you respect, right?"

Embryx smirks again as she takes the blade away from her former circle sister's neck. "...Yeah, that's the idea," she says.

"I'm sure what Embryx was about to say," you cut in, "is that Corrinth and I aren't a 'team.' You're making a lot of assumptions, and I'm going to set them straight, one at a time."

The elf nods, fearfully, but says nothing.

You also notice the way Sharyx seems to be paying extra attention now. You wonder how the truth of things will stack up against the doubtlessly lofty expectations she has for the "Terrorrchild."

"...Where do I even begin?" you sigh. "You were there when Diala took the Pandemonium Door, and you know she had her sights on controlling the coven throughout all of Turadal, and eventually all of Gondia. She had her circles in Mardenaal and the west of Turadal all in pact, but she ruled through fear and intimidation. The more land she tried to bring under her control, the more enforcers she needed to scare everyone into line. I spent two years acting as little more than a slave to her, and she made sure the whole coven knew what a monster I was because it made them terrified of what she must be. Did I enjoy it? Hells yes, I enjoyed it. ...But that's because there was nothing else to life to enjoy.

"I like my freedom even more," you continue, "and the moment I finally snapped came when I got my hands on a darkinscripted book that put the worst version of me in control. Once the deed was done, I stepped into her shoes to avoid them labeling me as a traitor of the coven, but afterwards I started heading east so I could hand over both the book and the Pandemonium Door to Kulka, in hopes we could prevent the eastern pacts of Turadal from going to war against the west. That's when Corrinth decided to show up, disguised as you. You told her all your secrets before you ran off to Sonnamille and left her all alone with her madness, didn't you?"

Nytha's mouth quivers, and she begins to tear up. "I- I didn't mean to hurt her so badly, but yes. I did... I told her there was no hope of saving her mind, and so I couldn't take her with me."

"What was she supposed to do?" you ask.

The elf closes her eyes. "You already know. I... I just didn't have the strength to do it myself."

You feel a bit sick discussing all of this in front of Corrinth, who can only sit and listen in silence like a doll. You get back on topic. "...She spent the last two years wandering around aimlessly. All her long-term plans were gone, so she sought company from the wild fae, and found it. They adored her, and begged her to find a way to get the coven to help them fight back against the Kingdom that was pushing into their wood. So as soon as she heard the news about Diala, she rushed to find us and trick us into playing into that scheme. When it didn't work, she went through our things while we slept and found the darkinscriped book. She read it and then left it in the hands of a traveling merchant who apparently brought it down to Sonnamille, where it somehow ended up in Sharyx' hands," you explain, gesturing to the drow, who's utterly floored by the revelation.

"Then, because her worst self was put in control, she took matters into her own hands and stole the Pandemonium Door right out of my pocket and ran off to Purrosh, where she took on the form of a fucking peryton and chased the whole city into the woods in fear, with the help of a few dozen of her faerie friends. We showed up after the fact and nearly died prying the Door back out of her hands, and then we had to chase the hunters off. What would you have done next if you were me, huh?" you demand, your bile rising. "Word was already spreading that I was there when the hunters showed up, and I would have looked like a godsdamned idiot if the coven knew that a faerie trickster picked my pocket of the Eldest's holiest relic and started a war with it! But there's another factor, which you may or may not believe."

Everyone in the room is spellbound by your story aside from Embryx, who already knows what happened, and Corrinth, who hasn't reacted to any of it. "...There are times when I swear that I've felt the Eldest guide my actions directly," you quietly admit. "She guided my hand to that darkinscripted book, and I think she did it because she knew it would set all of this in motion. She knew I would do what I did to Diala, she knew I would bring it to Glaskan Creek, and she knew that Corrinth would steal it there. And she of course knew that Sharyx would eventually have it, and that it would trigger her awakening just in time for us to meet here in Sonnamille. Syrith also spoke to me, when we had Corrinth on death's door and told me to save her.

"And that's not even all," you add, realizing you've nearly forgotten one of the most important details.

"It isn't...?" Nytha replies as she grows more unnerved with each passing revelation.

You shake your head. "Just before the attack on Thandan, when I was raising an army of undead in Manlaash, I was approached by Princess Silanae, second in line to the throne of Turadal. She revealed that she was a witch of another coven and wished to join Lythrefang instead. I inducted her, and it was by *her* request that I agreed to kill the royal family to clear her path to ascend to the throne. Syrith was sure to give me certainty that this, too, was always part of her plan.

"So..." you summarize, painfully: "Everything I did in Turadal was, in some way, tied into the furthering of Syrith's Design. I still don't know what she intends for me, but I've found some clues. Kulka, will you please explain the next part? I don't think I could do so without Nytha thinking I'm as mad as Corrinth."

Kulka's disturbingly still body shudders back into movement as takes up the task of relaying the most disturbing part of your tale. "...Well now. How do I put this?" she says, knocking her cane against the ground once to set the rocking chair back into motion again. "...Sister Nytha, there is reason to believe that Agranne is, to some extent, divine."

Nytha doesn't reply vocally, but you swear you can sense her unraveling at the mere idea of what Kulka has just said. Her shoulders sink and her entire body seems to shrink from her tall and thin form into something more sunken and defeated.

The gentle creaking of Kulka's chair reminds you of your elderly neighbors from when you were a child. "There's not much we know for certain, but her appearance was foretold by the mystics of the Mage College in Thandan centuries ago, and her placement on a tapestry depicting the entire pantheon suggests a role which extends beyond the mortal world. Moreover, I've seen her magic take on a reddish hue."

"Wh-What would that imply?" Nytha stammers. You look from her to Sharyx, who seems to be crying with adoration for you.

You take out the Pandemonium Door and grimly display its reddish glow. "This object was created by Syrith herself, and imbued with her divinity. It's black as night, but glows whenever the comet makes its return because part of her in up there in the sky, and they react to each other's proximity. It's the same reason the ritual of resurrection can only happen when the comet is close-by... But moreover, my magic hasn't just changed from black to red-tinged like the Door; it's gotten stronger."

"So, as you can see, it's a weak theory," Kulka admits, "but it's also the only theory we have. Whatever it is that grants Agranne that strength is also why the Eldest is so invested in her life, and why she's chosen to put these people in the room with us."

There's a long silence following the explanation in which Nytha takes several deep breaths, and you begin to fear that she's about to faint. Finally, she speaks again: "O-Okay, that's enough for one night. I- I suppose I'll make some tea for those of you who want some, and we'll talk more in the morning... Oh, but, gods, I didn't even get the rest of your names!" she says.

"Stalna of Voltera, sister," the human replies politely.

Seith speaks next, stating only his name - no place of origin or surname.

"Sharyx Valghemora," the drow replies enthusiastically before giving a stately bow.

Nytha stares back at her for a moment, shudders, and then tries to speak. "Va- Valghemora!?" she repeats, before collapsing to the floor.

"Shit, I knew that was going to happen," you say as you move to use your telekinesis to help her to her bed.

---
With Nytha squared away in the master bedroom, the rest of you locate a second, guest bedroom elsewhere in the house, but only just the one. All of you are in rough shape after a long day of travel, and most won't get anything aside from a blanket to lay down atop the hard wooden floor. As you turn back to your allies, crowding in the hall, a mutual understanding falls over you that you'll need to decide who else gets to sleep on a bed.

1. You and Embryx, Obviously - "I'd defer to Kulka if she needed to sleep, but she doesn't," you say, tiredly. "She'll stay on that rocking chair. That makes me the eldest out of those of us who actually have use for a bed. Embryx can come with me while the rest of you can find spots on the floor."

2. Let the Princess Have the Bed - You really don't want to leave Stalna alone in a room with Corrinth, Sharyx, and Seith, even if she has Kulka to keep watch. "...I think it would be best if my circle stays together tonight. Sharyx... You can have the bed," you say.

3. Let Corrinth Have the Bed - You realize that Corrinth is still seated silently on the floor of the main room of the house, where she had been during the entirety of your story. Tomorrow morning, you'll learn why Sharyx and Seith knew of her, and what it would take for the latter to cure her mind like he said. Even if he cures her, you probably can't leave her alive - she's too dangerous... You can't help but pity her.
 
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You and Embryx, Obviously New
Option 1: 4 Votes (57% - Range: 1-57)
Option 2: 3 Votes (43% - Range: 58-100)
Fae Roll: 18

1. You and Embryx, Obviously - "I'd defer to Kulka if she needed to sleep, but she doesn't," you say, tiredly. "She'll stay on that rocking chair. That makes me the eldest out of those of us who actually have use for a bed. Embryx can come with me while the rest of you can find spots on the floor."

Sharyx and Seith seem surprised by the fact that you intend to share your bed with Embryx, and it occurs to you that these complete strangers don't even realize that the two of you are an item. Stalna, meanwhile, sighs a bit in disappointment. Had she not wasted time by coming here, she could be sleeping at the inn right now. As she departs Embryx spares a grin to the fallen princess in your midst before moving past you into the bedroom.

"If I may-" Sharyx starts to ask with palpable irritation at Embryx' slight - but you're in no mood for a conversation.

You shake your head. "It's what you think it is," you say. "That's all for tonight - we'll all get to know each other a little better tomorrow, Sharyx."

The drow accepts your answer, a bit crestfallen that you would dismiss her curiosity so firmly. As you turn to pass through the door, Seith attempts to delay you for only a moment longer: "Wait, Agranne, what about Corrinth?"

"What about her?" you ask dismissively.

Seith seems almost taken aback. "...You haven't given her an order to sleep. In her current state, all she can do is sit there and stare; we walked all day long without her drinking water or relieving herself, and it would be more than a little unpleasant for all of us if you do nothing and she winds up pissing herself."

You groan and rub your temples. It was easy to forget that even if she sits quiet and still like a doll, that Corrinth is still a living, breathing person. "Yeah, yeah, alright... I didn't think about it," you admit as you step back into the main room where Sharyx and Stalna are settling in, and kneel in front of Corrinth. You snap your finger a few times, trying to get through to her. "Hey. Hey. I'm giving you a break before bed, so get up."

There's only a momentary pause before Corrinth's dormant free will comes alive again, albeit restrained by your compulsive control. She stands quickly and looks about the room in a panic. "Wha- what's happening? You said...? I wanted to- I wanted to-" she sputters before dancing in place, clearly needing a toilet, and quickly.

"Outside,"
you bark, pointing at the door. "Use the outhouse - and disguise yourself, first!"

She whimpers. "Disguise myself as whaaaaat!?" she begs, looking terrified and playful at the same moment.

"Just make yourself look human, like you did in Tashlaan," you urge her.

She pauses and looks lost for a moment, her mixed emotions dulling for a moment as a purely innocent smile takes her, if only for a second. "...are we going back?" she asks hopefully, her skin and hair filling with color, but also coming alive with a vivid youthfulness that you weren't expecting. She doesn't just look like she did two years ago when she left her home. She looks more like a younger teen - having probably reverted to some earlier stage of her life when she was actually happy. Before you can respond to or even process the heartbreaking question on her mind, she bolts from the room, running through the door to the outhouse positioned just outside the network of roots framing in the main house.

"Um, Agranne...?" Stalna says after a long and uncomfortable silence. "This is wrong."

Annoyed, you round on her. "Stalna, do not let yourself feel bad for her, alright? She isn't a child, and she isn't human, either - hells, she just tried to kill Embryx three nights ago; you must remember how she awful she is when she's not playing pretend! ...If I had been sleeping next to her, I'd be dead too, and then what would've happened if she had gotten the Door?"

"I know, I know; she was a monster. It's just that..." She starts in again, but shrinks a little at the intensity of your glare. "...She's gone, now. What Embryx did to her that night broke whatever was left of her sanity, and I think... I think she was right about Corrinth's reason for coming here. I know you have your reasons for keeping her alive another couple of days-"

"If that," you interrupt, fiercely.

Stalna nods. "Maybe another couple of days... but please don't take every opportunity for cruelty, okay? You wouldn't make a rabid dog suffer and wither in a cage, you would put it down, right?"

You don't want to hear it. Stalna picked the wrong moment to be merciful, and you decide you're going to prove it by bringing the newcomers into the discussion. All the speculation you've done as to what the changeling's motives might be at this end stage of her life might be redundant if it turns out that Corrinth has been talking openly about what she'd do to help the murderous Princess Sharyx, or what she might do to you if she had a sound mind. Although you had planned to wait until morning, you decide to ask now, instead. "Seith," you say, "why did you already know Corrinth when we first met?"

The looming elf answers in a carefree sort of way: "Well, let's see... she came out of the trees somewhere northwest of here, looking like she does right now - but I know a fae when I see one. Still, I played along with the charade for a while... She said she was lost and wanted our help, but then fell apart when she couldn't remember the name of this town or why she was trying to get here."

You listen and wait for some indication to tell you whether Corrinth knew what she was trying to achieve by flying over the border. It isn't long before you get one, as Seith reveals with a mean-spirited smile:

"One moment it was 'I'm going to visit my auntie,' and then the next it was 'mother is waiting for me.' And so I ask her about her mother and she starts babbling about hunters. Of course, I thought she meant her mother was like her and died to the fae hunters, but no! Then she pulls out a wand and says she killed her own mother!" The elf laughs at the story as if he's describing something amusing he witnessed an animal do.

"I honestly didn't believe she was a witch at first, the way she threw it down in the snow... Anyway, I asked her if she was trying to get to Afaeanon, and she lit up so quickly and started speaking so clearly, as if she had stuck to her plan all along and her story hadn't just completely unwound in front of us. So, while I had her anchored in the here-and-now, I told her, 'Corrinth, I know that you're a changeling and that you need help. I can help you. I can make you like you used to be.' ...To say she was ecstatic would be an understatement."

"She started singing," Sharyx complains before imitating her recollection of the sound, and you're not sure whether the horrible sound she creates is an accurate portrayal of Corrinth, or her own inability to create anything resembling harmony. "'Sweet apples, warm living, sweet apples, sweet apples!' I swear by the eternal shadow, if she weren't a witch and a sister, and I had to listen to that the whole way to Thandan, I'd have put my blade right through her neck!"

If the story is true - and you have no reason to believe that it isn't - then Corrinth's most heartfelt desire is to return home to Tashlaan and be surrounded by the familiar trappings of her old life. Perhaps she intends to wear a new face and let her old identity die completely... You suddenly remember how she cursed Syrith and her Design in Purrosh when she realized her fae descent would prevent her from enjoying a lasting part in the Eldest's new world.

You may have given her purpose by inviting her to broker your alliance with the fae in Turadal, but that doesn't mean that she enjoyed being reduced to nothing but a tenuous link between the mundane world and the chaotic creatures of the deep woods. If given the chance to start over as a new face in the world she left behind, you wonder if she would even seek membership within the circle there, under Faran. You doubt it; you can't imagine Corrinth would want to run the risk of meeting you again in the context of your leadership in Mardenaal.

You grimace. If nothing else, you can relate to Corrinth's hatred of feeling exploited by the Eldest and her plans. If she was lucid enough to hope for an escape from her doom, then maybe she believed that Syrith had finally sent along a blessing - the answer that Iona prayed for throughout Corrinth's young life - and that at last she would be released from the torment of these past two years. You wonder exactly how burdened her words were, when she cried out "no fair!" upon seeing you again.

"...If you can cure her, why didn't you do it already?" you ask, turning back to Seith.

He sighs. "I need a sanctuary where I can prepare the ritual. One doesn't simply sing into the void all willy-nilly. People could get hurt," he adds with a sarcastic-looking smile.

You should've expected the cure to take more than a flick of a wand. If it was that simple, ordinary clerics would be doing it. "...We'll talk about finding a sanctuary tomorrow morning," you state as you hear Corrinth emerge from the outhouse. "Until then... I'll loosen the rules I've imposed on her." As Corrinth walks back into the home and you shut the door behind her, Stalna breathes a sigh of relief. "Don't make me regret this," you warn her quietly.

"All done," Corrinth announces to no one in particular before staring at you for her next instruction. You look deep into the changeling's misleadingly-innocent eyes, knowing that she's a wolf in sheep's clothing. You just hope that Embryx won't awaken to a dozen new reasons to kill her as you modify the hex. "...I'm giving you back your voice, Corrinth; you can speak freely, now. I'm also going to allow Kulka to instruct you, in case you need something and I'm not around to ask. Does that work for you, Elder Sister?"

The lich shudders to life briefly. "...Yes, I'll be awake as always. Don't mind me if I grow still. The world makes me weary, and so I rest, even if I don't sleep."

You nod and turn back to Corrinth. "Understand?"

The changeling nearly smiles, but it vanishes as she tries to grapple with her jumbled thoughts and emotions. "...Agranne," she asks fearfully, "did you kill Veralt and the others?"

It's the most intelligent thing she's said since Embryx crushed her psyche with manipulation. "...Only Veralt," you reply coldly. "The others were under your spell, so I spared their lives."

She nods, sadly. "...I'm ready to sleep," she says, to your relief. You gesture to a nearby folded blanket, and she moves like a marionette, dropping it onto the floor nearby where Sharyx and Seith have set up for the night before lying down on top of it. Seith looks to a book shelf nearby before pulling one of its largest, leather-bound tomes off the wall, then walks over to where Corrinth is laying, and gently places the book under her head as if it were a pillow. "...Thank you," she says before quietly repeating something to herself under her breath compulsively. You try for a moment to hear the words before realizing that you, too, are being suckered into caring about someone who doesn't deserve it.

Generally disgusted with the situation, you take your leave. Somehow, Corrinth has managed to convince a few of them that she isn't the snake that she is, and worse yet, their empathy has cast you in an unfortunate light. You can't wait to be rid of her as you shut the door into the bedroom and take off your boots. "...Hey," Embryx says softly as you near her.

"Were you listening to all that?" you ask her.

She yawns and rolls over, clearing some room for you. "I heard some of it. You can tell me the rest tomorrow."

---
Your dreams are dark and unsettling, as they often are, and you're thankful when you wake up in the small guest bed, pressed up against Embryx's warm body. You're reluctant to get up and survey the potential damage outside this room, but finally, you begin to feel uncomfortable from the lack of movement in your limbs and you drag yourself out of the sheets and blankets. A moment later, you slip through the door in just your socks, not wanting to step loudly past any of your sisters who might still be sleeping.

You find them where you left them last night, all still asleep in their uncomfortable accommodations aside from Kulka, who doesn't sleep... and the princess.

She silently looks up from her blade, which she's cleaning in her lap with a rag, and gives you a frightening smile. You're certain you won't be able to avoid a private conversation with her, now that she's seen you, and so you rub your eyes and head into the kitchen. It isn't long until she follows you in.

"Good morning, sister," she says while continuing to wear the unpleasant grin that speaks nothing of her actual feelings. "I don't know about you, but I didn't sleep well, and I'm very hungry..."

"I'm sure Sister Nytha has some food she can share. I can leave her some coin as compensation," you reply, uncomfortably.

Sharyx's expression somehow darkens further, and you realize that it isn't in the shape of her lips, but in her eyes. "She's an elf," she grumbles hatefully.

"And?" you reply.

The drow sighs through her teeth in a way which fades to a frustration-laced growl. "...No meat."

"Get over it," you reply, having already begun to lose patience with this psychopath. "We can't always get what we want without creating problems for the coven, like that night watchman you killed last night. You might think we're all impressed with this act you're putting on, but the Eldest only wants her sisters seeking blood when it actually helps achieve something."

"Act?" she says, losing the smile. You stare back at her intently, as if preemptively denying her rebuttal. Instead, she looks away, toward a window, grabbing at her stomach through her clothing. "My stomach hurts, and all morning I've been smelling blood on my sword. I don't have to have it, but I will miss it."

"Fine," you say as you look through Nytha's pantry to find something edible for the sisters. "Now that we're on the same page, I think we should talk about a few things."

Sharyx' smile returns as she leans against a countertop. "Oh? What do you have in mind?"

1. Ask About Her Goals - "From what I've heard, you've been killing just for fun. What's the goal, then? What are you trying to do?"

2. Ask About Her Lineage - "I haven't learned much about the Valghemora family, other than what Embryx has told me. I know there's a lot of connections between them and Lythrefang. Anything useful to us right now?"

3. Ask About Seith - "I know enough about you - the Eldest made sure of that. But who the hell is Seith, really? How did you meet him, and why does he follow you like he does?"

4. Ask About Corrinth - "Why did you let Corrinth follow you? She's a lot more trouble than she's worth, believe me."
 

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