Mind is wandering to a hypothetical 'what if' of Aranwen as a Kazari. Two runts rather than one, one silver, one golden, initially rivals in the sense of trying to outdo the other but growing into a bond where they are willing to fight tooth and claw for the other. Even if it leads to both of them being beat up by the twins or other cubs

I can't help but get glimmers of sights at Capasha and other places with the looks into the pasts for both Ch'dau and Kithran. You say it gets away from you but I think it's amazing and fun when that happens

Just imagine Ch'dau sharing some details with Aranwen

"That was how you trained? My goodness. That is a degree of intensity I am not sure I'd have survived were I in the same place, at the same age."

"Hmph, you say so, but to hear you talk of the training you've done, you've done so for more turns than I've lived."

"Perhaps it isn't so different... Just different paths to get there."

Saeriel and Aranwen, visiting with and helping out Tara and Kithran

Saeriel and Tara resonating with each other to the degree where Sae could have helped Tara and offer emotional support and healing...

But that didn't happen

I do have to say that Saina's mother looks decidedly less overtly creepy than the RWBY character Much more normal looking, even if she has very expensive taste in clothes

Unfortunately searching for spiderweb patterned dress of course brings up Halloween themed clothing where the web is obnoxiously obvious; the pattern on the dress here is much more subtle and elegant, in my mind...

The problem with searching for references that don't exist and I don't have space/material/time to sew one up and take a picture of

383 E.R, Yaanasul

It had been a couple years since their graduation, so to speak, but Aranwen and Saeriel had only begun to become acquainted with their patrol route around Mealamain. They couldn't help but feel more tense around the western side of their patrol, given it bordered other kingdoms, but neither of them could deny that it was certainly never uninteresting. Most recently, they answered a call for help to fend off some predators that were attacking a merchant convoy. As the convoy moved on, Saeriel and Aranwen stayed behind a moment.

Saeriel sighed, watching where the remaining wildcats had fled back into the forest as she sheathed her blade, "I would rather we didn't have to do that," she observed, "They're just seeking food, after all."

"It can't really be helped," Aranwen replied, checking her vambrace where she had interjected it against an oncoming bite, and frowning at the damage to the leather straps, "Horses would be quite a catch for predators like those."

"Still, I do wonder if a member of Adaron's clergy could have resolved this without it coming to that," Saeriel murmured, indicating the slain cat on the road.

"Maybe. But we're not priestesses, Sae. We can only do what we can," Aranwen reassured Saeriel, reaching over to hold her hand.

Saeriel nodded, a gentle smile returning to her face, "Yes... you're right, Ara."

"Now then, shall we make certain that the convoy has made its stop at Yaanasul?" Aranwen asked.

"Yes. It'll be a nice place for us to rest too, this evening," Saeriel smiled, "We've been on the forest paths a long time."

Aranwen and Saeriel followed the path of the convoy to Yaanasul, a quiet little town in the forest. After checking in with the town guard, they walked onto the paths. Saeriel's gaze tilted upward at the sunset flickering through the tree canopy above, painting the leaves deep colours, and she smiled.

"Wonder if we can find a spot where we can see the stars," Saeriel murmured curiously.

Aranwen chuckled, wrapping an arm around Saeriel, "I thought the idea tonight was to get a good rest indoors this time," she smiled, her golden eyes sparkling with mischief, "Though, how much rest might depend on how much you want," she whispered.

Saeriel blushed lightly, leaning beside Aranwen, "That... does sound lovely."

Together, they approached the inn, but Saeriel suddenly stopped, pulling Aranwen back from the door. Aranwen looked at Saeriel with a raised brow, her head tilted in concern as she saw Saeriel rubbing her forehead, "What's wrong?"

"I'm getting... a bad feeling," Saeriel replied, her voice quiet and barely audible in the evening breeze whistling through the trees, "Like there's a chill..."

Aranwen frowned, "I don't feel anything, Sae, though you've always been more sensitive to the coming of winter. Do you see anything?"

Saeriel shook her head as her violet eyes refocused on Aranwen's golden eyes, "I didn't see anything. It was as if there was going to be a vision or something, but it was just black for a moment."

Aranwen looked back to the inn, before nodding to herself and taking a step back, "Let's camp nearby instead, then."

"We could see if there's another place to stay," Saeriel offered.

Aranwen shook her head, smiling softly at Saeriel, "I trust your feelings. Besides, maybe we will find a spot we can see the stars..."

* * *

Inside, at one of the tables, a sandy-haired little girl lay on the lap of her mother, stirring now and then and twitching in her peaceful slumber. Her mother was a noble looking woman with sharp features, long blond hair that curled about her face and framed it well with a violet jeweled circlet. She wore a red silken dress, embroidered with white threads in patterns reminiscent of a beautiful spider's web. Her gaze lingered on the door to the outside, even as she listened to the man opposite her with one hand gently combing through the sleeping girl's hair.

"- are you listening?" The man she had been in conversation with asked.

The woman turned to him and nodded, "Yes, I am," she replied, "And I think you may find that for how far I've travelled, the wares in my carriage are well worth..."

... The mercantile negotiations continued well into the evening.

I seem to have an affinity towards developing horror-themes, and I suspect I have done the same to others at other occasions for different systems/stories/concepts

I also imagine it kind of shiny, but I started with a white mask in the picture and am not fully adept at implementing shiny-ness into the picture. Kind of like an obsidian or onyx shiny though is what I imagine

I fiddled around with a picture I found just googling masks and this is about what I imagine whenever I say 'Morgana's Mask', except not always with a red jewel in the forehead

Now I've got the movie in my head and just replace the Phantom with Morgana in that scene and aaaaaaaaa

Why so silent, dear attendees? Did you think that I had left you for good? She looks directly at Kithran and Aranwen, Have you missed me?

In any case, I can just imagine that, if she's present there, people just overall avoiding her and giving her a wide berth... and then Kithran and Aranwen like '... why did we think this was a good idea?! She doesn't recognize us does she!?'

Ch'dau bodyguard seems like the best setup to go with there, or skulking about on the roof ready to dive in when Ara and Kith get in trouble...

*insert link to the masquerade song in Phantom of the Opera*

Masquerade! Paper faces on parade
Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you
Masquerade! Every face a different shade
Masquerade! Look around - there's Her mask behind you
Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds
Masquerade! Take your fill - let the spectacle astound you
Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you
Masquerade! Seething shadows breathing lies
Masquerade! You can fool any friend who ever knew you
Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering eyes
Masquerade! Run and hide - but Her face will still pursue you...

I might have modified the lyrics a biiiit....

Saina will be really happy to have people visiting. And then when they tell her they need fancy clothes, that may warrant a need to finally meet Saina's mysterious mother for tailoring and fitting...

That will be... interesting...

Aranwen doesn't have nice clothing with her in her bag... If only Kithran knew about a clothing store that had a wide range of high quality clothing...

I've not gone into detail or research with Driol but I don't really have to in order to know just how dark that content can be. I imagine once Aranwen clarifies with Kithran who exactly she's on the trail of, there'll be a 'you should have led with [the name] when we met!' moment...

In some respects, it's chilling to think that those that ended up as payment for Morgana were quite possibly spared a worse fate. 

Since it was a one shot and I just gave her a completely absurd name, her full name was Ayama Foxi, nicknamed 'Red' 

I meant the dragonfly, I misremembered the dragonfly being the winestopper...

Addendum - Yeah, Ayama was a Rogue/Sorcerer hybrid class setup, and one of her most iconic spells was polymorph self as a tiny creature - for her it was always a fox I modelled her after a kitsune, so no surprises there

Kithran: I nabbed your spell component pouch

Ayama: Silly, it's a decoy. I don't need spell components. Invoke Duplicity! *waves at her twin on the other side of Kithran*

Kithran: *looks. There is no twin. Looks back to Ayama. There's no sign of Ayama, she just catches the glimpse of a fox tail as it disappears down an alley* huh? *notices her winestopper charm is missing* HEY get back here!

Ayama: *laughs in fox*

In another edition one shot session, I made a rogue named Ayama who used her youthful appearance, short stature, and an absurdly high disguise modifier to look like a child when wandering around. She was very fun to play

You really didn't think that store scene would be the last scene with Saina, did you?  

Silly Kithran, it's not a race  

Funny enough, I have made a few courtesan type characters before, and I can't help but think that they'd have appreciated Kithran as a bodyguard, even with shinies going missing on occasion...

Also... I can't wait for... that... to happen now... Rather curious to find out what Kithran's reaction will be... 

I can't help but think of the exchange between Ch'dau and Aranwen in the garden, specifically the part where Aranwen brought up that she found Kithran's impatience echoed that of herself when she was very young and asked of Ch'dau when he was likewise young

Fun to see his... vocabulary started early

Another useful tool for one with the vocation of assassin  

I have a tendency to re-use the name Morgana for any number of villains I make sooo...

Names can stick?

Two schools that strike me as potentially compelling in that kind of a culture are Conjuration and Illusion. The former in the case of a person like an arcane smith, where the magic facilitates the craft of tools and weapons, and the latter as lore keepers and story tellers...

And onto an aside wherein I share the image captured in a half-dream... an older Kazari woman looking out of her tent at night, looking up at the moon-less sky; "Hrm, Khr'a sleeps..." she whispers, "I wonder, what is it that Khr'a dreams of this time? ... Best for one to be quiet this night..." and she carefully steps onward, leaving her camp to search for certain plants that are easier to find at night, or ones that hide from Khr'a's right eye, her ears twitching at every sound in the stillness around her as she forages...

I'm actually rather fond of races like Kazari. But usually they're not playable

Suddenly receiving a feel for a kazari shaman/priestess over here... Even if Khr'a and Rrowl aren't listed in the Audalis deities section

And now I can't help but wonder what Ch'dau would feel seeing another Kazari on this side of the reefs...

Yay for halfdream delirium 

... the more I can't help but think just how appropriate the track I'm picking for the major encounter against Morgana is named "A Beautiful Song"...