With the track from Bravely Default/Second, I probably associate it most with Morgana's puppets in combat just because they are unnerving, and so are the bosses that showed up with that music in that game...

I mean... just look at these

I don't really have a particular grasp for Adedre, buuuuut... for some reason, I kind of lean towards this music... especially if you visualize certain twisting notes near the beginning coinciding with making herself an abomination of flesh and bone, an aberration fighting for her own survival. Whether that's appropriate or not, I'm not so sure

For Morganna, on the other hand...

I keep leaning towards this theme for various mini boss battles with her mannequins and dolls.

And then... this theme... for one very particular battle

Might feel for different music as I think about it more, but that's just what I think of offhand

Given we may or may not have a boss encounter coming up soon (or eventually), anyone have any feelings for boss music themes?

I haven't heard that song in... I haven't a clue how long...

Does it come in large tins? The small shakers are good for applying the spice but large bin for refilling the shakers are the better deal

I am feeling a bit concerned...  

I put a lot of thought into Morgana and Spiderlily - what they can and can't do, how they gather information, learn things... Find secrets... 

It also occurs to me that you could almost use a chess analogy for Morgana's various mediums

The felt toy dolls are like pawns. Small, unassuming, generally not powerful... Unless they are queened...

The mannequin as Kithran, Mosic and Ch'dau fought in the apothecary are like bishops. Among the more powerful units

The mannequins that Aranwen know of are like rooks/castles. The strongest of Morgana's mannequins in combat

The shopkeeper... Morgana's dolls like those don't fit the analogy because they are generally not for combat. If pushed into the analogy, could be like the knights - dangerous in the right time and place, otherwise not really.

Morgana has one 'queen piece' ... And yes, there's a good likelihood the trio will end up having to fight it.

Spiderlily isn't on the hypothetical chessboard, btw. 

Recall that Morgana's preferred form of payment is Life, which she says in reference to a healthy, living humanoid with unbroken spirit.

In her perspective, it's not really any different than people bartering with say a horse. To our characters, the difference is obvious. To her, though... Her perspective is twisted in part by her many, many years spent in the company of Spiderlily, who as a fae A'nia has a very detached view of Audalis in the first place, but also in part by the circumstances of who she was before Morgana. 

Aranwen might be overzealous in her willingness to burn her hp for the sake of the group to bypass traps, but ideally that should be a last resort rather than a go to method of advancing

No one might actually want to deal the finishing blow... 

And now Eol has caught a glimpse into the inner workings of the entity called 'Morgana'

She has a very twisted psyche, and is very devoted to her motivations, and her A'nia. Truthfully, she'd probably be a much higher level encounter if she didn't use the majority of the power available to her in order to maintain herself and her network of dolls and mannequins...

Re: retcons... Are you suuuuure you want to undo Aranwen infusing Kithran with her life energies to undo the damage to her body that carrying an undead child causes?

I jest  yes to retcon if needed, just as we originally thought may be needed for post-HC

I don't foresee any particular impact on post-HC1, with respect to Morgana's origins anyhow. I just meant that it's a little tragic

One of the eventual encounters in KCandK would certainly reinforce Aranwen's survivor's guilt, but that is more of an explanation of why it's still there even post-HC1 as opposed to anything new.

Anyhow, to the mailboxes *fairypoofs*

In the hypothetical scenario where Morgana is killed by our trio without any exposition on the why she is the way she is and why she is currently targeting Aranwen, would you two like me to share those details?

Projected side effects include potentially emotional gut punches

"I was there when the strength of human blood failed. She could have ended it that day, but evil was allowed to endure..."

Sorry I got that scene from Lord of the Rings on the mind at the moment.

It's okay, Kithran will get to have her own doll friend later on that isn't the Kith-doll so she doesn't have to feel left out.

Bladesong now joined in full - without needing to worry about stealth, Aranwen can fight in the front line, which means between her and Ch'dau, I'm reasonably certain there isn't going to be much that will be able to resist their advance

Especially with Kithran hiding behind Ch'dau and firing sneak attack shots on occasion.

Also, very important... is Kithran keeping hold of the Sae-doll or what is she doing with that?

"If we,” Aranwen shook her head, “I - were just a bit quicker at getting through that door…" Aranwen gritted her teeth. It was one thing to survive a trap, but they were not out of danger.

“How are you?” Ch’dau asked Aranwen, regarding her closely.

Ch’dau’s steadying paw was warm, and as he examined her, Ch’dau could see Aranwen’s eyes were a bit slow to look back to his own. She lifted a hand to her forehead, “I am not hurt. She didn’t hurt me. But I feel as if I were being held underwater,” She took a breath, closing her eyes a moment as she centered herself, feel the ground, feel the air, listen to your breaths, she repeated to herself, before her eyes opened, refocusing on the others, “We should…”

Kithran listened to the bladesinger’s stoic answer as she picked up her dagger and the red-haired doll, thinking of the way that mask had been mouthing soundless words to the Sylvari woman. She had never seen anything like it before, and knew very little about magic, but the things that Morgana could do . . . .

Kith looked down at the doll in her hands, and back to the bladesinger, having lost track of the conversation for just a moment.

“Your oaths, Sylvari, will you recite them for me?” Unsure and uncaring if she had interrupted anything, Kithran watched her weary, golden eyes look back at hers.

Aranwen blinked, turning to Kithran, “To reciprocate aid given freely; to take the lives of others who would claim them for malevolent purposes; to do what I can in making safe the path ahead, for those who would come after,” she repeated her original oaths.

The half-Syl took a step toward her, her gaze locked on the woman but her senses ready, searching for another one of those dark shades to strike at any moment, “And you remain loyal to these?”

Aranwen nodded, “If we weren’t, then I would not be able to fight. At least, not with the strength of song that I have been trained to wield.”

Kith grinned, “Right, of course. Then I have just one more question and we can go bound after these scary slitches,” she held the red-haired doll up to Aranwen, “Who is this? In that room we faced a mini Kithran and mini Ch’dau, but this is not you. Why did she use this one for you?”

Aranwen flinched, “... Saeriel, my wife,” She whispered before replying, her voice stronger, “I lost her thirty years ago,” She added, before one eye closed as her face twisted in a look of physical pain. She shook her head roughly, before finally averting her gaze from the doll, choosing to look instead at Ch’dau, “I don’t know her game, but all we know is that she, Morgana, also remembers what happened. That battle we lost.”

Kithran’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked again at the doll, at Aranwen’s wife. Aranwen’s lost wife. She continued, softer, but she needed to know, even if it would turn out to be a lie, “And if this visage or some closer form came into conflict with one of your oaths, what then?”

Aranwen shook her head, “I don’t see how it could,” She replied instinctively, “Morgana might have made a toy doll that bears her resemblance, but we know that’s not her.”

Aranwen rubbed the bridge of her nose with a hand as she squinted, shaking her head once more, “She, Morgana, she told me I wouldn’t be able to open those doors in time. I don’t think they even budged when I slashed at them. She asked me to follow her, she claimed Saeriel was waiting. But that’s impossible,” She looked towards Mosic, “It’s impossible for that kind of a miracle to have happened, right?”

Mosic frowned, unsettled at the thought, “As far as I know, such a miracle is exceptionally rare, and it would have had to have been performed close to the time of death. Not thirty years past,” The cidal priest shrugged his shoulders, “Morgana also does not strike me the kind of being that can invoke the favour of any gods. Most likely to be lying, deceit and falsities are stock and trade for many such unreputable characters.”

Aranwen nodded, relief spreading across her face, “When I refused, Morgana… she…” Aranwen frowned, shaking her head again as she had several times recently, “We were talking. I know that. I remember that. But the words… I can’t… why can’t I…?” She sighed, “Everything just, kind of goes dark when I try to remember. That feeling of, almost like being underwater.”

The warm paw on her arm gave a comforting squeeze, “Will you be able to go on, khatun?” Ch’dau asked from beside her.

Aranwen nodded, “We’re uninjured,” her eyes focused as she took stock of their situation, taking up the role that Ch’dau saw in her, a title she wanted to have truly earned, “We need to keep going; if it was a trap, then the lack of an alarm was to keep us off guard, but it also let us get this far uncontested. Therefore, having survived, we are in a better position to take advantage of the opening that wasn’t supposed to be here. There will be greater resistance going forward, but that is unavoidable. I will join Ch’dau in front; Kithran and Mosic stay behind us. You know the layout, Kithran, so you’ll need to guide us with directions. We’d best be moving. I don’t know how far Morgana’s scream reached, but we think it’s safe to say that we should consider the guard on alert now.”

The half-Syl nodded, more wary than ever of the Syl but left with little choice, and pulled the dark blue hood back up over her head.

Ch’dau’s hand finally fell from Aranwen’s arm as he turned his eyes to Kithran. “Did you find what you were looking for in there, kibibi,” he asked, gesturing vaguely to the ravaged room behind them.

“No, by my understanding it is on the floor above us, anyway, but I had to check. Oh!” Kithran ran back into the room for just a moment before skidding to a stop before them once again, slinging her shortbow over her shoulder, “Thank you for reminding me, I may not yell at you so much later.” She gestured toward the stairs, “After you.”

Aranwen nodded, steady on her feet now as she stepped forward in the direction Kithran had indicated, her blade held ready at her side. She looked to Ch’dau, offering a warm smile, “Together, then.”

On the floor of the study, the doll that was dancing along the floor remained still and unmoving, its dress now returned to a pure white colour...

Bunch of oddballs. What would have happened if Ellie was kidnapped off the ship while in port by someone seeking to make some supposedly easy money from the reward for her return I wonder 

Ooh a post

That star eyed navigator... Sullivan or Sully? If my poor recollection of names hasn't failed me

And now thinking of my runaway engie Ellie...

What have I done to this thread

"What do you want?" 

You. 

Okay that wasn't actually what happened but yeaaaaah... Aranwen is Morgana's target for her own reasons now. 

Kind of ironic since Aranwen was targeting Morgana first in kind of a misguided vengeance.

Had inspiration to show the other side again, so I added it in. Might adjust it a bit later, just on transit currently  

Next time the blood collector is looked at, it is unmoving and the dress is a pure white again

Also don't worry about Morgana's hypnotic whispers to Aranwen. Those were only sweet nothings since she is trying to seduce Aranwen. Probably.

Kithran showed her that it was an opening, so even in her dazed thoughts she tried to follow up Kithran's strike with her own.

Unfortunately that was a 3 on the dice

Kithran saw Morgana's lips moving as the door opened, but her voice was not accompanying the movement. Needless to say, she was speaking to Aranwen very directly. 

Morgana was busy...