Alice. Sounds. Amazing. Her personality and aesthetic™ seem really cool!

And Shiv, I know in-game it might be rough, but I'm glad at least on the meta she's somewhat likeable so far!

Siobhan twitched awake to find her face smearing whatever it was she had been drawing as she passed out at her desk.

She sighed and dipped the tip of the sleeve of her black dress into the cup of water beside her, wiping her face as she attempted to discern what it was this time her weary mind had conjured. Her waning candlelight cast shadows over the arms, unnaturally long, writhing up from the ground and covered in insatiable mouths. They wrapped themselves around a big, dark smudge, where her face had been. She could just barely make out three forms, two large, one small, that had been merged together due to her having fallen asleep atop them. It was just more of the same, then.

She really needed more rest.

Shiv eyed her reflection in a small round mirror that fit in her palm and continued to wipe at her face until she was satisfied she had rid it of the black ink, then stared once more at the nightmare she had drawn. The indistinct blob made of three smaller smudged blobs was no mystery to her. She and her parents were consumed by these extremities nearly every time she fell asleep. She could still feel them gnawing at her flesh.

Rubbing her neck and arms to confirm they remained unmarred, she sighed once more and stood up from the table. Such was the delight in magic: with a wielder powerful enough, one could be rendered flawless after the most heinous assaults. She undressed as she made her way to her wardrobe, pulled out the first nightgown her hands found, and noticed how few mars pocked her own skin. She would likely look far different if not for that magic.

The young Solanis cleric came to mind at the thought.

Even in the angst he was feeling in his search for his missing friend, he seemed to radiate warmth and kindness--even toward her, a member of an order that could easily be seen as standing for tenets in absolute conflict with his own god’s. Siobhan only knew of Solanis from what she had read in her history books and other proxy research, but that warmth, kindness, and respect for life seemed fairly standard from one practicing in His wake. It was so different than her practice, that which she had followed her unfortunate parents into.

Shiv blew out the candle on her desk and slid under her blankets. Closing her eyes she resigned herself to what she would find there: unrest and undead, just like her picture. She opened them again to the dark, windowless room and for just a moment entertained the idea of who she might have been if she had let go of the pain and had sought warmth instead of retribution. Would others have seen her as she saw the cleric? She imagined her life would have looked far, far different than it did now.

With a heavy breath she let her eyes fall, and drifted off to haunt her own dreams once again.

I love creepos, as you could probably tell from my adoration of Adedre and Morgana, but I've had no luck in playing them so far.

Guess I'm just too much of a pure, pure, pure angel child 

P.S. Speaking of sweet, innocent, angel children, oh hey a rando Shiv!

Eol: I'm gonna read some of this tonight! Also, 2006? Whew!

Rer: From what I've seen of your fae-brain, I don't doubt it!
I'll always be pretty partial to Ara though

I missed out.

Sounds like an awesome character, Eol! And I'm not really worried about all guff. I figured introducing a necromancer to this group in particular would be a bit contentious and expected a bit of guff  

But actually she can't raise humanoid corpses yet, just dead animals, so it's going to be much more of a Pet Cemetery situation.

Man I can't wait to play.

Potential new players coming to the Q&A to see what it's about: "The fuck?"

*casts Choke*

All she's going to sacrifice is her time, in helping you save the world.

You may pet bone-pupper Skeletor.

She's skeledorable.

I've been jokingly saying I do, but over the last few days I've really been thinking about new character concepts, you know . . . just in caaaase. Whether by unwarrented death by "the good guys" or a bad guy accidentally tapping the squishy mage, sapping her of all of her hp as he rushes past toward the tanks, it's probably not a bad idea

P.S. It's not like she's going to go around announcing it to everyone. People can be so judgmental of necromancers, and for like absolutely 100%, 0, no reason at all too! It's mage-ist, is what it is. Come along Skeletor the bone puppy, no more pets for these folk, we're leaving.

Fun fun fun!

I read that first as "questionnaire" and imagined Aranwen handing her a survey and just waiting

Also, why did you dramatically pause before "Questioning"?
Rer?
Rer why did you dramatically pause?

Lol everyday I look forward more and more to introducing this character to the group. She's just a girl, trying to find some answers, finds someone who might be able to help her and who she may also be able to help in return, and OMG WHAT IS HAPPENING WHY ARE YOU ALL LIKE THIS I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU?!?!?! 

I've never seen Footloose, but man, I've heard lots about it! The Hot Rod knockoff punch dance is what ususally comes to mind.

So. Keep your bonus points, my friend.

And yeah, Olan just brought up to me how thrilled the clerics are going to be when she starts doing some necro-ish. KEEP ONE EYE OPEN lol jk please just phalanx around her. She is a squishy, squishy girl.

And fuck me . . . .

But actually in the edition we're playing, it's a d4.

I love puny little mageys, but a d4 . . . what were they thinking?!

You have cat to be kitten me right meow.
Speaking of which, Ch'dau, get over here, we're besties now. Protect your new favorite necro-slitch! No! Stop! She is not a chew toy! Drop it!

Must just be that winter coat.

Also, I'm now imagining a Rey-like workout routine in the forest. Or maybe some Ch'dau punch dancing!

I really liked your mentioning that he can't read t'mbili language, and that Ara would probably read that to him. Adooorbz. We ALSO know that Ch'dau needs to lay off the villagers if he's going to get back into slitch-ripping shape.

Ara's been at it.

Ch'dau? Yeah, I guess he's like, hammering stuff or whatever, but is he ghoul-nibbling ready? I don't know. Does he even know how to hold the falcatta anymore? *shrug* I don't know that he does.

Thanks cat dad, thanks. I've worked really hard on my stick figure skillz over the years. Just hope I made you all proud and that you giggle as much at it as I did while drawing it.

Ya girl can draw, too.

Dear Aranwen and Ch’dau,

Good day! I hope you two find yourselves well, and have at least begun to settle in to your new home. I have never been to Meadowbrook myself, but from what I have heard it is much like our home in Stone’s Hollow. Calm, peaceful, nothing like Calestra. I imagine our family will settle down there, once we’re ready to retire. Still some years until then, but it sounds nice, having the urge to stay in one place instead of to wander about as I do now. I wish you that happy contentment I am looking forward to someday.

I also hope you do not mind having visitors at some point in the future. Danny and Chora have become quite famous among their friends with all of the stories they have of their sister, the Kazari, and the bladesinger, and they continue to ask me each day when you two will visit again, or when they can traverse the Sylvari kingdoms to see you two. They are particularly interested in meeting you, Aranwen. They hadn’t even been able to meet you, and yet they have decided to belt out nonsensical sounds now whenever they play-fight each other with their sisters’ old wooden daggers.

That brings me to my next point. At Lina’s request, please accept the enclosed wooden daggers. The children keep bruising each other with them, and after Danny almost lost an eye the other day, Lina has declared the daggers must be prohibited for the time being, but I hate to throw them out. They were hers, after all. It is probably for the best, though I can’t imagine I would have ever taken them away from Kithran. I feel, Ch'dau, that you and I may have similar parenting styles where things like this are involved.

She did often come home full of bruises and scratches she wouldn’t want to talk about. And the dresses, you two . . . I imagine she didn’t explore many cave systems in a dress, but that girl would have a bright new dress nearly every week, for how quickly she would destroy them.

It is reflective times like these that I wish again that I had taken better care of her. She needed a mother, but one left her and one passed away much, much too early. If Kithran has never spoken to you of Tara Ikhari, I suppose I could imagine why, but you have been deprived of learning of an incredible woman.

But I digress.

The Laughing Maiden, Serah, gave these to me after Tara passed. Up until that point I had no idea she had been learning how to fight like that. Serah said that she didn’t try to stop her from using real ones outside of the Long Gamble (Shinara’s temple here in Calestra), but the moment she set foot inside, she would have to give up her real blades to Serah and could only play with the wooden ones on the premises. This decision, I am told, came after the cleric had become too tired of one of them rushing into her room, crying and begging her to heal Kithran after she had stabbed herself.

I am seeing now that perhaps Tara, too, was not the best influence on my daughter. And yet, I am laughing where I sit at the antics Serah has informed me over the years that those two got into. For instance, did you know the reason Kithran doesn’t drink wine is because the first and only time she tried it was when Tara gave her just one mug of it? Apparently that one serving ruined her until our little cleric friend was able to work her magic. Those two, what a pair.

It seems I have digressed once more. Please forgive the ramblings of a sad, old man. Well, not sad. It is impossible to stay sad for very long with Lina and the kids bouncing around all over the place. I hope likewise that you have been able to find solace in each other.

It is interesting, after all these years, finding people who care about my daughter as I do, who could share in this loss as I have. I won’t say I am grateful, as I would not wish this feeling on anyone, but the world feels less lonely, knowing you two are in it with me.

Enclosed as well are some of Lina’s favorite herbs and seasonings to cook with, some more grass blades to encourage Aranwen to keep persistent, as well as a fantastic picture the kids worked very hard on, depicting their new (and only) favorite aunt and uncle.

If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask. We will be heading back to Stone’s Hollow soon and will be there for a few months. Please let us know if you hear any word on Kithran. We will be asking for Fortune’s Favor to smile down on you every day.

With love from all of us,

Randel Aldeath

*checks under the bed* Hmm, nothing.

Well I'm all out of ideas. Just going to stab everything until they pop out, brb.

A trap?! How could they?!
Also, a Ch'dau and Kithy cat doll? Sinister.
Didn't like that one bit, Rer, not a bit!

Jk, that's awesome! Bring it on you stupid spider, you sexy ass doll, and also the Ch'dau doll!

And also, good luck Ara  I just have this feeling things are not going to go well for her.

Ready to go to heck in a hand basket!

But really, I don't see anything at all going bad from here. It's been so easy so far! They probably forgot about us.

ROUS's? I don't think they exis--

Oh, hello there! Hope Stabsgiving went well for everyone!

As promised and lied about several times in the last couple weeks, post is up! I.took. everyone's liberties. But I'm American so, ya know, in my blood. ANYWAY, as always, lemme know if I should change anything or whatnot.

Okay byyyyyyye!

“Goddamn it, door,” Kithran whispered as the bladesinger’s song and the Kazari’s battle rage filled the air around her, “You’re embarrassing me in front of the prie--”

“Mosic, now!” Aranwen suddenly shouted among the chattering of bones and a wave of positive energy pushed against her back. “Guh,” she grunted as her hand slipped out of place, but that clicking sound she heard when it did was just what she had been listening for.

Helpful indeed.

Kithran jumped back up and rushed in through the now unlocked door. She turned to see the others surrounded by collapsed skeletons, while still more pressed forward.

“Inside!” Aranwen called and they hurried in after her, the Sylvari kicking the door closed behind them as Kithran ran ahead to check the rooms before them.

“The rooms ahead are clear,” she said softly as she jogged back to them through the short hallway, “the kitchens are beyond the corner there, but I don’t expect they will be too full at this time of night, however, I wouldn't doubt that the slitch has padded her guard since last night.”

The bladesinger nodded, “You two should take point,” she said, looking at the half-Syl and the silver cat, “as you both know the layout best and will likely be the most silent moving forward. Warn us of any guard heading our way, and take care of them quickly if you can. If not, fall back and we will dispatch of them together.” She turned to the Falloes cleric, “I will bring up the rear, so you will travel between us. Try not to expend too much of your energy until we face the witch or her bone spider.” She looked each of them over, “Ready?”

Kithran drew her blades and grinned up at Ch’dau, “I am ready, cat-beast. Try to keep up, yes?” and she trotted up ahead, slowing to a stop as she reached the corner and pressed her back against the wall. She felt more than heard the Kazari catch up to her as she slowly peeked her head around to check the occupancy of the kitchen.

Unlike the hallways, this room was dark. A warmth and the smells of whatever had been made earlier that evening still lingered from it, however, there didn’t seem to be anyone about. Kithran slid into a crouch and moved forward into the room. She veered off to the left and wound around counters and racks, until she came to the door on the opposite end, the Kazari meeting her from the other side of the room. She tilted her head toward the door, and at his nod, slowly pulled it open to gaze down the next hallway.

Like the previous one, candlelit sconces lined either side of the hall, leading to another open room--the rarely-used dining room, to Kith’s recollection. Beyond that would be more hall and doors to sparse rooms until they were once again in the entry hall. From there they would simply need to climb the staircase to the third floor, turn a few more corners, and there they would finally find that study.

Currently, however, there were two immediate issues in need of being dealt with.

Kith softly closed the door and motioned the bladesinger and priest over, gesturing that there were two of those skeleton creatures heading in their direction. Ch’dau switched places with her near where the door would open, and Aranwen and Mosic stood close behind him, the Cidal holding his mace at the ready. At the sound of the eerie skeletal footfalls on the runner just outside the door, Kithran flipped her knives around, as pummeling them with their hilts seemed to produce slightly better results thus far than stabbing at them.

The door began to open and Kithran yanked it toward her, causing the creature to stumble in surprise for just a moment, but it was enough for the Kazari to pull it into the room for Aranwen and Mosic to hack away at. The other skeleton hopped back at the sudden departure of its companion, and at the enormous silver cat who replaced it. The ungodly creature turned, making a run back down the hall, lacking the capacity it took to scream as any normal being might have wanted to at their first sight of a ravenous Kazari, but it did not get far. Ch’dau leapt, catching it easily and barrel-rolling into a dark room nearby. Snarling and snapping soon followed, and Kithran sprinted to the doorway of the room, slipping inside in case any other guard up the hall decided to make their way down here as well. He had made short work of the thing, standing as she arrived in a pile of rubble.

“Thanks for the help,” he rumbled mockingly at her.

“You are very welcome,” she replied with a bow before spinning on her heel and checking again for anymore guards, and for the other two to signal their readiness. At another of Aranwen’s nods, Kithran drew her lovely new dark blue cloak over her head once more and hopped back out, sliding along the wall on their path forward.

It was almost odd, how easily they made their way through the manor. While they did come across a couple more sets of the skeleton patrols, none had given up much of a fight. Then again, there were more alongside them this time, and she and Ch’dau weren’t on death’s door. At least, not metaphorically, she thought, gazing up now at the top of stairway. Kithran’s book would be up there, but so would the slitch, her bone spider, and any number of her undead horde--as well as her not-all-dead legion of guards. They hadn’t come across any of those at all. In fact, the last Kith remembered seeing were those they had shot on the wall.

Kith ushered them into the shadows beside the stairwell. This would be the most difficult place to stay stealthy, as the stairs simply cut back and forth to the third floor. They would have to go from the bottom to the top in one hasty move, completely exposed until they found cover in the hallway passed the landing.

Crouched low now, Kithran turned to the others, also crouched in their partial cover, among the oddly unoccupied entry hall.

She pulled her hood back enough so that the others could see her face as she whispered, “We will have to hurry straight to the top from here. The study I need to search will be down the hall, around the corner to the right, and the second door on the left. Last time, that bone monstrosity attacked us as soon as we hit the third floor landing.” She paused a moment and looked at Aranwen, “I don’t know about you, but I had also really expected for us to find more of a fight once we got in here--much like the fluffed skeleton patrols outside, but it has not been much different than it was last night, save that those we fought last night were still breathing. Perhaps she wasn’t prepared for us to get this far? Or . . . .” She trailed off for a moment, weighing the cost of her quarry versus the likelihood that she would be attacked once more by that nightmare creature.

“Either way, I don’t mind keeping point with this one,” she tilted her head to the crouching Kazari who was still a bit taller than the rest of them, “as long as you two stay a little closer. Especially you and that holy symbol, cleric.”

“Of course, Kithran,” the Cid replied matter-of-factly, instinctively grasping at the Falloes symbol at just the mention.

“Thank you. Now, unless anyone has a better plan, I am ready to draw out this terrifying creature. I suggest watching out most for the dagger feet.” She brought her hands to her hood, ready to pull it forward once more, “Ready?”