Abstract Proxy

Umbra: The Abyssal Connection

Teresa Changer of Forms

Teresa stumbled, coughing as dust threatened to overwhelm the filters of her mask. The Dust storm had arrived with little warning, sweeping over her as she hid from the fighting. Stupidly, she knew, stupidly she couldn’t help but feel a small tinge of joy seeing Vin and his loathsome gangsters fleeing, bloodied and battered.

Vin was not a good man. She knew that well. Teresa had met him before. More times than she would have liked. Longer than she had ever wanted. Doctors were rare after the Perishing Event. She was valuable. Vin had threatened her. He had forced her to help. The price to be allowed to live and to travel safely had been temporary servitude. Bitter tears tugged at the corner of her eyelids as she remembered. She wished she’d fought back.

Gasping for air, Teresa struggled to keep moving. She felt tired, her muscles ached. The adrenaline was fading. Scrambling inside a building, she made out what might have been a bird or perhaps a bat beneath the swirling clouds of sand. She crumbled against a wall, struggling to remove her mask. The air was musty, but she greedily breathed it in, relishing the unfiltered oxygen.

She heard voices. She couldn’t place them exactly. But they came from further inside. Unbidden, her hand moved towards her revolver. Her heart thumped, fresh fear coursing through her. She looked outside, watching the roiling storm that whipped dust mercilessly after her. She replaced her mask, covering her face once more. She was tired. Too weak to fight. And too tired to run. All thoughts she held of fleeing into the storm vanished.

Waiting would do no good. She needed warmth. She needed more shelter. Pulling herself to her feet, Teresa raised her hands up, palms facing forwards, in the universal sign of submission. She walked cautiously, but made no effort to be quiet. Surprising whoever had claimed the dilapidated building seemed unwise.

"Hello?" She said hesitantly, her voice measured, and weighed with anxiety. "Is anyone there?"

Planescape: Search for Tir na Og

I'm going to make the next DM post on Monday, if anyone still wants to add anything before then.

@XxFellsingxX

Perfect, I'll post tomorrow or Sat, just got a bit busy irl.

Shadows of the Forgotten Realm

Loving the party vibe.

@rabidbacon

Forgot to respond, but same, everyone had a very neat and personal intro which was very fun!

Planescape: Search for Tir na Og

Hooray!

Now to decide what Mariel does...

Shadows of the Forgotten Realm

The forest was a sea of shadows, trees dancing with the wind beneath the pale moonlight.

Humming a faint tune, Cora moved steadily through the woodlands, pulling her fur lined cloak tighter as the cold snapped at her fingers. Leather gloves did little to lessen the unwelcome chill. Her expedition had been difficult. Her companions had abandoned her. Their courage had lasted only to the entryway of the passage leading to the third chamber of the crumbling ruin.

Little inside had survived the inevitable passage of time. She had recovered only one tome, an ancient treatise on herbal medicine written by the great sage, Hawise the Kind. To the right buyer, it would be worth a generous weight of coin. The book now traveled safely, wrapped in a waterproofed leather, and tucked safely in the hidden pocket of Cora’s traveling pack.

Cora’s pace had slowed with darkness. She had many leagues left to travel. Weariness had taken hold in her muscles. She had not expected the freezing cold. The eternal autumn seldom brought such weather. An hour, perhaps two, she had promised herself, and then she would rest for the night. She felt the cold iron of the wind biting every measure of her exposed skin, gnawing tirelessly at her bones.

She stumbled. She stumbled and then firelight caught her eyes. She heard voices and smelled food, simmering welcomingly over bright flames. Words reached Cora as she walked closer. Dark shadows became people. Four strangers sat around the fire. A graybeard, commanding over the food and fire. An imposing man, a sentry sat watchfully, clad in armor, and bearing a sword. A silvery woman, no less proud, adorned for battle, and wearing a forested crown. And a final stranger, cloaked in layers of fabric, and wearing a mask that brought to mind some beast of the wilds.

“Kindness on the road, is a light in places dark, and places cold,” Cora said, approaching unafraid. The lilt of her voice, soft and floating, was filled with warmth, dignified in the way that the nobility from Mythralis or Odoncester often spoke. Her hood fell back as she strode into the full light of the campfire, revealing a welcoming smile and long hair tousled and touched by the freshly disturbed dust gathered over the centuries.

Showing a carefully cultivated sense of restraint, Cora moved slowly, kindly curtsying as she took the bowl of steaming soup that the old man offered her. Taking a seat close to the fire, she retrieved a small vial from her traveling pack. Uncorking the vial, Cora sprinkled a splash of dried powder onto her soup.

“Many thanks, good sir, it shames me that I have no great gift to give in return. However, these spices are yours to use, if you please.”

“And yours as well,” Cora added, nodding in turn at the gathered strangers. She placed the re-corked vial further away from her, making her intentions plain.

“Vayl, a spice from the far kingdom of Lerone. Alas, it is a rarity in our realm in this age. It is sweet, with a smokey flavor. Learned masters of medicine say that it is an aid to the process of digestion. However, I must confess, I simply find the taste pleasing,” she explained with a small laugh.

Sipping politely at her soup with a spoon hastily withdrawn from her pocket, the young woman sighed happily. She felt restored. New warmth coursed through her, soothing the dull aches that she felt in her limbs. Curiosity played at her thoughts, tugging gently at her desire to know, always to know more.

“Forgive me, for I have neglected to observe the old rites and rituals expected of a trustworthy traveler. You must have my name. You must know my profession. I am Cora, Cora Bennett. Cora the Scholar they call me. I am a purveyor of books, particularly rare books, and a provider of all services related to the written word should you require it. Well met!”

Planescape: Search for Tir na Og

Mariel elects to keep tabs on Garnet using insight.

Will toss up a post up later today.

Edit: I accidentally wrote Perception for the dice roll, but it should be an insight roll. :D

Marvel Knights: City On Fire (Superhero Murder Mystery)

I'm very, very interested!

Planescape: Search for Tir na Og

I'll prob drop a post mid week, but enjoying all the rolls. :D

Through Darkening Skies - original weird fantasy sky pirate adventures

I'd be down, but likely only after the holidays.

@Vertigo

Where cs, yo?

;)

Planescape: Search for Tir na Og

I'm almost tempted to have Mariel be most concerned with the newest party member and to roll in insight into what, if anything she is up to. :D

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Will contemplate rolls and posting in the next day or two (I am swamped until the weekend).