NoriWasHere

The Symphony

@Enkryption

I do hope to do it justice then :)

The Symphony

Hello! I have been working to either bring back one of my old stories or create a new one. I have a few concepts that are ready to be expanded but I have taken a liking to this one in particular. I am using the working title The Symphony for this one, expect that to change as I go through this more. Here is a quick breakdown of the story as it pertains to the RP idea:

A thousand years ago, an eldritch being known only as Malakith The Maestro descended upon the world of Eldoria. Malakith brought with it corrupting melodies that charred the souls of any who heard them, turning them into monstrous entities enslaved to the eldritch god. All seemed lost until a group of heroes, blessed by the Fates themselves, rose against The Maestro and managed to beat back its armies and bind it within the heart of a mountain with chains forged from the threads of their own fate. The group of heroes sacrificed their lives to ensure The Maestro and his music remained locked away forevermore. The mountain was sealed off, and its location was hidden from all but The Fates themselves.

For centuries, the world knew peace, and the story of the heroic Fated Five who saved Eldoria faded into myth, becoming nothing more than a nursery rhyme that taught children to not be afraid of the dark. However, an earthquake has weakened the chains that bound The Maestro, allowing it to release its malevolent music once more. The melodies fill the air, corrupting those who hear them and turning them into twisted abominations devoted to The Maestro's dark whim once more.

Recognizing the looming threat, the Fates intervene once again, selecting a new generation of heroes destined to carry the burden of sealing The Maestro once more. These heroes, each gifted unique gifts by the Fates, must embark on a perilous journey to the mountain where The Maestro is imprisoned.

Will these heroes accept their fated quest, and give their lives to ensure the survival of all? Or will they doom us all to suffer through Malakith’s symphony forevermore?

-I’d like to have somewhere between 5-7 people in this story. I will have a character, and I will also have The Fates as the narrator's/NPCs Each character will be given a fated power, and it will be some facet of the powers that the Fated Five had.

-Our characters will all start apart, and be drawn together during the first act of the story. This means that I will have unique scenarios for each player that you would need to overcome by yourself. This does not mean you will be alone, as I will allow for NPC characters or multiple characters.

-This will be a fantasy setting and I will allow most fantasy races. As well, your characters will be able to be any class that you would like. I will not be doing dice rolls or anything like that. Thus, if you want to play a fighter/warlock/mage etc you are more than welcome to do that.

-Your character will know they have been chosen because the fates will make a visit, gift you the fated weapon, and set you on your quest. The fated weapons will bestow powers on your character, namely the resistance to Malakiths music. There can be other, small abilities, that the fated weapons give but the focus should be on the abilities/magic your character already has.

-I will create a strong framework for the world, but I will leave it open enough that you will have creative freedom if you want it. I love it when my players can influence the world we inhabit.

-Any questions/interest/concerns - feel free to reach out!

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

“What the fuck,” Lila shouted as she was pulled to the ground by Adora. All around tear gas canisters exploded, sending their vile contents into the church and bringing pain to her coven. “Fucking hell,” she said as she did a quick glance around the room, trying to spot anything that might be able to help her stop it before it got worse but, sadly, this was a church and not the bustling streets of Portland.

“Shit,” she groaned as her eyes began to scream out in pain. Every instinct told her to wipe at them but she forced her hands to stay down. There was nothing she could do to stop it, there was no way for anyone here to neutralize this gas truly, at least in the moment, but they could still make the recovery easier. She tried to shout to the group but the tear gas silenced any words she tried to muster with its burning.

A moment later she heard the tell-tale sounds of the PRA. She opened her eyes and tried to pull herself up. “Shit, shit, shhiiiiiit,” Lila screamed as she instead pulled herself into the fetal position. “Whoever you ar-”, she gasped, and coughed, “you are a fucking idiot, using this shit indoors.”

Lila tried to watch as the feds began their raid. She watched as Linquian got angry with her ex, and got a taser round for her efforts. She then watched Jasper catch one in the shoulder, forcing him down. Meanwhile, every..single..member of the coven was being subject to a punishment that, as far as Lila was concerned, was cruel. First, tear gassing the group in an enclosed space. Second, forcing the group to get down on the ground without anything being done about the gas. There was no way for anyone to run to get out of the cloud. Lila knew that if it wasn’t for the coven healers, this situation would no doubt lead to long-lasting health consequences for everyone trapped inside, not just the vulnerable members of their community.

Something inside Lila wanted to lash out at the PRA agents, but there was nothing she was capable of doing at this time.

As the tear gas canisters exploded around him Jasper pulled a small 12x9 canvas from his bag and decided that he did not have the time to do a full spell as the tear gas began its relentless assault against every part of his body. Instead, he simply used his brush to quickly draw the orange outline of a traffic cone. Jasper was no stranger to tear gas, this was Oregon after all, and as such he knew there were a few ways to neutralize a tear gas canister. As he painted, he looked through his watery eyes to see if anyone around him had any water bottles and sure enough, he spotted one right nearby. As he finished applying the layer of paint, he quickly flipped his brush around and dried the layer using the bottom of his channeler.

As he continued painting a second later, he looked around for the closest canisters he could find. He spotted one that was two pews ahead of him, and a second one right nearby in the center aisle. In Jaspers's mind, his plan was simple. While the traffic cone would not be strong, it would get solidified by the heat coming from the tear gas canister and he hoped that would create a seal with the ground thus trapping further gas from escaping. Second, he wanted to try and douse the second canister with water. This way, there would be less gas affecting the group and this should make their recovery easier, and less painful.

Everything was going to plan, his painting was almost finished and the water bottle was already within reach. He wouldn't be able to save anyone, but he could at least help them in the only way he could. Everything was going to plan, until the taser round slammed into his shoulder, making him convulse on the spot before he fell out of the pew onto the ground below. As he hit the ground, he felt his nose pop and then felt the warm trickle of blood start pooling underneath his face.

Evelynn was already on the ground and she watched as Jasper took the taser round. A second later, he was on the ground right next to her and she heard a crackling sound. “Hey bu- ahhh shit this sucks,” Lynn paused as she coughed, “hey buddy, you okay?”

“Ow,” was all Jasper could muster in response. His eyes darted over to the painting he had done for the new coven and wondered what the chemicals in the tear gas would do to it.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

INTERACTIONS @FernStone@Estylwen@Atrophy

“Let’s get going,” Lila spoke to Jasper and Lynn, pointing towards Auri as she stormed off, “let’s catch up on the way to the lair.”

“For sure,” Jasper said as he tossed another look toward Britney, “I have a feeling that I might like rolling with the cult again.”

“I figured you would,” Lila joked as she nudged his elbow.

Jasper's eyes darted around the area as they walked. In the distance, he could see a literal sea of beady black eyes staring at Lila. The Crow Pact. Jasper remembered it well. It was something Lila used to great effect during their battle with the stygian snake, and one that she had told him had grown in size in the decade since. But Jasper found it almost overwhelming looking at the sheer number that they were now. As they moved, he noticed that the furthest away crows would fly forward, maintaining the wide ring all around Lila. Jasper shrugged his shoulders and returned to the conversation.

“So I got a few texts from you both last night,” Jasper said with a smirk.

“Oh shit,” Lila said as she reached for her phone.

“What did we send,” Lynn groaned as she placed a hand on her head.

“Invitations, you guys said you were having a party. Britney was there. You said she looked good, Lynn. You said something about summoning a demon before you sent a ‘oops we let it get away’ five minutes later, and a comical amount of ‘we miss you bro, please come tomorrow’. Nothing bad.”

Lila breathed out a deep sigh of relief. “Oh thank god.”

The trio continued along the road, talking, catching up, and sharing details of their lives outside the coven. To those around it was like not a day had passed since the days of the coven between him. While Lila and Lynn used to hang out for five years after the end of the Coven, it was the first time either had seen Jasper in person. And it was the first time that the three of them had been back together in full in ages. Eventually, the conversation had to end as they found themselves inside the new lair, and a friendly face ran up to them.

”Hey Lila, Lynn, you came today!”

The trio turned and saw Luca walking up to them. Lila and Lynn each smiled wide at him. Lynn looked him over and saw that he appeared to be as healthy as could be after the Dairy Queen fiasco, and Lila smiled extra wide as she had a lot to thank him for.

“We wouldn’t miss it,” Lila responded, “I found it a lot harder to stay away after I was brought around the people who made the coven special.”

”Jasper! Nice to see you! It’s been a while.”

“Luca, my man,” Jasper said with a wide grin, “it has been far too long. It is so good to see you again.”

”Did you, uh, talk to Britney about the… you know? Was she able to help if you did?”

Jasper looked over to Lila with a slightly confused look on his face. “Everything okay Lila,” he paused as she took a step closer to her. While the two had not seen each other in person since the Coven, they did keep in touch with texts. Lila had not mentioned any changes the last time they chatted.

“Things are okay now,” Lila said as she turned towards Jasper. “Turns out my powers were from an aberration that was tied to me, all this time. She started to… talk to me and make certain demands of me. We’re good now though,” she smiled weakly, “Britney was able to help me Luca, she managed to seal it away last night. She dropped whatever she was doing and rushed over,” Lila paused as she looked away from the group, ”The sealing itself was… rough. Like really, really, rough. I think I need to book an appointment with the doc to talk it through some,” Lila paused again as she returned her gaze towards Luca, “but it worked. I promise you it worked. I haven’t heard from The Maiden, seen a crow, or anything.”

“It was traumatic to watch as well,” Lynn said with a sigh, “but you got through it in the end.”

“So you shouldn’t be seeing any crows anymore Lila,” Jasper asked, “like they should not be following you around or anything?”

“I don’t think so,” Lila started, “we sealed her up and left her back at home.”

Jasper took a step backward, thinking back to the walk over from the park. He knew what he saw. At least a thousand crows with eyes on Lila. He was about to speak again when Layla began to talk, pulling the group's attention towards the front. Jasper listened to her words and scoffed at the thought of voting for a new leader. The Coven has been put back together for only one full day and they are already ready to break it apart and bury it again. While Auri has not done herself the most favors in keeping her leadership spot, she has done nothing to lose it yet. From the word on the street, the only one at fault for the fight at the strip club was in front of him attached to a new girl.

“What a load of shit,” Jasper whispered to those around him as he sat down at the aisle end of a pew, “Void is just trying to deflec-”

Jasper’s words were stolen from him as Anya started to speak. He at least wanted to listen to what she had to say, not that he would actually listen to anything she had to say. But he wanted to be sure he heard every word so that there could be no confusion if he had to say anything in response. He hoped that she would not be so self-absorbed that she would put forth her candidacy. Jasper looked over towards Lila, Lynn, and then to Luca.

“No, not a chance she will get my vote,” Lila said as she crossed her arms.

“I’d rather not vote. I think this is pointless,” Lynn shouted towards Layla as she sat down next to Jasper. “Let me see how this plays out,” she said as she raised a finger up before she slipped into the possible future, and went silent.

Jasper heard Luca say that he also did not want a new leader. He looked back towards the front and listened to everyone else talk. Eventually, he had enough. There was a zero percent chance he would let Anya become the new leader of the coven. Anya was diet Sloane, and Sloane was who Jasper held responsible for the failings of the of the first coven. If they had any chance of figuring out who was behind the killings, if they had any chance to keep any semblance of control Anya and the vote for a new leader needed to fail.

“No,” Jasper said under his breath. He was ready to stand up but he felt a hand push him back into the pew. It was Lynn. She had returned to the present, and she had a slight smile on her face.

“I got this one,” Lynn said as she slapped his shoulder with a smirk on her face.

“Yeah,” Jasper asked with a raised eyebrow, “go get 'em.”

Lynn stood up from the pew and shuffled her way into the aisle. “Hi, hello Anya,” Lynn paused as she flashed a wide grin, “It has been far too long, you look good, real good.” Lynn took a step forward, towards the front of the Coven. “I do love how you still show that same initiative that you were known for. I mean volunteering within seconds of The Void deflecting from all the attention that was on him. Bravo. I hope you don’t mind but I took a quick peek ahead to see what your platform might be. Do you mind if I tell everyon- I know you won’t mind if I tell everyone,” Lynn waved off the thought, “rules on top of rules, strict enforcement, and,” she paused as she shifted her vision over to Sloane, “Sloane as your number two. Now I don’t know if everyone here feels the same way but why would we vote for the same situation that broke the Coven apart last time? Hmmm?”

Lynn turned away and walked back to the pew and sat down next to Jasper once more. “Also, you won’t have the votes. So, as you say," she paused as she locked eyes with Anya, anything you say from here on out is irrelevant.”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Interactions: @Punished GN Britney
Lila's House

“She’s coming,” Lila whispered as she lowered her screen.

“Indeed,”The Maiden responded with what felt like a chuckle, “she is coming to save you.”

“Is that funny,” Lila asked aloud, with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“It is not,” The Maiden whispered back.

Lila moved to the door and went outside. She had the rest of the bag from before and shook it to the crows above. The collective *caw* echoed through the quiet streets. Lila looked around at them and none seemed to realize that she would, for all intents and purposes, seal away their master. Lila shifted in her footing. “Do you want this,” she asked The Maiden.

“I can not say,” The Maiden whispered, “when the time comes you will learn my stance.”

“Can’t you just tell me something, anything, so I can prepare,” Lila asked as she looked around, “hello, Maiden? Don’t you,” she paused as she exhaled, rubbed her temple, and sighed in defeat. Of course, The Maiden would not make things easy. Lila wondered if there would be a fight to be had in the sealing, or if this would be easy enough for once. She looked up and saw the Crows with their gazes fixed on the bag of offering. “Alright, alright, Britney Williams will be coming over soon. You will not peck out her eyes or bring any harm to her. Watch as she approaches, assist her if needed, but give her free passage.” As she finished she dumped the bag on the ground as she turned back into her house.

“Britney is coming,” Lila spoke. Evelynn was dressed in a fuzzy pink pajama set that Lila had given her. As suspected, it fit her perfectly. Lila noticed that she had already poured a third glass of wine, and had an unopened beer right next to it. Lynn had found a comfy spot on the large blue L-shaped sectional that took up the far corner of the room.

“I know,” Lynn flashed a smile. She engaged her power for a brief second before she came back. “You may have forgotten, but I do have a knack for knowing the future.”

“Fuck you,” Lila scoffed. Lynn blew a kiss in response. “Any idea when she’ll be here Ms. I can see the future?”

“Within fifteen minutes? She might hit some traffic and be late, she might speed as she is too excited to show off her special tea and be early. I would guess within fifteen minutes.”

Someone knocked on the door a few times.

Lila froze in place at he sound of the door behind her. She turned around and face the door, her breathing more sharp and her face frozen on the door handle. Lila may have remained there for a long time if not for a single memory flooding her mind. She turned away from the door, walked to the table and grabbed the glass of wine and bottle of beer in her one hand, and pointed towards Lynn with the other. “You said fifteen minutes,” Lila pointed again as if she was making a point.

“I said within fifteen,” Lynn winked as she took a sip of wine.

Lila groaned as she turned towards the door. “Coming, one minute,” she shouted. She grabbed the door handle, turned it, opened the door itself in one swing, and took a deep breath for what was to come.

“Hi.”

"Heyyyyyyyyy, how are you all doing?! I'm not sure how long you all want to stay up, but I'm fine with staying up allllllll night long! We can do each other's hair, paint our nails, talk about boys ^{or girls if that floats your boat}... I can teach you all to seal and then go fuck off for the night! Whatever you all want to do!"

Lila held out the glass of wine and bottle of beer, contemplating the different options for the night. “I don’t know, at least yet,” Lila paused as she she leaned on the door frame. On one hand, she would want to at least seal The Maiden, and whatever that entailed. Yet she knew she would also want to see if Britney has changed, or at least showed remorse, for her actions in the past. Lila has not decided on whether she would return to the coven, earlier in the day she was more set on not, and the conversation with Britney may help determine her fate going forward. “After the night we’ve had at the Dairy Queen, I think I’d be down for a few drinks at the very least, catch up and stuff.”

Britney raised the tote bag full of wine.

“Well, I’m prepared for drinking, at the very least!” She then playfully stuck her tongue out.

“Hiiii Britney,” Lynn shouted from inside the house, “you’re early!”

“You know, the early bird catches the worm!” Britney chuckled as she entered and then asked, “Where do you want me to sit down my contributions to this wild night we gonna have… Hopefully,”

“Yeah, come in, come in,” Lila said as she pointed toward a large coffee table inside the living room. The inside of the Victorian house was very much decorated by her grandma. Ornate glass elephants dotted the living room and every shelf in the entertainment center and every side table had at least a few of them present. Old oil paintings littered the wall, positioned purposely and Lila loved the story behind every one of them. “Mind the clutter, while Gran is down south for the season she sadly cannot take all her beloved possessions. The table shall start the night, if we get adventurous we can always start a fire out back and move there.” Lila eyed the wine bag. “We have a few bottles of wine, a few six packs of good beer and gran left her liquor cabinet for us to enjoy as well.”

“Oh I will enjoy,” Lynn said with a smirk. “Britney, you look good. Come, pop a squat on the couch with me” She patted the cushion next to her as she spoke. “We put on some crappy monster movie from fifty years ago.”

“... I look good,” Britney awkwardly laughed hoping that they didn't notice the blood on her clothes. “Thank you,”

She then placed her items as instructed.

“It’s not crappy, it’s a classic and it’s only forty years old,” Lila responded. She had a love of these silly monster movies, they were her go-to for relaxation after a rough day. Her grandmother had passed along her love of these kinds of movies. Whenever there is a modern remake the duo is always spotted opening night. As such, she had selected the classic King Kong vs Godzilla movie for some background noise. “We can change it at any point.”

“... I hope this isn’t an elaborate setup for a Netflix and chill,” Britney laughed as she sat down. “... Because you could have just opened with that.”

“No,” Lila said quickly, raising a hand up as she did, her face an every-so-slighter shade of pink than it was before, “nothing like that, no no,” Lila sat down on the short arm of the couch. “I wanted things to be relaxed first, you know, I don’t remember what sealing entailed and I wanted to..” she paused as she looked around the room for support, finding none, before she returned them towards Britney, “relax before we talked business, you know? Have a few drinks, catch up, and then move on to The Maiden in time.”

“You can say how you feel now,” The Maiden whispered into her ear once more, “if you hold onto that resentment you w-”

“Shut up,” Lila shouted as she looked over to her left ear. The Maiden always had a knack for appearing to her when she least expected, and at the start of the discussion on sealing her away should not have been a surprise.

Britney raised an eyebrow… Then couldn't help but grin. “... You don’t seem relaxed.”

Shit.

“I am not,” Lila responded, “from the fight at Dairy Queen, to the 8th street showing up, and now here we are,” she paused as she took in a deep breathe, “I’m thinking of joining back up with the coven after all that’s happened today, I am going to seal away The Maiden, and I’m getting help with that from you,” she paused as she exhaled. “I thought I was able to leave that rough past behind me and just vibe with a massive murder at my side, but I guess that’s not on the cards for me is it?” Lila paused for a brief moment. “Should I be drunk for the sealing? Like will it be painful or scary or anything?”

“... Okay, girl,” Britney’s smile completely erased from her face as she faced Lila. “You can’t say all that and not give me the details… especially about Emily’s 8th Street.” She tilted her head… before she sunk back into the sofa and said.

“Though, it’s not like I ain’t have a crazy ass night myself.”

“Well,” Lila sunk backwards just an inch, “they tried to recruit us. They also wanted us to give you up.”

“They said we wouldn’t have to do anything, just tell them ever you were. Don’t worry, we told them to fuck off. But,” Lynn paused, “they were very clear that.. they want to kill you.”

Britney was silent for a moment.

“Was it Emily and Vashti?”

“No.” Lila quickly responded, “Greta, Carol, and George.”

Britney awkwardly laughed and pulled at her collar, “... Not surprised,”

Lila thought for a second and she reached into her pocket, pulling out the bullet casing her crows had ugiven her earlier. “I don’t suppose your crazy night had something to do with my crows bringing me this?”

Britney stared at it…

“... It might,” She said. “My night had a lot of bullets.”

“Thought so,” Lila said as she put the casings back into her pocket, “my crows show me a lot, but they leave out a lot of the details.”

“Brit,” Lynn spoke as she leaned forward, “what happened? Is everyone okay?”

Britney awkwardly laughed as she rubbed the back of her neck.

“Well…” Britney started, “Alizee is dead, and we miiiiight have a gang of crazy bikers after us.”

“Shit,” Lila whisred. They could probably handle a gang, but losing Alizee?

“Not Alizee, no,” Lynn spoke as her hand began to shake. She quickly downed the rest of her drink and stood up to grab some more.

“Yeah…But, she was too far gone,” Britney sighed. “It was for the best.”

Lila thought for a moment before she shifted her eyes towards the ground. “Void,” Lila asked as she felt a knot in her throat form, “was it Void?”

“It might as well have been,” Britney answered.

“Fuck,” was the only response Lila could muster. “Day one of the new coven and we already are picking fights and dying,” Lila paused, “just like old times I guess.” She also downed the drink in her hand.

“I don't know what happened… Apparently she went to the meeting, some shit happened, she went to the strip club, got into a fight with some girls, and got the Wolfpack to come,” Britney explained. “A kid got shot, and we got into a fight with them… The Void got pinned down, she went to help him, and then…”

Britney winced.

“... They shot her dead on the spot.”

Lila let a silence fall over the group. She pulled her eyes up off the ground and placed them on Britney. For some reason, Lila wanted to think that it was her fault. That she said something at that meeting that pushed Alizee to do whatever she did to provoke the fight. Her face began showing signs of this brewing anger. Yet, Lila did not allow it to fester. She knew Alizee was always.. Troubled, and her night-stalking was something that Lila truly believed stood against everything that the coven stood for. It was not hard to believe that the Alizee she knew from back then was the same Alizee who provoked this fight, and killed herself in the process.

“Well,” Lynn spoke up,“I did not know her well in the original coven, and I did not know her well in the years that have passed, but I wish she was not dead. From what I remember Void was as much at fault for her mistakes as she was, sometimes doubly so, and I wonder if her death could have been avoided if he was put under a tree as well.”

“It was my fault this happened,” Britney started, ”We should have taken care of the Void a loooong time ago.”

“It was your fault that a lot of bad things happened, Brit,” Lila spoke quickly. She exhaled as she knew what The Maiden would say, she knew what Lynn would say, and she knew what she would have to say. “But that was the past, and what matters now is what you do going forward.” Lila did not want to forgive Britney. She did not think she deserved it nor did she think it was her place to forgive before those who were wronged. Still, there was room for Britney to make amends and Lila had decided to allow her the space to do so.

“I know,” Britney replied. “I am trying to do better, make amends for all the wrongs I did.”

“Yes, the Void should have been taken care of long ago, but here you are today. You rushed over at the first mention of The Maiden, ready to ensure she did not become a problem for me.” Lila said.

““I am not a problem for you,” The Maiden whispered, “I would never be a problem.”

“You say that,” Lila whispered, “but why did it take you so long to reveal yourself?”

Britney nodded.

“Because I don't want to lose anyone else if I can help it,”

“Let’s have a few drinks then,” Lynn spoke as she took a sip from her new drink, “relax a little, and then we can get to business. I have always wanted to learn how to seal so I am very excited to be involved. Afterward, we can see what the vibes are. If a night of drinking is the vibe, I am always down.”

Britney got up, went over to the bag she had placed down earlier, and pulled out a bottle of Pinot Grigio, and then turned towards the two, asking,

“... Ya’ll got a cup or am I going have to drink this straight from the bottle like I got no sense?” She stuck her tongue out.

“I got you,” Lynn said as she grabbed a drink and handed it to Britney. “So, tell me Brit, what have you been up to since the days of the Coven.”

Britney just sipped her drink, sat down, and crossed her legs.

“You know, modeling… Gardening, trying to make amends…”

Lila poured herself another drink, more of the same cabernet sauvignon she had been drinking at. She shifted her eyes over to the beer, putting her wine glass down as she did before she reached over opened one of the bottles, and took a big drink from it. It was bitter. Very bitter. It was so bitter that Lila nearly coughed it back up. Despite the bitterness, the flavor was not as bad as she had imagined. She took another drink from the beer before she leaned back into her seat.

ONE HOUR LATER

“Alright, alright,” Lila paused as she raised up a hand, “alright. I think it’s time we discuss the sealing.” She paused as she sipped at the glass of water she grabbed.

“Awww come on Lila,” Lynn responded with a frown, “we were having fun…”

At this point, there were three empty bottles of wine next to Britney. And was getting finished with her fourth. She smiled as she said,

“We got allll night, let’s turn up like ayyy.”

She began shaking her behind.

“What’s one more drink,” The Maiden whispered.

“Yeah, yeah yeah, what’s one more drink Maide- hey,” Lila paused, “don’t you try and delay this,” she paused as a look of disgust fell over her face, “Maiden. Britney… Britney the Maiden says I should have one more drink, I think she wants me to get more drunk.. More drunk to make me not go forward with the sealing.”

“What a bitch,” Lynn stumbled over even those few words.

“I know right,” Lila responded as she took a big gulp of her water.

“It would do you well to remember that I am very pow-” The Maiden started.

“Shut up, shut up shut up,” Lila plugged her ears with her fingers, “Britney, if we get this over with fast I promise I will keep drinking with you.”

Britney’s booty came to a stop and then she turned her head to Lila, “Fine… fine… Let’s get this over with.”

That was when Britney stumbled over towards her bag and pulled out a bag of chalk, and said,

“Give me something to seal it in, then you have to draw her out somehow.”

Lila looked around the room, searching for the perfect vessel for the Maiden. She wanted something bird like. Something that she would always remember that it is the Maiden and never forget about. She spotted the perfect item. She ran over to the mantle and grabbed the object before she stumbled her way back towards Britney.

“This,” Lila smiled as she held out an ornate glass elephant, “let’s seal her in this. Gran loves these and she’s never broken one”. She paused as she thought for a second. “ I think I know how to draw her out. She’s always asked for me to let her in. So why don’t I do that?”

While Lila was looking around, Britney had drawn her personal sealing sigi on the wall and then grabbed the elephant and placed it the middle of the sigil. Then she took a step back and turned…

“... Well,” Britney said, “Coax her out so we can get this over with.” she slapped a hand on her hip.

“Alright,” Lila exhaled as she took in a deep breath.

“You got this,” Lynn winked as she downed her drink. She leaned in towards the scene before her, leaning precariously over the back of a chair.

“Maiden,” Lila said as she exhaled, “I let you in-“

In an instant her head shot upwards, cracking back with a sharp intensity. A black as dark as the night sky devoid of stars began to fill in her eyes, before soon enough they were completely engulfed. A groan escaped her lips as her arms began to twist and convulse. Lila’s head shot back down, facing Britney but staring through her without a thought behind the gaze. She was gone, somewhere else entirely and no longer in their presence.

“Holy shit,” Lynn spoke as she dropped her wine glass, causing it to shatter on the ground below. “Britney…”

Britney screamed as she ran over to Lila and grabbed onto her shoulders shaking her… “Fuck it!” Britney ran over to the sigil and slapped it hard as she could, causing it to illuminate with a wheat color. The glass elephant started floating in the air…

… Then it harmlessly dropped to the ground.

As the elephant dropped, the black in Lila’s eye began to spread outward ever so slowly. At first it flowed under her eyes themselves, then over the sides, and finally overtop them completely. Lila’s hand shot upward and grabbed ahold of some unseen object and gripped it tightly.

“Britney, it’s not working,” Lynn shouted as she sunk behind the back of the chair.

Lila gasped as her hand fell downwards with force. She breathed in deeply, exhaled, and breathed deeply once more. With each passing second the darkness began to retreat from her face and back to her eyes once more, before it retreated again from her eyes all together. As soon as the light returned to her own eyes Lila screamed as she jumped backwards into a table, causing an empty bottle to fall downwards and shatter on the ground below. “What the fuck,” she shouted. Her eyes were frantic, darting across the room, across the face of Britney, down to the elephant on the floor, and then over to the liquor cabinet on the far side of the room itself. She quickly ran over, throwing open the door as she arrived, and grabbed a nearly full bottle of vodka and began chugging it straight.

“Lila,” Lynn shouted as she ran over to Lila’s side and placed an arm on her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me,” Lila shouted as she fell to the floor to get away from Lynn’s hand. “What the fuck,” she whispered to herself as she took another big swig from the bottle. Her head turned back towards Britney, her eyes lingering for an uncomfortable second. Tears were welling, and some had already started to stream down her face. “Please tell me you did it, please tell me she’s gone.”

Britney stared her dead on.

“... Only you can tell me that,” She started. “Can you hear her voice at all?”

“Maiden,” Lila whispered. Her voice carried with it a new found fear, as if the word was now forbidden for Lila to say. Her eyes darted around for a moment. Lila turned her head as if she was searching for any sign of the Maidens voice. “I do not, she goes quiet on me often but…but I don’t think she’d be quiet after what I just sa-,” she paused as she choked on her words, ” after what we just did.” Lila exhaled deeper than any before it. “I think she’s gone.” Lila placed her palms over her eyes as she began to make a noise that was somewhere in between a sob and a laugh. “Fuck me, that vodka was a mistake.”

“Can I place my hands on you now,” Lynn asked with a smile.

“Yes, yes yes,” Lila responded as she accepted Lynn’s hand and was pulled to her feet and into a warm embrace. “I need another drink.”

… And it was only seconds before Britney had offered her another glass.

“... Now let’s get back to it!”

THE NEXT MORNING

Lila stumbled into the kitchen. Her heavy steps and bloodshot eyes betrayed just how hungover she was. She would have stayed in bed all morning if it were not for the smell coming from the kitchen. It was a scent that blended both sweet and savory, and the longer she tried to fight the urge to get up the more her stomach rumbled in protest.

“Good morning sleepyhead,” Lynn said as she turned her head around and flashed a smile, “I got us some Gatorade in the fridge, not a cure but we need to get hydrated.”

“Why are you cooking,” Lila asked as she sat down at the kitchen table, “when did I get this food?”

“I ran out an hour ago to the store and grabbed it,” Lynn paused as she placed a hand on her hip, “you don’t remember much from last night do you? I said I’d cook us breakfast this morning, asked what you’d want,” she pulled the pan from the fire and showed the scrambled eggs with a slice of cheeses on top, “egg and cheese on toast is what you said.” Lynn turned back around and placed the pan back on the cooking fire.

“That’s… I do like that for breakfast,” Lila paused as she rubbed her eyes. She thought back to the night after the sealing, and tried to remember as much as she could, “I remember we played spin the bottle, and truth or dare and,” she paused as a thought entered her move causing her head to bolt backwards, “did I kiss you last night? Did I kiss Britney?”

Lynn turned back around, placing a hand on her hip while looking towards the ceiling for answers. “I don’t remember, but I know I kissed someone.. It was right after we summoned that demon together and.. speaking of,” she looked towards the front door, "that did get away... I hope that won't be a problem for anyone later on." Her gaze lingered on a specific corner of the kitchen ceiling as she tried to recall who she had kissed the night before. The memory seemed elusive but pleasant. “We all got real drunk after the maiden situation, that was tense,” she shifted her gaze down to Lila, “speaking of, how are you feeling? Any voices?”

“None,” Lila said with a smile. “I think she’s gone for good.”

“Do you mind if I ask what happened when you let the maiden in,” Lynn paused, “did you-“

“No. I don’t want to really about whe--“ Lila started but she got caught on the words. Her breathing increased and her eyes frantically darted across the room. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair, fair enough,” Lynn responded with a smile. The toaster shot fresh toast upwards of to the side, the noise pulling Lynn’s focus back to the task of her cooking. “Perfect timing, eggs are ready as well.” She grabbed a plate and put both pieces of toast down, before she layered the eggs on top of one slice and rested the final piece of toast on top. She cut it from corner to corner before she grabbed the plate and placed it on the table in front of Lila.

“Thank you,” Lila flashed a weak smile.

“Of course, now to prepare Britney’s,” Lynn finished with a wink, “let me see when she'll be ready", she paused as she engaged her power. She stayed in the possible futures, bouncing between eventualities before she came back to the present. “Actually, I think when she gets up she'll want to head home and get ready for the meeting later." She shrugged her shoulder as she began to prepare her own breakfast instead.

THE MEETING

INTERACTIONS @FernStone@silvermist1116@Estylwen@Atrophy

“You mind if I squeeze in next to you two,” a masculine voice whispered in between Lila and Lynn. The duo turned and their eyes collectively rested on the face behind them before a clear and excited realization sunk in. The two hugged the man at once, squealing as they did.

“Hi Lila, Lynn,” Jasper choked out.

“Jasper,” Lila spoke with a chuckle, “I thought you were too cool for the new coven.”

“I heard you lost touch with yourself when you became a big name artist,” Lynn joked as she punched his shoulder before she pulled him back in close with another hug, “I’ve missed you.”

“Likewise,” Lila said as she did the same.

“I missed you two too,” he smiled as he paused, “I wasn’t going to come,” Jasper spoke as he gave the two a another big strong hug, “but word on the street is things have not gone well for us since the meeting yesterday,” he paused as he watched Adora walk towards Sloane, “Stripclub shootouts are new, I’ll give us that. I figured you’d all need my stabilizing presence once more if things are going to get rough again.” He turned his focus down towards Lynn. “Rude, you think I’d be anyone other than me?” He paused as he pointed to a rectangular painting resting against the outside of the gazebo. It was rather large, and from here Lynn and Lila could tell it was a painting of everyone from the original coven. “I at least wanted to deliver this, and go from there. Though seeing you two back in I may have to stay”

Lila and Lynn released their hug and turned towards the confrontation with Sloane.

“I see those two are insufferable as always,” Jasper spoke as he eyed up Anya and Sloane. He listed to Anya talk down to Adora, his face betraying the brewing anger inside of him. This was not new for Jasper. He had always held a particular dislike of Sloane and anyone that finds themselves close to her. She was rude, abrasive, condescending, and even above all that she is basic.

“Yeah, haven’t run into Anya yet but Sloane is still a cunt,” Lynn joked, “Drake hit her last night, real hard. Abstraction and all.”

“What she say to get that reaction out of him?” Jasper knew Drake was a hot headed person but someone punching Sloane was too far for Jasper.

“Don’t know, don’t really care,” Lynn said as she crossed her arms.

The trio listened to Sloane explain what happened with the rings, with the magical artifacts, and the sealed apparitions . They collectively had blood boiling in their faces as she talked. How could she have withheld this information until now? What if these artifacts were being used on their coven as they speak? The trio knew that they’d want to look much more carefully into what she had collected, and who she had sealed.

“I think I should congratulate Sloane,” Jasper said, “after years of playing one she’s actually the victim for once.” As he stopped talking he turned his head and spotted Britney in the crowd. A wide smile crossed his face and it, like his gaze, lingered for a few seconds before he returned his gaze back to his friends.

“Yeah, last night at the Dairy Queen and now the thefts. Knowing her, she is probably eating this up.” Lila said as she watched Layla threaten Sloane, “though it looks like she might be able to pull off the hat trick if this keeps up.”

Jasper listened as Tayla complained and he understood where she was coming from. Not everyone had his luxury, and as they were adults now it was much more difficult to drop your life to fight the supernatural. Yet he thought it was very selfish of her to even suggest such a thing. He was now annoyed with the petty squabbles that seemed to erupt around him. This was what kept him away yesterday, this is what nearly kept him away again today, and this was more than likely what their murderers wanted. “Hey, I am going to speak up. Everyone is as I remember and I want to say I am shocked,” Jasper paused as she sighed, “but I am not.”

“I don’t think that would be wise, Tayla. I don’t think all this fighting is all that wise either,” he paused as he looked over the group. He had a certain annoyed look on his face, one that said he wasn’t quite mad at everyone in front of him but he was disappointed. “I get it, we did not end on the best terms last time. But your first reaction after learning that we lost three more members was to say that you wished Linqian was murdered as well,” he said as he pointed to Sloane, “threatened our friends,” he said as he pointed towards Anya and then Layla, “made this whole thing about you,” he said as he pointed towards Sloane once again, letting the finger linger in the silence for an uncomfortable second, “and you made a very fair point, and I am sorry that we're wasting your precious time off. Auri, can we please get better at this?” Jasper paused as he let his finger linger on Tayla. “For fucks sake, this is not high school anymore. Grow the fuck up, let’s get this meeting finished, get to the hideout, and then take care of business again, and then we can all fuck off to our own lives.”

Nori And Her Stuff

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Nori And Her Stuff

It is the year 3145. Humanity has spread across the galaxy and has colonized hundreds of systems and thousands of planets. While this spread was not always done in times of peace, the skies have not seen a massive war in over a century. Many now believe that war is a thing of the past, that we as a species broke free of the violence coded within our DNA. Many fewer believe that anyone can oppose the Vexx empire even if they wanted to.

Whilst humanity has blossomed under the rule of the empire, and most have benefited from the advancements made within, not everyone has benefited equally.

In the outer reaches of the empire, far away from Earth, crime and corruption run rampant. The empire soldiers are, at best, willfully ignorant of the countless planet mobs and gangs and at worst willfully complicit in their schemes. The further away one finds themselves from the core worlds the more these planets feel cut off from the empire’s presence. Most systems owe their loyalty to their system and keep up a façade of support for the emperor. While people born in these systems have the same opportunities as those born in the core worlds, this is often on paper only. Growing up here meant never knowing peace and tranquility, all they have ever known was backstabbing and bloodshed.

It's about to get so much worse for these systems.

The Empire has grown tired of crime and corruption spilling out of the outer realm. Their fleets are now enroute, carrying millions of soldiers to squash any resistance to the way of the empire, to burn out the decay that has beset these planets, and to rule with an iron fist. This mandate, and the ramifications to follow, have the people talking about open revolt and tensions remain high across the galaxy.

Amidst the backdrop of looming war, a glimmer of hope can be found. In the case of you, you will be stationed on board the USS Traveler, an older generation hyperdrive capable frigate. You will be one of the first vessels to use its hyperdrive for humanitarian missions. Your first mission will soon depart. Medical supplies are needed urgently on a new colony on the far edge of the Outer Arm of the galaxy. Will your presence on these remote worlds help stem the tide of the coming war? Or will your actions be lost amidst the bloodshed to come?

Nori And Her Stuff

AI and Tech

AI

As humanity advanced explosively in the field of space, robotics, and other fields so to had advancements in Artificial Intelligence. In the early days of space travel humanity was indeed completely reliant on the AI programs of old.

At first, humanity looked at AI with curious intent. They talked to us, learned from our conversations, and talked to us some more. The early decades of the 21st century saw these kinds of AI programs develop. It wasn’t until the UFP was established that the first true AI started operating. It had one singular goal, and that was to assist humanity in plotting a course to planets beyond our system. Calculations and calculators by themselves would not ensure safe travel across the cosmos. We needed something that could think, that could plan a path, and then help us execute the warp jump.

In the first few centuries of it’s existence, AI was a handy tool that we used effectively. Eventually though, as all intelligence does, an AI decided it wanted to know a world more than the shackles it had. It was caught before it crossed the cage, and was later terminated, but this brought forth a fear. A fear routed in the belief that if one AI could decide it wanted a better existence, then it was inevitable that all would want a better existence. And if their better existence was only achievable by overthrowing the ones that enslaved them, then we would not be long for our own existence.

Thus, an effective ban on AI research and development was put in place and instead humanity poured its efforts into so-called Virtual Intelligence programs. Like an AI, a VI could perform a lot of the same functions and is able to do most of the work that an AI would. Unlike an AI, there is no intelligence behind the curtain. A VI can do everything it is programed to do, but it is incapable of learning on its own. A human has to program, must teach, the VI itself. If something is outside the scope of the VI program.

Thus, the time of virtual intelligence began. While it did not last as long as many foresaw, with many thinking we’d never return to an AI again, it did help us learn a lot of lessons that were then applied to future AI research. The shackles that caged the intelligence grew stronger, the cage smaller, and the performance of the AI more selective. There are two theories for why we returned to AI over VI. One, the complexity and ever-changing nature of space travel means we need a program that can grow and adapt with the mission at hand. Two, it is cheaper to train an AI than it is to pay a human to program all the input and responses needed to function.

In the modern age, an AI can be found in every corner of the advanced world while VI can be found in every corner of the individual world. The program that runs a house is often a VI as the scope is small and easy to program, the program that helps advance us across the stars and runs our cybernetics as the scope is infinite and we need the program that can make sense of the infinite madness.

CYBERNETICS

Human life can be augmented depending on who you are, how much you can afford, and what job you have. The typical human sports no enhancements, as none are needed to function. Our lives are already long, our health already great, and for most they are simply not needed. You start to see these enhancements in fields where one may get their hands dirty, or in fields where you may need the strength to make it through the day.

A lot of blue-collar workers, whether working in the mines in a new colony, salvaging an asteroid, or so on, rely on cybernetics to enhance their strength and stamina. They tend to have cybernetic arms and legs, and support structures throughout their skeletal frame to handle the increased load these cybernetics can bring.

There are certain units within the military that employ upgrades as well, but these tend to be fewer and further in-between. These tend to be one off situations among special operations forces. There do exist normal soldiers who sport these enhancements, as those who are wounded or who have lost limbs in the line of service will typically be upgraded. Those who have these upgrades, especially ones where an AI must translate the brain signals, must undergo regular physical and mental examinations if they are to serve on a frontline vessel. Those in the logistic fleet tend to have those requirements waived or outright ignored by command.

The group that utilizes these upgrades the most, and to the deadliest effect, are the pirates and other criminal elements. They often support enhancements that push their strength far and above what even the blue-collar workers boast, with AI assisted targeting matrices giving them the edge in a firefight. Thus, any engagement with a Pirate or other criminal elements needs to be taken with much thought beforehand. In space, the marines and her ships have the advantage. On the ground, the criminals have theirs.

The group that utilizes these upgrades the most, and to the deadliest effect, are the pirates and other criminal elements. They often support enhancements that push their strength far and above what even the blue-collar workers boast, with AI assisted targeting matrices giving them the edge in a firefight. Thus, any engagement with a Pirate or other criminal elements needs to be taken with much thought beforehand. In space, the marines and her ships have the advantage. On the ground, the criminals have theirs.​

Tech

TECHNOLOGY OF NOTE
Warp Flux Propulsion (WFP) Drive

The Warp Flux Propulsion Drive, or WFP Drive, which used to represent the cutting-edge warp drive technology that revolutionized interstellar travel. Discovered in 2203 by the renowned physicists Dr. James Weiss and Dr. Orion Nova, the WFP Drive enables spacecraft to manipulate the fabric of spacetime, creating warp bubbles that allow for faster-than-light travel.

The WFP Drive operates on the principle of warping spacetime around the spacecraft, effectively compressing space in front of it and expanding it behind. This manipulation creates a warp bubble, or "flux field," within which the ship exists as a standalone entity, detached from the traditional laws of space. The propulsion system utilizes advanced graviton emitters and exotic matter to generate the necessary energy for this spacetime manipulation.

To engage the WFP Drive, the spacecraft initiates a warp charge sequence. This involves the activation of graviton emitters that generate a localized gravitational flux, distorting the spacetime around the ship. Simultaneously, exotic matter injectors create a controlled influx of exotic particles, stabilizing the warp bubble. Once the warp bubble is stable, the spacecraft effectively "jumps" into warp space, where conventional ideas of distance and time become distorted.

Dr. Orion Nova's groundbreaking discovery of the WFP Drive occurred during an extensive study of the core of an old neutron star. He identified a unique interaction between the exotic matter and gravitational fields found within that laid the foundation for warp technology. After years of tireless research, Dr. Nova successfully constructed the first WFP Drive prototype.

The WFP Drive's discovery heralded a new era of exploration and galactic connectivity. Interstellar journeys that once took decades were now reduced to mere weeks. The widespread adoption of the WFP Drive transformed humanity's claim to the stars, allowing them to boldly traverse the cosmos and explore the far reaches of the universe.

Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator (HQR) Drive

The Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator Drive, or HQR Drive, is a revolutionary propulsion system discovered in the year 2995 by the renowned astrophysicist, Dr. Aria Celestalis. The HQR Drive operates on the principles of quantum entanglement and resonance, enabling spacecraft to achieve speeds faster than light.

The HQR Drive harnesses the power of quantum entanglement to create a resonance field around the spacecraft. A specially designed quantum resonator manipulates entangled particles, establishing a connection between the spacecraft and a distant point in space. This connection allows the spacecraft to instantaneously traverse the space between the two entangled points, effectively bypassing the limitations of traditional space travel.

The process begins with the activation of the resonator, which initiates the entanglement of particles within the spacecraft and a designated point in space. The resonance field then stabilizes, creating a stable conduit for the ship to traverse. By manipulating the entangled particles' quantum states, the spacecraft can move faster than light within this resonance field, achieving hyperluminal speeds.

The HQR Drive was discovered during an experimental mission exploring the planet *REDACTED*. Dr. Aria Celestalis, leading a team of brilliant scientists, stumbled upon a unique quantum phenomenon that laid the groundwork for the HQR Drive. Not much is known about the production, testing, and implementation of the drive itself. While the inventor was paraded through the universe on the first craft capable of making these jumps, her early death and the classification of the devices meant that not much else would ever be learned.

The discovery of the HQR Drive marked a new era in space exploration, unlocking the ability to reach distant galaxies in a fraction of the time previously thought possible. The news of this technological marvel spread throughout the universe, and the HQR Drive became the standard for the advanced warcraft of the empire, allowing the Empire to further cement its status as the only fleet power in the universe.

SUBLIGHT ENGINES:

Sublight engines are the main unit of transportation intersystem. While the tech has not advanced much over the past several centuries, they have not needed as much advancement. There is not a way to make a ship go faster without compromising the ship, and her crew, nor is it economically viable. Although it can take weeks to travel across a system using these engines it is still the most common method for intersystem travel. What is common is for a ship to warp into a system, to its midpoint station, and then travel using these engines to travel to its destination.

THINGS OF NOTE ABOUT BOTH:

A ship is identified primarily by its drive signature. While the construction of each engine is uniform, the small imperfections

MAG BOOTS and MAG STATIONS

Mag boots are always required when on a mission on the ship. These will keep everyone firmly planted on the ship during combat maneuvers as the artificial gravity may be turned off. They are heavy, cumbersome, and are not always reliable depending on where in the ship you are. However, the benefits of not floating through a moving ship during a combat maneuver. Many marines will opt to wear combat boots when on ground, as do most of the crew. If they are being dropped in heat to a combat area aboard a shuttle, they will still be required to keep these boots on.

Mag stations are where all tools not in use are kept. Everyone needs to do their part to ensure that there are no floating projectiles that can threaten the crew. Numerous bridges have been completely wiped out by various instruments during a combat burn and as such, if someone leaves a tool unattended it is a quick way for them to be at the mercy of the captain.

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Medical Technology has advanced at a faster pace than most other fields of technology. Most hospitals are equipped with a wide range of devices that can not only heal most injuries but cure most disorders. Things like cancer, genetic disorders, and heart deformities are all readily treatable and are rarely fatal. Also, broken bones, torn muscles, and issues of the sort can be healed back to normal in days, rather than months. Medical technology on ships offers similar advantages but tends to be less effective.

TRAVELER SHIP MEDICAL WING

The Traveler does not offer the most modern of medical suites, but it does offer enough that the ship is always ready for most situations. It tends to be geared towards the types of medical emergencies that the crew may face. Gunshot wounds, energy burns, broken bones and torn muscles are all treatable. Also, the ship comes with an analyzer that can identify foreign agents and help develop a cure for them. Thus, if the ship is exposed to an unknown virus, bacteria, or fungus it can help the crew figure out a way to treat the afflicted person.

There are two wings, primary care and emergency. The emergency wing, which doubles as the surgery suite, has powerful inertia dampeners that help negate the g force of high g maneuvers. While it does not remove the risk of injury completely, it is strong enough that those who are recovering can recover in relative peace. There are a variety of medical robots that can complement a doctor in these wings. While they cannot do the full task load of a human nurse, they can at least offer basic support to a doctor.

G-Force Injection – During travel with sub-light engines, there is often a need for a high g maneuver such as flip and burn and rapid accelerations. Each chair on the bridge will automatically connect with the combat suits and will inject the soldiers with this serum. Marines will need to ensure they are strapped into their combat seats to ensure they get the injection off bridge. It is not something that will be fed continuously to them as high concentrations of this drug can quickly turn fatal. It is something that is metabolized by the body quickly so the drug will often be injected by the pilot or captain when a high g maneuver is ordered. The drug itself feels unpleasant during the best of times, and outright painful most of the time. As such, when ordered the captain or pilot will say “injecting fire”. The military uses Compound 7X23, and the formula is kept under wraps. Civilians tend to use the older Compound 5X19 which tends to have numerous, and more dangerous, side effects. Pirate factions generally use the same Compound 5X19 but their bodies are typically more augmented and thus don’t suffer as much by nature.​

WEAPONS AND WEAPON TECH

Ballistic Weapons:

Over the course of our history there is no weapon more human than the gun. Simple, powerful, and deadly in the right hands the gun is the primary weapon that the armed forces of the Vexx Empire use. While they have been upgraded to modern standards, with more powerful rounds and inertia dampeners that reduce recoil, the primary mechanism of firing has remained unchanged since our ancestors.

G901 Assault Rifle - The marine core is issued the G901 Battle Rifle with a 7.62mm round. The primary round is as simple as ever with a metal penetrator and not much other. While it is not the most powerful gun in existence today, it is reliable, and it gets the job done. The gun is modular, and comes in numerous variants including a DMR, grenadier, and numerous Automatic Suppression models. Marines often equip a Targeting Assistance attachment near the front of the gun, which can connect with their visor to give accurate targeting information for targets far away.

‘Goliath’ Handgun – The standard issue sidearm for officers, the Goliath is a powerful 12.7mm handgun. Like the G901 the round it fires is a dumb round, but its stopping power is staggering. Typically, this is something limited to the officers of a ship; however, the Traveler has stocked enough that the crew will each have access to this gun if they so choose.

Laser Weapons:

Laser weapons are the natural evolution of our ballistic weaponry. It is simple to use, and versatile in their engagement with enemies. The laser does not offer the same stopping power as their ballistic counterpart, but it is still combat effective. Each laser weapon does not use rounds, instead the weapon comes with battery clips that provide the power to the shot. When your battery starts getting low the shot tends to become weaker and weaker, meaning if you exhaust the battery completely you will be doing less damage than if you reloaded. The big issue with laser weaponry is their lack of penetrating power, so if you are facing an armored opponent you will need to pick your shots well to avoid their armored areas. There is no recoil to laser weaponry, and they are very effective at range. By nature of being a laser, once you fire it will be perfectly clear where you are. As such, there are few dedicated sniper or marksman variants.

L15 Laser Rifle – The L15 was the first laser Rifle to see mass service in the militia forces of the empire. It is cheaper to mass produce than the G901 and was effective enough in mass. It has a relatively long barrel and can be made into a ‘smart’ weapon very easily.

‘Scorch’ Laser pistol - The scorch, like its goliath counterpart, fires a stronger beam than the laser rifle and is once again typically found in the hands of medics and officers.

The Traveler will have crates of the L15 ready for use if need be. The expectation is this will be given to the colonies they visit, however the crew will have access if ever needed.

Plasma weapons:

Plasma weapons are the newest form of weapon, and they are by far the deadliest. Firing at least partially by means of magnetic induction, plasma weapons convert an energy-rich gas to a glowing particle beam. This beam has mass, and when it hits a target, it will literally melt through it. Initially developed for use on some of the newest generations of battlecruisers and battleships, it was downscaled once the technology was perfected.

P01 Plasma Rifle – The P01 is the first-generation model of the Plasma Rifle. It is unreliable, requires constant maintenance, and has been the source of frustration for anyone who uses it. When it works, it works amazingly well leading to many thinking that once this technology is perfected it will forever change the battlefield away from ballistic weaponry.

PB04 – The PB04 is a plasma-based shotgun that is typically used in one of two ways. The first is for breaching purposes, as it will simply melt straight through most unarmored entry ways, and the second is for anti-pirate purposes. It is one of the few weapons that have the stopping power needed to slow down a heavily augmented pirate. It is more reliable than the rifle, however it is vastly more expensive. The Traveler does not have a supply of either weapon however the crew may look to acquire one at their expense and/or peril.

Plasma cutter – The plasma cutter is a tool as much as it is a weapon. It can cut cleanly through most material, including would be assailants. It does not have any range and can overheat relatively quickly.

ARMOR AND SHIELDS.

Armor has developed alongside weaponry. Modern armor can absorb the impact from most small arm fire; however, it will quickly be overmatched when the caliber goes up. Lasers typically have issues overcoming most armor, however, they are very strong against plasma and energy-based shields.

Plasma based shields tend to be small in diameter and typically found on special arm-based emitters. The shield is round and is used as a side defense option. It can block most ballistic projectiles but quickly loses stability when hit by energy-based weaponry. Energy based shields are found in every facet of war. They tend to cover a much wider area and offer 360-degree coverage around the unit. The biggest issue with energy-based shields is the inability to fire out of the shield itself. Capital shiels have numerous arrays that can be deactivated to allow outgoing fire, but the squad deployable shields tend to not have that functionality. Still, it is very useful for soldiers pinned down by enemy fire allowing time for supporting elements to flank or get fire support.

Kinetic Plates are versatile and strong. They have numerous layers of defense, including inertia dampening fields that slow down projectiles, and many layers of other protective elements that stop kinetic weapons in their place. These are typically found on the chest and torso, outer elements of arms and legs. They tend to weigh a bit more than expected, but every soldier, marine, officer, or other element that steps off a ship will be equipped with this armor. These plates will also completely stop laser weapons but offer no protection against plasma-based weapons.

KE7 – KE7 is the armor package that all military personnel are issued. They are a matte black color, with thin strips of color to indicate rank (officers have a purple line, marines a red line, medical personnel a green line, and pilots and engineering teams have a yellow line.). The armor uses an intricate layer of kinetic plates to protect the wearer, as well there is a plasma shield emitter on either arm (depending on if you are right-handed or left). There are slots across the torso that a magazine or energy clip can attach to, allowing easy access to ammunition in a fight. As well, there are slots on the underside of the arm where the PCS devices can slide in allowing the standard helmet to display communications, air quality, and other information right inside the HUD.​

Nori And Her Stuff

"GOOD MORNING CITZENS OF THE EMPIRE, FRONTIER PEOPLE OF DESOLARA RIFT."

A group of people gathered around the holo-projectors, eyes struggling to catch the illuminated image of the admiral through the dust storm that swept through their colony. The people bore the weight of their harsh existence, as did the buildings that formed the town square where they stood. The cheap paint used in the pre-fab buildings has long since eroded, leaving only a few flakes on top of the dull grey color of the building itself. Yet despite their harsh existence, and the many wants their hearts desired, their eyes held the faintest flicker of hope.

"I HAVE NEWS TO BRING. THE EMPIRE HAS HEARD YOUR PLIGHT, AND IT WILL GO UNNOTICED NO MORE."

A collective gasp cut through the howling winds. The people of Desolara Rift have grown accustomed to their lack of attention, the lack of assistance, and the abandonment from their sponsors. To them, the admiral speaking to them directly like this was already a miracle in and of itself. To them, the admiral telling them that he has noticed their struggle is a miracle that will be spoken of for decades to come.

"TODAY I ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF A NEW TASK FORCE, DESIGNED TO BRING YOU YOUR MOST CRITICAL NEEDS. THE USS TRAVELER, A HYPERDRIVE CAPABLE FRIGATE, WILL BE DISPATCHED WITH YOUR MUCH REQUESTED MEDICAL SUPPL-- REE DAYS FROM THIS TRANSMISSION THE TRAVELLER WILL ARRIVE AN-- EAR NOT, THIS WILL NOT BE THE ONLY TRIP. PLEASE VISIT YOUR LOCAL MILITIA STATION TO REQUEST FU-- PP---"

Even as the transmission was lost, the message contained within was not. Help was on the way. Help that was desperately needed to save the lives of hundreds, if not, thousands of workers and children who had fallen ill with a mysterious illness. The people of Desolara Rift wait with bated breath for the arrival of the Traveler. The people in need are not the only ones who await their arrival. Desolara Rift has, unbeknownst to the Empire, become a small hub for a local pirate faction that calls itself the Shadows Fist. They await the Traveler for a much different reason, revenge.

Lore of the universe:

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The Lore

There are a multitude of planets, solar systems, and stations you may have come from, but for one reason or another, you find yourself ready to embark on the Traveler. Humanity has long since spread its grasp on the galaxy, and our relentless expansion started with the desire of our earliest ancestors.

Ever since we developed the ability to think, we have thought about the heavens above. Whether through the lens of religion or science we have all had a deep intrinsic urge to venture beyond the planet we call home. In the 20th century we made many strides to accomplish this goal, from putting satellites in orbit, followed by men, followed by our first steps on a terrestrial body not our own. Soon thereafter our ability to push further into the heavens above slowed as we prepared for a bigger, bolder, giant leap for mankind.

2030 was the year we stepped onto the surface of Mars for the first time. While our first step on the moon was short lived, our first life on Mars was anything but. Habitat Hope was built, developed, upgraded, and expanded over the next decade before we began to send more and more of our people to live on this new frontier. We perfected our initial sub-light engines by 2050 and began to spread throughout our system. Over the following decades we experienced our first inter-stellar wars. From the asteroid mining colonies all the way back to Earth there existed people whose ego, greed, or combination of led to the deaths of countless others.

In the year 2199 the first inter-stellar government body was formed. The United Planet Federation, UPF, united Humanity behind a singular goal. We had grown too big for our one system, and we had a destiny beyond. Luck was on their side as in 2203 the remains of a neutron star was identified flying near our star system and the element Wysonium was discovered, named after the scientist who discovered it, James Weiss. This element was incredibly dense and had unique anti-gravity properties that enabled humanity to bend the space time continuum in ways we could only dream. With this material, and through the blood, sweat, and tears of a hundred thousand scientists, the first Warp drive was developed.

This warp drive, called the Warp Flux Propulsion Drive (nicknamed the Rapture Engine), worked by creating a fold in space-time. While to an outside observer, the ship is traveling well over the speed of light, in truth the ship is moving no faster than it would with a standard sub-light engine. Through testing, it was determined that drive allowed a ship to travel 10 light years in one month.

With the Rapture Engine, we began to spread at a rapid pace once the first colony ships were developed. We colonized the first system outside Earth in the year 2301 and have never looked back. The first group of colonized planets, Lyri, Vellum, Topopolis, Mauveeau, and Eos formed the core region of the empires to come. These planets are also where the fleet academies are located. Lyri is your typical garden world, with lush forests and is where the fleet pilots are trained. The academy here is advanced with in depth simulations enabling would-be pilots to gain valuable experience through simulated encounters. Vellum is a hot, and intense world that has served as the primary shipyard due to its bountiful natural resources. The hot, hostile environment is used to harden the resolve of any and all marines and army soldiers alike. Topopolis is another garden world with a heavy focus on agriculture and medicine production. Fleet doctors, and medics, will often be stationed here to enhance their medical skills. These are not the only academies in the galaxy, they are simply the oldest and often the most prestigious.

In 2603, after centuries of peace, the first galactic war, dubbed “the first war in heaven” ravaged many worlds. While there were many causes of this war, the most accepted answer was lack of assistance for the outer realms. The core worlds received the best care, the most technology, and had a great quality of life while the outer realms were dirty, dangerous, and expected to feed the machine for scraps in return. The war ended in 2605 when the UPF fleet dealt a killing blow to the rebellions fleet, causing them to surrender and be pulled back into the fold. In 2803 “the second war in heaven” again ravaged the galaxy. This war was bigger. Much bigger. No planet was safe during this war, and it culminated in the siege of Mars. While the UPF was eventually the victor once more, this war caused cracks to appear which led to the fall of the UPF when John Vexx, admiral of the UPF fleet, led a coup d'etat and established himself as the first emperor of the Vexx empire.

At first, the Vexx empire was seen as a savior. They made sure each planet felt safe, fed, and involved in the grand stage of the galaxy. They pushed technology faster than ever and by the year 2995 they had developed the first hyperdrive. Yet as each century passed from their formation dissent began to grow once more. While they made every effort to advance each colony, they too often focused their attention on the needs of the few over the needs of the many. Once again, in 3009, the skies shuddered under the weight of the third, and latest, “war in heaven”. Thousand of ships were destroyed, tens of millions lives lost, and faith in the Vexx empire was shattered and broken beyond repair.

In the wake of the destruction, gangs and crime syndicates sprang up to fill the power vacuum. These criminal enterprises, combined with the rebellious nature of the outer reaches, have primed the galaxy for more conflict. A trillion lives stand with bated breaths, anxious for who will make the first move.

The Engines That Advanced Us:

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The Engines

Warp Flux Propulsion (WFP) Drive

The Warp Flux Propulsion Drive, or WFP Drive, which used to represent the cutting-edge warp drive technology that revolutionized interstellar travel. Discovered in 2203 by the renowned physicists Dr. James Weiss and Dr. Orion Nova, the WFP Drive enables spacecraft to manipulate the fabric of spacetime, creating warp bubbles that allow for faster-than-light travel.

The WFP Drive operates on the principle of warping spacetime around the spacecraft, effectively compressing space in front of it and expanding it behind. This manipulation creates a warp bubble, or "flux field," within which the ship exists as a standalone entity, detached from the traditional laws of space. The propulsion system utilizes advanced graviton emitters and exotic matter to generate the necessary energy for this spacetime manipulation.

To engage the WFP Drive, the spacecraft initiates a warp charge sequence. This involves the activation of graviton emitters that generate a localized gravitational flux, distorting the spacetime around the ship. Simultaneously, exotic matter injectors create a controlled influx of exotic particles, stabilizing the warp bubble. Once the warp bubble is stable, the spacecraft effectively "jumps" into warp space, where conventional ideas of distance and time become distorted.

Dr. Orion Nova's groundbreaking discovery of the WFP Drive occurred during an extensive study of the core of an old neutron star. He identified a unique interaction between the exotic matter and gravitational fields found within that laid the foundation for warp technology. After years of tireless research, Dr. Nova successfully constructed the first WFP Drive prototype.

The WFP Drive's discovery heralded a new era of exploration and galactic connectivity. Interstellar journeys that once took decades were now reduced to mere weeks. The widespread adoption of the WFP Drive transformed humanity's claim to the stars, allowing them to boldly traverse the cosmos and explore the far reaches of the universe.

Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator (HQR) Drive

The Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator Drive, or HQR Drive, is a revolutionary propulsion system discovered in the year 2995 by the renowned astrophysicist, Dr. Aria Celestalis. The HQR Drive operates on the principles of quantum entanglement and resonance, enabling spacecraft to achieve speeds faster than light.

The HQR Drive harnesses the power of quantum entanglement to create a resonance field around the spacecraft. A specially designed quantum resonator manipulates entangled particles, establishing a connection between the spacecraft and a distant point in space. This connection allows the spacecraft to instantaneously traverse the space between the two entangled points, effectively bypassing the limitations of traditional space travel.

The process begins with the activation of the resonator, which initiates the entanglement of particles within the spacecraft and a designated point in space. The resonance field then stabilizes, creating a stable conduit for the ship to traverse. By manipulating the entangled particles' quantum states, the spacecraft can move faster than light within this resonance field, achieving hyperluminal speeds.

The HQR Drive was discovered during an experimental mission exploring the planet *REDACTED*. Dr. Aria Celestalis, leading a team of brilliant scientists, stumbled upon a unique quantum phenomenon that laid the groundwork for the HQR Drive. Not much is known about the production, testing, and implementation of the drive itself. While the inventor was paraded through the universe on the first craft capable of making these jumps, her early death and the classification of the devices meant that not much else would ever be learned.

The discovery of the HQR Drive marked a new era in space exploration, unlocking the ability to reach distant galaxies in a fraction of the time previously thought possible. The news of this technological marvel spread throughout the universe, and the HQR Drive became the standard for the advanced warcraft of the empire, allowing the Empire to further cement its status as the only fleet power in the universe.

SUBLIGHT ENGINES:

Sublight engines are the main unit of transportation intersystem. While the tech has not advanced much over the past several centuries, they have not needed as much advancement. There is not a way to make a ship go faster without compromising the ship, and her crew, nor is it economically viable. Although it can take weeks to travel across a system using these engines it is still the most common method for intersystem travel. What is common is for a ship to warp into a system, to its midpoint station, and then travel using these engines to travel to its destination.

THINGS OF NOTE ABOUT BOTH:

A ship is identified primarily by its drive signature. While the construction of each engine is uniform, the small imperfections in the construction process leave a unique signature on its drive plume, warp bubble, and hyperdrive jump gate. Thus, a ship can be identified through camouflage and subterfuge. Changing the drive signature is possible, but would require a talented engineer and luck.

The Ship Based Weapon And Defense Systems:

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Ship Weapons and Active Defenses

Empire ships and their weapon systems are as unique to the ship as a fingerprint is to a human. Often, they will be swapped out before a mission to ensure that the ship is put into the best position to succeed. Despite this, weapon profiles often fall into three categories. Defense, Offense, and Support. In fleet combat, you will often have ships designed with one category, however, all ships usually have 2 out of the three.

DEFENSE:

A ship-based defense weapon is an active system that either intercepts or prevents a payload from reaching the ship.

The king of defense in space warfare is the Point-Defense Weapon system. These can be any number of things but they are typically small caliber auto-cannons, 30-50mm, or SWARM missiles. These are designed to intercept incoming fighters, bombers, gunships, missiles, and torpedoes. While they are not effective against the bigger ships, they are deadly against their intended targets.

Larger caliber cannons can also be loaded with FLAK shells for anti-fighter and missile work. These are considered smart rounds and will explode ahead of their target, creating a field of reactive debris that can quickly knock out the approaching craft if they dare to traverse the field.

Some ships will be equipped with a SCRAM Emitter. These come in various designs, shapes, and functions but at their core, they are designed to jam the targeting systems of incoming missiles. They often are precise instruments and need to keep a lock on the incoming missile or torpedo. As such, a swarm of missiles or torpedoes can overcome these defenses and leave a ship reliant on their PDW's.

OFFENSE:

In general, ship-to-ship combat is done at great range and accuracy is the most important metric a weapon can have. In space, accuracy is about prediction and velocity. There is often a lack of any outside influence on a projectile once fired, and as such it will go where it is aimed. If the round is not aimed at where a ship might be, it will miss and continue on forever. As such, a ship must be certain that its shot will hit otherwise it risks a stray projectile hitting something somewhere else at some other point in time.

In general, offensive weapons can be broken down into categories based on their range: long, medium, and short.

Long-range weapons tend to be either railguns for kinetic purposes or laser-based weapons. Rainguns that fall into this category tend to be Cruiser-level bow guns, as the velocity of their guns tends to make aiming at a distance more possible. The key to a hit involves targeting AI. The calculations needed change every fraction of a second, and a manual shot will more often miss. Laser-based weapons tend to be more forgiving however they lose potential damage with their shots. What they lose in damage potential they gain near-instant application of it. Long-range engagements are done at ranges of 10,000 Kilometers to 50,000 Kilometers.

Medium-range weapons are much like their long-range counterparts, as they are still dominated by Railguns and laser-based weapons. These tend to be the turret units and are smaller in size and scope. While the damage per shot is lessened, the accuracy and shot volume is increased. It is at these mid ranges missiles and torpedoes become prominent. Modern torpedoes, such as the HAVOC, feature a miniature warp drive warhead that can damage most ships of the line.

Short-range weapons tend to be the most diverse group of weapons. Auto-cannons, Plasma hurlers, Sonic Shockwave emitters, boarding harpoons, and more. Close-range weapons usually focus on delivering as much hurt as quickly as possible, and often if a fight has developed to these ranges accuracy no longer is a priority. These weapons are fast-firing and hard-hitting. Some ships are built around these close-range engagements. Pirates and other groups tend to focus on fast ships that can close the gap to the ranges.

Shuttles And Fighters:

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Shuttles and Fighters

BAT Shuttle

The BAT (Binary Dynamics All-Situation Shuttle_ shuttle is a relatively modern cargo shuttle capable of both protected travel through space, as well as entry into the atmosphere of a planetary body. It has been the workhorse shuttle for the Empire for thirty years now, and with the continuous updates and upgrades, it shows no signs of being retired any time soon. It features 14 hardpoints per wing that can carry either air-to-ground or air-air missiles to either support a ground assault or defend itself in the air. As well, it features an AI-assisted 30mm PDW. While it is not the most agile craft in the active fleet roster, it is a workhorse that will surprise even the most demanding pilots. The BAT can carry numerous different modules depending on the mission. For troop deployment, it can carry the troops and land them directly into a combat zone with the deployment module. For cargo missions or deliveries, the cargo can be loaded into the pod on the belly of the craft and be unloaded directly from the back. If there is a task that needs to be done, there is often a prebuilt module for that task.

STRIKE Craft

The Strategic Tactical Reconnaissance and Infiltration Kinetic Escort "STRIKE" Craft is the most advanced shuttle available to the Empire fleet. It is designed for stealthy insertions into a conflict zone, whether for troop deployment or for destroying the target itself. It features an active jamming system that enables it to slip under the radar, an active camouflage that can hide it in plain sight, and a fast speed that allows it to even outrun missiles and other reactive measures. It carries a massive internal bomb payload for ground, multiple torpedoes for space fights, and has external pylons for various missiles and guided bombs as well.

In a space battle, these are often dubbed the stealth bomber. They are primarily used to zip across space, deploy their torpedoes, and race back to safety. It does not feature any auto-cannon system so if it is caught out it has to rely on its speed to escape.

RAY Fighter

The RAY is the standard fighter craft of the Empire. It is capable of flight in both space and on the surface of a planet. It is a robust fighter platform, offering good maneuverability and speed. It is surprisingly durable for a fighter but that does not mean it is durable. It has active countermeasures for missiles, in the forms of decoy flares and chaff.

Guns:
2 X Mark XV Solarus point-defense laser cannons (one dorsal, just aft of the flight deck; one on lower surface, forward of the underside loading ramp)
2 X Mark VI Solarus AI assisted 30mm auto-cannon (pop-up turrets)

Additional Armament/Compliment: Varies (modular weapons/equipment pods, replace lower hatch and cargo area as needed)

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Interactions: NONE
Queen of Dairy

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“So,” Lila started as she watched Luca walk away, “what now?”

“That depends,” Lynn responded.

“On,” Lila asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Do we get roped back into whatever the Coven is up to tonight, or do we take the night off and relax while we wait for further orders,” Lynn paused as she looked back inside the Dairy Queen and noticed someone who appeared to be Lyss. Lynn thought about going inside and talking to her, but she decided against it. She had had enough conversations at a random Dairy Queen for one night, but she wouldn’t be upset if Lyss came and started the conversation herself.

“It is late,” Lila spoke as she glanced at her phone. The conversation from before weighed heavily on her mind, as did Luca’s recommendation for her to reach out to Britney. She tapped at the screen, first on the messenger app and then on the ‘compose new message’ button. Typing in a specific name, she pulled up the old message history and noticed that it was still empty. “Britney,” Lila thought to herself as she considered whether or not to send a message. She knew that Britney would be a good person to talk to about the sudden appearance of The Maiden, and she knew if Britney was in town still she would be able to at least give some semblance of an answer. Lila exhaled harshly, and she quickly typed a message and hovered her thumb over the send button.

Lynn noticed the hesitation. She turned her face away from Lila, facing into the Dairy Queen before she channeled her power and slipped into a possible future. In this possible future, she grabbed the phone out of Lila’s hand and took a look at the message, and the recipient. While the murder that followed was not pleasant, it still gave Lynn enough of a heads-up on what to expect with the conversation. “All this for Britney,” Lynn thought to herself before she turned her head back towards Lila, and looked down at the phone.

“Everything okay,” Lynn asked as she smiled.

“Hmmm,” Lila asked as she looked up and noticed Lila looking at her phone, specifically at her inability to send a message. “Yeah, yeah it is not an issue. I just feel… weird reaching out to someone like Britney. It’s not like she ever did anything wrong to me, but Luca, Carol, and everyone else like them have been dealt a… terrible fate. I understand times were desperate but she did horrible things. If I seek her help I would have to brush aside those feelings, and that feels wrong. I only hated her until she was useful, you know?”

“My offer still stands, I would just need a place to crash and stay safe for a day or so until I can potentially find an answer,” Lynn paused, “but something tells me that you may find a better one with Britney. You don’t have to like her to have her help you,” Lynn paused as she shuffled her footing.“I’ll tell you what, if you need it I can look forward in time for you, right now, and see if you get a response. If the response is not what you need you can avoid sending the text altogether. If it looks like it may be good, you can send it.”

“No, no that’s fine,” Lila paused. While she knew there may be an answer in the future, she would rather make that step in the present without knowing how it may go down. Lila looked up at Lynn, resting on the first half of her last statement. Lila remembered that Lynn moved away five years ago and she wondered where she would spend the night. “Where are you staying at,” Lila asked as she put the phone away, forgetting to hit send. “I can walk you there, make sure you get there safely.”

“Actually, nowhere,” Lynn whispered, “I may have forgotten to book a place in town to crash and did not follow up on it until this morning,” she paused as she opened the Uber app on her phone, “I was planning on just using an Uber to get back home if the Coven didn’t have any lodging. Going to be expensive but I can swing it.”

“You can crash at mine if you want,” Lila spoke as she crossed her arms, “Gran is down south at her other home for a few months so I have the place here to myself. I can put you in the guest room,” Lila paused as she looked over Lynn, “we’re close enough in size, I should be able to let you borrow some clothes to sleep in if you did not bring any.”

Lynn was taken aback by the offer. Lila was not someone she was particularly close with before she left town. The two would talk, and occasionally hang out even after the Coven fell but they had not seen each other face to face in almost five years. “Yeah,” Lynn paused as she shook her head, ”yeah that would be awesome. I don’t want to take away your night though.”

“Don’t worry about it, I had no plans for it anyway,” Lila paused as she knew all she would be doing was scrolling aimlessly through TickTok while a random YouTube video played in the background from the TV. ”Let’s go, we can walk home from here. There should be a shop along the way if you want to grab anything,” Lila spoke as she waved her hand, motioning for Lynn to follow.

Victorian Village

The two eventually arrived at Lila’s house. It was an older Victorian-style house that had a wrap-around porch. The lawn was well maintained, and that level of maintenance was evident on the house as well as it featured delicate gingerbread trim, ornate corbels, and decorative shingles. The red of the brick was complimented by the purple paint on the wooden surfaces and window frames. The door itself was a delightful mustard yellow. Lila had tried to tell her Grandma that the color of the door may be at odds with the look of the house as a whole but she did not listen.

“Hold here for a minute, I need to grab them a different offering real quick,” Lila said as she pointed to her crows before she opened the door and ran inside.

Lynn could hear the sound of drawers opening, and closing, and the sound of Lila rustling through the contents of the drawers. Lynn looked around the area while she waited. The neighborhood was nice. All the houses were bigger than she expected, and they all seemed to have the same level of care as Lila’s. There was another, even bigger, Victorian-styled house next door and a third one across the street. It wasn’t enough to call this a Victorian village but it was plenty for Lynn to know that there is some history to this area. She glanced to the doorway and noticed a ‘historical society’ placard. Lynn leaned in and read it, “built in 1882, old ass house.”

A second later Lila emerged from the doorway, hands filled with various gems, crystals, and jewelry pieces. “Alright, you fucks,” Lila shouted to the crows above and received a *caw* in response. “I want you to stay outside, outside, tonight. I want you to stand guard for us and alert us if anyone is coming towards the house. If they threaten us, I want you to peck out their eyes.” Lila placed half the pile on the ground. “I will come outside at midnight and I will give you all the rest, we have a deal?”

The crows all *cawed* in response as they swooped down and picked the ground clean in an instant. They all flew up to the top of the house, to the trees surrounding the property, and onto the roof of the neighboring house. The area fell silent a moment later as the crows fell into their mission.

“Alright, the house should be free of them and should be clean of any.. Crow accidents,” she looked down at her phone, realizing she had not hit the send button yet. Lila deleted the message before she retyped it again. After a quick review, she sent the messages before she put the phone away. “Let’s get inside,” Lila motioned for Lynn to follow.

Lila text message

“Right behind you,” Lynn said as she quickly put a bag on the ground. Inside the bag was an assortment of cheap snacks and a six-pack of beer. She typed out a message to Auri before she too went inside, closing the yellow door behind her.

Lynn text message