Ruin's Dawn: The Imposter

[Basilisk]

The fight against the Imposter was going much more smoothly now, and they'd been handling it fairly well before. As they fought, the Dragonlings tore at the Imposter, taking bits off her with relative ease. Arlo and Edasha focused on their bladework, and they were as effective as the Dragonlings, if smarter and more agile. Arlo was able to avoid several hits from the Imposter, thanks to his acrobatics and combat experience. Edasha was less evasive, to the point of being downright aggressive at times, and she took more hits from it. None of them seemed sufficient to put her down for more than a second as her injuries healed.

Meanwhile, Zana was picking up the pieces they cut off and putting them in the boxes Edasha had called for them. When she showed the Dragonlings to drop the pieces of the Imposter into the boxes, they looked at her curiously for a moment, then followed her example. Between Zana and the Dragonlings, any loose bits of Sessfiend were quickly boxed up, with the more injured Dragonlings, helping to pick up the loose pieces. However, the Imposter was not really slowing down. She was bleeding from every wound and had cried out in pain at several hits, but she was protecting her chest and her attacks were as fast as ever.

However, things were going against the Imposter, and after a particularly good hit from Arlo gouged out one of her eyes, the Imposter took a leap backwards towards the hole in the wall. Then she jumped again and slammed her back into the ceiling above her, causing it to start to collapse on her. She made no move to avoid the stones, letting it collapse onto her, causing bones to crack and break under the weight of the ceiling. However, this time the beast didn't cry out and simply took to the hits silently, collapsing on its side. Edasha, however, cursed and started to back away from the collapse, her eyes glowing slightly. "Something pulled out of the Sessfiend's body as she started to collapse the ceiling. She's fleeing, in some other form, and the tunnel is collapsing in her wake." she said, lowing her sword as her eyes returned to their normal state. "Being the Immortal of Sight has its advantages." she said, smiling slightly, before she looked at the ceiling above them.

"We should go. We know who the Imposter was, and we won't be able to chase her effectively now." she said, her tone regaining its usual tenor. At that comment, though, the Dragonlings let out a mewling sound and started to push at the three of them, clearly trying to push them towards the double doors. They weren't be threatening, but it was also clear they didn't want the trio to leave yet. Edasha gave them a slightly amused look, and reached down to scratch one behind the horns, and the Dragonling leaned into the touch.

Before they could do anything else, though, another voice spoke up. "Thank you, for driving her out. I would like to meet you all, before you leave." it said. The voice was the same one that had spoken to all Zana and Arlo at the entrance, though now it was coming from around them, rather than in their minds. The Dragonlings perked up at the voice and chirped happily. "My children like you." the voice said, laughing slightly. "I'm at the center of the museum, my children can lead you to me. I won't stop if you want to leave, but I want to thank all three of you in person. Please." she said, before her presence retreated.

The dragonlings looked at the trio expectantly as one of them pushed open the big double doors. Edasha looked at them, and then at Zana and Arlo. "It's up to you, my dears. I confess that I am interested in meeting this mystery voice, as I suspect that she's their Dragon." she said, before smiling at both of them. "You've helped me as I asked, though, so I'll send you both home now, if you wish it. But how many Mortals get to meet a Dragon?" she said, her tone cheerful. Then she paused and looked at Zana a moment, before she reached out and touched the Mortalborn. The moment she did, a wave of emotion passed through Zana, starting with pleasure and rapidly cycling through all the positive emotions before returning to normal. "That's not good for you, darling. Our emotions give our lives meaning." she said, frowning slightly. "I gave them back to you, but for the next break or so, you'll feel your emotions more strongly than usual. I would advise you be careful about how you act on them." she said, her tone calm. "So, what do you want to do?" she asked them both.

!	Message from: Basilisk
	Standard event rules still apply. Please post by next Tuesday, or I shall mark you absent. Two absentee notices could result in serious IC consequences. If you're having IRL circumstances that you think could leave you unable to post, please contact me directly by sending a PM to my Basilisk account.

[Zana]

The
Imposter

The Imposter jumped back against a wall and things started to tumble and then collapse. That was not good and Zana made sure that, not only was she far enough away that it didn't injure her, that she also avoided as much dust and debris as possible. Without her emotions or not, she still didn't like getting grubby. So, Zana checked her clothing and then listened as Edasha spoke. They were intent on going in one direction but the dragonlings were intent on them not and Zana looked down at the creatures with a quirked eyebrow, but nothing more.

Then, Edasha put forward the options and Zana was about to answer for her preference (which was that she really didn't care) when Edasha reached out and touched her. At that, Zana let out a low half-groan almost-growl of pleasure and she swayed slightly where she stood. Emotions washed over her and she smiled in delight. "Oh, thank you," she said, more effusively than she normally would. "I loathe the effect that has on me, but felt it was situation critical and so I should." Her emotions would indeed take a while to regain any sense of equilibrium and she turned to Arlo and explained. "When I blow on someone's skin I can make them feel anything I want them to feel. Overwhelming despair was what I showed her, but it strips me of my emotions, completely, for a break. I despise it, as I rather love my emotions, but there it is."

And now, petting and fussing the dragonlings with much more affection than she normally would show - even though she would normally be quite affectionate, Zana nodded. "I personally would like to see this through, yes," she said and she smiled brightly at Edasha. "My lady aunt, you've been a literal life saver, and I am grateful to you. To see a dragon?" She grinned at Arlo and raised an eyebrow. "I imagine that we are in accord in being keen to do so?"

With a slight frown, she added, "I must admit that I've been surprised at just how bearable your company has been Arlo." And then, her emotions boiling within her, she conceded something which, normally, would not be pried from her cold, dead lips. "I'm glad to have met you."

But she was much more glad to have met Edasha and she beamed a smile to her aunt. "Thank you, genuinely. Please, let's see the dragon. These creatures are utterly beautiful, aren't they?"

We don't need instructions, baby. Don't you be afraid.
It takes a little friction, baby. That's how our love is made.

[Arlo Creede]

Edasha's fighting style had turned out to be a bit more straightforward and blunt than his. Impressive, the number of hits that she took from the Imposter and just kept on going. As for Arlo, whatever it was that caused her to heal so fast from wounds that might otherwise have been mortal ones, Arlo didn't have it. Therefore, evasion at times had been part of his game. But nonetheless, there was too much of his own Immortal Father in him, than to do anything else but come out of it, yes, a little bit breathless, but also grinning. That was fun.

Of course, there was the whole...this place could collapse in on us any second now, thing to consider. Still, Zana had done quite the job of picking up the pieces, and at securing the cooperation of their little band of merry dragonling followers. In truth, they'd been a great deal of help since they'd first cracked their way out of their eggs. "Nicely done, ladies," Arlo said to both Edasha and Zana. He'd just finished wiping his blade clean of blood and gunk when a voice reached his ears, which he was certain that they'd heard once before.

That was a dragon? The thought struck him even as the dragonlinks chirped and urged him in that direction, as if they were eager not only to rush to their...parent? But as if they wanted to make the introductions themselves. Edasha really didn't need to ask which he'd rather. He wouldn't be Cassion's son at all if he'd said no. Besides, back home he was probably already in trouble for having disappeared without a trace while out hunting. He was here already, and while he was, then he wanted to meet a dragon face to face.

"Meet a dragon," he said, grinning nonetheless when the Immortal had asked. "Not a chance I'll get very often I suspect." As for Zana's words and what could easily be interpreted as a compliment, or praise, Arlo grinned and responded, "I'll try and not let that go to my head, mind. But I'd say you're no nearly that awful, yourself.' It was high praise, really, when compared to his earlier impressions of Delroth's daughter. Not that they'd be meeting up for drinks on a regular basis or anything of the like. But nonetheless he was happy that she'd been along all the same.

[Basilisk]

Edasha smiled at Arlo as he thanked her and Zana for their help in the fight. "You're very welcome, dear boy." she said, her tone warm. When Zana explained how her power worked and thanks her for restoring the emotions it had cost, Edasha nodded. "Losing your emotions is a terrible cost, darling. While I can't change that cost, I'm happy that I'm able to help alleviate it." she said, her tone affectionate. When both Mortalborn agreed to see the Dragon, Edasha nodded. "I'm of the same mind. All the Dragons were gone before I was born, and I only know of them from the histories of my kind and our creators." she said, before smiling at the Dragonlings. "But these are beautiful, and I would see the full majesty of a Dragon before we go." she said, before smiling widely at the interchange between Zana and Arlo. "Oh, I am glad you two are getting along. People who are likely to have an impact on the world should know each other, and more over, it's always good to have friends outside your usual social circles." she said, her tone warm. "I would advise you both to keep in touch with each other after this. You'll never know when you might need each others help." she said, her tone cheerful.

They followed the Dragonlings through the plaza like chamber of the museum and into a room that was more of a vault. There were no paintings or statues or plants in the room, just a giant mound of golden coins in the center of the chamber. Then, the Dragon's voice sounded again. "I am sorry for the lack of seating. No one has brought furniture out here, you see, and none of my children or caretakers have hands to build any with." she said, as a deep rumbling sounded from within the pile. "Oh, finally. I am fully awake." she said, with a note of earnest joy in her voice. Then the coins started to rise up and up, until they started to fall away from the rising pile. As they fell away, the Dragon that had been sleeping under the pile was fully revealed. Her scales were of the brightest polished gold, as was the webbing of her wings. Her claws and teeth were of a silvery color, and she was short for a Dragon, only coming up about 15 feet tall at the shoulder and 20 feet nose to tail. Her expression was fierce and proud, but there was no aggression or malice in her body language. In fact, after she shook the last of the coins off her and extended her wings, she gave them as harmless a smile as a Dragon could.

"Well now, it's so very good to see you all in person. I can communicate with my mind easily enough, even while asleep, but nothing beats a face to face meeting." she said, her voice now coming from her directly as she spoke. Despite her expression, there was an obvious happiness and cheer to her voice. The Dragon descended the gold pile to be close to the trio and laid down so that she did now tower over them. As she did, her Dragonlings approached her and laid down next to her. In addition, smaller creatures began to poke their noses out from under the pile of gold coins. These little Dragons were small enough to fit into a pocket, but they were the same sort of gold as the Dragon or the Dragonlings, and they had big red eyes and little gold horns. They approached the trio curiously as the rest of the group settled.

"Now, I don't believe I ever properly introduced myself, and I do apologize. I didn't realize at first that you had all been brought here against your will, which I assure you was no doing of mine." she said, her apologetic at that last bit. "Anyway, my name is Drathaidir and this is my museum, a collection and preservation of all the most beautiful things of Idalos." she said, before looking down at her Dragonlings. "You've already met my Gaithir, and the littlest ones are my Dragonets, the Paithesir." she said, indicating the latter with her nose as she named them. "I know your names because I was listening to you fight the intruder, but I don't know who you are outside of that. Could you tell me, please?" she asked, her tone sincere.

Edasha inclined her head to the Dragon, a relatively regal gesture that was nonetheless courteous. "I am Edasha, the Immortal of Beauty and Sight, among other things." she said, her tone calm. "It is my great pleasure and honor to meet you, Drathaidir. I'll admit your museum confused me when we first arrived, but I must confess to having enjoyed knowing that so many lost treasures still existed." she said, before giving a warm smile. "If the goal of this place is the preservation and collection of beautiful things, I do hope you'll allow others, myself included to visit." she said, before pausing slightly. "In truth, I would like to help with such an endeavor. Given that we both seem love beautiful things and detest their loss, I believe we would make excellent partners." she said, her tone sincere.

Drathaidir nodded at Edasha's introduction, but waited until the other two had introduced themselves before speaking again. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you, and I am honored as well. I know what Immortals and Mortalborns are. Caretakes and shapers, villains and tyrants, heroes and saviors, as you see fit. Great powers, indeed, all three of you." she said, her tone as cheerful as it had been. "Dragons are an intrinsic part of the world, and while I know not the world's history in detail, it is in our nature to know the world and who fits into it, and all of you do." she said, before looking at Edasha specifically. "I would welcome your help, as an equal of course. There are things that my physical form limits from doing, either through sheer size or because I like properly shaped hands. And your Domains compliment what I am. Between us, this museum could grow into something truly lovely." she said, before laughing merrily. "And of course the museum will be open to visitors, once we repair the walls and make it easier to access." she said, before giving a sigh. "I shall have to move that obnoxious mobile mountain sitting on the roof, but as you said, I am mightier by far than Abanaxus." she said, before giving another merry laugh.

Then she looked at Arlo. "You are a child of adventure, and while I would welcome you as a curator of my museum, I understand if you wish not to be permanently tied down to a single location. However, if you find such things, be they plants, animals, or treasures, that you believe should be preserved here in your travels, I would welcome them. In addition, my kind has our own powers we can grant, similar to the Blessings of an Immortal. Our Effigies are more of a strain on the body than a Blessing, and less experienced or weaker Mortals and Mortalborn cannot bear them. You, however, are capable of bearing the strain. If you wish, I can grant you my power and one of my Gaithir." she said, before smiling as best she could. "You are under no obligation to accept, and I will not be hurt if you decline, though the offer of a Gaithir to accompany you on your travels will stand regardless." she said.

Then she turned to Zana. "I'm afraid you could not yet bear the strain of Effigy, and I would not mar such perfection by giving you something that would destroy you." she said, her tone gentle. "But I would offer you a Gaithir to be your companion, as well as a place at my museum, as a curator. I can assure you, you would fit right in." she said, her tone turning more cheerful. "Like Arlo, you are under not obligation to accept, and the offer of a Gaithir is not contingent on your accepting the offer of being a curator." she said, her tone sincere. Then she looked at Edasha. "Of course, I offer you a Gaithir as well. While you cannot bear Effigy, you should have a suitable companion, especially if we are working together." she said, before looking down at the Dragonets that were sniffing at the trio. "And I think there are Paithesir that would like to travel with you as well." she said, her tone cheerful.

!	Message from: Basilisk
	Quick note, since Emea is a bit broken, Emea-Time applies right now. All that means is that Drathaidir is simultaneously in this post and in Storied Gold and both events are canon. Also, this is the last round of player posts, please post by next Tuesday.

[Zana]

The
Imposter

When Edasha sounded so very fond of her, Zana almost had warm fuzzy feelings. That her aunt, the Immortal of Beauty, was concerned for her was something which made Zana delighted. So much so that, when Edasha suggested that she and Arlo kept in touch, Zana nodded. Turning to him, she held out a hand - an offering of peace, really - and she smiled at him. "I'm certainly prepared to stay in touch," she said softly, her voice back to it's usual deep almost-purr. "I'm sure we could find lots of ways to keep each other entertained....," a brief pause and then a flicker of a mischievous smile. "In the stories we write and tell each other, of course."

They made their way through and there, in a vault containing more wealth and treasure than she had ever dreamed of, there was something far more interesting than gold. A dragon. An actual, genuinely there, dragon. Zana could scarcely believe it. The dragon was beautiful, although Zana couldn't help but notice that she had rather a lot of teeth; hopefully, that wouldn't be something which became all too apparent as the dragon ate them or something. She put that thought out of her mind as the dragon greeted them.

Drathaidir, for so the dragon was named, and her dragonlings and dragonets were, simply put, beautiful, and Zana was entirely entranced. "I am Zana, and it is a pleasure to meet you," she said when it was her turn to speak. "I'm the daughter of the Immortal Delroth, which means I am the niece of Lady Edasha," she gestured to her aunt. "I love this place, the beauty that is here and the keeping safe of such is a wonderful idea. I would help you in any way I can, if it is your wish."

Then, Drathaidir offered Arlo her "effigy" and Zana raised an eyebrow at him. The hobo boy was more than he appeared, and while she had already worked that out it was interesting to hear it given credence. Whatever Arlo said, Zana's response was clear. "I would be more than honoured, and I thank you most wholeheartedly." She smiled at Drathaidir and she looked as keen as she felt. To be a curator here, to work among all these beautiful things? That sounded wonderful. To Arlo, she gave a wicked smile. "Looks like we may have a reason to stay in touch, after all," she said. Then, because she couldn't quite help herself, she added, "how utterly delightful, don't you think?"

Zana Delroth was an outrageous tease, a shallow and fickle being whose narcissism was matched only by her desire for worship and adoration. But here, among beautiful things and speaking to a dragon - a dragon - she was of the opinion that she might have, finally, found a job which was not beneath her.

I'm guilt-edged, I'm glamorous and sleek by design.
Jealous by nature, false and unkind

[Arlo Creede]

"Are we suddenly getting along?" Arlo joked when Edasha offered up her own observation, and he responded dryly, "Must have happened while I wasn't looking." There was a mostly concealed grin behind the dry expression, maybe even a surprised one. He still found Zana to be one of the most, if not the most vain creature he'd ever had occasion to meet. But oddly enough, as much as they'd picked, prodded and traded barbs along the way, they'd managed to make it work. And work pretty well, judging by the outcome. "I guess I can stand you if we happen to pass by one another, back in the real world," he said to Zana then, this time with a smile, as they set out to meet, face to face, an honest to goodness dragon.

The Immortal had a very good point after all, and even if he found the daughter of Delroth to be contrary at times, sometimes it was a different or even opposing perspective that provided the most food for thought. He didn't think that Vega would care for the mortalborn much though, and probably better to keep the two world's apart if he could manage it.

He put all those thoughts aside however, when a mountain of gold coin appeared to heave and shift, and then a dragon in all it's glory rose up from it all. She was a wondrous sight, all glimmering and shining gold and silver scales. And Arlo took two steps back. Not in the slightest motivated by fear, but for the desire to be able to take the creature all in at once. This was a thing of innumerable stories, of legends, and he wanted to soak in every trill, every detail and commit them to memory.

The dragonlings reuniting with a much larger version, and the tiny, winged golden ones scurrying out from the multitude of coins was almost too much to take in at once. But Arlo grinned as the dragon finally laid down, somewhat closer to eye level. "It's a great honor to meet you Drathaidir," he said. "My name is Arlo Creede, and I am a mortalborn," Arlo added, "A son of the Immortal Cassion. If I was able to be of some help to you, then I was honored to do so."

When the dragon made a request of him, and further offered him a job of sorts if he wanted, Arlo grinned a little before responding. "It's true, it's my very nature, in the blood as they say, to explore, adventure, chase legends and court risk. I'm not sure remaining stationary for long would suit me, and might not honor and serve this place as well as could be. I am however, more than happy to bring you interesting things time to time as I discover them," he offered. That he could easily do. All the better to see the most wondrous of all things preserved for antiquity.

The dragon had even more in mind, however, and Arlo considered carefully what the creature was offering. A dragonling that might leave with him, and one of the tiny, pocket sized Gaithirs as well. That was simple, he'd already been charmed by the dragonlings and it was quickly becoming the case with their tiny cousins. The offer of a blessing of sorts, of an Effigy, was more than he'd have expected or even conceived of. And yet, as in all things worth having, it came with a price. And yet Arlo wouldn't be just who he was, if he considered that prospect to be an obstacle. "Most generous, Drathaidir," he said. "It would be my great honor to accept."

[Basilisk]

Drathaidir nodded as both Arlo and Zana accepted her offers, then looked at her Dragonlings as if pondering for a moment, before she let out a small chirping sound. At the sound, three Dragonlings stepped forward, one to each of the three people before her. The only one with a specific connection to their rider was Zana's, who had the Gaithir that had hatched out of the eggs he had been holding. Shortly after, each of the Gaithir was joined by one of the dimunitive Paithesir. Then the Dragon stood and approached Arlo, reaching out to him with a single talon. The talon touched his chest and he would feel her power flow into him, though it didn't manifest immediately. "My apologies, but I just awoke. It will take a bit for my power to fully manifest, but once it does, all the power of my Effigy will be at your disposal." she said, sounding genuinely contrite. Then she looked at the three of them and gave another draconic smile. "I do so look forward to working with all of you in the future. But for now, you should return home. The Gaithir can carry you here should you wish to return, but before I can open the museum, I have to fix the walls and move that stubborn pile of rocks off my ceiling." she said, her tone sounding genuinely annoyed at the end, accompanied by her giving the ceiling a deep scowl. "Plus, could you imagine? People want to come see the collected beauty of all Idalos, not risk getting eaten by a mountain range with a bad attitude." she said, snarling slightly in the general direction of Abanaxus.

Then she looked back at the trio. "But that's for me to worry about it. My children and I can keep the roads clear for visitors down the road, and I'll deal with Abanaxus. You should all go home and rest and tell people what happened here and all that sort of thing." she said, before she stepped over to nuzzle the trio slightly. "Now, there's the others here who are having their own problems. I'm going to go see about taking care of that." she said, before she started off into another part of the museum, but not before looking back over her shoulders at them. "See you all soon, hopefully." she said, before she took her leave to go save Kalortah and Alyssia from the Aukari Occult.

Edasha looked at Zana and Arlo, then summoned a pair of mirrors and a long canvas coat. "The mirrors are for you two to communicate with each other. When you use them, they link together, allowing you to talk." she said, smiling slightly. "Do remember to keep in contact, lovelies." she said, handing them each a mirror, before giving Arlo the coat. "This will protect you against flame. Could come in handy in case any of Faldrun's followers try to take a tilt at you." she said, smiling warmly at him. Then she approached Zana and held her hand against the Mortalborn's head, granting her niece her Blessing. "There, that's better. And there's one more of us that will suit you well, I think. Keep the sword and the clothes as well, darling. The sword is made for those who carry my grace, after all, and you do look lovely in the clothes." she said, smiling warmly. Then she turned and opened a pair of portals, one for each of them. "Now, these will see you both home. Zana, you should at least gather your things, and maybe bid farewell that playmate of yours, before your return." she said, smiling slightly. "I'm going to stay behind and send the other two who are still stuck here home." she said, before bowing respectfully to both Mortalborn. "It has been such a pleasure, my dears, and my honor besides. It is rare, even among Mortalborn, to meet those who rise so far above the mundane." she said as her final farewell of the day.

Drathaidir, meanwhile, hummed to herself on the way to go rescue the others. She hadn't said it, but she considered her curators as much an exhibit of her museum as she did its other treasures. Of course, it wasn't that she thought less of them than she had indicated, she also considered herself an exhibit. After all, the goal of her museum was to house the most beautiful treasures of Idalos, and that included people, be they Mortal, Immortal, Mortalborn, Dragon or whatever else. She did wish that she could have been able to convince Arlo to be a curator, but at least he was part of the museum in his own way. That would be enough, because keeping him here would destroy him, and she wouldn't do that. Letting out a happy trill, the Dragon looked forward to having her new curators around. She did love the geese that had been assisting her, but there were limits to what the Golden Flock could do, after all.



REVIEW

Arlo

Comments

Arlo is a lot of fun to write with. It was a lot of fun to see how he handled Edasha and Zana. So very different from the type of women, or Immortals for that matter, he usually interacts with. I'm sure Vega is just going to love hearing about this story when he gets home. But hey, the Gaithir could help her get around while she's still pregnant, so maybe that'll keep him out of too much trouble. =P

Points

EXP: 25
Renown: 30 (Saw a Dragon. And an Immortal. And also Zana, which I'm sure she would consider worthy of renown.)

Knowledge

Athletics x 5
Combat (Blades) x 5
Cosmetology x 3
Detection x 5
Discipline x 5
Endurance x 3
Etiquette x 8
Investigation x 5
Leadership x 5
Socialization x 5
Strength x 3
Tactics x 8

Loot

Objective Met: Action Hero: In this thread, Arlo drove the story forward.
Your Celarion Blessing improved! In recognition of Arlo's courage, you gained the following four abilities.

"Hold the Line": The Favored is able to bolster the morale of any who stand with them. The call rings out and dispels fear in the defenders, whether mundane or magical. Those affected by the shout gain a small boost in stamina and the use of a shield. The effects of this ability last for ten bits, and can only overcome magical fear effects from other Marks of the same tier or lower. Any fear effects caused by Domain Magic can be overcome as follows: Favored can overcome Magic at a Competent level or lower, Adored can overcome Expert level or lower, and Exalted can overcome Master level or lower.

Guiding Light: The Favored is able to summon a free floating orb of light to brighten their surroundings. The color and intensity of the light can be controlled, though it doesn't get any brighter than daylight. The orb has no physical form and can't be touched. The light generated by the orb cannot be used by the Brilliant Weapon ability.

Radiant Mantel (Minor): Once per trial, the Blessed can call upon their inner light and shroud themselves in an aura of light. The aura draws those around the Blessed to them and holds them in awe. Those bathed in its light are more willing to listen to what the Blessed says and are willing to follow the Blessed in actions that are only slightly against their nature.

"Fall Back": The Blessed calls for a tactical retreat. Those within earshot of the call, or if a signal is given via horn or other means, are filled with renewed vigor as they retreat. Those bonded to the Blessed move quicker and only need to be within functioning range of their Bond to take effect of this ability upon activation.

Objective Met: Ingenius Planner: In this thread, Arlo came up with clever plans and plots
You need to update Sojourn in your CS to the updated Blessing. But as recognition of Arlo's ingengious adventuring skills, Cassion makes Arlo one of his Champions, giving him the following two powers.

Opener of the Ways: The Champion of Cassion is the ultimate connoisseur of adventure and travel. Upon receiving this ability - spoken in the Ancient Tongue - the Sojourner is able to walk to any and all places. If it exists, they can go there. The Beneath, Emea, beyond the Barriers at the Edge of the World, into the Immortal Domains, through Grand Fractures. There is nowhere that the Sojourner can not step. If it needs something specific to get there (such as the Barriers) - the Sojourner knows what it is that is needed. This does not allow the Sojourner to "magically" step through barriers or obstacles, it means that - when they explore - they find a way through.

Omniscient Narrator: Hunger and Stories are the second remit of Cassion's Champion and they develop the ability to weave a tale so powerful that it becomes reality. In order to activate this ability, the Sojourner must have a real hunger to do so - they must need it at the core of their being. If they have that hunger, then Cassion's Champion may step forward in any situation and tell the tale of what they have seen. Using story elements they have personally already experienced in their current event or thread, they are able to change the tapestry of the story in front of them. The Sojourner is not making up new parts of the story, but rather utilizing what already happened in a new way. (See Cassion's Story here for an example.) This ability is potentially world-changing and could overthrow governments or end - or begin - civilisations and, as such, requires Prophet overview."

Objective Met: Leadership Potential!: In this thread, Arlo showed excellent qualities of leadership
As if the universe itself recognized that Zana and Arlo work well together, the pair of them develop a new, shared Domain and a power for it. The power doesn't have to be the same, but you should both work together to decide on this Domain and your powers, so that they compliment, or contrast, each other well.

Objective Met: Pressure Point!: In this thread, Arlo functioned well under pressure
Adventurous Desire: The mirror that Edasha gave Arlo, which links to Zana's mirror and allows them to communicate with each other over vast distances. Edasha expects you to keep in touch, plus you both work for Drathaidir.

Objective Met: Puzzler!: In this thread, Arlo worked out puzzles and dealt with strange situations
Adventurers Snack Bag: Arlo finds an what appears to be a small leather bag on his bed. When he looks in it, he finds it's filled with trail mix, and no matter how much he eats, it never empties, meaning he will never go hungry on an adventure. Others can also eat out of this snack bag, but it will get repetitive after a bit, since trail mix has never been the best tasting food in existence.

Objective Met: Bravery: In this thread, Arlo acted in a manner which was brave (or foolish!)
Edasha gives him a nice coat, in recognition of his bravery.

Sea King's Coat: A canvas long coat once worn by the self-proclaimed king of the seas, gifted by Edasha. The coat is made of a special weave that repels fire, making the wearer completely protected from everything from a house fire to to the flames of Faldrun himself.

Objective Met: True Colours: Arlo was true to themselves throughout this thread. Great RP!

Arlo gets the Effigy of Drathaidir, which comes with a Gaithir Dragonling, and he also gets a Paithesir Dragonet. Due to the demands of the Global, these aren't quite finished yet, but they should be soon. My apologies for the delay.

Zana

Comments

Oh, she was delightful. Zana seems like she'd be out of place on an adventure, but she added so much to the thread. You should absolutely bring her into more events in the future. More people could benefit from her presence. XD And hey, she finally found a job worthy of her and made a new friend. Theo isn't a curator though, so I'm not sure he'd be able to come with her to the museum. Though maybe Drathaidir allows pets. =P

Points

EXP: 25
Renown: 30 (She was there! And she met an Immortal and a Dragon. Oh, and also a scraggly guy in a hat.)

Knowledge

Appraisal x 1
Cosmetology x 5
Detection x 3
Discipline x 8
Endurance x 3
Etiquette x 8
Investigation x 3
Leadership x 5
Seduction x 3
Singing x 3
Socialization x 5
Storytelling x 5
Tactics x 5
Torture x 3

Loot

Objective Met: Ingenius Planner: In this thread, Zana came up with clever plans and plots
Edasha gives her niece her Blessing. And because Zana did so well, she gives her a little more than usual.

Pygmalion: A physical representation of Edasha’s blessing, the Pygmalion is a golden statuette of the Elindria’s likeness, fashioned to an otherworldly degree. This statuette is immensely important to the Elindria, and just being in its very presence inspires envy in others, even if they don’t know why. Often, this is the target of many heists and elaborate schemes, because those who are in possession of the Pygmalion are immune to the Elindria's abilities for the length of their possession of the statuette.

However, while the Elindria is in possession of the Pygmalion and are in the same city, they are conferred a significant bonus to their resistance to Empathy magic and abilities that affect their emotions, especially when it comes to trying to manipulate their jealousy or physical attraction. This level is equal to Competent and below at Favored, Expert and below at Adored, Master at Exalted and Revealed at Champion. Also, by laying hands on the statuette once per trial, the Elindria is granted perfect hygiene for the entire trial.

Divine Opulence (Minor): The ability to permanently beautify the Elindria’s possessions, allowing Edasha’s Blessed to truly live a life filled with beauty, regardless of their income. Use of this ability improves the aesthetics of any item that the Elindria owns - clothing, furniture, pots and pans, etc. The only exception at this stage is buildings. Living beings (ie. animals, plants, and mortals) are not affected by this ability. In order to channel this ability, the Elindria must have the object within his or her line of sight and focus on it. While the object that is affected is selected by the Elindria, the outcome of the aesthetic change is dependent on the Elindria’s individual personality, as well as their mood when using the ability. He or she is unable to predict what will occur from the change, though the changes will always be aesthetically pleasing to the Elindria’s eyes. When changed, the object will always keep its original function (ie. a vase will only ever turn into a more beautiful vase). For example, a simple, homespun dress may be turned into a flowing silk ball gown with a delicate strap made of fabric flowers and a straw mattress may be turned into a soft bed filled with high-quality goose feathers. The ability may be used once per trial. It is important to note that the item memorizes its owner and will always revert back to its original aesthetic once it leaves the Elindria's ownership through sale, gift, theft, or other means.

The Beautician's Skills I: The character is granted an extra three skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Appraisal, Cosmetology, Deception, Seduction or Crafting. Any skill points granted by this Mark can break the 250 (or 100 if fast track) point cap on skills. Within these skills, the points may be spent how the pc chooses.

Far Eyes (Minor): Governing the Domain of Sight, Edasha and her followers see more clearly than those not blessed by the Immortal. With this ability, the Elindria can mark an individual or an object with touch and can, for one whole trial, see the person or object with perfect clarity in their mind any time they choose. This ability extends to up to six feet around the marked individual or object, giving the Elindria a better sense of where the person or object is. Anything beyond this radius is blurry and difficult to make out, like looking through opaque glass. This ability can only be used once every two trials, and the countdown to reset the mark does not begin until the prior marked can no longer be seen. There is no physical manifestation of the mark. If the Elindria is observing a person, the person may feel an eerie sensation of being watched without quite knowing where it's coming from.

The Best Little Secret: The Elindria may mark any one person that they have committed adultery with, and make it impossible for that person to reveal the adultery. Though it does not completely silence them, whenever they attempt to speak about the deed, they find their words caught in their throats and their comprehension of language to fail them. This is accomplished by an Elindria laying hands on the person's throat and channeling this ability. Only one person at a time may be affected by this ability. Either the Elindria or their lover must be in a separate romantic relationship for this ability to be effective, since adultery involves cheating on one's partner.

Brand of Jealousy: Once per season, the Elindria can brand someone she truly despises. This brand can be done without making any contact, but requires the Elindria to sacrifice something of personal value. Taking the form of an angry red tear-drop on the branded’s shoulder, this ability amplifies the bearer’s jealousy as the trials pass. They grow more manic, erratic, and obsessive over the Elindria, which in turn, is siphoned into the statuette the marked possesses. If the brand lasts for three trials, the Pygmalion becomes aware of any attempt made by an Empathy mage to change the Elindria’s emotions if the mage’s skill level meets the Elindria’s corresponding mark level. At Favored, the Pygmalion becomes aware of Novice/Competent Empaths. At Adored, it becomes aware of Expert Empaths, at Exalted, it becomes aware of Master Empaths, and at Champion it becomes aware of Revealed Empaths. So long as the Pygmalion is absorbing emotions from the Elindria’s target, the Pygmalion can rebound any Empathic or emotional attack back onto their attacked once it is aware. This may occur once per trial. The brand can only be removed by the Elindria or an Immortal. Only one such brand may be active at once.

Objective Met: Outside The Box: In this thread, Zana used their skills / abilities in clever and unusual ways.
Tarouz improves. Delroth is proud of his little girl and he gives you the next four abilities of his Blessing.

Mirror Mirror: Once per season, a Tarouz may designate two mirrors to act as a two-way communication device. The mirrors become linked, and when a codeword is spoken in front of it, the mirror shows whatever is on the other side of the second mirror. This can be used a way to guard one's belongings, or send a message to a friend. At Favored, this effect is only as large as a city. At Adored, it can be regional. At Exalted, the mirrors may travel to any corners of the world they wish.

A Feather's Weight: Once per trial, the Tarouz has the ability to reduce the weight of any item to that of a single feather. This ability only lasts ten bits per level of Tarouz, at the end of which the item returns to its original weight. Often used to carry larger amounts of gold to hide, A Feather's Weight is one of the most coveted abilities of the Favored Tarouz.

Secrets in the Wind: Only viable when both parties are outside, Secrets in the Wind allows a Tarouz to whisper into the wind and have that whisper carried to someone the Tarouz desires. Helpful in relaying commands or changing plans, this ability is the available as many times per trial as the Tarouz wishes. At Favored, it affects half a city. At Adored it can affect a whole city. At Exalted it can reach between cities in the same region, as long as both recipients are outside.

Birdtongue: This ability allows a Tarouz to communicate with any species of bird, regardless of the Tarouz' familiarity of the species. Birdtongue lets the Tarouz convey basic information, while receiving the same. At Favored, the bird is compelled to obey any orders, but may resist. At Adored, the bird will only resist if the action would endanger itself or its young. At Exalted, the bird will obey, no matter what.

Objective Met: Leadership Potential!: In this thread, Zana showed excellent qualities of leadership
As if the universe itself recognized that Zana and Arlo work well together, the pair of them develop a new, shared Domain and a power for it. The power doesn't have to be the same, but you should both work together to decide on this Domain and your powers, so that they compliment, or contrast, each other well.

Objective Met: Pressure Point!: In this thread, Zana functioned well under pressure
Desirous Adventure: The mirror that Edasha gave Zana, which links to Arlo's mirror and allows them to communicate with each other over vast distances. Edasha expects you to keep in touch, plus you both work for Drathaidir.

Objective Met: Bravery: In this thread, Zana acted in a manner which was brave (or foolish!)
Queen's Blade - A mastercrafted tier 8 rapier, given to her by Edasha. The blade actively resists being used by anyone without Elindria, lowering their Blades skill by two ranks. I.E., a Master becomes Competent, a Tier 2 becomes Expert. In an Elindria's hands, the blade glows a rich purple and will pull in the direction of their Pygmalion, should it be stolen from them. Also, she gets to keep the clothes Edasha made for her, which are also Tier 8.

Objective Met: : Surprised The Mod! Congratulations, Zana surprised the mod.
Zana gets a surprise visit from Zanik, who is impressed with her and grants her his Blessing. Only the usual grant, though.

Musical Enchantment (Minor): The character is able to control the emotions of a crowd within a short area around them and for a very short period of time while playing or singing music.

Eye of the Beholder (Minor): At this level, the character has only enough control to cover small parts of their body with the aura of Elithem, causing all who look upon them to see only pleasant, attractive, desirable features. This ability lasts for a short period of time.

Passionate Skills I: The character is granted an extra three skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Any Musical Instrument skill, Singing, Seduction, or Socialization. Any skill points granted by this Mark can break the 250 (or 100 if fast track) point cap on skills. Within these skills, the points may be spent how the pc chooses.

Objective Met: True Colours: Zana was true to themselves throughout this thread. Great RP!
Zana gets a Gaithir and a Paithesir!

!	Message from: Basilisk
	Event over. Thank you so much for playing.