Xanah I have many, many questions, Miss Ainsworth, Xanah didn't say aloud. She tried not to stare when Felicia did her return transformation. In the haste of their previous conflict Xanah had not had much time to think about what she had seen her neighbor transform into. Xanah wasn't a stranger to transformation magic. When she was a journeyman, she had leaned a great deal about things like that, and she knew a lot of other things about magic, knowledge that made her question the nature of this particular transformation. The Ainsworth reputation certainly didn't help. She had quite a few other questions for those neighbors gathered together in this little investigation of theirs. Amongst them were enough oddities and peculiarities and questions of motivation that Xanah knew demanded deeper inquiry. Would that they had the time right now... Which meant that the obvious solution was to take them all out drinking the first available opportunity. There was just this nasty bit of name-thievery business to take care of first. Yes, that would do. Buying them a few rounds of social lubricant was exactly what was called for after a job well done. Xanah wondered if the See-Food Bar would be the proper venue. First things first, however. There were too many leads for them to chase down. Xanah was sorely tempted to suggest that they split up to tackle multiple things simultaneously, but she thought better of it. With their thief hidden from them somewhere out there, catching up to him alone was taking a risk. None of them wanted to become the victim number four if he got the better of one of them. Xanah knew most of the others lacked her loyalty to the Order of the Vance, Shuistliel being the sole exception. Perhaps she had a bias? Regardless, she thought the Order was the best and most immediate source of aid to their investigation at the moment. The others would have to just accept that, she figured. Still, she tried to be tactful when she made her next suggestion. She took a long breath through her cigar and exhaled the spiced smoke before broaching things. "I pray some of you will hear me out on this. With the Campus just below us, we should take advantage of its proximity while we are near. We need information and, if possible, allies. We should talk to Konstantin, his witness, perhaps also the Vance victim. We can also consult with Magister Lui with all the new name-theft peculiarities. While there I will see about contacting my zilat associate to come meet us for Miss Ainsworth's work." After saying all this, Xanah sounded a lot less certain in giving her opinion about how they should proceed. "After that... after that I am torn between the dual need to track our thief and to speak with the spiders. On top of that--if possible--I need about an hour to prepare more spells for our investigation. I expended most of them just trying to convince that, ah--" she cleared her throat lightly "--bloody conceited arse wipe we were here to make friends." Character Arcs Join an Organization As an arachnophile, I'm being groomed to join the Cacophony, an association of spiders whose name only really makes sense to spiders. They seek to establish diplomatic ties with the Angular Serpentine. Current StepYou want to join an organization. This likely is not an order, since vislae start the game already belonging to an order if they wish it. Vislae often join other organizations as well, however, and this arc is a great way to portray that. Cost: The Decision to Join. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting the Details. 1 Acumen reward. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member. Step(s): Making a Contact. 1 Acumen reward. Friends on the inside are always important. Step(s): Performing a Deed. 2 Acumen reward. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things. Climax: Proving Your Worth. 2 Acumen reward. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you. : The decision to join Cost - Decision to Join: For now, I remain ignorant that I'm being considered for invitation. Aid a Friend Aldrion Phect wishes to rescue his spouse from Shadow, but first he must Uncover the Secret of how such a task might even be possible. I'm too closeted a romantic to tell him I can't resist helping somebody reunite with their loved one. Current StepSomeone needs your help. When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do. If you have a bond with the friend you are helping, this may increase the Acumen earned with each story point by 1. It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of ) your help. The majority of the cost, story points, and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc. Cost: Agreeing to Help. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Answering the Call. 1 Acumen reward. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help). Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Acumen, Joy, and Despair rewards are the same for you as for the friend. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.: Answering the Call Cost - Agreeing to Help: I've agreed to help, but Aldrion and I haven't discussed it further. Opening - Answering the Call: It's time I made good on my word. I'll be pursuing this with Aldrion soon as this name thief business is over. Description Appearance Xanah and the possessions on her person lose color saturation in proportion to her amount of sunlight exposure. She's completely grayscale in broad daylight. She otherwise sports a head of medium-length red-brown hair, copper colored eyes, and a fair complexion. Xanah is of unremarkable height and build, a slim physique that belies a lifetime of overindulging. It's only her constantly moving workaholic ethic that keeps her in shape. Her clothing usually favors practicality and comfort, never one to indulge in fashionable fads. Ever conscientious of her habits, Xanah always smells faintly of cinnamon and spice. Personality Lives on coffee, cigars, and favors. Fiercely individualist to a fault. A tarnished heart of gold. Tendency to overindulge. A patron of lost causes, shooter of troubles, slayer of dragons, walker of tightropes, and runner with scissors. Banned from kitchens across the Actuality for abject culinary incompetence. Never met a stranger before but carefully chooses close friendships A closeted romantic, almost disgustingly so. Her sharp tongue and compulsion to kick hornets' nests and turn over rocks makes many enemies. In her Order she's been demoted twice for it. Occupation Xanah describes herself as "creatively entrepreneurial," which is to say she doesn't actually have a traditional occupation. As previously mentioned, she lives off favors. These keep her constantly busy juggling a tangled web of commitments, investments, activism, and odd-jobs that she's perfectly satisfied living in the middle of. Income can be wildly inconsistent, but she's never been one to require much in the way of creature comforts. She's just as likely to blow a windfall on a hopeless cause as she is to devote it to a strategic endeavor. "Money," she says, "is just a means to an end, grease for the skids." She toys with the idea of running for office but talks herself out of it, saying that nobody would vote for her anyway. Despite her modest self-assessment, the growing network of contacts she's been developing suggests she might get more support than she realizes. Dichotomies Wealth or Fame - "It's all in who you know." Friends or Family - "I don't make close friends easy, but the few I have are basically family." Power or Control - "I'm the spider dead center in the web." Introvert or Extrovert - "There's nothing I love more than good company." Order or Chaos - "A little strategic chaos keeps the omnipotent busybodies from getting too comfortable." Freedom or Safety - "'Live free or die trying', I say." Society or the Individual - "Society is people. Make a difference for one and you make a different society." Generosity or Greed - "You give a little to get a little. Sometimes, well...sometimes people need me to give a little more." Moral code or Instinct - "Scruples are what separates man from the animals." Ego or Id - "Can't honestly say I've ever been accused of temperance or self control." Nature or Nurture - "Pro tip: Yes, it's your fault and you can do better." Thought or Action - "I'm a make-it-up-as-you-go kind of gal." Instinct or Knowledge - "My gut has never let me down about what the right thing to do is." Charity or Self-sufficiency - "Everybody needs somebody sometime." Home or the Road - "Give me a warm house and somebody to share it with on all the days that end in 'Y'." Contentment or Challenge - "Look, I don't go crusading for lost causes. They seek me out. They know I"m easy." Pools Injuries: [ ] [ ] [ ] Wounds: [ ] [ ] [ ] Anguish: [ ] [ ] [ ] CERTES QUALIA Accuracy: 2/3 Movement: 1/1 Sorcery: 7/7 Interaction: 3/4 (1 die) Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 3/4 Intelligence: 1/1 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance Narrative: Narrative ModeThe second mode, called Narrative Mode, handles the more flexible activities in the game in terms of detail and time. While no one is tracking things carefully in rounds or strictly managing turns, everyone’s still at the table, the Path of Suns board and Sooth Deck are out and in play, and the GM is managing the actions and outcomes. There are still die rolls to be made, points to be spent, and so on, but probably not with the frequency of Action Mode. Sooth Deck: The Harvesting Spider Effects: Effective level of all Red magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Effective level of all Blue magic is decreased by 1, or Sorcery cost increased by 1. Stoics receive a +1 to all Actions. Divination: "As terrifying as this card appears, its meanings are more esoteric, but still significant. The always active spider signifies action. Act— immediately. Work—hard. Success can be had, but only as the result of action and toil. The Harvesting Spider is also a subtle hunter, and thus can suggest that stealth might be required in one’s endeavors." Magister Kuros had that the summoned creation would dissipate at sunset, and that until then it was at their disposal. As it looked to just barely be noon, they still had plenty of time to make use of the enormous azure butterfly. It appeared relatively unbothered by the conflict that had just occurred, its massive wings fanning open and shut in the crisp autumn air. High above the cloud that made up the Citadel's base, there was plenty of sunlight for its to catch. The Queen of the Citadel was regarding the manifestation of magic as Aldrion spoke, but turned when Xanah addressed her. "I was meeting my counterpart among the Spiders last night within her , discussing a venture I had sought to employ her in." Her features darkened, the Melem about her growing denser as she focused her will and thought. "We went in together, something was waiting for us inside. It... yes it felt like this, felt wrong. I'd thought it some devious ploy of hers, but... no. No I don't know the name of the one who stole my own. How? How can that be? To be so much less is to be expected, a lesser name in place of my own. But this?" She held out her pale hands, looking at the thin strands of shadowstuff that drifted from her like black steam. It lingered in the air, a wake of shadow and feather yearning to take flight. "I bear no name at all." Which was not at all what Magister Lui said would happen. Whatever this was, whatever the Grey Man had been, they'd employed nothing like what the Vancian scholar was familiar with. She looked at Felicia then, her black eyes sad for the first time since they had encountered her, the wry amusement she'd born for most of their brief time together worn thin at last. "There was a mark, a glyph, hidden amongst the webs within the Nest. It felt the same as the corruption here. I thought my betrayer was activating it, but if the Spiders are angry that she is nameless too, she must have been trying to dispel it. I don't know if she succeeded, I doubt so given my state, and I did not get a good look before I fled." The Chorus hated to be dispelled, hated to be pushed back within. They did not scream as she suppressed their manifestation upon her, yet the hate they felt for her was never stronger than when she tried to regain herself. Their desires were chaos, but they wanted to make that chaos manifest upon the world. Weak, that's what she was now. Weak without their gifts, without their savagery imprinted upon her flesh, twisting her bones and reshaping her muscles. They hated it, and they hated her for doing it. Threads Go talk to the Unkindness Talk with Magister Kuros about flight Accept the Magister's bargain Learn more about names from Magister Lui Discover what has invaded the Nest Retrieve five Cordovin Stones from the Ruined Expanses Bleed by the end of the week Discuss matters again with the Vance Talk to Konstantine's witness Explain the phenomenon of the nameless to Magister Lui Chase the Grey Man Convince the Mistress of the Broods to call off the war Investigate the Spider's Nest

Felicia Ainsworth "It'd still take some time but any pointers or tips this friend of yours may have will help speed up the whole design phase." the Maker offered in that unpleasant, rasping, and now labored voice as she offered an agreeing nod of her hideous, be-fanged head before looking back to the Queen and dipping into a thankful bow. The courtly decorum made horrid, grotesque even, by the clicks, cracks, and pops of the tortured joints of Felicia's magic twisted form. A fact that was digging more and more at her mind, her stomach churning with the clashing instincts and will tested in kind by the monstrous, alien instincts of her present configuration and the shrieking cacophony of the demonic Chorus within her... All seeming far too eager at the prospects of another hunt, of prey to chase to ground and rend and break to bring about sudden, violent change. A hand closed, with care for the far too long talons, and rose to her razor lined maw as if holding something in before the first shudders ran down her spine. The faint pops and cracks of her predatory, monstrous frame growing louder and more prominent as she forced the tainted energies of the Dark outwards. A rasping, retching noise escaping the maker as those same energies escaped first as vaporous wisps then as a torrent of almost smoke from between teeth. Pain flashed in her mind as those abyssal energies tried to grasp and claw at her, nearly staggering her but soon limbs began to shorten, she began to bleed away her monstrous stature, claws retracted and soon Felicia was the diminutive thing she'd been when they first arrived. Of course, the return to her true shape and form was every bit as unpleasant as had been the transformation into that predatory monster; now she felt small, weak, unsteady and uncertain in what needed doing but that was a trick and temptation of poisoning oneself just so. With a deliberate air of trying to focus, the Maker drew a deep breath and released it slowly before making her way with a few steadily more graceful and confident steps towards the stones. Once she felt she was in about the right spot, she folded her legs under her and began to go over the stones with a deliberate care. There was every hint of a skilled eye of a sort there as she plied the talents of her Order to pick out just the right span of stone tile for the nebulous contraption she had in mind. Character Arcs EstablishmentYou want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically. Cost: The Need for Proof. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Assessment. 1 Acumen reward. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to. Step(s): Appearances Matter. 1 Acumen reward. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps. Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. 1 Acumen reward. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps. Climax: Grabbing Attention. 3 Acumen reward. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash (1 Joy) or a big crash (1 Despair). Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on what you did and where you go from here - Current Step: The Need for Proof Develop a BondYou want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC. In the case of an NPC, the end result might be an NPC bond, and in the case of a PC it’s a PC bond. Cost: Putting Yourself Out There. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting to Know You. 1 Acumen reward. You learn what you can about the other character. Step: Initial Attempt. 1 Acumen reward. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation. Step(s): Building a Relationship. 2 Acumen reward. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship. Climax: Bond. 3 Acumen reward. You succeed or fail at forging the bond. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship. - Current Step: Building a Relationship. Description Description It's the eyes, really, that most fixate upon first. The hues of crimson and gold spinning, twisting, merging in their depths as they seem to give a clear window into the utter depths of Felicia's mind with their uniquely expressive quality. That there feels to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, pairs of eyes staring back from behind those initial windows to the soul only seems to cement the impression of something troublesome, something worrying to compliment the elfin quality of her sharp features and diminutive frame. That sensation of malice, of gleeful cruelty, welling up from somewhere in those depths even as she comports herself with nothing but cheerful, if stoic, mannerisms and inexhaustible impressions of attention to the minute aesthetics of every gesture, motion, and twist of both herself and the world around her. In matters of garb, she tends to play to the company she plans for with blouses, dresses, and pants of riotous colors among the bohemian communes of Fartown to the carefully coordinated yet still somehow esoteric gowns and suits of high society galas and soirees. Each and every ensemble meticulously planned and coordinated like one of the great works of her brushes. The only break from this carefully crafted aesthetic seems to be her hair, pale and bloodless as her complexion. It's length healthy, glossy, and well tended but cursed with creative differences in how it curls and falls. Despite this, it seems always to blend, practically meld, seamlessly into any trim of fur or feather that might adorn a chosen outfit. Like those glimpses of alien malice and cruelty in the depths of her eyes, there always seems to be a discordant element that shadows her. Whether it be a flicker of something other in the crimson depths of her eyes, the way her shadow seems to twitch and twist without her ever moving, or how her reflection never quite seems to be her... It becomes all too clear that her body and soul might be host to something besides merely the artist... Worse still is the careful and delicate work of brush and needle; whisking away bruises here, deep scratches or cuts there, all damning evidence of struggles with the self. In the Guise of Immanis The energies of the Abyss are, by its very nature, an instrument of the Dark and unkind as a rule to the essential fabric of whatever is and may be. It is only by the tempering elements of the Gold Sun that the taking in of such hostile energies is more than merely an elaborate form of suicide. The raw stresses of this are quite evident then when Madame Ainsworth invokes so terrible a spell. Her already pale skin grows to be a lifeless gray, gaining an unseemly translucence that is easily pierced by even the wane light of Fartown beneath the Indigo Sun. The lines and forms of every bone visible from just the right angles as they shatter, stretch, and mend with an agonizing rapidity to drag her up to a daunting height. Sinew, muscle and tendon all the while snapping, recoiling, and reforming to accommodate this new and predatory bearing. Veins and arteries, in kind, flow with noxious black as the corruptive energies swirl and take root, her eyes draining of that distinct crimson and gold hue leaving only a single prick of light nearly drowned in a sea of impenetrable black. Were that these the extent of the horrors wrought by the invoking of the Eye of Immanis for one can't help but stare as razor-like teeth push aside whatever may block their way, twisting and gnarling the line of gum and tooth to pierce and part the flesh of the cheek revealing a hideous, too broad maw. A likewise change playing out in the hands as bones shatter and twist as tendons and sinew reinforce to accommodate the agonizingly slow-yet-quick emergence of seven inch talons, black as jet, that now adorn each finger tip. This final change marking the ultimate perversion, turning tools of creation to tools of abject and potent destruction. Pools Certes Accuracy: 4/6 (1E) + 3 From Eyes of Immanis Movement: 3/4 Physicality: 1/3 Perception: 2/4 Qualia Sorcery: 3/6 Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item) Intellect: 1/3 Sortilege: 0/3 Hidden Knowledge: 8 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Shuistliel Shuistliel is a little embarrassed that he'd basically ignored a noble member of the corvid group, but other than a slight uncomfortable shift in posture, he doesn't say anything. Having a senior Vancian owe him and Xanah a favor or two (or more, depending on how hard it is to deal with the name situation) would be a tremendously good thing. One did not advance in the Order without patrons! He sets to cleaning the ichor off of the axe as he watches the interplay between the being they'd revealed within the usurper. NEW! Character Arcs Develop a Bond: Shuistliel realizes he has too few friends, and would like to expand his circle of true friends. Solve a Mystery: There's a ton of questions surrounding the webbing of his neighborhood and the swirl of angry birds aloft, and Shuistliel wants answers to all of them. And he can handle the truth! Develop a Bond: Shuistliel has also realized that it's past time he tried talking to the one whose home he dwells in. Description Shuistliel is a very handsome man with long silver hair and green eyes the color of fine emeralds. He is dressed as he usually is, in a nice suit, jacket, and pants, and he has his usual snake-headed cane along. He moves quite agilely, like a dancer, perhaps. What's unusual this morning is the black survival combat axe carried in one hand while the cane is tucked under an arm. Pools Certes Accuracy: 3/3 Movement: 2/3 Physicality: 2/2 Perception: 3/3 Qualia Sorcery: 7/7 Interaction: 2/3 Intellect: 3/3 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 10 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Xanah Xanah, it turned out, had stepped a short distance away, just a bit of polite room between herself and the others. From her back trouser pocket she produced a metal case from which she retrieved a thin cigar. The case was worn and well used, the Invisible symbol of the Testament of Suns embossed on it. Something about the case's lid must have had a sharp edge on it, because she was able to trim off the end of her cigar by shutting the tip in the case. It made a metallic, clipping sound, the discarded tip trapped inside the case with the rest of the untrimmed cigars. With practiced ease she handled the cigar and the case, returning one to her back pocket and securing the other between her lips. She snapped her fingers a few times, apparently dissatisfied with the pitch of sound they made. On the fifth try she must have gotten it right, for her thumb lit up like a little blow torch. Xanah had been working on this cantrip for some time now and hadn't quite mastered the knack for doing it consistently. Still, she had produced a flame, and that would be enough for the job. It took her only a few seconds before she got the cigar end smoldering and smoking. She took a long draw off of it, exhaled, and shook out her flaming thumb, extinguishing it. Sensation washed over her like a warm hug, enveloping her from her head to her toes. It was obvious the ritual was a stress release mechanism for Xanah. The bleed of it escaping was all but visible to anyone who was watching. Whatever sinuous white cigar smoke she exhaled had a tendency to squiggle and bend into vaguely runic shapes before dissipating. Some of it was legible and recognizable as vislae script or some sort of magical symbology, but none of it seemed to be anything more than a string of random characters. "There are few other things to consider," Xanah finally said, cigar clutched lightly between her fingers. "When last I left Konstantin he was departing to interview another witness. At least one senior Vance has become a victim. The old man may have a suspect or other information we could use in our search. It's pure speculation on my part, but my gut tells me he's not told me everything he knows. I'm not sure if he would be willing to cooperate with us, but we could benefit from having such a capable ally. His witness might also be an additional source of information for us. Xanah took a long draw from her cigar. The air around her smelled faintly of cinnamon and spice, nothing at all like the sweet odor of a proper cigar. "The other is what Magister Lui said, namely that stealing someone's truename meant revealing your own to whomever you stole from." She regarded their hostess and asked gently, "Your Magnificence, do you have any insight into the name of your attacker? Anything about his identity could help us locate him." Character Arcs Join an Organization As an arachnophile, I'm being groomed to join the Cacophony, an association of spiders whose name only really makes sense to spiders. They seek to establish diplomatic ties with the Angular Serpentine. Current StepYou want to join an organization. This likely is not an order, since vislae start the game already belonging to an order if they wish it. Vislae often join other organizations as well, however, and this arc is a great way to portray that. Cost: The Decision to Join. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting the Details. 1 Acumen reward. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member. Step(s): Making a Contact. 1 Acumen reward. Friends on the inside are always important. Step(s): Performing a Deed. 2 Acumen reward. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things. Climax: Proving Your Worth. 2 Acumen reward. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you. : The decision to join Cost - Decision to Join: For now, I remain ignorant that I'm being considered for invitation. Aid a Friend Aldrion Phect wishes to rescue his spouse from Shadow, but first he must Uncover the Secret of how such a task might even be possible. I'm too closeted a romantic to tell him I can't resist helping somebody reunite with their loved one. Current StepSomeone needs your help. When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do. If you have a bond with the friend you are helping, this may increase the Acumen earned with each story point by 1. It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of ) your help. The majority of the cost, story points, and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc. Cost: Agreeing to Help. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Answering the Call. 1 Acumen reward. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help). Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Acumen, Joy, and Despair rewards are the same for you as for the friend. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.: Answering the Call Cost - Agreeing to Help: I've agreed to help, but Aldrion and I haven't discussed it further. Opening - Answering the Call: It's time I made good on my word. I'll be pursuing this with Aldrion soon as this name thief business is over. Description Appearance Xanah and the possessions on her person lose color saturation in proportion to her amount of sunlight exposure. She's completely grayscale in broad daylight. She otherwise sports a head of medium-length red-brown hair, copper colored eyes, and a fair complexion. Xanah is of unremarkable height and build, a slim physique that belies a lifetime of overindulging. It's only her constantly moving workaholic ethic that keeps her in shape. Her clothing usually favors practicality and comfort, never one to indulge in fashionable fads. Ever conscientious of her habits, Xanah always smells faintly of cinnamon and spice. Personality Lives on coffee, cigars, and favors. Fiercely individualist to a fault. A tarnished heart of gold. Tendency to overindulge. A patron of lost causes, shooter of troubles, slayer of dragons, walker of tightropes, and runner with scissors. Banned from kitchens across the Actuality for abject culinary incompetence. Never met a stranger before but carefully chooses close friendships A closeted romantic, almost disgustingly so. Her sharp tongue and compulsion to kick hornets' nests and turn over rocks makes many enemies. In her Order she's been demoted twice for it. Occupation Xanah describes herself as "creatively entrepreneurial," which is to say she doesn't actually have a traditional occupation. As previously mentioned, she lives off favors. These keep her constantly busy juggling a tangled web of commitments, investments, activism, and odd-jobs that she's perfectly satisfied living in the middle of. Income can be wildly inconsistent, but she's never been one to require much in the way of creature comforts. She's just as likely to blow a windfall on a hopeless cause as she is to devote it to a strategic endeavor. "Money," she says, "is just a means to an end, grease for the skids." She toys with the idea of running for office but talks herself out of it, saying that nobody would vote for her anyway. Despite her modest self-assessment, the growing network of contacts she's been developing suggests she might get more support than she realizes. Dichotomies Wealth or Fame - "It's all in who you know." Friends or Family - "I don't make close friends easy, but the few I have are basically family." Power or Control - "I'm the spider dead center in the web." Introvert or Extrovert - "There's nothing I love more than good company." Order or Chaos - "A little strategic chaos keeps the omnipotent busybodies from getting too comfortable." Freedom or Safety - "'Live free or die trying', I say." Society or the Individual - "Society is people. Make a difference for one and you make a different society." Generosity or Greed - "You give a little to get a little. Sometimes, well...sometimes people need me to give a little more." Moral code or Instinct - "Scruples are what separates man from the animals." Ego or Id - "Can't honestly say I've ever been accused of temperance or self control." Nature or Nurture - "Pro tip: Yes, it's your fault and you can do better." Thought or Action - "I'm a make-it-up-as-you-go kind of gal." Instinct or Knowledge - "My gut has never let me down about what the right thing to do is." Charity or Self-sufficiency - "Everybody needs somebody sometime." Home or the Road - "Give me a warm house and somebody to share it with on all the days that end in 'Y'." Contentment or Challenge - "Look, I don't go crusading for lost causes. They seek me out. They know I"m easy." Pools Injuries: [ ] [ ] [ ] Wounds: [ ] [ ] [ ] Anguish: [ ] [ ] [ ] CERTES QUALIA Accuracy: 2/3 Movement: 1/1 Sorcery: 7/7 Interaction: 3/4 (1 die) Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 3/4 Intelligence: 1/1 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Aldrion Phect Aldrion nodded along, glad that things seemed to be settling. "I was inclined to head back home anyway. To the best of my knowledge, nobody spoke of the matter to our Gerent before we hurried off." The distinct absence of said Gerent, particularly when the neighborhood they were responsible was visibly having problems, ought to be enough to avoid any sort of official reprimand for getting involved. Still, their absence was worrisome. Not terribly so, since Aldrion could still remember their name and tie it to the title, but- The Husk just happened to be in the right place at the right time to ambush the- To launch an ambush in what should have been a secure location? Coincidence was undoubtably a thing, but in this instance Aldrion wasn't inclined to trust it. Especially not with- Nobody involved in the negotiations between raven and spider hadn't been removed from discussion, as Aldrion understood things. It wasn't unlikely that Ritan would have work to do when they got back, if it hadn't been done already. And if they were still absent... Well, this seemed to be a morning for trading favors. Still, that was a matter for when they got back to the Cascades. "That'll be when the rest are ready to go, though. The transportation that got us up here was arranged by a third party, and I don't know how it'd respond to having some passengers get back on." Character Arcs Uncover a SecretThere is knowledge out there that you want. This arc is a great way to get one of the secrets in the chapter Character and House Secrets that the GM has said aren’t readily available. Likewise, it could be an attempt to find and learn a specific rare spell or ritual. This could also be a hunt for a lost magic word or key that will open a sealed door, the name of a devil, the secret name of an important person, or just how the arabast fashioned their windows in ancient times. Cost: Seeker. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Naming the Secret. 1 Acumen reward. You give your goal a name. “I am seeking the lost martial art of the Khendrix, who could slice steel with their bare hands.” Step(s): Research. 1 Acumen reward. You scour libraries and old tomes for clues and information. Step(s): Investigation. 1 Acumen reward. You talk to people to gain clues and information. Step(s): Tracking. 1 Acumen reward. You track down the source of the secret information and travel to it. Climax: Revelation. 2 Acumen reward. You find and attempt to use the secret, whatever that entails. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You contemplate how this secret affects you and the world. - Current Step: Seeker CleanseSomeone or something has been contaminated, probably by foul magic, and you want to rid them of such influences. This might be a curse, a possession, an infestation, or something else. Cost: Becoming Aware of the Need. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Analyzing the Threat. 1 Acumen reward. You determine the nature of the contamination. Step: Find the Solution. 2 Acumen reward. Almost every contamination has its own particular solution, and this likely involves research and consultation. Step: Getting Ready. 1 Acumen reward. The solution probably involves materials, spells, or other things that you must gather and prepare. Climax: The Cleansing. 3 Acumen reward. You confront the contamination. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on the events that have transpired and what effects they might have on the future. How can you keep this from happening again? - Current Step: Find the Solution Description Aldrion prefers to cover up, as his time in the Shadow working in repairs instilled him with an appreciation of proper protection. He has a scar over one eyebrow, presumably from a narrow miss taken during the war. He favors a style that mixes plain colors with the odd splash of supernatural hues, often in shades of or near indigo in representation of his newfound appreciation for the truth. Pools Certes Accuracy: 2/2 Movement: 3/3 Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 2/2 Qualia Sorcery: 4/9 Interaction: 3/3 Intellect: 2/3 Sortilege: 2/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance Narrative: Narrative ModeThe second mode, called Narrative Mode, handles the more flexible activities in the game in terms of detail and time. While no one is tracking things carefully in rounds or strictly managing turns, everyone’s still at the table, the Path of Suns board and Sooth Deck are out and in play, and the GM is managing the actions and outcomes. There are still die rolls to be made, points to be spent, and so on, but probably not with the frequency of Action Mode. Sooth Deck: The Harvesting Spider Effects: Effective level of all Red magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Effective level of all Blue magic is decreased by 1, or Sorcery cost increased by 1. Stoics receive a +1 to all Actions. Divination: "As terrifying as this card appears, its meanings are more esoteric, but still significant. The always active spider signifies action. Act— immediately. Work—hard. Success can be had, but only as the result of action and toil. The Harvesting Spider is also a subtle hunter, and thus can suggest that stealth might be required in one’s endeavors." The entity in question nodded at Felicia's request, extending a hand towards the stones where the Grey Man had been. "My apologies, I am testy, having been set upon not once but twice now in the space of less than a day. I was meeting with my counterpart amongst the Broods when I was struck the first time, a lessening of myself. That was when I first caught the scent of it, of the corruption. I fled, given that I was within the... oh this is annoying..." She was just as bound by the naming convention as they were, struggling to come up with ways of describing something when she couldn't use proper nouns. "I was within the web, so to speak. I thought my potential ally was trying to spring a trap, and so fled to my demesnes to try and recover what had been lost. Only to fall into the waiting jaws of that filthy scavenger. Yes, yes, I will call off my children, eager as they are to defend my honor. I never asked them to do it, but you know how things go with family. They will just have to avoid the Cascades all together until someone convinces the Broods war wasn't my intent." It seemed she already thought she was deep enough in their debt, as she made no suggestion that they be the ones who do so. Threads Go talk to the Unkindness Talk with Magister Kuros about flight Accept the Magister's bargain Learn more about names from Magister Lui Discover what has invaded the Nest Retrieve five Cordovin Stones from the Ruined Expanses Bleed Chase the Grey Man Convince the Mistress of the Broods to call off the war

Xanah With her fingers neatly steepled, Xanah rested them lightly on top of her chin, eyes cast down towards the ground as she listened to the rest of them discuss. It was a contemplative-looking posture she didn't even realize she was doing. When she had finally gathered here thoughts together, she unconsciously dropped her hands, folded them together, and looked back up to eye level with the others. "We should pursue these hasty ideas," she said to the creature that was Felicia, "as quick as they come to you, before our metaphorical trail goes cold. I know a zilat who has a particular talent for finding things that may be able to advise you on how such magic might work best." She gave a small, but knowing smile. "He owes me a favor." She turned to the ravenesse, bowed her head respectfully and said, "In the meantime... should Your Magnificence deign to aid us, would you be willing to recall your Unkindness from war with the Brood? The people of the Cascades are suffering in the crossfire. The spiders may also wish to know your respective peoples have been disrespected by a mutual enemy. Your word of such news assuredly carries more weight than ours." Character Arcs Join an Organization As an arachnophile, I'm being groomed to join the Cacophony, an association of spiders whose name only really makes sense to spiders. They seek to establish diplomatic ties with the Angular Serpentine. Current StepYou want to join an organization. This likely is not an order, since vislae start the game already belonging to an order if they wish it. Vislae often join other organizations as well, however, and this arc is a great way to portray that. Cost: The Decision to Join. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting the Details. 1 Acumen reward. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member. Step(s): Making a Contact. 1 Acumen reward. Friends on the inside are always important. Step(s): Performing a Deed. 2 Acumen reward. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things. Climax: Proving Your Worth. 2 Acumen reward. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you. : The decision to join Cost - Decision to Join: For now, I remain ignorant that I'm being considered for invitation. Aid a Friend Aldrion Phect wishes to rescue his spouse from Shadow, but first he must Uncover the Secret of how such a task might even be possible. I'm too closeted a romantic to tell him I can't resist helping somebody reunite with their loved one. Current StepSomeone needs your help. When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do. If you have a bond with the friend you are helping, this may increase the Acumen earned with each story point by 1. It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of ) your help. The majority of the cost, story points, and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc. Cost: Agreeing to Help. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Answering the Call. 1 Acumen reward. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help). Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Acumen, Joy, and Despair rewards are the same for you as for the friend. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.: Answering the Call Cost - Agreeing to Help: I've agreed to help, but Aldrion and I haven't discussed it further. Opening - Answering the Call: It's time I made good on my word. I'll be pursuing this with Aldrion soon as this name thief business is over. Description Appearance Xanah and the possessions on her person lose color saturation in proportion to her amount of sunlight exposure. She's completely grayscale in broad daylight. She otherwise sports a head of medium-length red-brown hair, copper colored eyes, and a fair complexion. Xanah is of unremarkable height and build, a slim physique that belies a lifetime of overindulging. It's only her constantly moving workaholic ethic that keeps her in shape. Her clothing usually favors practicality and comfort, never one to indulge in fashionable fads. Ever conscientious of her habits, Xanah always smells faintly of cinnamon and spice. Personality Lives on coffee, cigars, and favors. Fiercely individualist to a fault. A tarnished heart of gold. Tendency to overindulge. A patron of lost causes, shooter of troubles, slayer of dragons, walker of tightropes, and runner with scissors. Banned from kitchens across the Actuality for abject culinary incompetence. Never met a stranger before but carefully chooses close friendships A closeted romantic, almost disgustingly so. Her sharp tongue and compulsion to kick hornets' nests and turn over rocks makes many enemies. In her Order she's been demoted twice for it. Occupation Xanah describes herself as "creatively entrepreneurial," which is to say she doesn't actually have a traditional occupation. As previously mentioned, she lives off favors. These keep her constantly busy juggling a tangled web of commitments, investments, activism, and odd-jobs that she's perfectly satisfied living in the middle of. Income can be wildly inconsistent, but she's never been one to require much in the way of creature comforts. She's just as likely to blow a windfall on a hopeless cause as she is to devote it to a strategic endeavor. "Money," she says, "is just a means to an end, grease for the skids." She toys with the idea of running for office but talks herself out of it, saying that nobody would vote for her anyway. Despite her modest self-assessment, the growing network of contacts she's been developing suggests she might get more support than she realizes. Dichotomies Wealth or Fame - "It's all in who you know." Friends or Family - "I don't make close friends easy, but the few I have are basically family." Power or Control - "I'm the spider dead center in the web." Introvert or Extrovert - "There's nothing I love more than good company." Order or Chaos - "A little strategic chaos keeps the omnipotent busybodies from getting too comfortable." Freedom or Safety - "'Live free or die trying', I say." Society or the Individual - "Society is people. Make a difference for one and you make a different society." Generosity or Greed - "You give a little to get a little. Sometimes, well...sometimes people need me to give a little more." Moral code or Instinct - "Scruples are what separates man from the animals." Ego or Id - "Can't honestly say I've ever been accused of temperance or self control." Nature or Nurture - "Pro tip: Yes, it's your fault and you can do better." Thought or Action - "I'm a make-it-up-as-you-go kind of gal." Instinct or Knowledge - "My gut has never let me down about what the right thing to do is." Charity or Self-sufficiency - "Everybody needs somebody sometime." Home or the Road - "Give me a warm house and somebody to share it with on all the days that end in 'Y'." Contentment or Challenge - "Look, I don't go crusading for lost causes. They seek me out. They know I"m easy." Pools Injuries: [ ] [ ] [ ] Wounds: [ ] [ ] [ ] Anguish: [ ] [ ] [ ] CERTES QUALIA Accuracy: 2/3 Movement: 1/1 Sorcery: 7/7 Interaction: 3/4 (1 die) Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 3/4 Intelligence: 1/1 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Felicia Ainsworth "Not beneath our notice but it's all triage right now and identifying the problem and how to catch, as well as address, the root cause. I'm sorry if we gave any offense." the Maker replied to the self deprecation of the entity with a whispering hiss of something like an appreciable laugh as she straightened from her work. The act of depositing the various vials and carefully wrapped crystals into the waiting pockets an even more delicate process with the grotesque claws and anatomy virtually reworked to less than delicate applications of it's hideous power. That it was only reinforced by the cacophony of the Chorus and the darker impulses that went along with so base a corruption of the self only exasperated the matter but still the Maker was able to secret away the spoils of their kill and focused fully then upon the nameless entity. "Dream unfortunately only works if you can remember it upon waking up. I've an idea or two though of what we might be able to do to track this thief down. Do you mind if I look over the stones a bit and take a cutting for anything that... resonates? If nothing else then I can give both us and your unkindness a way of tracking and spotting this man... Maybe. I've never tried to build a resonance compass or any kind of dowsing equipment before but I've a few hasty ideas on how to be about it." Character Arcs EstablishmentYou want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically. Cost: The Need for Proof. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Assessment. 1 Acumen reward. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to. Step(s): Appearances Matter. 1 Acumen reward. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps. Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. 1 Acumen reward. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps. Climax: Grabbing Attention. 3 Acumen reward. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash (1 Joy) or a big crash (1 Despair). Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on what you did and where you go from here - Current Step: The Need for Proof Develop a BondYou want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC. In the case of an NPC, the end result might be an NPC bond, and in the case of a PC it’s a PC bond. Cost: Putting Yourself Out There. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting to Know You. 1 Acumen reward. You learn what you can about the other character. Step: Initial Attempt. 1 Acumen reward. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation. Step(s): Building a Relationship. 2 Acumen reward. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship. Climax: Bond. 3 Acumen reward. You succeed or fail at forging the bond. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship. - Current Step: Building a Relationship. Description Description It's the eyes, really, that most fixate upon first. The hues of crimson and gold spinning, twisting, merging in their depths as they seem to give a clear window into the utter depths of Felicia's mind with their uniquely expressive quality. That there feels to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, pairs of eyes staring back from behind those initial windows to the soul only seems to cement the impression of something troublesome, something worrying to compliment the elfin quality of her sharp features and diminutive frame. That sensation of malice, of gleeful cruelty, welling up from somewhere in those depths even as she comports herself with nothing but cheerful, if stoic, mannerisms and inexhaustible impressions of attention to the minute aesthetics of every gesture, motion, and twist of both herself and the world around her. In matters of garb, she tends to play to the company she plans for with blouses, dresses, and pants of riotous colors among the bohemian communes of Fartown to the carefully coordinated yet still somehow esoteric gowns and suits of high society galas and soirees. Each and every ensemble meticulously planned and coordinated like one of the great works of her brushes. The only break from this carefully crafted aesthetic seems to be her hair, pale and bloodless as her complexion. It's length healthy, glossy, and well tended but cursed with creative differences in how it curls and falls. Despite this, it seems always to blend, practically meld, seamlessly into any trim of fur or feather that might adorn a chosen outfit. Like those glimpses of alien malice and cruelty in the depths of her eyes, there always seems to be a discordant element that shadows her. Whether it be a flicker of something other in the crimson depths of her eyes, the way her shadow seems to twitch and twist without her ever moving, or how her reflection never quite seems to be her... It becomes all too clear that her body and soul might be host to something besides merely the artist... Worse still is the careful and delicate work of brush and needle; whisking away bruises here, deep scratches or cuts there, all damning evidence of struggles with the self. In the Guise of Immanis The energies of the Abyss are, by its very nature, an instrument of the Dark and unkind as a rule to the essential fabric of whatever is and may be. It is only by the tempering elements of the Gold Sun that the taking in of such hostile energies is more than merely an elaborate form of suicide. The raw stresses of this are quite evident then when Madame Ainsworth invokes so terrible a spell. Her already pale skin grows to be a lifeless gray, gaining an unseemly translucence that is easily pierced by even the wane light of Fartown beneath the Indigo Sun. The lines and forms of every bone visible from just the right angles as they shatter, stretch, and mend with an agonizing rapidity to drag her up to a daunting height. Sinew, muscle and tendon all the while snapping, recoiling, and reforming to accommodate this new and predatory bearing. Veins and arteries, in kind, flow with noxious black as the corruptive energies swirl and take root, her eyes draining of that distinct crimson and gold hue leaving only a single prick of light nearly drowned in a sea of impenetrable black. Were that these the extent of the horrors wrought by the invoking of the Eye of Immanis for one can't help but stare as razor-like teeth push aside whatever may block their way, twisting and gnarling the line of gum and tooth to pierce and part the flesh of the cheek revealing a hideous, too broad maw. A likewise change playing out in the hands as bones shatter and twist as tendons and sinew reinforce to accommodate the agonizingly slow-yet-quick emergence of seven inch talons, black as jet, that now adorn each finger tip. This final change marking the ultimate perversion, turning tools of creation to tools of abject and potent destruction. Pools Certes Accuracy: 4/6 (1E) + 3 From Eyes of Immanis Movement: 3/4 Physicality: 1/3 Perception: 3/4 Qualia Sorcery: 3/6 Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item) Intellect: 1/3 Sortilege: 1/3 Hidden Knowledge: 8 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance Narrative: Narrative ModeThe second mode, called Narrative Mode, handles the more flexible activities in the game in terms of detail and time. While no one is tracking things carefully in rounds or strictly managing turns, everyone’s still at the table, the Path of Suns board and Sooth Deck are out and in play, and the GM is managing the actions and outcomes. There are still die rolls to be made, points to be spent, and so on, but probably not with the frequency of Action Mode. Sooth Deck: The Harvesting Spider Effects: Effective level of all Red magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Effective level of all Blue magic is decreased by 1, or Sorcery cost increased by 1. Stoics receive a +1 to all Actions. Divination: "As terrifying as this card appears, its meanings are more esoteric, but still significant. The always active spider signifies action. Act— immediately. Work—hard. Success can be had, but only as the result of action and toil. The Harvesting Spider is also a subtle hunter, and thus can suggest that stealth might be required in one’s endeavors." The nameless raven queen watched them with her jet black eyes, most of her features obscured by the umbral shadows that clung to the place where her mouth and nose might be. Her Mantle of power whipped on the wind, the sensation of the cloak of raven's feathers that they had seen within the Husk rather than the reality of it. "My apologies that I am not what I should be, I'd not realized myself as so beneath your notice." She said with a hint of self deprecating humor, hovering over the quartet of Vislae as they largely ignored her, going about their own investigation. "I'd sought to try and regain myself in Dream, and...." She paused, considering what they'd said. "Ahhh, mine is not the only name stolen by this thief of souls. I had missed that in my haste. Foolish. The Brood and their now Nameless Mistress are not to blame. Else why would they suffer the same fate." She turned to regard the Unkindness, and though she did not speak, a sense of mutual understanding passed between them. A hundred throats, perhaps a thousand, lifted up to the skies and gave a single unified croak of acquiescence. Threads Go talk to the Unkindness Talk with Magister Kuros about flight Accept the Magister's bargain Learn more about names from Magister Lui Discover what has invaded the Nest Retrieve five Cordovin Stones from the Ruined Expanses Bleed

Shuistliel Liel takes a few minutes to rest and think about what's happened, and to study the raven being that has now been revealed. Nameless like the one whose home he lives in, obviously, since he can't even hang a working title on the creature. He grunts in acknowledgement when Aldrion speaks around the Truespider's lack of a name, thinking that their next port of call should be the totally enwebbed house in their neighborhood. He watched the Maker gathering things from the wreckage, wondering what use the bits of almost-nothing were and deciding he'd have to ask her. "Trying to track this thing's corruption is a good idea," Shuistliel says, having noted the sense of corruption as well; not surprising, as it was a chokingly obvious sensation. "Not quite sure how to get started on that." Then Aldrion suggests they return to the spider-dominated Cascades, and he perks up. "We chose to come up here first, because the time on talking to the corvids was potentially running out," he says, "Now, we need to go back to the Cascades and the house that got totally enwebbed. I still have the ephemera we might use to seal it back closed behind us, and I also have a mask that we can use to get a single true answer out of." He doesn't explain how the second piece works OOC: spent the 10 minute rest for the day to reset Sorcery pool and 1 1-round rest for Sortilege. NEW! Character Arcs Develop a Bond: Shuistliel realizes he has too few friends, and would like to expand his circle of true friends. Solve a Mystery: There's a ton of questions surrounding the webbing of his neighborhood and the swirl of angry birds aloft, and Shuistliel wants answers to all of them. And he can handle the truth! Develop a Bond: Shuistliel has also realized that it's past time he tried talking to the one whose home he dwells in. Description Shuistliel is a very handsome man with long silver hair and green eyes the color of fine emeralds. He is dressed as he usually is, in a nice suit, jacket, and pants, and he has his usual snake-headed cane along. He moves quite agilely, like a dancer, perhaps. What's unusual this morning is the black survival combat axe carried in one hand while the cane is tucked under an arm. Pools Certes Accuracy: 3/3 Movement: 2/3 Physicality: 2/2 Perception: 3/3 Qualia Sorcery: 7/7 Interaction: 2/3 Intellect: 3/3 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 10 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Aldrion Phect "To be more specific, ravens and spiders have been blaming each other for the recent deficit of names. They've made The Cascades the location to work out their differences, presumably because-" Aldrion paused, caught on the word choice as he looked toward Liel for direction. Using him as a point of reference ought to be removed enough. "Well, I hope it's not too obtuse to say that Liel here doesn't live alone, given the circumstances." The effort to consider... the other half of the equation got Aldrion to thinking on whether or not... there'd be another opportunist, which the Husk seemed to be. If the lack of names made an individual that much more vulnerable- Was that how, though? Liel had needed Felicia's help, and Aldrion himself may not have managed as well as he had if he hadn't gone in alert and armed. Well, within a given definition of "armed." It might not be the lack of name, if the Husk had the element of surprise. Not that the lack- Oh, but if the thief stole every name, he'd have their True names, wouldn't he? That- Speculation derailed, and pale lips lit up on Aldrion's forehead. The realization had caused Aldrion to tighten his grip on the magic items in his pockets, and in one case that had caused a shift in pressure on a particular ring, which he'd brought with him from the Shadow. He- The whole point of his recent curiosity about natives of Shadow living in Actuality was the hope of being reunited with Aisling, to be able to bring her into his home, to share this new world with her. Did the power of names make it too dangerous for her? It'd be something else to look into, beyond the more obvious question of how it was possible. As quick as they appeared, the lip marks faded. Character Arcs Uncover a SecretThere is knowledge out there that you want. This arc is a great way to get one of the secrets in the chapter Character and House Secrets that the GM has said aren’t readily available. Likewise, it could be an attempt to find and learn a specific rare spell or ritual. This could also be a hunt for a lost magic word or key that will open a sealed door, the name of a devil, the secret name of an important person, or just how the arabast fashioned their windows in ancient times. Cost: Seeker. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Naming the Secret. 1 Acumen reward. You give your goal a name. “I am seeking the lost martial art of the Khendrix, who could slice steel with their bare hands.” Step(s): Research. 1 Acumen reward. You scour libraries and old tomes for clues and information. Step(s): Investigation. 1 Acumen reward. You talk to people to gain clues and information. Step(s): Tracking. 1 Acumen reward. You track down the source of the secret information and travel to it. Climax: Revelation. 2 Acumen reward. You find and attempt to use the secret, whatever that entails. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You contemplate how this secret affects you and the world. - Current Step: Seeker CleanseSomeone or something has been contaminated, probably by foul magic, and you want to rid them of such influences. This might be a curse, a possession, an infestation, or something else. Cost: Becoming Aware of the Need. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Analyzing the Threat. 1 Acumen reward. You determine the nature of the contamination. Step: Find the Solution. 2 Acumen reward. Almost every contamination has its own particular solution, and this likely involves research and consultation. Step: Getting Ready. 1 Acumen reward. The solution probably involves materials, spells, or other things that you must gather and prepare. Climax: The Cleansing. 3 Acumen reward. You confront the contamination. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on the events that have transpired and what effects they might have on the future. How can you keep this from happening again? - Current Step: Find the Solution Description Aldrion prefers to cover up, as his time in the Shadow working in repairs instilled him with an appreciation of proper protection. He has a scar over one eyebrow, presumably from a narrow miss taken during the war. He favors a style that mixes plain colors with the odd splash of supernatural hues, often in shades of or near indigo in representation of his newfound appreciation for the truth. Pools Certes Accuracy: 2/2 Movement: 3/3 Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 2/2 Qualia Sorcery: 4/9 Interaction: 3/3 Intellect: 2/3 Sortilege: 2/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Felicia Ainsworth Xanah's return with the inconclusive findings but a matching description earned a quiet nod from the Maker whose attention seemed as divided as ever as black and crimson eyes flickered from the Queen to Xanah to where the man had been and to the remains of the Husk. Her hands all the while snapped closed and then slowly forced open as instincts, Chorus, and better natures warred within her. She hated the spell, if she was honest as it introduced too much of too many things into the essential make up of her self but... It was an all too useful tool when gentler temperaments could not or would not prevail. The problem, however, was always the transition to and back. Both painful experiences, one akin to self poisoning and the other the act of expelling. Both speaking to hollow and bleak parts of her own personality. The idea of tracking the vislae by the corruption that followed him was a curious idea. One she'd have to visit shortly but first thing was first... It was delicate work with the unfamiliar yet horridly familiar dimensions of her taloned fingers but she moved closer to where the husk had fallen, hands pointedly to her sides before producing a pair of vials and a small pouch of cloth. The slight shift in the line of razor toothed jaw implying no small concentration as clawed hands meant only to destroy were forced to gently collect. Every tendon, muscle, and joint painfully protesting the work and setting muscles all along the arm to cord, twist, and strain. The Chorus, at least, was curiously pleased with the morbidity of collecting the remains of a dream, a living dream, for some purpose down the line. "At least in regards to your freedom, I didn't want to leave your Unkindness to their wallowing but there seems to be a... ah, fortunate aligning of goals since it's brought more than a little chaos to our neighborhood." the Maker offered in that struggling, reedy, discordant voice that seemed all too inline with the hideous nature of this form of hers. Her eyes full dedicated to the scavenging work before sparing a glance towards her fellow vislae with a swivel of head that was both alike and unpleasantly dissimilar to that of some predator avian. The creaks, groans, and protests of whatever was left of 'human' physiology readily apparent. "I won't ask you to run back over there but once I'm done collecting all this... and force myself back into something more, well, comfortable. I'll take a poke around the stone. Maybe if some of this resonant... corruption has stuck to the stone I can take a cutting and put together something like a dowsing rod for it?" Character Arcs EstablishmentYou want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically. Cost: The Need for Proof. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Assessment. 1 Acumen reward. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to. Step(s): Appearances Matter. 1 Acumen reward. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps. Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. 1 Acumen reward. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps. Climax: Grabbing Attention. 3 Acumen reward. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash (1 Joy) or a big crash (1 Despair). Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on what you did and where you go from here - Current Step: The Need for Proof Develop a BondYou want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC. In the case of an NPC, the end result might be an NPC bond, and in the case of a PC it’s a PC bond. Cost: Putting Yourself Out There. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting to Know You. 1 Acumen reward. You learn what you can about the other character. Step: Initial Attempt. 1 Acumen reward. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation. Step(s): Building a Relationship. 2 Acumen reward. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship. Climax: Bond. 3 Acumen reward. You succeed or fail at forging the bond. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship. - Current Step: Building a Relationship. Description Description It's the eyes, really, that most fixate upon first. The hues of crimson and gold spinning, twisting, merging in their depths as they seem to give a clear window into the utter depths of Felicia's mind with their uniquely expressive quality. That there feels to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, pairs of eyes staring back from behind those initial windows to the soul only seems to cement the impression of something troublesome, something worrying to compliment the elfin quality of her sharp features and diminutive frame. That sensation of malice, of gleeful cruelty, welling up from somewhere in those depths even as she comports herself with nothing but cheerful, if stoic, mannerisms and inexhaustible impressions of attention to the minute aesthetics of every gesture, motion, and twist of both herself and the world around her. In matters of garb, she tends to play to the company she plans for with blouses, dresses, and pants of riotous colors among the bohemian communes of Fartown to the carefully coordinated yet still somehow esoteric gowns and suits of high society galas and soirees. Each and every ensemble meticulously planned and coordinated like one of the great works of her brushes. The only break from this carefully crafted aesthetic seems to be her hair, pale and bloodless as her complexion. It's length healthy, glossy, and well tended but cursed with creative differences in how it curls and falls. Despite this, it seems always to blend, practically meld, seamlessly into any trim of fur or feather that might adorn a chosen outfit. Like those glimpses of alien malice and cruelty in the depths of her eyes, there always seems to be a discordant element that shadows her. Whether it be a flicker of something other in the crimson depths of her eyes, the way her shadow seems to twitch and twist without her ever moving, or how her reflection never quite seems to be her... It becomes all too clear that her body and soul might be host to something besides merely the artist... Worse still is the careful and delicate work of brush and needle; whisking away bruises here, deep scratches or cuts there, all damning evidence of struggles with the self. In the Guise of Immanis The energies of the Abyss are, by its very nature, an instrument of the Dark and unkind as a rule to the essential fabric of whatever is and may be. It is only by the tempering elements of the Gold Sun that the taking in of such hostile energies is more than merely an elaborate form of suicide. The raw stresses of this are quite evident then when Madame Ainsworth invokes so terrible a spell. Her already pale skin grows to be a lifeless gray, gaining an unseemly translucence that is easily pierced by even the wane light of Fartown beneath the Indigo Sun. The lines and forms of every bone visible from just the right angles as they shatter, stretch, and mend with an agonizing rapidity to drag her up to a daunting height. Sinew, muscle and tendon all the while snapping, recoiling, and reforming to accommodate this new and predatory bearing. Veins and arteries, in kind, flow with noxious black as the corruptive energies swirl and take root, her eyes draining of that distinct crimson and gold hue leaving only a single prick of light nearly drowned in a sea of impenetrable black. Were that these the extent of the horrors wrought by the invoking of the Eye of Immanis for one can't help but stare as razor-like teeth push aside whatever may block their way, twisting and gnarling the line of gum and tooth to pierce and part the flesh of the cheek revealing a hideous, too broad maw. A likewise change playing out in the hands as bones shatter and twist as tendons and sinew reinforce to accommodate the agonizingly slow-yet-quick emergence of seven inch talons, black as jet, that now adorn each finger tip. This final change marking the ultimate perversion, turning tools of creation to tools of abject and potent destruction. Pools Certes Accuracy: 4/6 (1E) + 3 From Eyes of Immanis Movement: 3/4 Physicality: 1/3 Perception: 3/4 Qualia Sorcery: 3/6 Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item) Intellect: 1/3 Sortilege: 1/3 Hidden Knowledge: 8 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Xanah "Bollocks," Xanah muttered irritably under her breath. Her quarry was long gone, it seemed. She was frustrated and annoyed, heaved a sigh as she packed her weapon away back into the holster under her jacket. They weren't any closer to coming to the end of this little investigation of theirs than when they had arrived. She had hoped they would find answers sufficient to identify the thief quickly and then be able to turn in his identity to the victims and the relevant authorities. A quick trip to the raven roost, perhaps a conversation with the spiders, then they would wrap it all up neatly. Naivety, thy name is Xanah, she chided herself. She heard the others approaching with the ravenesse. Xanah made her way back to them to report her lack of findings. Being that they were in the demesne of this magnificent creature, she thought it prudent to be polite and patient, so when it seemed like the ravenesse would be ready for her she spoke. "The interloper is gone--teleported or invisible I suppose. He did leave us one clue to his identity: that miasma of corruption I think we're all feeling. That was our thief, I'm sure of it." She described what she had seen of the man. She had previously explained all the details of her conversation with Magister Lui the Vance to her companions, but their hostess needed to know about it. "A Magister of my order told us that such a thief would have an unmistakable aura of soul-deep foulness about him. I wonder if it's possible to track his smell, figuratively speaking." Refreshing my Sorcery pool (10-min). Character Arcs Join an Organization As an arachnophile, I'm being groomed to join the Cacophony, an association of spiders whose name only really makes sense to spiders. They seek to establish diplomatic ties with the Angular Serpentine. Current StepYou want to join an organization. This likely is not an order, since vislae start the game already belonging to an order if they wish it. Vislae often join other organizations as well, however, and this arc is a great way to portray that. Cost: The Decision to Join. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting the Details. 1 Acumen reward. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member. Step(s): Making a Contact. 1 Acumen reward. Friends on the inside are always important. Step(s): Performing a Deed. 2 Acumen reward. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things. Climax: Proving Your Worth. 2 Acumen reward. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you. : The decision to join Cost - Decision to Join: For now, I remain ignorant that I'm being considered for invitation. Aid a Friend Aldrion Phect wishes to rescue his spouse from Shadow, but first he must Uncover the Secret of how such a task might even be possible. I'm too closeted a romantic to tell him I can't resist helping somebody reunite with their loved one. Current StepSomeone needs your help. When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do. If you have a bond with the friend you are helping, this may increase the Acumen earned with each story point by 1. It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of ) your help. The majority of the cost, story points, and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc. Cost: Agreeing to Help. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Answering the Call. 1 Acumen reward. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help). Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Acumen, Joy, and Despair rewards are the same for you as for the friend. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.: Answering the Call Cost - Agreeing to Help: I've agreed to help, but Aldrion and I haven't discussed it further. Opening - Answering the Call: It's time I made good on my word. I'll be pursuing this with Aldrion soon as this name thief business is over. Description Appearance Xanah and the possessions on her person lose color saturation in proportion to her amount of sunlight exposure. She's completely grayscale in broad daylight. She otherwise sports a head of medium-length red-brown hair, copper colored eyes, and a fair complexion. Xanah is of unremarkable height and build, a slim physique that belies a lifetime of overindulging. It's only her constantly moving workaholic ethic that keeps her in shape. Her clothing usually favors practicality and comfort, never one to indulge in fashionable fads. Ever conscientious of her habits, Xanah always smells faintly of cinnamon and spice. Personality Lives on coffee, cigars, and favors. Fiercely individualist to a fault. A tarnished heart of gold. Tendency to overindulge. A patron of lost causes, shooter of troubles, slayer of dragons, walker of tightropes, and runner with scissors. Banned from kitchens across the Actuality for abject culinary incompetence. Never met a stranger before but carefully chooses close friendships A closeted romantic, almost disgustingly so. Her sharp tongue and compulsion to kick hornets' nests and turn over rocks makes many enemies. In her Order she's been demoted twice for it. Occupation Xanah describes herself as "creatively entrepreneurial," which is to say she doesn't actually have a traditional occupation. As previously mentioned, she lives off favors. These keep her constantly busy juggling a tangled web of commitments, investments, activism, and odd-jobs that she's perfectly satisfied living in the middle of. Income can be wildly inconsistent, but she's never been one to require much in the way of creature comforts. She's just as likely to blow a windfall on a hopeless cause as she is to devote it to a strategic endeavor. "Money," she says, "is just a means to an end, grease for the skids." She toys with the idea of running for office but talks herself out of it, saying that nobody would vote for her anyway. Despite her modest self-assessment, the growing network of contacts she's been developing suggests she might get more support than she realizes. Dichotomies Wealth or Fame - "It's all in who you know." Friends or Family - "I don't make close friends easy, but the few I have are basically family." Power or Control - "I'm the spider dead center in the web." Introvert or Extrovert - "There's nothing I love more than good company." Order or Chaos - "A little strategic chaos keeps the omnipotent busybodies from getting too comfortable." Freedom or Safety - "'Live free or die trying', I say." Society or the Individual - "Society is people. Make a difference for one and you make a different society." Generosity or Greed - "You give a little to get a little. Sometimes, well...sometimes people need me to give a little more." Moral code or Instinct - "Scruples are what separates man from the animals." Ego or Id - "Can't honestly say I've ever been accused of temperance or self control." Nature or Nurture - "Pro tip: Yes, it's your fault and you can do better." Thought or Action - "I'm a make-it-up-as-you-go kind of gal." Instinct or Knowledge - "My gut has never let me down about what the right thing to do is." Charity or Self-sufficiency - "Everybody needs somebody sometime." Home or the Road - "Give me a warm house and somebody to share it with on all the days that end in 'Y'." Contentment or Challenge - "Look, I don't go crusading for lost causes. They seek me out. They know I"m easy." Pools Injuries: [ ] [ ] [ ] Wounds: [ ] [ ] [ ] Anguish: [ ] [ ] [ ] CERTES QUALIA Accuracy: 2/3 Movement: 1/1 Sorcery: 7/7 Interaction: 3/4 (1 die) Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 3/4 Intelligence: 1/1 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance Narrative: Narrative ModeThe second mode, called Narrative Mode, handles the more flexible activities in the game in terms of detail and time. While no one is tracking things carefully in rounds or strictly managing turns, everyone’s still at the table, the Path of Suns board and Sooth Deck are out and in play, and the GM is managing the actions and outcomes. There are still die rolls to be made, points to be spent, and so on, but probably not with the frequency of Action Mode. Sooth Deck: The Harvesting Spider Effects: Effective level of all Red magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Effective level of all Blue magic is decreased by 1, or Sorcery cost increased by 1. Stoics receive a +1 to all Actions. Divination: "As terrifying as this card appears, its meanings are more esoteric, but still significant. The always active spider signifies action. Act— immediately. Work—hard. Success can be had, but only as the result of action and toil. The Harvesting Spider is also a subtle hunter, and thus can suggest that stealth might be required in one’s endeavors." Ignoring their new hostess to focus on the vanished interloper, Xanah had to cut a wide swath around the enshrouded figure in order return to their noble steed. The massive azure butterfly appeared unharmed as she drew near, and yet something was wrong. She could feel it as she came to a stop, like a miasma that sunk into her skin. There was a stain upon the air about her, felt more than witnessed, for as her eyes looked over the gleaming statues and pristine white marble she kept looking for oil slicks that weren't there. Something profoundly unnatural had tainted this place with its very presence. Had it been the strange grey man she'd seen standing there only moments before? It was by far the easiest explanation. The massive butterfly cleaned its antennae, and though she had no talent for reading the construct's thoughts, it felt like agitation. "It follows me even here..." The entity hovering before Felicia, Shustliel, and Aldrion said, her whispered voice sounding suddenly sad as she gazed in Xanah's direction. She turned slowly, her feet not touching the ground as she towered over them. There was no croaking to her voice, no secret to understanding her tongue. She wished for them to understand her words, and so they did. She wished for them to hear the sorrow in her voice, and so they did. "And you have followed me here too, it seems." Her black eyes took in the trio, her mouth and nose obscured by the same Mantle of power that flickered out behind her. "Or else that treacherous little toad of a Somniferous Husk would still have me trapped in dream, and my Unkindness would still be in distress." They noted the quiet then, how the massive flock had settled about them. It was not silence, Ravens still gargled and cackled at each other. Yet most had landed at her appearance, and settled down to watch with rapt attention. Even noting that she was the one the birds had sought, they couldn't put a name to her. They could think of her as a queen of Ravenkind, but the moment they tried to describe her as the Queen of anything, the name slipped from their minds. They could imagine the idea of a Trueraven, but they couldn't attach the name to the spirit floating before them. She felt wrong for it too, a minor reflection of the corruption that Xanah was experiencing. She should have had a name, she should have had many. Yet all that was her name had been taken, and nothing had been put into its place. It shouldn't have been, something should have slipped in to fill that void. Yet nothing had, and they got the sensation that nothing ever would. She just was, they couldn't even think of her as "the Nameless," because that was too close to giving her a title. She simply was. Felicia looked at the aftermath of their struggle, her Maker's eyes picking up treasures amongst the corpse of the creature they had been fighting that others would have missed. More Dream than substance, the Somniferous Husk's EctoplasmLevel 3 Material was already decaying in the midday sun, Raw NightmareLevel 5 Ingredient splattered like blood about it. She'd be able to collect a bottle or two of both if she acted quickly. More importantly, she spotted a beautiful gem, a Crystalized DreamLevel 5 Power Source discarded amongst the wreckage of their conflict. Threads Go talk to the Unkindness Talk with Magister Kuros about flight Accept the Magister's bargain Learn more about names from Magister Lui Discover what has invaded the Nest Retrieve five Cordovin Stones from the Ruined Expanses Bleed

Aldrion Phect When the face of their foe was replaced by what Aldrion assumed to be one of the victims, he made a point of sheathing his sword. Drawing it had been a performative gesture, anyhow. Especially since he didn't have any proper training with how to use it... Something to rectify later. Between now and the expedition to... Wherever that one Vance lied about the cache being. If it warranted the incredulity he remembered feeling, he'd probably need it. That was a problem for another day, though. Instead, Aldrion stuffed his hands in his pockets, anchoring himself out of his experience by reaffirming the presence of his orb in one pocket and his vertula kada in the other. While the experience hadn't meant much to his sense of self, his kada, the vertula focused on how he related to the world around him. There he'd had a profound impact with, and... He smiled behind his scarf, as he felt his bond to the orb strengthened by his reconnection. That done, Aldrion's eyes flicked between Xanah and Felicia behind his goggles. Which way- Off she goes. "Shout if you need help!" That said, he turned his attention to Felicia's efforts to speak. The conversation didn't seem to involve any squawking. Perhaps he could participate? ...He could wait. Character Arcs Uncover a SecretThere is knowledge out there that you want. This arc is a great way to get one of the secrets in the chapter Character and House Secrets that the GM has said aren’t readily available. Likewise, it could be an attempt to find and learn a specific rare spell or ritual. This could also be a hunt for a lost magic word or key that will open a sealed door, the name of a devil, the secret name of an important person, or just how the arabast fashioned their windows in ancient times. Cost: Seeker. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Naming the Secret. 1 Acumen reward. You give your goal a name. “I am seeking the lost martial art of the Khendrix, who could slice steel with their bare hands.” Step(s): Research. 1 Acumen reward. You scour libraries and old tomes for clues and information. Step(s): Investigation. 1 Acumen reward. You talk to people to gain clues and information. Step(s): Tracking. 1 Acumen reward. You track down the source of the secret information and travel to it. Climax: Revelation. 2 Acumen reward. You find and attempt to use the secret, whatever that entails. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You contemplate how this secret affects you and the world. - Current Step: Seeker CleanseSomeone or something has been contaminated, probably by foul magic, and you want to rid them of such influences. This might be a curse, a possession, an infestation, or something else. Cost: Becoming Aware of the Need. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Analyzing the Threat. 1 Acumen reward. You determine the nature of the contamination. Step: Find the Solution. 2 Acumen reward. Almost every contamination has its own particular solution, and this likely involves research and consultation. Step: Getting Ready. 1 Acumen reward. The solution probably involves materials, spells, or other things that you must gather and prepare. Climax: The Cleansing. 3 Acumen reward. You confront the contamination. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on the events that have transpired and what effects they might have on the future. How can you keep this from happening again? - Current Step: Find the Solution Description Aldrion prefers to cover up, as his time in the Shadow working in repairs instilled him with an appreciation of proper protection. He has a scar over one eyebrow, presumably from a narrow miss taken during the war. He favors a style that mixes plain colors with the odd splash of supernatural hues, often in shades of or near indigo in representation of his newfound appreciation for the truth. Pools Certes Accuracy: 2/2 Movement: 3/3 Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 2/2 Qualia Sorcery: 4/9 Interaction: 3/3 Intellect: 2/3 Sortilege: 2/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Felicia Ainsworth Teeth ground, joints popped and clicked, and the Maker watched the woman run ahead to investigate just who had been watching them, who had followed them. There was a feeling of trepidation and a wonder to how many more surprises might arise from their poking about the matter of a stolen name, a war between two wings and eight legs... The whispering of the Chorus, softening from the exultant shrieks of blood lust, painted no uncertain picture that there was a price to her involvement and it would be coming as much from torments without as from within. One particularly cheeky of the legions strong within her soul reminding her all too keenly that the currency of many an artist was the suffering they endured in the pursuit thereof. There was also the lingering, uncomfortable thoughts now of having been party to the end of something. The dull suspicion that this was not the first time nor the last but none the less... poignant... Perhaps not quite tragic for the circumstances but it was no doubt the death of one dream for another to live. There was something to that in kind that she tucked away for later. The itch to hold a brush in hand burning from the ruined tips of her fingers all the way up to the back of her eyes, setting the brain alight as she turned her attentions on the being they'd released. "Thieves tend to be a tricky sort. I hope you're the friend the Ravens are so eager to have back? Else there's more than a few questions we'll need to get through." Felicia asked struggling for a moment to do so as a woman, rather than as a raven, might though her 'natural' voice remained a deeply unpleasant variety of discordant cords punctuated by pops and creaks of a jaw that was not designed any longer for something so constructive as civil conversation. The ravaged flesh of cheek and peeled back line of lips only adding further grotesqueries even as she tried to remain composed. The deadly, taloned hands at her sides snapping closed and forcing open with a deliberate energy that hadn't been wholly satisfied by the demise of the Aspirant Courtier. Her attention split now between Xanah's investigation, the Entity, the Chorus, and the darker impulses churning through her poisoned, twisted form. Character Arcs EstablishmentYou want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically. Cost: The Need for Proof. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Assessment. 1 Acumen reward. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to. Step(s): Appearances Matter. 1 Acumen reward. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps. Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. 1 Acumen reward. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps. Climax: Grabbing Attention. 3 Acumen reward. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash (1 Joy) or a big crash (1 Despair). Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on what you did and where you go from here - Current Step: The Need for Proof Develop a BondYou want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC. In the case of an NPC, the end result might be an NPC bond, and in the case of a PC it’s a PC bond. Cost: Putting Yourself Out There. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting to Know You. 1 Acumen reward. You learn what you can about the other character. Step: Initial Attempt. 1 Acumen reward. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation. Step(s): Building a Relationship. 2 Acumen reward. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship. Climax: Bond. 3 Acumen reward. You succeed or fail at forging the bond. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship. - Current Step: Building a Relationship. Description Description It's the eyes, really, that most fixate upon first. The hues of crimson and gold spinning, twisting, merging in their depths as they seem to give a clear window into the utter depths of Felicia's mind with their uniquely expressive quality. That there feels to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, pairs of eyes staring back from behind those initial windows to the soul only seems to cement the impression of something troublesome, something worrying to compliment the elfin quality of her sharp features and diminutive frame. That sensation of malice, of gleeful cruelty, welling up from somewhere in those depths even as she comports herself with nothing but cheerful, if stoic, mannerisms and inexhaustible impressions of attention to the minute aesthetics of every gesture, motion, and twist of both herself and the world around her. In matters of garb, she tends to play to the company she plans for with blouses, dresses, and pants of riotous colors among the bohemian communes of Fartown to the carefully coordinated yet still somehow esoteric gowns and suits of high society galas and soirees. Each and every ensemble meticulously planned and coordinated like one of the great works of her brushes. The only break from this carefully crafted aesthetic seems to be her hair, pale and bloodless as her complexion. It's length healthy, glossy, and well tended but cursed with creative differences in how it curls and falls. Despite this, it seems always to blend, practically meld, seamlessly into any trim of fur or feather that might adorn a chosen outfit. Like those glimpses of alien malice and cruelty in the depths of her eyes, there always seems to be a discordant element that shadows her. Whether it be a flicker of something other in the crimson depths of her eyes, the way her shadow seems to twitch and twist without her ever moving, or how her reflection never quite seems to be her... It becomes all too clear that her body and soul might be host to something besides merely the artist... Worse still is the careful and delicate work of brush and needle; whisking away bruises here, deep scratches or cuts there, all damning evidence of struggles with the self. In the Guise of Immanis The energies of the Abyss are, by its very nature, an instrument of the Dark and unkind as a rule to the essential fabric of whatever is and may be. It is only by the tempering elements of the Gold Sun that the taking in of such hostile energies is more than merely an elaborate form of suicide. The raw stresses of this are quite evident then when Madame Ainsworth invokes so terrible a spell. Her already pale skin grows to be a lifeless gray, gaining an unseemly translucence that is easily pierced by even the wane light of Fartown beneath the Indigo Sun. The lines and forms of every bone visible from just the right angles as they shatter, stretch, and mend with an agonizing rapidity to drag her up to a daunting height. Sinew, muscle and tendon all the while snapping, recoiling, and reforming to accommodate this new and predatory bearing. Veins and arteries, in kind, flow with noxious black as the corruptive energies swirl and take root, her eyes draining of that distinct crimson and gold hue leaving only a single prick of light nearly drowned in a sea of impenetrable black. Were that these the extent of the horrors wrought by the invoking of the Eye of Immanis for one can't help but stare as razor-like teeth push aside whatever may block their way, twisting and gnarling the line of gum and tooth to pierce and part the flesh of the cheek revealing a hideous, too broad maw. A likewise change playing out in the hands as bones shatter and twist as tendons and sinew reinforce to accommodate the agonizingly slow-yet-quick emergence of seven inch talons, black as jet, that now adorn each finger tip. This final change marking the ultimate perversion, turning tools of creation to tools of abject and potent destruction. Pools Certes Accuracy: 4/6 (1E) + 3 From Eyes of Immanis Movement: 3/4 Physicality: 1/3 Perception: 3/4 Qualia Sorcery: 3/6 Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item) Intellect: 1/3 Sortilege: 1/3 Hidden Knowledge: 8 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour