The Clarissa Diaries

The Briefing Room

(To save time at the first, and possibly second, session here is encapsulation of the Calamities of Clarissa the Courtesan.)

Clarissa didn't come far forward when she made her nominations at the Guild meeting, and in here it's plain why. Her face is sallow and drawn, with marked dark rings under her eyes. She's almost slouching in a chair, leaning on the arms to either keep herself upright or stop herself from shaking, and her feet are bandaged. There are odd marks of brighter tattoo ink and pink, newly healed flesh here and there and she's wearing a drab, slightly worn frock that is a couple of sizes too big and nothing fashionable at all. She has no jewellery or weapons that anyone can see.

She greets everyone and explains that, unfortunately, more than a little exposition is necessary to make sure that if she goes off on a tangent, the party would at least be able to follow some of what she is talking about. It's clear that she's not happy about revealing this much about herself, but grits her teeth and starts.

During the early course of the monologue, she gets somewhat vague and at one point a Guild Healer knocks, and is admitted, to present her with a goblet of something nasty and medicinal. She takes it with a sullen, trapped expression, but is shortly a little more focussed, if with a slightly glassy look in her eyes.

Pre-Guild History

Clarissa claims to only remember about two decades of her life prior to joining the Guild, starting when she found herself on the fringes of the Sea of Grass and only reached the relative civilisation of the Five Sisters with the leery assistance of Plains Barbarians, who suspected she was prophetic in some fashion and preferred to have that sort of threat left to already-cursed cities.

There she spent several years learning Common and piecing together fragments of memory, while eking out a living dancing in seedy establishments and learning her first and current trade of Courtesan. She was a fine mimic and a quick study, and quickly fashioned a persona out of what she saw around her. She chose the name Clarissa and divorced herself emotionally from her former, largely forgotten existence, so that she would be to distance herself enough to avenge the child she could barely remember being.

She was also obliged to observe and slowly infer the existence of Elves as a species and how she was expected to behave towards them and others. Fortunately, though she regards this with a measure of disgust, the vicious reflexes of intimidating the weak and fawning to the powerful that she needed in the filthy port taverns marked her as a less of a outcast than her tattoos. It was not long before she heard of the Guild and set herself to reach it and it's promise of personal power, riches, and mighty allies.

Muddled Memories

Clarissa imagines that all orphans and foundlings have there own fantasies about how they came to be and she is no exception. While her default explanation and apology for her appearance and manners changed to suit the listener, the core events that she salvaged from memories and dreams (largely nightmares) remained the same. However, through multiple audiences and re-tellings she's come to doubt which elements are based on her recollection and which have since been subtly amended or invented altogether.

The child of a some glamorously unorthodox parents (usually a high born lady and a rugged warrior type, but she's noted since that all little girls secretly want to be Princesses (occasionally different Princesses, but still)), she was kidnapped as a child and became the chattel of a mysterious (and possibly Drow, though she no longer regards them as "cool" and "edgy" as she once did) artist, who decided to turn her into his masterwork.

He trained her to submit to being tattooed for long periods without moving (apparently using bonds or drugs would cheapen the finished work) and spent several years covering her body with a complex collection of morbid fables. During the course of the work, the artists original intention to complete the work by flaying her and preserving the skin changed and, in a poorly thought out romantic gesture, stranded her somewhere in the remote human lands were she survived on her looks, charm, and wits.

Early Guild History

When Clarissa joined the Guild in 796WK, and despite living simply and keeping very much to herself, she struggled for most of the year to learn the basics of the Air College. Her reticence to make acquaintances did not help her poor scholarship, but she did eventually prove that she was able to at least attempt the General Knowledge spells of the college and could be released on the world as a baby Air mage. She portrayed herself as being very shy, given to wearing enveloping hooded cloaks and making few references to her past or origins. Not knowing the origin of her tattoos and still grappling with the basics of Elven culture, where she was concerned that they they had a significance that would mark her out as more than just visually distinctive.

A Fictional Girl in Fictional Worlds

She set out on her first adventure to land of Oz and the very first outing had a number of lasting impacts on her; she formed a relationship with Dramus ( though she was never entirely sure of it's nature), her encounter with the Truth Pond caused her tattoos to become intrinsically part of her (meaning that the images return when she healed). It may have also affected the way that she recalled the hazy events in her past, as they "truth" of her own nature was far from clear to her.

During this time Dramus did help her by employing her to be Governess for his adopted human daughter and with loans of items and money. He may also have been awkwardly courting her at the time, though at the time she was also trading certain favours with another Necromancer, Everin, for training in Assassin.

The Best Laid Plans

During the "Epileptic Jelly" events of Frost 798 WK she was fortunate enough to tour the Guild Vaults. She was also submerged in liquid mana and changed into a black flying squirrel. The resulting depiliation drove her back to enveloping clothing for several seasons.

In the Winter of 801 WK gave Clarissa the first taste of court life when she attempted to bargain with the Governor of Sanctuary for the freedom of her captured colleagues - a perfectly good plan that was only foiled by the party breaking out and rescuing her, but she felt she has been making progress.

The memorable events (despite the judicious application of alcohol) of chaperoning a group from the Seahaven Academy for girls in the Spring of the same year resulted in a eye-opening jaunt to the summer palace of Duke Sallos (another misguided rescue attempt) and an ill-starred attempt to seduce Arnaud for the purposes of blackmail and manipulation. The seduction was completely successful, but he managed to make her more embarrassed with his attentions than he was of any public scandal. Some months of pointedly ignoring him managed to dampen his ardour, but the fallout meant that Dramus would eventually sever his connection with her.

During the second half of the Seahaven Academy adventure, Clarissa , rather than taking some soul tainting boon from a grateful Seir, she requested that he use his innate knowledge of "stolen goods" to tell her more about her abducted past. She has come to regard this as a mistake,as the information contains several inconsistencies with other information she's learnt and has realised that Seir is neither (cosmically) obliged to tell the truth or if she even counted as stolen. And surely it isn't wise to ask a demon about a stolen childhood? Nevertheless, it is presented here for comparison purpose.

Seir Speaking on Clarissa

Count Valenyo Adroma decided to train you to obedience given your beauty, age and lack of rebelliousness. Training you from adolescence and an adversary relationship he managed to develop a rapport with you, training you to heed his every command. It is true after a century he became very fond of you and began to treat you as family, and could not bring himself to kill you for your skin, indeed even defending you from wanton cruelty and slaughter on several occasions.

For several years before your departure he stopped visiting his harem, lavishing more and more time upon you and his art. This provoked intense jealousy amongst the ladies, however until it became obvious to them that you were not going to be killed and skinned as they had expected they were willing to await your eventual demise.

When his other concubines, Mara, Samantha and Barbie decided to take action they First made friends with you, warning you how he could be killed if he was found to be harbouring an elf, being easily manipulated you foolishly believed them, when in reality you had been together for over a century without such difficulties and a man of such reputation can get away with such things.

Next they waited in case you were actually skinned but when your tattoos were completed and you still lived they began phase two of their plan which involved stealing a large sum of money from Valenyo and planting evidence against you. This money was then used to pay for an air mage to help get rid of you realising that they needed to get you out of locate range. Arranging a false message to be sent to you in your stall when your master was away they sapped and drugged you with the air mage Gornastal sending you to the sea of grass via a summoned air elemental.

Returning he was heartbroken to find you had not been steadfastly loyal as expected and indeed your subconscious desire to escape had prevailed, which he had felt he had eliminated in the early years of your training when he skilfully got you to loose your struggle to retain your identity and bury all memories of being captured in the wilderness.

His concubines then began poisoning his every feeling towards you, he now is filled with hate and bitterness at your lack of loyalty, after the time he had spent and affection he had lavished upon you, never even temporarily training you to serve any other masters. He is living in his townhouse in the drow controlled city of Nepior in the southern continent, and has gained some fame helping turn back a small spawn army which threatened them. He is guarded by a dozen human guards and has twenty other staff.

Exceeding Expectations

The following years Clarissa adventured frequently, though the missions seemed to veer wildly between the apocalyptic and the sordid, and her moods seemed to follow, and accrued a modest amount of a items, skills, and abilities. After participating in a assassination mission with a number of the Guild's rising stars in Autumn 805WK she felt that she'd hardened herself enough to pursue rumours about slavers from the South without the aegis of the Guild directly protecting her.

She decided that it was time to look up an old flame and return to Sanctuary and to Prince Kadakithis. She was extremely well-suited (appearance, skills, and experience) to be a fashionable companion and concubine, and presented her other skills (dangerous and utilitarian) and non-aligned political background to be worthwhile asset to someone in his position. Kadakithis was won over, despite objections from several quarters (Princess Daphne and Zanderei to name a few) she started to establish herself as something of an ambassador between Sanctuary and Seagate, and ultimately use the role to track down exact revenge on a certain artist from her past.

A Precarious Roost

Her role at the Kadakithis' Palace provided an excellent perch from which to pursue her goal's but it came with a number of downsides.

Fame and Little People

Fame was an extremely useful tool for gathering information and influence, but it entailed a huge exposure and the trade off between relative freedom of obscurity and the pressures of becoming famous was fast diminishing. Aware that while fame fades quickly, it has nasty half-life (and that she's cursed with a memorable appearance and easy-to-hate good looks) Clarissa received little amusement that her outré look and wilder habits are starting to be emulated by rebellious youngsters. In addition, it was making her feel complicit in spreading the taint that warped her life to the lives of other "innocents".

Amongst the young elvish crowd in Sanctuary, the "Lil'rissa's" played at being mopey and pouty in tight black leather and tattoos (mainly Henna, except for a few die-hards). One of them killed some human merchant's son, and appealed to Clarissa as her patron rather than be quietly banished. It meant a court case at the Palace involved, and put Clarissa in the dog-house until the next one of Lirain's little games was discovered, but she doesn't know what happened to the girl in the end.

Barking up the Wrong Tree

The various responsibilities and recreations of the the court, often one in the same in her roles, are also weighing on her. She's lived most of her public life behind a mask of cool reserve and unshockable sang-froid but she realised that she was getting jaded about pretending to be jaded.

She also started to use Krrf habitually, though she justified it as building up a tolerance as "They breathe more of the stuff here than they do the air. For one, it does not smell as strongly, and it is better for the lungs." At first a small supply appeared as a courtesy in her rooms, though she was never certain who arranged it and started suspecting that they have been diluting the potency as time passed, leading her to seek other, more reliable, sources. She recognized the dangers in this habit and she had been trying to wean herself onto some of the less fearsome preparations and strains, but the frequent use was starting to tell. Keeping clean on adventure was usually possible thanks to the substitute pep of actual danger, but returning to the wearying suspicion and loneliness of the seraglio, going stir-crazy seemed more dangerous than the night-sweats and insomnia that accompanied Krrf, and the nasty habit of reacting with a hair trigger - her reactions are sometimes much, much faster than her perceptions - started to seem like a positive boon.

This Nest of Vipers

Naturally, all the other concubines have crossed her at one point or another. Most were simply testing her nerve through poaching staff, double-booking important guests, and putting glass in canapés. Clarissa believes she had acquitted herself well and refrained from taking these tokens of affection too personally or distract her. Over the first few years she concentrated on playing the bored "retired" adventuress, barely phased by their games and believed she had not made any particular friends or enemies among the other Concubines.

Princess Daphne focussed much of her collective resentment for the concubines on her while she was still the Prince's highest-profile novelty and she quickly intuited that Clarissa is more distressed at the suffering of others than her personal wellbeing. Despite these hi-jinx, Clarissa mostly feared becoming complacent in the palace, for all it's danger and intrigue, and tried to focus on her mission and remind herself that the fascinating and deadly little games that she is playing at the moment are only a prelude to uncovering her past and gaining retribution for the crimes committed against her.

Clarissa has also become aware that the Prince is not the titled frat-boy that she took him for. Aside from her "lighter" duties, he has required that she perform a handful of politically sensitive terminations and interrogations. They suited her skills well enough that it made sense for her to be assigned for more than a simple test of her loyalty and callousness.

Her assignment to protect the new Duchess of Ranke initially appeared to be a signal honour and mark of trust, but it too is fraught with complications. Clarissa and "Merry" quickly became close, despite the fact that Clarissa is her uncle's agent she easily fell into the role of a "worldly, older sister". Her appointment as bodyguard/advisor/emissary clearly has as many drawbacks as benefits for both of them. Meredith was very publicly linked with a shady Adventuress/courtesan/known weirdo working for Kadakithis and Clarissa was forced to divide her time between Sanctuary and Ranke when she has barely gotten herself established. It's very easy to draw the conclusion that this was the Prince's plan from the start.

However, after nearly three years of hard work, Clarissa thought she had things basically worked out and started adventuring again to supplement her income (clothing and "party supplies" not being very liquid assets) and spread the intelligence net a bit wider.

Recent Developments

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The information below represents the crayon-scrawled ramblings of a emotionally disturbed drug addict with suspected multiple personality disorder. In no way should it be construed as an accurate reflection of events that actually took place.

Retuning to the Nest

Returning to Sanctuary from adventure on about 16th of Blossom, I found Kadakithis distracted but pleased to see me back and that the Elven contingent in town seems to approve of me more than they previously did. Apart from the Rites of Spring effort, which was far to recent for word to have conclusively reached of my small part, I didn't feel I'd done nothing to particularly deserve this. My local spy network seemed as though it might have been compromised to some degree as my contacts seem reluctant to share more than the usual gossip, somewhat fearful of me and virtually blank regarding the Erelheine "Princess". Unfortunately my duties in Ranke prevented me from investigating with more vigour.

Revelations - Circa 2 Meadow

Presumably my "Princess" personality had doing the impressing the local Elves in my stead. Given what a dubious bunch they are best of times, I'm rather worried, but maybe they can be tapped for more details.

The court at Ranke was much the same, though Chenaya has been driving Merry half mad acting as her baby-sitter until the end of her vowed "period of non-aggression" and there has been a lot of political manoeuvring going on in the region. Also, there had been an Elf asking after me, but while they were completely dismissive of the human hierarchy (referring to me as Merry's patroness?) and making odd threats about the "fires of Beltane", there were no witnesses that could say more than they were oddly-dressed and quite nondescript.

Revelations - Circa 4 Meadow

My dear cousin Megildur come calling. He claims and evinces no Courtier training, but his woodsmanship seems to have made him nigh invisible to these humans. Maybe there is something to be said for frolicking in the woods after all.

After a few days getting back up to speed, verbally sparring with Chenaya, and falling back into rhythms of court life the "Ashen Stranger" appeared. He neatly evaded the guards and ignored several crossbow bolts and Chenaya's blows to dash around the Duchess and grab Clarissa. The consequent confusion and security measures lead to Clarissa being escorted by a grinning a Chenaya to the city limits of Ranke and and effectively banished, as being a security threat.

The situation is further confused by the Elf is question not resembling the other "relative", the only guard killed was apparently "accidentally" injured in passing, and someone unidentified in the Court was flinging around Whitefires. Merry promised to help as she could and encouraged Clarissa to get back before the 2nd Anniversary Coronation Ball.

Revelations - Circa 5 Meadow

Megildur cheerfully admitted to Whitefiring the "attacker" but claimed that I was running towards him and tossed Chenaya and several other guards out of the way. He was "naturally" trying to protect me from making a terrible mistake and becoming further corrupted, saying that I clearly seemed to recognise the attacker. This is tremendously unsettling - the black-outs and all I could cope with, but if my memories are actually faulty...

Also, Megildur says that he gifted me the amnesia curse to block the trauma (or lure) of my 'tweenage years. But that and the Rune Curse Insanity just don't stack up.

Paranoia Strikes Deep

Clarissa returned to Sanctuary, to find that the Prince oddly unconcerned with her dismissal and the rest of the concubines in a agitated froth. Kadakithis was in meetings with Alar, Walegrin, Zalbar, "and" Princess, a group that doesn't make much sense as a war-council. Clarissa returned to the seraglio, where you find that the rest of the concubines are buzzing with the news of impending war. They have no idea with whom, but they are clearly concerned.

• The Third Command has returned,
• The city of Ilsig is apparently sending some troops. (Who knew that they had an army, let alone one that they would lend?)
• Gula also doesn't know why the Ilsigi would help a Rankene Prince, and is concerned that she's out of the loop.
• Even Sophie-Claire doesn't know the political reasons.
• Lirain guesses that someone, possibly Dalmakithis, is about to move into Southern Ranke to fill the political void left by Sister's Grace's exit.
• A Vigeles plot is also possible (but that's always a safe second choice).

Aside from that, the Concubines are scared, on a physical level, not just about the usual prestige and points-scoring games and Clarissa starts to get the idea that they are scared of her, but can't account for it. Taya comes out and voices their fears that Clarissa might be coming back to reside more permanently.

At this point, the frustrations of the past few months inspire Clarissa to say something heartlessly ominous about their futures and walk off with further explanations. Later she cornered Taya in a an attempt to cajole, no, terrify some more information out of her and try and clarify the scratchy feeling that there has been someone impersonating her in the Palace while she's been in Ranke City and abroad. Unfortunately, "Princess" arrives early in the proceedings and while her offer to help reduces Taya to jelly, it limits what Clarissa is able to discuss. In a moment of inspiration she started to press Taya for critiques of her dancing and dresses at recent events in Sanctuary, some of which Clarissa was out of town for. From her reactions, there seemed to serious disjunction between Taya's impression of Clarissa; between that of "one of the girls" in the harem and that of a dangerous psychopath, further reassuring Clarissa that someone was selectively adopting her identity to discredit her, but had been clever enough to pick their opportunities.

Leaving Taya on the verge of hysteria and bearly acknowledging "Princess'" presence, Clarissa embarked on a scene to try and flush out her copycat by acting "cheerfully unhinged" and engaging in eccentric performances and activities at random times. This effects the Palace even more deeply than she expected; the other concubines going into seclusion under guard due to "illness", courtiers and staff quietly avoiding her, and only the Prince and "Princess" seeming unphased, though the latter seemed tired and withdrawn. The Princess Daphne is barely seen at all.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Early on the morning of the 26th, somewhat bored with playing a being crazy and the Krrf keeping her awake, Clarissa heard a scream and went to investigate. Events became very jumbled and distorted at this point. Clarissa is still trying to order the impressions.

• What was she doing immediately before the scream? Playing with reflections?
• She immediately bumped into "Princess" in the blood-slicked hallway, but didn't see her after that point?
• A dagger was... ...in "Princess'" neck? Clarissa's neck? Where did it come from? Did Princess attack her? Was the dagger means of administering the drug or whatever the hell it was?
• Taya had been stabbed on the divan in the solar, why was she there in the middle of the night?
• Taya was starting to melt? Was that just the drugs?
• The guards were already there and subdued Clarissa?
• Someone uttered the obviously coded phrase "Pease-pot yore, whip hands tao."
  • Several purple crayons give their lives to decryption it occurs to Clarissa that if you were Quickened, and massively chemically imlpired, the phrase "(please)-put your weapons dow<SAP>n" might be recalled as in that way.

The Cat's Pyjamas

I woke in the morning in an outside garden? There are many unusual elements, mostly hallucinations, and maybe visions?

• Kadakithis appeared as a cat and the concubines appeared as kittens? They are amusing charactitures, but have a certain accuracy?
• Cassia's kitten-shadow attacked me, amd I could defend myself (my wrist were bound or broken?) and walked off through the wall trailing a black (wool?) tangle.
• The familiar voice, that I dubbed whatsisname tried to reassure me.

Accusations and Potting Mix

The actual interrogation/debriefing takes place in the nursery. I was slightly more lucid now... ..under the effects of a Rune of Truth?

• I was helped up by whatsisname, who smells of dog? Is that what drove away the shadowkit?
• Those present; Prince Kadakithis, dour Coricidius, Lady Kurrekai's companion Vanda and her maid Rhian.
• They were flanked by the Hellhounds, Zalbar and Quag. Huge overkill if it's just me they are worried about?
• Rhian says she saw me stabbing Taya, leave, and then return, but I never saw her in the room. Either time?
• My tattoos are gone?! The Cassia/Shadow/Kitten stole them!
• There is interrogative "small-talk" about nothing very sensitive, but mostly about what happened and where I was and what I was doing.
• Rhian was obviously lying and she was looking strangely Elven? Grey eyes and auburn hair?

The interrogation starts becoming a trial, even with whatsisname trying to help, and as when I tried to offer the absence of my tattoos as proof, Rhian's shadow moved to attack the Prince. I tried to stop it, despite being bound, and probaly just managed to look even less sane and Quag puts me down with a solid kick for my troubles.

Down and out in old Sanctuary Town

When I woke again, starting to feel my many injuries, with whatsisname gone and my tattoos back, which at least feels somewhat normal again. The Prince's sad words to me before he ejects me from the Palace by the Hellhounds carry the weight of a Geas.

"You know that I need peace in my home - I can't have my girls fighting and hurting each other; particularly not with what's afoot. I know that Taya could be difficult at times, but you really have to be more tolerant. Melting your rivals is simply unacceptable under my roof. I want you to go away and think about what you've done, until you can accept responsibility for your actions; and then if you wish to come back, you will have to publicly throw yourself at my mercy in open court. And take your time about it - if you come back to the palace before this plant blooms, I'll have to name it after you".

Put out on the street like a stray cat with a few meagre possessions, I discover that more than a day has passed, and I managed to get a cheap berth on a river barge and slept fitfully until I could trust myself enough to fly. From there I made my way back to Seagate.

A Turn around Ranke

Kilroy was resurrected and his magics reinstated. I apologised profusely for getting them into this mess, but the fact that we drew as much attention as we did seems to mean that the venture was a qualified success and that we should return to Ranke to continue the pursuit. Being the token emotionally disturbed adventurer, I find myself obliged to with-hold comments regarding rating getting ambushed, scattered, and trodden on as a success. We rest as much as we can between my nightmares and the others watching me having nightmares.

We returned to Ranke in the late afternoon and slipped into town once again. Thaeuss had provided me with some leather amour that bulked out my shoulders and flattened my bust enough to pass for... ...well, a very effeminate guard of some sort, along with a (decidedly non-sap-resistant) helm with a nose piece to cover most of my face. Affecting a broader stance and a rolling gait, I could just about pass for a waif-ish and decidedly down-on-his-luck bravo, what with being completely unarmed and all. Thaeuss de-Itemised and Animated G'larissa once more and insisted, for the purpose of verisimilitude I suppose, that everyone refer to her it as Clarissa. I didn't rate a pseudonym however, and it made things a trifle difficult to follow as Thaeuss directed her it to shimmy back to the "hideout" we had prepared.

G'larissa, resplendent in my grubbier shift (presumably to fool a hunter's keen sense of smell, I guess) preceded us into the warehouse, and was almost immediately surrounded by brief, brilliant nimbus of light. Warded Whitefire, and though it failed to disintegrate my puzzled-looking doppelgänger it was good sign that the dots were starting to join up and that we'd been rumbled. A nerve-racking check of the premises uncovered two (?) more wards and number of tell-tales on the stairs and entrances. We were discussing the significance of that and our next move when Dalran spotted a figure moving quickly past the entrance.

Again the party split in multiple directions and forms, scattering what few people were in the street as an eagle and a number of visible and invisible figures, including Clarissa the Golem, took up the pursuit. Seren drew the short straw and we strolled nonchalantly out a moment later, as the bystanders where composing themselves and refusing to speculate about or remember what had just occurred. They paid equally strenuous inattention as I took Seren's arm and we wandered off in an apparently unrelated direction, tracking the eagle that was lifting into the sky some blocks away.

A short, and relatively pleasant stroll later, we were able to locate the party. It wasn't very difficult, as they had abandoned Clarissa, I mean G'larissa, on a street corner, her it's mouth smeared with jam and attracting amorous swains like flies. This was despite Theauss' entire repertoire only extending to very unconvincing tittering and vapid grinning. She, I mean it, only seemed to be saved from jumping into the arms of one of her admirers by the number vying for her spectacularly short attention span. I was very glad to have Seren at my side to keep me grounded, so to speak.

Fortunately some progress had been made regarding the pursuit and the gentlemen were narrowing down the path taken by the archer who'd attacked the the previous night, and Dalran's crystal let him see that he'd passed through the nearby tavern, into the alley, and into a brothel near the city wall. It turned out that the brothel provided another sort of escort service, a tunnel allowing an escape for the hunter, and one gold apeice later, and a means for us to follow.

Unfortunately, especially as the tunnel was was a glorified entrance to a course for the local effluent, he was well gone by the time we wriggled out into the fading light. The vanishing scent trail suggested that some sort of herbs had been used to hidden tracking. We re-entered the city once more, returned to the warehouse district and established a double fallback position, with Clarissa G'larissa and Kilroy's mirror image watching the original warehouse, while we watched them from a third spot. Well, Seren couldn't, as she was blindfolded because of the suspicion that someone from her past was interfering and may have tipping off our hunter, and am not fit for watch duty. I never imagined missing that.

Old Beady Eyes

I woke suddenly from a confusing dream (I was trying to wipe jam or berry juice from my mouth, but I kept smearing my features, and the marks just kept spreading) to the sound of the Thaeuss' voice. Seren was blasting the office that we were watching with Blackfire, so I knew something was up. Dalran took his pack from me, and Thaeuss hoisted me, rather awkwardly if I'm any judge, over his shoulder as the others take flight to pursue a figure rising into the sky. It spread a a pair of silky, grey magical wings, but was soon flying erratically. As Seren and Dalran catch up, he suddenly sprouts a Kilroy, plummets and barely recovers before he hits the ground. However, Dalran encourages him to make a course correction into the tilled lettuce field.

( Kilroy had sped off as a pair tiny birds, and reached the figure soon after it spread it wings. He first attached himself to this figures trews, then morphed into a snake (which naturally is pretty unsettling), before changing back into a Kilroy. A very effective takedown. )

Things got a bit confusing at this point, since the party talked with fellow a bit and then let him follow us around while we sorted out the problems Seren had been having with a certain bad pony. The archer guy helped out, who I think has beady, suspicious eyes, but seemed not to be obsessed with shooting me or turning me to ash at this point. Maybe I've won him over?

Later Thaeuss and I looked up some of my old friends in Ranke City to check to see how stable the situation was before we headed anywhere.

He made an appointment with Selma Tainsfield, a rising Lady of the Merry's Court, and her accounts of the kerfuffle on the 16th of Blossom are reassuringly close to mine. The Duchess is well, if strung between being nervous and excited about the conflict that she is currently responsible for. Chenaya is somewhat patiently awaiting her freedom - which indicates that she does have something up her sleeve, but is at least content to await out the duration before she draws it and sticks it in someone. My absence and rumours have been noted, naturally, but I am assumed to abroad, skilfully defending the Duchy from internal security threats behind a smokescreen of intrigue. I elegantly non-committal, as usual.

Later, we creep into the Palace and I visit Camille Laticia, the court appointment scheduler and record keeper. What a mind! I knew she was good at organising things, but accuracy and scope of her records are boggling. I am reminded that I will definitely need cultivate her further if I manage to return. A better friend would tell her to get out more, but she's a howling security risk even quietly staying in as she does. Anyway, she confirms Selma's impression of activity in the court, but has little unusual to add about my behaviour aside from mentioning family troubles once.

Greatly relived that everything here seems to normal, we set off to meet the rest of the party. Thauess said something about that being when I talked to beady-eye archer guy, but I have no idea what he is talking about.

Good Morning, sleepyhead! DO NOT THROW THIS AWAY and only consider destroying it if it's about to fall into someone else's hands. It's very important. Someone just told you to read this, and was probably a bit snippy about it, but they are just getting tired of repeating themselves. This should cover the important stuff, but needs to be a bit vague in case someone is watching. Once upon a time, there a beautiful girl born in a far away land. She was a delightful child who wore ribbons in hair to remind her of those she loved, but her parents came from very different families and, despite their daughter, they did not remain wed. The bright little girl spent her first year with her mother, in the cool, ancient forests protected by her stern grandfather, and when it came the time for her to spend a year with her father, she was sent to his holding in the tropical south. Both families shared a heritage of power that was thought by many to be lost in a time of great sorrows, but each knew an opposing side of the heritage. There was little trust between the families, but tradition and law meant that the child was entrusted with her father to learn his customs. However, in the time between her first and second birthday strange things happened and she found herself alone, without ribbons in hair or memories of what went before, her family, or the significance of the strange markings that now covered her. She did not know this, but something in the markings or what she had learnt meant that she could not remember her family, and if she were to meet them she would forget them in a day. As she explored the world, learning as she went, she met a good many people and learnt many interesting things. She travelled to many distant lands with brave heroes and fought terrible villains, met the Prince of Cats and was asked by him to guard his favourite niece. Finally, she travelled to the land of the ancient forests to complete an important task, hoping to find some clues along the way. If she did, the affliction to her memory made her forget them. However, her grandfather had not forgotten and feared that she was working for her father and getting involved in politics in a way that would harm his family. Stricken with anguish, he resolved to take steps to stop this. He sent a young blade, a cousin of the beautiful girl and a skilled hunter with sharp eyes, to find her and bring her home or kill her if he could not convince her to return with him. He discovered her just as a servant of her father's appeared to take her to the southern jungles, but the blade destroyed him before he could. He also tried to fog her already lost memories, but only succeeded in confusing her further. She was forced to abandon the young lady she was protecting and consult the Prince of Cats. At the court of the Cat Prince, the weariness and confusion caught up with the beautiful girl and while she was in a giddy faint a terrible demon leapt up and, without her to stop it, wreaked havoc in the court of the Prince of Cats. The Cat Prince was displeased that she had failed him and banished her from his land, though the sly look in his eye told her that he wished her find and punish the demon so she could return. She sought the aid of talented heroes she had met to help her catch the demon; a toy-maker, a man of many faces, a red-haired cook with a pet crow, and a dark discovery. They helped her peel back the the layers of confusion and protected her when her cousin returned to destroy her, believing her lost to the dark customs of her father's teaching. Thanks to her friends, he failed and was captured. Once they talked to him however, it became clear that the marks that she had gained meant that his perceptions of her were exaggerated, painted as though they were even more dramatic and impressive than they were, and he had taken her near abduction as an attempted rescue. While they travelled, it became clear that her memory could not hold the names and particulars of members of her family for more than a day, before she forgot who they were. Nevertheless, the girl was as brave as she was beautiful, and determined to be reunited with her loving family. With the assistance of her friends she would seek out those had stolen her memories and find her way back to her rightful home. No, it's a another first draft (though I quite like it, even if it is a bit over the top) and you can take the fuzzy parts as the truth as we know it so far. And how do you know it's me, I mean you, writing this? Well, we both know that you'd never tell anyone about how you learnt your first words of common, and let's leave it at that. Read this regularly and you'll mostly keep up - and don't forget the ribbons. 8th Meadow - Of course, both of your folks might just be stiff-necked and dangerously dim, so... ...don't get your hopes up, eh?

Loose Ends

• Evidence: The Invested bracelet and the dust-covered dress. Both identified as equipment and particles of The Corrupter's minion by Cousin Megildur.

Suspects

The List

Those Not On The List

• Any Guild Members - Despite a number of them being my old flames. They couldn't help it.
• Prince Kadakithis - My patron, who I can't help but feels that I've let down.
• Duchess Meredith - My charge and one of the few I really don't want see negatively effected by my failings.

Contenders for List Inclusion

Once we know what they are up to...

• Chenaya - She definitely took advantage of my absences, might have engineered the Ashen Stranger incident, and is probably leading Duchess Meredith, and the Duchy, into unsound waters.
• Princess Daphne - Even though she suspiciously absent when I was taken down, she is still generally a horrible person.
• "Princess" the Wannabe - She totally stole my schtick, and probably murdered Taya.
• G'larissa² - My Golem doppelgänger from the uncanny valley. As soon as she's it's no longer useful...

Undecided

• My evil twin, Princess?² - Almost certainly entirely a figment of my admittedly damaged psyche, but it appears that she is an autonomous entity and had access to the planning of the Ormond Invasion and had conversations with dear cousin Megildur. Oh, and may have melted Taya. She almost definitely has a opinions and perspective on these events, and my time with The Corrupter, but I'm more than little leery about letting her make executive decisions.
• Maetharanel Arandil^1,2,3 - Acording to Melgildur, this is my "real name" and it apparently means "Warrior Princess King-Friend"¹ in the old tongue.
• Megildur³ - My (alledged) cousin and would-be murderer. Charming lad, with beady eyes, good distance vision, and Whitefire. He's not much older than I am, knows a number of very cool Lunar Celestial Spells, and may believe I am irrevocably tainted. He has been convinced (once he thought I was dead) to provide some interesting commentary that matches many pieces of history and evidence, but it is obviously filtered by his upbringing.
• Feovar Garavheron³ - The Patriarch of the maternal side of my family, who ordered my destruction.
• Calimë Tiadana Arandil^1,3 - My mother. Apparently divorced/separated from my father (not a common occurrence) and brought me up for my first 18 years. After that, she appears to have lost interest somewhat..
• The Corrupter - My father, and the black sheep of the family, apparently. Practises the "intrinsically evil" form of the Lunar Celestial Magics and is described as being "a Drow in all but name." He is presumed to be responsible for the rest of schooling. Before... ...well, whatever happened there.

Side Notes

¹ Arandil is a matrilinear name, so Feovar & Megildur don't bear it.

² Having both Princess and Maetharanel on your "should I kill them" list might be unhealthy, if they are you, or you are them, or whatever. Unless you mean destroying the Princess figment, and denying Maetharanel except as a historic figure, or something equally difficult to explain to a party of assassins hellbent on 'crossing off' the 'items' on a list.

³Clarissa is currently (as of the 8th of Meadow) unable to retain memories of any of her (maternal?) families identities and forgets their names, relationship, and general appearance in 24 hours. She is currently trying combat this by writing children's stories and writing their name across ribbons wound around her wrist. Once they are unwound the names are jumbled, but can be "decoded" easily.

This article expresses the opinion of an individual or group within the game world, and may not be entirely factual, or free of bias.

This article is 100% rumour, 80% true, 60% relevant, 40% accurate, 20% dependable and 0% guaranteed.