#campaign tag: the story of a runaway girl

[wyvernwriterarchive]

Writblur Intro! Again!

Picture by Olga Antonenko on Artstation.

Hi! I'm Blazer, and I use He/Him pronouns. I'm a 18 y/o aspiring writer and game developer who wants to share my stories with others. And also scream about my ocs, or other story bits. I love fantasy and spend a lot of my time writing about it.

Currently, I have a few stories that I am currently working on, plus MULTIPLE that are more just W.I.Ps or ideas I want to explore when I'm done with those two.

Main Projects

🛡Tathylia Chronicles, an FE9/FE10 inspired SRPG made with SRPG Studio following a mercenary's son and a magical princess as they fight off an evil empire in two separate campaigns. The one I work on most often.

🌻Path to the Gilded Field, a novel about a girl who decides to go on a journey to save her mother from a plague, with the help of a lord, a knight, and a mercenary.

⛈️Dalgari: Thrones of Legend, a FE4 inspired game idea about the descendants of legendary holy warriors using their power and privileges as royals to bring peace to a chaotic world. I'm not currently in development, but I talk about it a lot anyway, soo...uhh...woops.

Side Projects/Lesser W.I.Ps

🔮Faelight: Glow of Faith, a story about the runaway heirs to a magical kingdom trying to stop a war from breaking out by sealing away magical weapons that could end the world.

☀️Heroes of Dawn, an RPG about a girl seeking adventure and freedom, being chosen by the goddess of fate to enact her will no matter the cost.

💥The Wyvern Rebellion, a story about a rebellious mercenary, a fortune teller, and a prince trying to take down an expansionist empire.

🌈EMOTE, a story about a girl named Justine, who moved to a new city filled with people with powers based on their emotions.

But besides that, I have SO MANY MORE that I wanna share. So many....like too many.

So...if you like stories with diverse casts and rambling, feel free to follow me! And also, feel free to ask me things about my wips.

Also, below, you'll find the tags of some of my stories, lol.

BYE!!

[nemossubmarine]

Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #15

We pick up right where we left off, with the party examining the Blood Angel. Izarak lets everyone know that he is still alive. He seems to be in some sort of a coma though. Izarak thinks he might be able to wake him up, but he needs to remove the massive weapon (which turns out to be some kind of an insect leg) piercing through him. The room they are currently in is not very hygienic, so they’d have to take the man out.

Larry and Coco are not so sure if they should spend the time helping the Blood Angel. He seems fine(?), seems to have made it thus far. Besides, Larry argues, if they fuck saving him up, there’s going to be a lot of trouble. They best just leave him be and inform his Chapter that there’s person in need of saving. Alice, however, sides very definitely with Izarak, saying that they just can’t leave the person here.

So surgery it is. Izarak scrapes some of the mushrooms and mold off the man and then he and Alice proceed to take off his armor to make him easier to carry. The man’s hair has grown long and matted underneath the helm and there’s mushrooms growing on his skin, eyes and tongue. Gross. As they lift the man up, they notice that there is roots of mushrooms that had tied the man to the ground. They carry the man outside and begin doing surgery on him. Larry keeps watch in case of Ada. He also contacts Brakes, who lets him know that they’ve spotted some people making camp in the spot where they left them, so that’s probably Ada and whoever she is traveling with. Larry lets the others know, and suggests they may make their way to meet them, but it’s getting dark so Izarak especially isn’t into traipsing down a mountain he nearly fell down already from. 

So they’ll have to spend the night. The mountain is cold, and dark, so they agree that, unfortunately, the best option appears to be to go back into the mushroom-infested eldar-ruins (which Coco had pointed out earlier) and try to find a place to sleep. Ferrus stays behind with the Blood Angel in the first room, administering oxygen and medicine to him, to hopefully wake him up eventually.

The others go deeper into the ruins. There is somewhat less mushrooms, and more eldar stuff, panels and tables and a strange vein running in the ceiling of several of the rooms. The party hears footsteps suddenly. Coco and Larry sneak to get a closer look and come face to face with an eldar man, dressed up in thigh-high boots, cape and a loincloth and not much else. Coco and Larry back off before the eldar notices them and inform the others. They decide to take the eldar by surprise, so as soon as he appears, Alice barrels into him, attempting to knock him out. She doesn’t quite manage it. On closer inspection, she can see that the eldar has some mushrooms growing out of him.

The eldar is obviously a bit miffed by the situation. He tells the party that they’ve not been invited, and thus he’d like them to come with him to meet the Lady of the house and explain themselves. Over the course of this conversation, they find out that there are eldar here, cultivating mushrooms, and that the Lady visits the place only occasionally. 

The party argues with themselves over whether to go with the eldar or basically shoot him. In the end, Izarak says he should probably go with the eldar to clear up the situation. The others are reluctant, but agree in the end. So while Izarak goes off with him, the others turn back to where they came from, wondering to each other what Izarak grand plan might be.

Only, they do not find Ferrus or the Blood Angel there. There are signs of some kind of clawed beasts, which is not great. They decide to follow the tracks of the beasts. Pretty soon they come to a room where the darkness is alive. With some stealth and a sprinkle of distraction, they manage to pass the room. Coco catches a glimpse of one of the creatures, it is a clearly alien beast with quite frightening claws.

They eventually come to a room where there’s two eldar doing something by a table and chatting, as well one big beast. Seeing as both Larry and Coco have silencers on their pistols, they manage to take one of the eldars out instantly. Alice rushes the eldar and knocks several teeth loose from his face. The eldar tries to stab some kind of poison into Alice, but she shrugs it off. The beast barrels into Alice next, doing quite a number on her. The eldar shouts at the people to surrender or Alice dies. Alice shouts at them to kill him, so Larry blasts the eldar dead, but his bullets have little effect on the thick hide of the beast. 

Alice scrambles to safety from beneath the beast and Coco covers her escape with her body. But they do have to retreat. They find a hiding spot and heal their wounds somewhat.

Meanwhile, Izarak walks with the eldar deeper into the complex. He asks him what they are doing here, and the eldar points out that this complex has been in the planet way longer than there has been any humans. Izarak concedes the point. The eldar asks what he is doing in this place, and he says he was born here, and the eldar concedes in that.

Izarak is taken into a large hall, filled with eldar, and at the front there is a scantily dressed female eldar, her head crowned with mushrooms. Izarak��s guide introduces her as “Our Lady of Pain, Countess Mycetes of the Ring of Decay”, which doesn’t sound very good. The Countess asks for an explanation for the party’s intrusion into her house. Izarak says they were only looking for a place to sleep. The Countess presses on what they’re doing on the mountain in the first place, and Izarak says they’re looking for a certain person. The Countess says that those might just be her expected guests, so regardless the party is going to be in the way of her business. What is she to do? She then takes a closer look at Izarak and some kind of realization dawns on her. She calls him a Chosen, and says that this changes everything.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party feel a bit stuck. They decide to go see if they can locate Izarak at least. Some sneaking about leads them eventually in the middle of this following conversation. 

Izarak, confused, asks chosen by who. The Countess answers that he is her rival in a little game they play. She then asks if he happens to receive any instructions. From who, asks Izarak. From the Emperor, from Angels, from any of his sons, something like that. Izarak demands to know who this person is, but the Countess says if he hasn’t introduced himself yet, it would be un-sportsmanlike for her to reveal it. Anyway, because Izarak is playing in the game, she can’t just kill him outright, but she has other plans for him.

The eldar grab him, and start dragging him away. That’s when the others from their hiding place decide to start firing. Coco attempts to snipe the Countess herself, but misses the shot. Larry gets his flamer and and starts flaming, the fire catches onto the mushrooms all around, and soon the room is filled with screaming and burning eldar. Unfortunately this gets them caught, Larry gets shot with a paralyzing dart and Coco and Alice put their hands up in surrender.

[snowbellewells]

Run to Me (in the Dead of Night)

Hello Everyone!  I’m presenting the first installment of my second CSSNS offering: my werewolf MC.  The idea for this fic has been in my head a long time, but I really needed this event to finally make me put pen to paper and give it a try.  Though I love reading werewolves in stories, I haven’t really tried to write them myself before – so I hope I have done it justice.  Also, don’t think I’ve forgotten that this is a CS event, just because Killian doesn’t physically appear in this prologue.  You get a hint that he’s nearby, and I promise you’ll see him soon.

** Other things to note: Graham (and a few other characters from earlier in the show’s run) play larger parts in this divergence from early season two than they did in canon.  If it seems like there’s a lot of set up in this first bit, that’s why. I’m trying to explain how some of them are still around and how it fits together differently from canon. Basically – in most respects – we’re at very early season two, the curse has just lifted and everyone knows who they are again, except Graham is still alive (how gets answered as we go along) and Emma and MM don’t go through the portal to the Enchanted Forest.  Rumple never turns the wraith loose on Regina because Belle hasn’t been found; therefore the portal isn’t open for Emma to be pulled into.

I don’t hate Regina.  However, it did bother me that she never even had to apologize or show real remorse for what she did to Graham – nor did it makes sense to me that no one ever seemed to figure it out, even once the curse broke and they knew magic existed.  Since Graham is still around in this and has his memories, what happened comes out, and Regina does stay more of that conflicted, but still vindictive and dangerous, character we saw in season one and throughout season two.

I think that’s it for now…  I hope you will enjoy and come back next week.  I aim to post every Friday for the duration of the story, which as of now I am estimating will be around 10 to 12 chapters.  

Don’t forget to send @wingedlioness some major praise and flailing for her AWESOME art to go along with this.  The two she did for this first part make me feel like my fic has a movie poster!!  (I only pray it lives up to the hype!!)  She did others for me that I will post with the parts of the story they accompany.

Tagging: @cssns @kmomof4 @laschatzi @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @linda8084 @bmbbcs4evr @ps1473-4    (Let me know if you’d like to be tagged for this fic as well.)

 By: @snowbellewells (TutorGirlml on ff.net)

 ~~ prologue: leaves on the wind

           The crisp fall air of late September blew Emma Swan’s long, golden curls back over her shoulders and off her neck, tangling them together and causing a shiver to skitter through her as the chilly breeze of early evening glanced along her bared skin. Even as she clattered down the front steps of the diner, eager to get out of the rather close and over-warm space and the heavy, grease-scented air, she still felt it: the sense that had been following her around lately, more than any simple gossip or slander would account for, resting heavy on her shoulder, of being watched.  Glancing around the outdoor seating area of Granny’s and down the quiet main street, deserted but for a few leaves blown here and there and Marco tinkering with the sign that hung over the door of his repair shop and pausing on his ladder to offer her a friendly wave and doff of his cap.

           Emma tried to shrug off the troubling impression; eerie though it was, she wasn’t sure that it wasn’t just some manifestation of her own jumbled thoughts and fears, a tingling in her bones that had been discomforting her ever since the curse broke, almost a week ago now.  Willing her hard-earned nerve and bravado to reassert themselves, Emma rolled her eyes at herself and how she had just mentally referred to the curse that had changed everything she’d come to know on its head as casually as if it were laundry day or a trip to the movies – just a regular little life-altering occurrence – and gathered the still warm carryout bags Ruby had pressed into her arms just a moment before closer to her chest as she picked up her brisk pace down the sidewalk.  Something in her psyche wanted to kick her for running as she left Storybrooke’s most popular eatery behind her, but Emma honestly wasn’t in the mood.

           The tiny hairs along the back of her neck prickled as she crossed the opening of the alley between Gold’s pawn shop and the library.  She threw a glance down the dim space, but told herself to relax and blew out a frustrated breath before squaring her shoulders and moving on. Whatever sort of creepy premonition vibe she was picking up on lately, it simply had to be in her head.  For one thing, this was the smallest, sleepiest, stuck-in-the-eighties town ever; beyond fights at the local watering hold between whom she now knew were three of her mom’s dwarves and guys she had learned were Jack Sprat, Tom Thumb and a definitely not-so-little Jack Horner, and the occasional clichéd kitten up a tree, nothing ever happened here – or at least, nothing of the normal criminal variety.  Besides, she already knew who the supposed villains were – and she was well-acquainted with the fact that skulking around subtly wasn’t any of their styles.

           No, the sense she felt was probably that same one she had experienced some time back, when Mayor Mills had run her smear campaign trying to overturn Emma’s appointment as deputy. Then, it had been judgmental eyes on her back and whispers that ceased when she walked into a room; now it was awkwardly hushed awe and averted eyes or slight bows when she tried to approach a group casually, and still the constant scrutiny – ill meant or not – and whispers, probably about how unprincess-like she, as their long lost princess, had turned out to be. In any case, the way it made Emma’s skin crawl uncomfortably really didn’t change that much from one case to the other.

           Curling she and Graham’s dinner more protectively into her elbow, Emma sighed resignedly as she walked on, kicking at a stick on the pavement at her feet. Thinking back to those unpleasant weeks when she had almost given in, packed up, and moved on, the upheaval of the last several days didn’t seem quite so intense.  Back then, it had seemed as though she was clinging to her tenuous bond with Henry by such a fragile, thin thread.  Graham offering her the deputy sheriff position – and thus a legitimate reason to remain in town ��� had been a genuine boon, and when it had seemed as though that might slip through her fingers too – as good things always seemed to do in her life – Emma had almost hit the road once more. She’d been so close to taking off back to Boston, or anywhere really, it didn’t matter… she was always going to be alone.

           No matter where she went, people never truly changed that much.  Emma had learned that long ago, though Henry’s boundless optimism and the quaint little town’s charm had almost let her forget. It never got easier to ignore the labels that had followed her for most of her life – brought back to glaring focus by the newspaper expose Henry’s adoptive mother had ordered in her bid to see Emma ousted from her new town role. ‘Runaway’, ‘Thief’, ‘Orphan’, ‘Hussy’, ‘Teen Mom’, ‘Jail Bird’…those nasty words dogged her steps for the few days after the paper’s publication in the suspicious narrowing of eyes and disapproving pursing of lips as much as in any audible speech.  For all too many moments, it had looked as though the little berg she had begun to hope could be a real home was going to turn its back on her. No matter how far or fast she ran, the barbed tips of both truth and rumor about her never failed to pierce Emma’s hard-won armor.  She might be good at pretending the wounds didn’t sting, but she knew now more than ever that she would do well not to forget just how quickly the tide of public opinion could turn.

           Even now, with the curse broken, and her tentatively coming to believe that she had not been an unwanted infant abandoned carelessly on the side of some deserted road, the lost little girl inside her still flinched at cruel jabs both real and imagined; there would never be enough time passed to make that completely go away.  The childhood and adolescence she had weathered was an inner wound that would always draw blood – even as getting to know Henry, his forgiveness for her giving him up, his boundless blind faith in her, and meeting her parents after all the years lost, and learning how desperately they had indeed loved and wanted her, how they’d had no other choice but to give her what seemed her best chance and believe they would be reunited someday; even all those truths being brought home to her couldn’t undo everything else she had known before.

           Upon reaching the sheriff’s station at last, Emma raised her chin from where she had buried it in her collar against the chilly wind and her hair being whipped across her face and into her eyes.  She turned the knob and pushed into the station’s dingy and antiquated entryway, also finally shedding the odd sensation of eyes following her as she entered the squat cinderblock building.  She could feel her mood lift slightly almost at once.  In truth, this was the first job she had genuinely enjoyed doing in years – not only because she was good at it and got paid well, but for the fulfillment and sense of purpose it brought. Clearly, Graham had needed the second pair of hands; they’d be putting the filing back in order until next December, and the man couldn’t make a decent pot of coffee without somehow getting grounds in it to save himself.  Still, he respected her and they worked well together.  Emma was determined not to let down her guard and grow too comfortable again, but this sleepy little hamlet could almost feel something like a place to belong – not a description she would ascribe to any of the other places she had landed before.

           A wry smile curled her lips just before she called out to let Graham know she was back with their food.  She certainly wouldn’t take back Henry’s appearance on her doorstep and his bringing her here – whatever happened next.  And watching the first real friend – outside of her 10-year-old and her own mother – she had made in years muttering to himself in his office, rifling through the haphazard piles of paperwork stacked all over his desk and running an occasional frustrated hand to swipe his errant curls off his forehead, she grinned even more warmly. They had exchanged one kiss – some months back now – but had decided to simply remain friends rather than risk the comfortable working relationship they shared and Henry’s hurt, as he cared so much for both of them, if it failed.  They had somehow managed to simply go on as if it were a one-time gesture of affection and remain the partners and friends they were – for which she was constantly grateful.  Graham was warm, open, supportive, and just lighthearted enough to crack truly awful jokes simply to see her roll her eyes, snort, and smile, but he was also capable and as driven as she was, determined to do their jobs well and protect those in their charge.

           Stepping into the doorway of the lamp lit office, Emma had raised her hand to knock on the frame, but Graham looked up alertly before she could even complete the motion; hazel-deep eyes finding hers unerringly as if he had sensed or scented her presence before it could be humanly possible.  She used to marvel at the uncanny ability her boss possessed; be it hearing, smell, or some other awareness, it was impossible to sneak up on him or catch him by surprise.  Of course, now that the curse was broken, Emma knew, though she was still trying to wrap her head around it, that it was his werewolf nature allowing him that ability – his lupine senses were heightened and made him effectively alert and aware of everything. Smirking slightly she had to admit to herself that wasn’t at all a bad skill set for a sheriff to possess.

           Shuffling forward almost bashfully, Emma held out the to-go bag in explanation, even as Graham waved her in without question, a welcoming smile on his scruffy face and stood to pull the visitor’s chair facing his desk over to the end of it where they could eat together more comfortably.  Graham took the still steaming brown bag that Ruby had handed her with an understanding and apologetic smile not five minutes before and began to spread their meal out on his desk.  They’d shared their evening meal right there nearly every night they both worked since he had hired Emma, and it was a settling bit of routine normalcy that soothed her jangled nerves as she sunk into the seat before her.

           Graham looked up at her with a grateful crooked smile and the bright eyes that Emma would challenge anyone not to be charmed by (there was a reason she had kissed him that one time after all).  “Thank you, Deputy,” he quipped, a playful emphasis on her title.  “It was definitely time for a break.” He gestured at the stacks of files and paperwork all over his desk at those words.

           Once they had both settled into their seats, Graham didn’t hesitate to take a huge bite out of the Philly Steak hoagie he’d ordered, munching happily and even closing his eyes in bliss with a low hum of satisfaction deep in his chest. For a moment, Emma could only watch, trying to remember if her friend – for all that he looked so trim and wiry – had always had such a voracious appetite and she merely didn’t notice before, or if it was a trait of his recently reacquired wolf within.  She was still sometimes too stunned to believe that both he and his adopted sister Ruby, her two closest friends in Storybrooke beyond her parents (that was taking some adjustment too) could both shift into large wolves by the light of the moon. They had been born with the ability in the Enchanted Forest, and that side had merely been buried along with their true identities while under the curse.  It was why Graham’s birth parents had abandoned him in the woods – or so he had told her, as he could only assume when he didn’t even remember them – to be found by a preteen Ruby on one of her nightly runs and brought back to live with she and Granny, folded into their little family as simply as if he had already belonged there.  Emma had yet to see either of them transform, but she also knew in her bones that neither of them would lie to her.  She had simply attempted to reconcile this one more bit of her new normal in her mind and move on without treating her friends any differently; even if, in moments like that, she did gawp at them in wonder.  “That good, huh?” she finally managed with a chuckle, amused enough by his good natured enthusiasm and almost child-like joy to put aside her own cross mood and paranoia of being followed.

           Then, she bit into her own first taste of Granny Lucas’ unparalleled onion rings and let out her own ecstatic moan at the hot, crisp, greasy goodness on her tongue.  Graham laughed out loud in response, the whooping, uncalculated ring of it doing much to completely repair Emma’s clouded outlook.  “I don’t know,” the sheriff countered her previous jest saucily, “you tell me.”

           Emma nodded enthusiastically, her own eyes alight as well, and her mouth full of her first buttery toasted bite of Granny’s grilled cheese.  When she could speak again, she conceded gladly, “Yep, you’re right.  Granny’s is the best – and Ruby slipped bacon on here for me again.  It’s like Heaven between two slices of bread!”

           Graham snickered at her creative praise, and the two of them settled into a comfortable silence, busily munching on the food spread out before them and humming in pleased enthusiasm.  Once they were finished, Emma began gathering up wrappers and napkins as Graham sat back contentedly in his chair, wiping crumbs from his front with his hand and grinning at his deputy in full-stomached satisfaction.  “Well, that hit the spot,” he stated cheerily, eyes sparkling when she nodded in agreement with his words.  He paused a moment, as if uncertain whether he should voice what he was about to say or not, then added, “I’m glad.  You look a lot happier than you did when you first came back in here.”

           Though she truly attempted not to – had long since decided in the months she and Graham had worked together side-by-side that the good hearted sheriff was trustworthy – Emma felt herself stiffen and begin to close off.  She didn’t need any more concern over her emotional state and how she was dealing; her mother was doing enough of that to serve for a dozen people.  The barrier she threw up was almost involuntary, no matter how well-intentioned she knew her boss was.  Old habits were hard to break, and even more so when she felt half the time as if the town’s very borders were closing in on her, that she would never find “normal” again, and as if her every move was being scrutinized and probably coming up well short of what must have been expected in a long lost royal.

           To his credit, the soft-spoken lawman didn’t push and delve into further questions.  He backed up slightly, hands raised in appeal, before lifting a file from the stack before him and turning to put it in the corner cabinet, offering her a bit more space as if he had read her mind. ‘No, more likely he sensed the fear or frustration on me,’ her mind supplied unhelpfully, remembering his heightened shifter senses once more.  Though he had his foster sister, and Granny, and Henry blatantly adored him, trailing after the sheriff or begging him to ride along on patrols, Graham seemed like a somewhat reluctant loner himself.  Emma sensed he understood self-protective walls and keeping others at arm’s length all too well, even if she didn’t know everything he had been through. He might be willing to listen, but he clearly wouldn’t force her to talk.

           She could ask him how he seemed to know, seemed to be on the outside looking in, but it really wasn’t fair when she was unwilling to share in return. Ruby had explained to her once – on an ill-fated girl’s night that only she and Ruby had made it to the end of – Mary Margaret and Ashley ducking out embarrassingly early – that shifters like them could only be contained for so long, and that though he had loved she and her gran and been happy with them, he had mostly returned to the forest when he came of age, living off the land as a skilled huntsman with a wolf he considered his brother at his side.  It was only after a month when he hadn’t stopped in for even a supper or a quick visit, that they learned he had been commissioned for a job by the Evil Queen – and when he had failed to return, she had feared him dead.  It wasn’t until befriending Snow White and hearing she and Charming’s whole story put together that Ruby had learned the fate of her adopted sibling was much worse: he had been made into one of Regina’s heartless black knights, his very mind and will subject to her whims and control.

           Henry had told Emma all this as well, long before her waitress friend confided in her with newly-restored memories post-Curse, but Emma hadn’t truly believed him at the time, merely nodded along to humor her highly imaginative son as he’d flipped through his storybook not long after she and Graham had shared their single, ill-fated kiss.  Graham’s collapse just afterwards, her panicked 911 call and what the confused Dr. Whale had vaguely labeled some sort of isolated cardiac event, had given cooler heads time to prevail where taking the romantic feelings behind that kiss much further had been concerned.  At the time, Emma hadn’t questioned his awed “I remember” epiphany, chalking it up to disorientation from his impending health episode.  Now she knew that somehow his memories had been returned to him before the curse breaking did the same for everyone else in town.  Henry had been thrilled, and she knew that Graham had listened to her son seriously after that, truly joined his “Operation Cobra”, because he knew Henry was right, and wanted to help bring everyone back to themselves as well.  He just hadn’t attempted to share it with her, knowing she would think him crazy and that it would push her even further from the truth.  Instead, he had bided his time, and helped where he could, waiting and hoping and believing until the Savior could no longer deny who she truly was.

           It made Emma chuckle lowly, and shake her head in amused disbelief; their whole world had changed, and yet here stood her friend, patiently waiting as he always had.  He turned to look over his shoulder at her sound from where he stood at the open filing cabinet, head tilted to the side as he studied her curiously, until Emma finally admitted, “Yeah, I wasn’t in the best mood.  It felt like everyone in the diner was wondering how I could possibly be their Princess.  My parents keep fussing over me and trying to make up for 28 years in a week, and we still don’t know where Regina’s hiding or what she might be plotting next.  It’s just…it’s a lot….that’s all.”

           She blew out a breath, still not sure what compelled her to open up exactly. To her intense relief, Graham didn’t try to offer empty platitudes about it all being fine and not to worry.  He merely nodded in understand, adding, “I’d imagine so.  Our world back in the Enchanted Forest – your own family even – wasn’t real to you at all, and now it’s all been dumped in your lap.”

           Emma bit her lip to hide its almost quivering a little at the emotion he summed up so succinctly.  She wasn’t used to feeling so shaky and out of her depth – and she certainly didn’t like it.  That didn���t even begin to factor in the weird sensation of being watched that she had experienced repeatedly, nor of being followed, though she kept feeling it crawling up the back of her neck the last couple of days.  That had to be just a reaction to the other upheavals around her –if she could only convince herself of that fact.

           Suddenly, Emma had to get out.  The pressures of wondering what the Evil Queen might throw at them next, how to keep her son safe – while at long last getting to actually learn to be his mother, trying to reconnect with her own parents, and trying not to disappoint everyone else looking on, was overwhelming her once more.  The walls of the station seemed to be drawing in, along with the suffocating weight of all that responsibility mentally added up as well. It really was more than any one person – a sane one anyway – should be expected to handle at one time.

           Luckily, it had taken her long enough to fetch their dinner, that a quick glance at the clock back out into the main room over the coffeemaker and microwave showed that it was nearly quitting time anyway.  She needed to get back to her room at the loft – if only for five minutes completely to herself to put her head back on straight – before she hyperventilated.

           Before she could voice some excuse about the supper not sitting right or needing to help Henry with his homework, Graham looked up at her again, warm gaze concerned and voice soft in understanding, “Emma, you don’t look like you’re feeling well…”

           She started to protest, even as she had been about to claim just that, but she didn’t want to seem like she was slacking, nor for her distress to be so obvious.  She used to have a much better poker face.  Graham waved off whatever comeback she was about to voice anyway. “Seriously, this place is so quiet they shouldn’t pay both of us to be here anyway.  I’m closing up myself as we speak.  I’ll put the phone on rollover to our cells at 9:00, and then I’m heading out too.  You’re only gaining about twenty minutes.”

           Shaking her head at his once more almost unbelievable kindness, Emma didn’t even try to protest further. Instead, she slung her jacket back over her shoulders and nodded her acquiescence as she stood.  “If you’re sure,” she finally caved, “but make me return the favor sometime, okay?”

           “Done,” Graham assured her, his expression genuine and further comforting her that he didn’t resent the early exit or her needing some time to regroup.

           Another minute, and she was out the door, hesitating but a moment on the curb outside to button up her red jacket and pull her knit beanie down over her ears against the chill in the late September breeze. She stepped out briskly, crossing the street and picking up speed as the night had already lengthened into dark and the air had gone chill.  It was only as she passed by the storefront with Dr. Hopper’s offices above on the second floor that a scuffling noise caught her ears enough that she turned sharply, peering once more down a narrow alley between buildings.  She could have sworn the shadows shifted as something – or someone – drew further back out of sight.  Emma tried to focus on the area where she had seen movement, practically holding her breath as she stared into the hovering blackness.  Whatever had alerted her was clearly long gone though. She wasn’t running around in the night alone chasing what was probably a stray cat, nor was she going to let her jangly nerves imagine even more monsters than the ones she had already learned were real.

           Turning back to face the street, Emma made herself move on toward the home she shared with Mary Margaret – and now David and Henry too.  She couldn’t help the foreboding that skittered up her spine; no matter how many times she told herself she wasn’t being followed, that nothing was there, she was no longer sure that reassurance was true.

           As if to seal her unease, just as she closed her fist over the door handle to enter their building’s stairwell up to the loft, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end in the night stillness.  And it was then that a stark, shivering note rose on the chill air – coming from the nearby forest at the edge of town, but carrying in a haunting, wild cry, clear as a bell.  It was the howl of a wolf, letting them all know it was there.

[magickmoons]

At the Right Time

square filled: model!Cas ship: pre-Destiel rating: teen ao3 link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/13666110 tags: meet cute, all-human AU, photo shoot, horses, Dean to the rescue summary: Castiel is just going through the motions anymore. Then comes a photo shoot at Winchester Farms... word count: 1965 written/created for @spnaubingo

My Master List

"But I don't know anything about horses!" Cas complained, eyeing the horses by the fence with concern. The makeup artist fluttering about him tsked at him to hold still.

"And if I were asking you to deliver a letter by Pony Express, that would be a problem. As it is, all you have to do is shut up, sit on it, and look pretty enough to sell .... what the hell are we selling today?" Crowley snapped his fingers insistently and Meg appeared.

"Cologne, I think," she answered, shuffling through papers.

Crowley's attention had already shifted. "No, no, no!" he shouted at someone as he strode  across the paddock. "That's completely wrong for this shot. Are you a total and complete imbecile?"

Meg flipped him the bird, then turned back to Castiel. "You'll be fine, Castiel. You get up, you sit, you smile, it'll be over." She patted Cas on the shoulder, adding, "And undo another button on the shirt."

Fingers -- not his own -- were unbuttoning his shirt as she spoke. Hands were on his face, in his hair, and he just stood there, letting them turn him this way and that, eyeing him critically, consulting each other about his hair, his clothes. He tried to tune it all out, tried to ignore the feeling that he was nothing more than a posable doll, but that had been getting harder to do lately. The excitement he had felt in the early days of modeling had faded long ago. But this was his job, after all, and he was being well compensated for it. Even the paychecks however had a hard time making up for the empty feeling these shoots were leaving him with.

He needed a break, maybe even permanent retirement. He knew that; he just couldn't find the right time to make the move.

***

Being on the horse wasn't as bad as he had feared. The animal was big, certainly, but there was a certain euphoria he felt sitting astride it. Maybe he would have to think about taking lessons someday.

"Cassie, love, stop looking down at the horse," Balthazar shouted. "Your public wants to see those lovely bedroom eyes. I don't want Dr. Doolittle. I want sinful, smouldering sex!"

Cas looked up, smouldered for the camera, and Balthazar made slightly less displeased noises. Behind him, Crowley was yelling at an intern who was headed to the decrepit old staff car. To their left, cas could see a man riding up on a black horse. He started to wonder if the new guy was another model for the shoot or an employee of the stables when a sharp sound echoed through the air around them, and the previously docile horse under Castiel startled ... and sprinted away.

He could hear people yelling behind him, but all Cas could do was grab onto the reins and hold on for dear life. He thanked whoever looked out for foolish models that the gate was open and that the horse made right for it instead of trying to jump the fence. He lost track of time -- surely it had only been a few minutes at most, but it somehow felt both instantaneous and interminable before there was a horse beside him.

It was the black horse -- definitely not another model then, Cas thought hysterically -- as the riding paced his horse, angling it to gently off its course, whistling and making other apparently calming sounds. The horse Cas was on started slowing to an easy jog, then a walk, and eventually stopped.

Cas sat as still as possible, trying to remember how to breathe.

"Are you all right?" Cas looked over at his rescuer and found the greenest eyes he had ever seen staring at him in concern.

"I ... yes, I think I am." His heart was racing and he felt sore all over, but he was in one piece. "Thank you, um...."

"Dean Winchester," the stranger said with an easy smile -- as if saving stray models from runaway horses was no big deal. "This is my family's farm."

Cas deliberately unclenched his hands from their death grip on the reins, rubbing at the grooves across his palms.

"I am really sorry about this. They were supposed to put you up on Foxtrot, he's a real gentleman. But apparently not as photogenic as Whiskey here." Dean leaned forward and patted the horse's neck soothingly. "She's a good girl, but still a little skittish. Unfortunately, when the snooty guy in the suit insisted on the switch, I was up at the house, and the groom on site wasn't quite able to stand up to him."

"I quite understand. Crowley can be ...."

"A dick?"

Cas laughed. "To put it succinctly."

"Hmmm. People usually just say I'm an ass. I think I like succinct better." He looked back the way they had come. "So, it's not too far back to your people. You want to ride, or walk?

"Walk, please," Cas responded with conviction.

Dean dismounted with an obscene grace and walked over to Cas, holding a hand out to help him off his horse. He took the reins from both horses in his hand and motioned for Cas to walk with him.

"You been riding long?"

Cas almost looked around to see who Dean was talking to. "No, I've never ridden a horse before."

Dean whistled, impressed. "I'm really damn impressed that you stayed up, then. You've got a great seat."

"Sheer survival instinct," Cas replied.

"Well, it works for you, Cas," Dean laughed.

Cas tilted his head looked over at Dean. "You know my name?"

Dean's eyes widened, and a flush spread across his face. "Oh, uh. Well... yeah. I mean, you're pretty well-known. I musta just picked it up somewhere. But, sorry, I  mean we haven't even been actually introduced and I'm using your nickname and --"

"It's fine, Dean. I think saving me from a runaway horse entitles you to a little familiarity." Not to mention the way Cas's heart had jumped just a little at the sound of Dean's voice forming his name. It  had been a long time since he'd felt anything like that. He definitely wanted Dean to keep talking. He wondered if it would be too forward to ask Dean out for coffee

"You grew up here?"

"Yep." Dean beamed as he looked around. "I love this place. Been in my family for a few generations now. Can't imagine any place more beautiful. Or more peaceful."

Cas looked over the rolling green pastures up to the tree-shaded mountains in the distance. Unseen birds chirped and chattered. It was peaceful, and beautiful, and so alive.

"'Course it's probably nothing next to what you've seen. All over the country, hell, even the world. You must have seen some really amazing things.

"My life is probably not as glamorous as you might think. There are times ... "

He sighed when he realized they were almost back to the main paddock, where a crowd of people was waiting. Balthazar was right in front, snapping away as they approached.

"You, cowboy!" Crowley's voice rang out. "You need to come sign these papers."

Dean frowned. "I've already signed everything."

"We need permission to use your image in the campaign."

"What?" Cas asked.

"What?" Dean echoed.

"The two of you walking back. The mountains, the sun, the horses -- just perfect, darling." Balthazar practically purred. "He'll sign, right? These pictures are magic! It would be a travesty not to use them."

Meg thrust a sheaf of papers and a pen in front of a bemused Dean.

He glanced at them briefly, then yelled, "Hey Sammy!"

A tall, handsome man walked over and Balthazar jabbed Castiel in the ribs. "Are all horsemen were this sexy?" He looked between Dean and 'Sammy.' "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Dean glared at Balthazar. "Dude. Not cool. This is my brother, Sam Winchester. He's a lawyer." He shoved the papers into Sam's hand. "Read this and tell me if I'm signing my soul away. I've got to go take care of Whiskey." He turned to Crowley. "Any other pictures you want, you take on Foxtrot. End of story." He pivoted on his heel and led the two horses away before Cas had a chance to say anything else.

Everyone stood there watching as Dean disappeared into the stable. Then Crowley barked, "What's everyone standing around for? Let's get back to it, people!"

***

Although Cas kept an eye out through the rest of the shoot, he didn't see Dean again. Crowley disappeared for a while and came back looking pretty satisfied, so Cas assumed that Dean had signed the release paperwork.

When they started packing up, Cas found himself lingering much longer than he normally would after a shoot: half hoping Dean would turn up, and half trying to absorb as much of the living energy of the area as possible.

"Something I can help you with, Clarence?"

Meg looked entirely too amused when Castiel turned to face her. "No, thank you, Meg. I'm just enjoying the feel of this place."

"Sure. This ... place ... is quite attractive." She nodded over his shoulder. "Hey there, Dean."

Cas narrowed his eyes, unsure if she was baiting him or not, until he heard Dean's voice. "Meg. Cas, I was hoping to catch you."

"Well, you almost missed him. Last car's about to leave, Castiel. You do have a flight to catch."

"I'll just be a minute, Meg."

She pursed her lips, then threw her hands up in the air.  "One minute, Castiel. You miss your flight, Crowley will feed me to his dogs." She stalked over to the car and leaned against the side. At Cas's glare, she at least pretended to divert her attention to her phone.

"Dean," he said warmly as he turned back to find him shuffling nervously.

"So, yeah, don't wanna make you late. It's not ... Just, y'know, if you ever just want to take a break, we've got a couple of guest rooms up at the house. You'd be welcome to come hang around. I could even give you some riding lessons." He coughed abruptly. "Horses. Ride horses. Lessons for riding horses. You know what? Never mind. This was such a bad idea." His face was flaming red as he took a step away from Cas.

Cas stepped forward until he was well within Dean's personal space. "Not a bad idea. A very, very good idea."

Dean's eyes lit up and a soft smile curved his lips.

"That's great, then. Um..." He dug a business card out of his pocket and held it up between them. "Stable's info on the front, my personal cell is on the back. Anytime you're free."

"I'll have to check my commitments, but I would like to come back as soon as possible."

"Works for me."

Dean licked his lips as Cas stepped so close they were almost touching. For a moment, they stood still, watching each other. Then they were kissing -- Cas couldn't tell to save his life who had ultimately made the move -- a soft, almost tentative, press of lips that he felt in his very core. Before he got more than the faintest taste, a car horn beeped.

He pulled back to see Meg looking almost genuinely apologetic. She tapped her wrist.

"You gotta go," Dean murmured.

"I will be back."

Not trusting himself to allow only one more kiss, he stepped back, taking the card from Dean's hand and nodding. He looked back once he had settled himself in the car to see Dean still watching and waved. As the car drove away, he pulled out his phone and entered Dean's phone number before he began composing an email to Crowley instructing him to decline any new jobs for the time being.

It was definitely time to take a break.

[nemossubmarine]

Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #14

Our heroes leave the station and head to Treshan. Izarak says they should pop by his village, as the villagers would certainly have seen people pass by, it is such a rare occurrence. So that’s where they head. The village consists of few houses and a church. An old man by the name of Iosif comes to greet them, hugging Izarak and immediately trying to sell his daughter’s hand in marriage to Coco and / or Larry. Izarak explains that they’re looking for someone, and Iosif mentions that a party started a pilgrimage to a shrine in the mountain, using one of the villagers as a guide. It seems likely that this is Ada and co.

Iosif explains that the shrine hasn’t been in use for several generations, in fact he’s not sure if it still stands. As the party expresses interest in going to the shrine, Iosif starts getting some equipment for them. This includes ropes, bells (for bears), woolly socks and hats and a map of the pilgrim route. Larry and Alice notice a small plateau about 2/3rds up the mountain, where they could potentially cut off Ada. They thank Iosif for the equipment, and Iosif tries to offer his daughter for Alice. Alice thanks for the offer, but says that if his daughter doesn’t want to be a shepherd, he shouldn’t force it. Emperor willing, he’ll find someone to look after the sheep.

Izarak says he needs to get some things from his house before they leave so heads there. [INSERT #1] The others find Ferrus hanging around the ship. He asks what’s happening, and they inform him of the shrine where Ada seems to be heading. Alice and Larry excuse himself, which leaves Coco with Ferrus. Coco jokingly suggests that he marry the shepherd’s daughter, to which Ferrus mentions that he’s quite gay. And Navigators are supposed to marry other Navigators anyway. Coco asks after his family, and when she learns he is not with them, she asks if he misses them, which clearly takes Ferrus by surprise. He apparently isn’t in good terms with his family. They talk a bit more, Ferrus making a mention that he isn’t used to gravity, mostly working on ships. Coco also learns more about the conflict between him and the Captain: apparently she had a tight schedule that Ferrus was unable to keep, preferring to stay alive instead. Izarak eventually joins the two and they head out.

The plateau that Larry and Alice spotted is quite small, but Larry manages to land there. It is a small field littered with stones that upon closer inspection turn out to be grave markers. There’s no sign that Ada has been here yet. Larry suggests they should go to the shrine before them, as that’s where they’re heading anyway. This seems like an agreeable plan to everyone. Ferrus voices some doubts about mountain climbing. Coco says it should be an adventure, a new experience. Ferrus agrees, proceeding to rummage through his backpack (Larry and Coco both also peek into his belongings), and sticking a stimm needle into himself. Larry asks if there’s any medical stuff about Ferrus that they should know. Ferrus says he has a punctured lung due to an “incident”, so he drugs himself to stay upright. He’s working on getting someone to give him a replacement. Alice offers to take Ferrus’ bag, which he hands over, thankful.

They head out, while Brakes McGee flies the ship away, keeping it within vox distance. They go through a cave first which has some bats, then they climb up a small path. Izarak is clearly struggling the most with his long robes. There’s some strange noises in the area, Coco thinks it’s a bear, but to Larry it sounds more like rocks grinding against each other. He sneaks forward a bit and notices some boulders atop their path, looking like they could fall over. They debate whether to just sneak by, but Ada is coming here later, so they decide better have them fall. Larry tosses a rock causing a small landslide. Lilith takes the lead in crossing the path, being surprisingly graceful in her movements. Coco manages to make it past, but Izarak nearly falls to his death. Alice pulls him to safety, but the noise attracts a bear that charges Coco and Lilith. Coco gets a shot in, but the bear reaches her and mauls her. From the other side, Larry shoots at the bear, but it remains on top of Coco. Ferrus asks Alice to get him close to the bear, which Alice does. Ferrus then orders everyone to close their eyes. When they reopen them, the bear has died, on top of Coco. 

Alice gets herself and Ferrus to the other side, then helps Izarak across (he still has troubles) and then lifts the bear off Coco. Larry comments on Ferrus’ party trick, and Ferrus says he can’t do it very often. Indeed his face is soaked with blood. Izarak offers him a rag to wipe his face, and bandages Coco.

They continue forward, keeping an eye out for bears. Alice hears some singing coming from below them, perhaps Ada and the pilgrims? It sounds like there’s quite many of them. After a few hours they reach their final leg before the shrine, which is a sheer cliff. Ferrus requests a breather. Larry takes Alice aside for a smoke. [Insert #2]

Coco sits down next to Ferrus and Ferrus asks if she’s alright. She says she’s fine, first time meeting a bear this close. Ferrus makes a comment about adventures. She asks if he’s fine, the bleeding from the face looked quite intense. Ferrus says it has nothing to do with his lung problems, and more to do with 10,000 years of inbreeding among the Navigators. She questions him more about the lung replacement, and he says that he has had some trouble finding willing tech-priests as even an accidental killing of a Navigator is an offense punishable by death, a risk not many will be willing to take. She wishes him best of luck in that, and Larry and Alice joining them agree.

It’s time to continue. Lilith offers to climb up the cliff and then drop the rope for them to climb up. This is agreeable to the party, as Lilith is by far the greatest climber of them. She climbs up, and promptly bolts off, leaving the party stranded. Something they maybe should have seen coming. Alice climbs up after Lilith. She drops a rope, and then bolts off after Lilith.

The others take some time to climb after the two women, but finally they too get up. The shrine itself is a small rock building. Upon entering, their noses are assaulted by a smell of mold. The whole shrine is covered in mold, and there are mushrooms growing on lumps on the ground, that look eerily like there had been bodies there. There is an entrance on the floor of the shrine, which the party drops down in. They come to a metal corridor.

They meet up at Alice at the end of the corridor. She lost sight of Lilith, and didn’t want to get too far away, because of the mold. They all put on their breather-masks and head deeper. They come to a large room with a dome ceiling. The whole place is covered in mold, and similar mushroom-spots. Coco recognizes some of the markings barely visible as being eldar in nature. 

There is a strange statue in the middle of the room, an armored figure kneeling, pierced by a weapon, its face frozen in an anguished scream, also covered in mushrooms. Izarak and Larry approach it to investigate and pretty quickly realize it’s not a statue at all. It is a man, in the red power armour of the Blood Angels, a golden death mask on his face. Izarak realizes one another thing. The man is still alive.

[nemossubmarine]

Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #13

Before leaving to go find a girl kidnapped, there’s few more things the party needs to do on Dimmamar. Firstly, Coco asks Larry if Ranan and Hackney may join them, as they’d be useful. Larry says sure. Coco goes to ask Ranan and Hackney if they want to come along. Ranan says sure, but what about the Devil, which leads to a long conversation into which Izarak and eventually Larry and Alice are both dragged into. Ranan and Hackney can’t stay to watch after her, because they’d be easily recognized. Coco suggests they let her know they want to talk, which Ranan shoots down. She’s the Cardinal’s bodyguard, she doesn’t hold audiences. Larry says that attacking the Cardinal would be one way to get their hands on her bodyguard. Also a good way to get killed. In the end Izarak calls up Birdie and asks if she could keep an eye out whether the Cardinal leaves the planet. Birdie, happy to hear Izarak is alive and surprised to hear Izarak has other friends (when he explains he is going after a friend’s missing relative), agrees.

Izarak lets everyone know he has some business he needs to attend to and slips off. Coco decides to go check up on Vivek and the Wolves, and pretty quickly notices she is going in the same direction as Izarak, so she catches up to him. [INSERT #1]

So they’re off to the station. On their way there, Iris has a quick chat with Larry about the things they still need to do in the ship. She’s made a small bucket list, and can do two of the things (one on the way the station, other while on the station). Larry picks machine spirit appeasement and a new paint-job, so Iris gets to those with a little help from Alice.

They get to the station. Larry and Alice head out to see if they could locate Shanice’s ship. They come across it, and also a disgruntled Administratum parking officer, asking if they own the ship, as it should have been moved ages ago. Larry says he doesn’t, but he might like to buy it, if the owner doesn’t show up. He also has a little fun with the officer, pretending to be someone important and rich. They get the sense that Shanice might still be in the hanging-around area of the ship so they go there, where Coco and Izarak have already gone. The four meet up at the entrance of the bar, where Izarak and Coco were planning on asking about Ferrus Navrátil. 

There’s people in the bar, mostly at the booths, and they seem to be avoiding a man sitting by the bar. Izarak approaches the barkeep and asks for Ferrus Navrátil, and the barkeep points at the man sitting at the bar, who turns to look at Izarak. He’s a man in his thirties, with a sickly look complete with grey-ish skin, blue-ish lips and scabs all across his face. The reason why people avoided him becomes clear as one can clearly spot a closed eyelid in the middle of his forehead. Ferrus comments on his years of avoiding Sunday service may have finally caught up with him, and Izarak lets him know that he’s not here for that, that Roberto Navaros sent them (how’s the old bastard? asks Ferrus, to which Izarak says he is fine). Izarak explains that they’re looking for Ada, and Ferrus says they should probably take a booth. They do (people clear one out as soon as Ferrus approaches).

Ferrus was not aware that Ada was kidnapped, mentioning that he talked with her when they ran into each other on the station. She seemed to be looking for someone, boys or girls Ferrus hazards. She did join up with the station’s own crazed preacher by the name Caprice Jastremski, which was a bit odd. Caprice is not an actual priest, but one of those people who are way into worshipping Sanguinius. Ada presumably left with her. Ferrus also mentions that another person was asking after Ada, a woman hiding her face and sporting two swords. Mysterious.

Larry asks whether Ferrus is on the job, and Ferrus mentions he is currently employed, though not particularly happy with his gig. Apparently he goes for the highest bidder, so if Larry has the money then he’s willing to jump ship. Larry says there may be some other benefits in working with him, and then winks. Ferrus smiles and lets him know that he doesn’t work with people he’s slept with, because it makes him feel cheap, and he is not cheap. But a quickie in the bathroom can happen if Larry finds another Navigator.

With that, the party shuffles off. They decide to go check Caprice’s apartment, which they find with its door ajar. It’s a small apartment with a mold problem. Inside they find the helmeted woman studying a wall with scribbles on it. The woman (who we later learn is called Lilith so that’s what I’ll use) may be surprised to see people (she’s wearing a helmet) (it’s hard to tell). Izarak explains that they’re looking for Ada, same as Lilith, so maybe they could work together. Lilith explains that she is not interested in Ada in particular, she is working for someone who is worried about the people Ada has managed to gather around her (points at wall), her apparent effect on people and what she might be looking for. Lilith is very very vague (her employer’s anonymity is apparently very important to her).  Alice comments that she probably is very ugly under the helmet, which Izarak says is not very nice. Lilith doesn’t seem to mind. [Insert #2]

Izarak examines the wall. There are notes about angels (seems to be prayers), that turn into talks about “her” (“she can hear it” / “she can find it” type of stuff). There also some kind of a map, that seems to be pointing towards a mountain range near Izarak’s home village. He asks Lilith to join the party, which she agrees to. He also suggests they grab Ferrus, because having someone Ada knows and trusts with them might be prudent.

While they walk towards the bar, Larry has a quiet chat with Lilith. She had mentioned not being very familiar with the Imperial Faith, so he asks about that, whether she believes. She answers non-committal, saying she wasn’t really taught much about that in her home. Larry asks about her home, and she says it’s a planet called Athelaq, far from here. It was a beautiful planet, apparently though now war-torn. Coco pops into the conversation and asks whether she misses her home and she says doesn’t everyone. Coco says it depends on what one  considers home. Larry even stealthily smells Lilith (leather and flowers).

Anyway, Izarak goes to the bar where Ferrus is playing solitaire alone. Izarak asks him to join up, saying that Roberto can pay for his time. Ferrus mentions again that he doesn’t like getting paid by people he’s slept with. Izarak goes “oh” and says he can pay for Ferrus himself (with money he got from Roberto, but still...). But Ferrus seems agreeable, mostly because he wants to help Ada. He asks Izarak to help him get off his current deal. So they go to the ship of Captain Carras. Ferrus lets her know that he is leaving because of a family emergency, to which the Captain shoots back that he doesn’t have a family, spitting out that he’s a lazy bum, as he ducks to go gather his stuff. Izarak explains the situation to the Captain, who complains that her Navigator is being stolen, and there’s no way he’ll be returning and she’ll be losing a lot of money. Izarak puts on his best priest-face and soon has the Captain blubbering apologies. Ferrus returns with a rucksack and some scrolls beneath his arm.

They all go back to the ship. Ferrus asks Izarak whether they need him for navigating (Izarak says no) and how the G’s are on Treshan (Izarak doesn’t know), as Ferrus apparently doesn’t do great with high gravity having lived on small ships most of his life. Back on the ship Larry approaches Lilith again, and says that he can’t help but think she is hiding something (her face for instance). She accuses him of attempting to find out too much and not offering much in turn, and then says she should get back to her notes.

Larry joins the others and voices her suspicions that something is up with Lilith, she’s weird, and, smells weird (have you been smelling her? - Noooo? - It’s good manners not to smell other people). Anyway, Larry has a gut feeling she might not be… entirely human. He wonders if that’s going to be a problem with Coco and his boyfriend. Coco shrugs and says maybe not, depends on the xenos? Anyway, Izarak says he’s certain she’s human (and Larry can see he is lying). Larry says to take Izarak’s word on this one.

Alice comments that she is more worried about their lazy Navigator. His former captain did call him a lazy bum. Larry agrees, he even asked not to do any navigating. Izarak says that at least Ferrus seemed motivated about finding Ada, and that’s what counts.

We have a bit of a Christmas break starting now, but next time, we’ll get to Treshan and maybe will find Ada Navaros and maybe find out what’s up with her? One of the three at least.

[nemossubmarine]

Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #12.1

A brief extra-curricular talk between Uffe and Larry. After things have settled down in Dimmamar, Larry goes to see if he could locate Uffe that he was meaning to have a little chat with. He spots Rødorn and friends near the ship Skarde took down, and so he asks Rødorn if he’s seen one of the Wolves around, name Yffe, or something along those lines. Rødorn says he must be talking about their lone wolf (and Larry says he doesn’t know how lonely he is), and says Uffe can be found at the medbay inside. Larry asks if he is hurt, and Rødorn says not to his knowledge.

So it is the medbay where Larry heads. There are several wounded Wolves there. He spots Uffe sitting by one bed, talking with Vivek who is having his cybernetics repaired. Larry greets the two, and asks if he may loan Uffe for a long over-due conversation. Uffe says sure in not so many words. Vivek tells Uffe that he may already be gone if the conversation is long, and wishes him luck on his hunt as well as asks him to “say hi to Dante for me”. Uffe agrees(?) and they bonk heads. Larry asks Uffe who this Dante fellow is, and Uffe tells it’s the Lord Commander of Imperium Nihilus and the Commanding officer of the Blood Angels.

Uffe takes Larry to a room clearly meant for sleeping (filled with bunk beds and not much else), and they sit and talk. Larry says that he supposes Uffe knows who he is and what he is here to talk about, and Uffe says yes, he knows Larry is Laurel, son of Jennifer. Larry asks to know what happened to his sister after she was left on Fenris. Uffe counters with wanting to know what Larry does, making note of his association with both the Ecclesiarchy and someone who is associated with Inquisition. Larry doesn’t quite see why Uffe would care, but explains he’s a free-wheeling agent for the moment (and a pilot), currently helping the priest in locating a kidnapped girl.

Uffe ponders this for a while (he does this a lot), and then lets Larry know that Layla was taken in to the Wolves, to test her worthiness to ascend. And she passed, which means she is a Wolf now. She awoke some four years ago. Uffe says he kept Gorm up to date who was supposed to keep Jennifer up to date but apparently that never reached Larry. 

Larry asks where she is now, as he would like to see her, and Uffe asks what he would be getting out of it, as she would not remember him at all. Larry says he just wants to get some closure, and wants the same for his mother as well. Larry makes a comment about people not seeing Space Marines, and having no understanding what they do, and Uffe makes a point that most folk don’t see the kind of enemies the Marines deal with either. Larry thanks him, and Uffe says he needs no thanks, but he sees the point.

Uffe explains that he and Gorm used to talk, and Gorm especially was of the opinion, that the Wolves should have more relationships with the people they helped and the people they recruited from. But not all Wolves agree. Uffe has not met Linhildr (that is Layla’s new name), as he and one other were considered too invested so they were forbade from following in on her process too closely. Larry makes a comment about Layla’s new name, and Uffe points out that he himself doesn’t use his mother-given name either. Nickname’s a bit different from a completely new name, but point taken. 

Larry requests that Uffe does as Gorm and he had talked, and actually help people he was supposed to help, and try to make things better for him and his mother. (or he could just refer him to Gorm, to which Uffe tells that Gorm has been on a hunt of his own for many a year) Uffe makes the point that Linhildr and her pack are the first female Wolves, a secret. There were doubts and apparently something concerning happening even before they were made into Wolves, so all eyes are on them. Uffe does not wish anything to jeopardize their prospects. But he relents, saying that he does not wish to deny Larry’s and his mother’s hurt in the situation. He tells Larry that his whole Company was called to assist with the Imperium Nihilus, so Linhildr’s pack is in the area. He will attempt to locate them.

Larry asks how are they going to be able to stay in touch, as he is going to go hunting for the missing girl. Uffe says he will be leaving for his own mission as well, but says there will be Wolves in the area. Rødorn, some others and Vivek will be hunting for the buyer of the scrap code (or the datachip). Skarde will continue the exploration on Jonah’s World. Uffe says Vivek will always know how to locate him, so that’s the best way to keep contact. Larry wishes Uffe luck on his hunt (and he wishes Larry luck on his search) and with that Larry is off.

[nemossubmarine]

Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #12

Still on the ship, Coco expresses gladness that Vivek is doing alright. Then they leave Vivek to catch up with old friends. At some point Uffe leaves the two AdMechs in the room and the party can hear him communicating with Skarde in Fenrisian. They drop the two of them off at the place where the Cardinal is holding the meeting. There’s more people milling about there now, most notably some Dark Angels, some more Space Wolves and some of the people of Navaros’ knight house.

Well, it’s been a long day so a night of drinking is suggested, which sounds like fun (especially to Iris who has been attempting to get hammered for a bit now). So they grab a ride to the “Spooky De’mon’s Tavern”. There’s no barkeeps, but there is drinks to be looted, so everyone grabs some. Coco goes for red wine, Izarak gets some beer, Larry has tequila, Alice gets some hard liquor. Iris and Ranan join the four, Ranan makes some fruity drinks for himself and Iris grabs armful of cider bottles. 

There’s several topics proached, and I’ll try to cover them to the best of my memory. 

Larry mentions that he still needs to talk with the Space Wolf he knows from before, even if he seems to be very keen on avoiding him. Alice suggests tying the Wolf down. When asked what he wishes to discuss with the Wolf, Larry mentions that he may have information about his sister who he has lost touch with.

The Cardinal and her being a piece of shit is brought up again, and Larry challenges Izarak on whether he thinks that the Cardinal is right. Izarak says that clearly he didn’t agree, as he was the one who persuaded the Cardinal to reconsider. Larry presses him on why he became a priest in the first place. Izarak shrugs and says he thought it was a way to help people, but clearly other priests have other priorities, and Izarak has to try to work within those limits. He’s not well liked among the priests… Larry tells Izarak he seems to him like the good guy, even if the priesthood is, well, what it is.

Coco asks Alice if she grew up on Dimmamar, and Alice says that that is indeed the case. She’s never ventured far from home so far. She talks a bit about her own morality, how there’s lots of bad people, but a lot of good people too, and sometimes these people kill each in various ways. It’s a dog’s world.

Coco apologises for shooting Julo when Alice was fighting him. She didn’t mean to kill-steal, she just didn’t want Alice to die. Alice says it’s okay. She lets it slip that she and Julo were together, which comes as a total surprise to Iris, who is a bit weirded out about that, but considering Julo is dead, she tries to be positive about it. Alice speaks about how she loved him, but that it was complicated with them always (not anymore though since he’s dead).

Alice asks Coco about her, since she knows very little about her, other than her boyfriend. Coco explains that she has some siblings, one dead brother, who she did not murder, one missing one and one little sister. Iris, who’s out of the loop points out it’s weird to start with the dead one, and especially weird to per-emptively say she did not murder him. Makes it kind of sound like she did. Coco explains that she only recently found out that he was murdered to begin with. Anyway, about her other siblings. Omar has always been a loner, though they did get along with Jim. They’ve been absent for several years, even before Jim’s death. Coco doesn’t know where they went. Coco’s little sister is still with the family, as far as Coco knows. Coco doesn’t know her well, she has always been into the secretive sorts of rogue trader games, intrigue and backstabbing. Larry asks what’s Coco is in then, if not that, and Coco says she wishes for adventure, as all rogue traders do. Larry makes a point that Coco can afford to adventure.

The talk turns to what they’re doing next and Izarak mentions having a missing girl he’s supposed to be looking for. Larry mentions that the girl appeared to leave willingly, so there’s probably not that much hurry, but obviously he and Alice will help, as they owe Izarak one. Coco’s in too. And oh yeah, Iris should know where the girl was taken. After the situation is explained, Iris says that she plotted the course for Shanice’s ship to go to a station orbiting the moon of Treshan, Izarak’s home planet. So that’ll be where they’re heading next. Iris complains about the dingy ship they have, and says she has an idea where to get a new one, even if it’s a bit of a dick move, namely there’s a lot of Mechanicus ships around, and there are a lot of dead Mechanicus who might not miss a ship. But more on that tomorrow.

They decide to head to bed. Iris asks if anyone wants to cuddle, as she has been trying to drink to forget the damp crypt she had been stuck in by the Dark Angels. Alice takes her up on the offer, so the two share a bed, and apparently Alice has a really good night’s sleep because of that. Ranan goes back to the ship to check up on Hackney. Coco gets a room of her own and Izarak and Larry share a room.

[INSERT #1.]

It’s morning and in the effort to find more about Ada, the party wants to locate the man who attempted to stop her from leaving, so they return where they saw Navaros’ people last, and approach some. One of the people recognizes Izarak and says there’s someone who wishes to meet him. This someone turns out to be Lord Roberto Navaros, an Imperial Knight and Ada’s father.

He invites the party for breakfast, so they may discuss the kidnapping situation. The date for the ransom has passed, and the Navaros have not heard from the kidnapper again. Izarak explains some of the leads they have. Roberto sends someone to look for the person who tried to stop Ada (but it turns out that he has been killed).

Roberto is not a very cheery man, and he speaks of his daughter in somewhat odd terms (like straight up calling her a bastard), but he appears to be genuine in his grief for his missing daughter. It is apparently well-known Ada is illegitimate, Roberto seems unbothered about talking about it, though he does apologize to Izarak, being so candid on his sinful ways. Izarak says he’s not here to judge, which amuses Roberto, apparently he’s in the minority here.

Izarak says that Roberto mentioned a ransom. He’d like to know more about that. Roberto says that the Navaros have enemies on their homeworld, but Roberto is doubtful they are behind the kidnapping, as the kidnappers demanded a shipment of adamantium, from Navaros’ mines that have ran dry. 

Larry attempts to pilot-bond with Roberto, who does humor him, though it quickly become apparent piloting a ship is a lot different from piloting a knight. They’re real beauts, the knights are. Roberto apologizes that Rebecca isn’t here, as she would be more enthusiastic about talking Knights. (Larry does know it’s very rare for women to be Knights).

They ask if Roberto could explain more about Ada, who well-known was her family around Dimmamar, could they have any enemies here. Roberto says that though he is well-known for having a bastard, and Ada is forbidden from living on Dutonis by other Navaros, he has not advertised who exactly is his bastard-child. Ada was apparently poised to be a Sister, but in her teens she decided against it, so Roberto and Rebecca were content on having her be a noble and mingle with nobles (the few non-religious ones on the planet). Prior the disappearing, Roberto had not seen Ada for several months due to Knightly duties.

Anyway, that’s about all. Roberto, upon learning where the party is headed next, mentions that a friend of his, who knows Ada, occasionally pop by the station, by the name of Ferrus Navrátil, so the party should check if he is there and knows anything. Roberto asks if there is something he may provide for the party to assist in finding Ada. Larry mentions having lost a pistol, so Roberto gets him an old, fancy pistol. He also provides them with crew and some extra cash. Alice has provided herself to the contents of Roberto’s breakfast table, but he appears not to mind He parts with a handshake with Izarak, a pat on the shoulder for Larry (just couple of bros being pilots) and asks Coco to send regards to her family when she meets them next.

Before the party can leave planet, they’ll have to nab a ship and Larry needs to go talk with Uffe (and because Uffe talks so slow, we’re doing this outside session proper :P). But next time maybe some station-adventuring?