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(Author Notes)
Panel 1: (wide establishing shot) A small-town harvest festival. Tents and wooden booths are set up offering seasonal treats, trinkets, sillgoat rides, etc. Children are exclaiming over a pen of fluffy sheep available to pet. Laudna, though delighted by her surroundings, looks down attentively at Imogen, who has withdrawn into herself. Assorted townsfolk are giving them a wide berth or nasty looks, while their thoughts float around her. In the foreground a protesting half-orc child is being led away by her disgruntled family.
Laudna:
Ooh, I haven’t been to a Harvest’s Close festival in so long! Do you think they have cider doughnuts? Oh, the sheep! Imogen look at the sheep!
Imogen:
I see ‘em!
Half-Orc Father:
Let’s go, punkin. We’ll come back tomorrow.
Half-Orc Child:
No faiiiir!!
Townsfolk Thoughts:
ugh my feet — goddamn witches, can’t even have a nice day out with the family — think I got cheated — what’s that Temult girl doin’ here — peculiar smell, that one — what’s goin’ on, is it them witches? — fluffy!
Laudna:
What’s the matter, darling? Is it the crowds? Are their thoughts distressing you?
Imogen:
Yeah they . . . don’t seem to want us here.
Panel 2: She looks down at Imogen, noting her discomfort.
Townsfolk Thoughts:
That a zombie? weird mind stuff was bad enough now she’s raisin’ the dead?
Laudna:
Do you want to leave? We could go elsewhere.
Imogen:
No, I’m fine.
Laudna:
Are you sure? I could get rid of them all if you wanted. We could have the whole fair to ourselves.
Imogen:
No, that’s not necessary . . . (wait, how . . .?)
Laudna:
Well, all of these gawkers should be ashamed of themselves.
Panel 3: Imogen turns beet-red as Laudna addresses the crowd.
Laudna:
Yes, you all heard me! You should be ashamed, every one of you!
Imogen:
Laudna. Laudna, no . . .
Laudna:
Imogen is the sweetest, cleverest, most talented person in this whole town, and every one of you has your nose too far in the air to notice! Shame on you!
Imogen:
Laudna . . .
Laudna:
You don’t know how lucky you are to have had such a treasure in your midst all these years!
Townsfolk Thoughts:
well I never — the youth these days I declare — what in tarnation — Pelor’s shinin’ britches, what is that?
Panel 4: Imogen is now holding her head, still blushing furiously, but smiling a little in spite of the pain.
Laudna:
Oh, I’m sorry. Did that make their thoughts worse?
Imogen:
Well . . . they’re mostly thinkin’ about you now.
Laudna:
Well, I stand by everything I said. Come on. Let’s try to have a good time today.
Townsfolk Thoughts:
that a dead bird on her belt ugh no it’s some kinda rat?? — goodness me gave me a fright I thought that was a dead girl for a minute there — Temult know his girl’s walkin’ around town with a corpse? — how come she’s purple
Panel 5: Laudna sees something off-panel and starts off in the direction of it, dragging Imogen.
Laudna:
Oh, look at the fluffy chickens!
Nearby Child:
wow, a vampire!
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