"Where Angels Dare"

[*Pashan01]

A warning given of potential mal-intent. My words to him were thus: She will deal with me...if she so much as ...touches him, looks at him the wrong way, thinks she can break what has so recently been bound with love in the eyes of the Shining Father.

From whispered conversation to a vision in red. Neli! Out of the corner of my eye I espied her. Attempting to catch up with her and with Sondaal also however, the conversation turned round to the matter of Dom and Kalina. The chant being that they were newly wedded. This seemed to give Neli some puzzlement. Neither Kelth nor I had been around to know the latest goings on with the couple or saw reason why there should be any issue. Surely where there is love, this is a natural progression, to wed, even if perhaps it was a tad swift and that Dom not the most likely candidate for settling down.

Kalina and Dom then approached, Dom bearing bloodly wound to his arm, Kalina distrought. Dom had been attacked by a dagger wielding assailant in the festhall. I healed him quickly, with the lightest of touches while Kelth attempted to understand what had happened. Kalina was still visibly shaken so I lent her a little support with light touch meaning to bring comfort also. Dom was supposed to report the occurrence to the guard but ended up that Kalina paired off with Sondaal, Neli taking Dom aside and lots of quiet whispers, leaving Kelth and myself to wonder. I hoped they would think to ask if they needed more help but was not my place to pry. It did make me wonder if this had been a random or targetted attack. Either way, the guard should be informed.

Raymond approached about that time seeking help for gems and essences from Kelth to complete a piece of crafting for one blueskinned tiefling girl. I had seen her about the market but not spoken with her but I presume she had had dealings before with Kelth the way they talked, Raymond also, so I offered the girl a friendly smile, she seemed friendly enough and returned it. From blue skin to blue skinned and dressed twins who caught my eye for their likeness and pretty dresses as the pair strolled around the bazaar making their purchases. Attractive both, interesting for their likeness, they peeked my curiosity.

Kalina, recovering asked about the Society and we three entered the Inn to talk of the Sensates and answer her questions. Seems she is interested to join and that makes me pleased. Her questions were pertinant and considered, her interest genuine and as performing artist might bring some interesting flavour to the faction. I placed a sensory stone upon the table and pushed it towards her, asking her to record her experiences of the five senses that she is willing to share with the other members. I posed another request...to know her strongest emotion that she feels when she makes a performance. Her response made me regard Kelth, I had not asked that question of him before but her answer suggested, that he, as performer also might share something of that emotion. Fascinating.

Dom joined the table as we shared drink but Kelth and I did not linger too much longer and we wished them well and more specifically to keep safe and watchful before we retired for the night.

[*Pashan01]

I dreamt of fruit flans and cream, flour and unicorns that night.....an interesting mixture. The last being about the dream of happy that Kelth promised to tell me. When he makes a sensory stone of his own memory of that time, I will know more deeply of how it feels to touch and meet such a creature.

[*Pashan01]

''Long time no see Nastasia'' but this wasn't Nastasia, it was the other one and I finally found out her name. The last time I saw her my wings and hair had been covered. A lot had passed since then. Enough to insist that she keep her ''Dear's and Darling's'' to herself. Terms of endearment casually used when addressing Kelth that were her attempt at familiarity and.... suspect. I tried to brush it off but it was not easy. Too much insistence might only stir but I find it difficult to bite my tongue and say nothing.

Kelth had made offer to help all that time ago and he stood by that offer again this time and I could do no less but lend him my support. But what was suggested brought me pause for thought and challenge. Three tasks required, one that caused me issue in dealing with the dead, one other that would test the depths of my celestial bonds all in order to free a soul so that two might survive. One I had no care about, the other, despite being Abyssal did not deserve to die. That is what I wanted to ensure and my assistance, my skills could surely help Nastasia to live again. But I had to think before I acted and talk to others to be sure that what I offered was the right thing to do and not in breach of my teachings, my heritage, my humanity. If there was time.

The fair was entertaining, the location wonderful, green and feeling rather like home. Contests and crowds, hustle and bustle that reminded me of that time visiting Elturel city. I am not one for crowds, it was interesting to watch the others and see the sights but I did not take part, merely watched, smiled and appreciated the novelties, all the while thinking of how to approach the tasks to aid Nastasia.

[*Pashan01]

The pain in his leg seems to ease for him when in the presence of one of celestial blood. I offered to stay close....Kelth permitting this of course....for those times when his...friend...(the man doth blush more even than I which I find endearing... but married life to my husband slowly decreases the number of times my cheeks grow rosy these days)...is not around to provide that service.

A group of us, at his request, set off to the Abyss to obtain fresh blood of newly slaughtered demon. Kelth, Breven the gnome, one-eyed Fargul and the dark haired lady Nandra, the last three all being new acquaintances and interesting to meet were our clan for this venture. Meeting up with Jach Sensbane out on his usual constitutional around the Abyss, we made it to the fortress and obtained the required blood. But, on the journey back the abyssal forces near overpowered us and was only the grace and foresight of Breven and Nandra that we all eventually made it out of there alive. One should never but never underestimate those fiends.

His thoughts and knowledge obtained from some ancient scroll were that a ritual from celestial priestess would be required to deliver him from the burden of that injury. Interpreting the scroll suggested that a God's Servant would be needed. As teenager, I spent a little time training with the priests of the local temple of Chauntea but would not deem myself qualified in any respect as full priestess. But I could try, if he was willing to take slight risk of my training being sufficient. Surely, with the help of another of celestial blood, another servant of Pelor and with myself calling upon the dual favour of both Chauntea and Pelor, we would be able to help this man.

[*Pashan01]

I hadn't the heart to refuse her, not after she had come to a summon (albeit reluctantly) some days ago to help Neli with some wandmaking.

"....want ta show ye me home Naya" the cheeky 'imp' had told me .."..jus us girls...ye kin leave big guy fer a wee bit...jus a couple 'o nights or so ...jus me 'n ye like the ole times huh huh?"

So I packed a small bag, leaving my scythes and most of my gear to the room and spent a loving night with Kelth, leaving him at first light in the morning with lingering warm kiss upon his sleepy lips and face, a comb of fingers through his tinkling braids and receiving lazy dozing smile in return I slipped out to meet with Piri upon the beach of Thalasia.

She decided instead of flying herself to attach herself behind my back, tiny arms wrapped around my neck as I beat my wings high to soar to the brightening dawn sky, hearing her squealing giggles in my ear, teasing her with a dive and a swoop but following her direction nevertheless towards a distant isle, the Hills of Avalon and her grove.

[*Pashan01]

Last I saw angel-face she was chattin' ta me unca Theo, quizzin' him 'bout pixie life at the grove over a honey-spice. Left her to it ta dally a wee bit with one o me cuz's then took it in me mind ta shoot back ta the Cage, she'll follow if she remembers and wants ta...can't see her stoppin' long without the big guy unless she loses track o the time...easy ta do there if she ain used ta it. Her look out, I did warn. She'll figure it out.

City smog aside, I kinda like the Cage, always a new trick or an old one ta be playin'...like...a deal fer a power essence with tha handsom' fella I'd once made cloak fer, Andrew, the deal? ta lower me price if he would wear a pink turban fer a day...jes a day mind..was only a 100jink discount asked. Give him credit, he did...teehee..should see if nice discounts would persuade a few more folks 'bout the streets to sport more pink...s'me favourite colour ta see on folkses.

Another elfie lady was askin' one time to help her get to see her dead mom's grave in Mercuria. Told her that if she wanted me help she'd need to see angel-face ta let me go. Kinda promised I wouldn't...but...sssh...mebbe I will sneaky sometime go see that plane. Dun told that to the funny fella as I perched on his arm, 'tween us we had the idea fer the elfie lady to try n go in there hinvisible, make a potion or spell that would last, left the man to sort that out as Raymond came by then ta tease a wee bit, wantin me ta look over one spell parchment.

Met a new girlie too, Sophie her name an had a go at craftin one o them big chivs that the big guy likes, jes a simple one, but by golly! Was almos too heavy fer me to lift to an fro the anvil. Had ta use me dust ta help float it to the girl, was relieved to have her take it out me hand. Me boss Karath'rok then suggested ta play in the Abyss, so we spent a fun hour or two dodgin' (well I did the dodgin') n slashin' at afew devils and cambions...did have ta hide behind his gith-tails on an off cuz they took a likin' ta try n squish me 'stead of him. Better him than me.

Fun fun fun!

[*Pashan01]

"Whacha wanna know? Ye kin ask but I can't promise to give ye an answer" she wiggled her pert nose at the horned tiefer, the stench emanating from his body coupled with his warning not to fly around behind his back with her sparkley crossbow to hand, tripled with his near successful swipe of arm as she'd approached his tail, ensured she kept her distance.

She weren't gonna shoot him, if she was gonna shoot him, she told him she'd do it with her cupids bow, far more fun. He didn't take to that idea kindly either. Seemed the fella had a thing against 'wimmen' specially of his own kind seeing them cavorting with the likes of paladins instead of following their true heritage.

She wiggled her nose again, and thought, that if all the males stunk like he did, no wonder their 'wimmen' turned to the sweet smelling paladins heh. The fella kept sayin he didn't trust her, had met her kind before. Buuuut, she told him she wouldn't hold his smelliness or his lack of trust against him, his jink fer her craft was as good as anyones...couldn't see that serious and grumpy one wearing pink for a discount though, but she made a sly grin thinking it would be good to try and negotiate that for a giggle.

[*Pashan01]

I challenge anyone to stay within a pixie grove, particularly one warded by a time crystal and manage to leave freely within the intended time frame. Plans go awry easily when you are tempted and teased, tricked and cajoled into joining in with their frolics..I did enjoy it I suppose but I hadn't realised how long I had been away until I finally managed to escape their kindly hospitality and fly back to Sigil...realised how many days had passed and found Kelth gone.

A brief and loving note left for my attention spoke of his concern and of missing me, but sure that with Piri's good folk I would come to no harm, but that the call of battle and a higher duty to Pelor had to call him away. Sorath had charged him with a task it seems and asked for his aid in his celestial army.

I am ....mildly jealous....it must be said. For that is something I would dearly like to do...spend time with my father and fight for his..'our'...cause. Must be a male bonding thing...that he asked it of Kelth first...so be it. There is still a duty to be done here too.

As usual, Piri avoids me and we haven't spoken since that attack upon her by Clovis. I rendered my statement to the Guvners and haven't heard anything more. I trust they have dealt with it adequately.

I continue with some tasks for the Society in the meantime and have initiated a competition and received one kind donation from a generous girl, Chastity of the Ashen, adding to my own prize offering in return for a simple tour of my faction. There have been numerous interesting entries so far including one submitted anonymously after a private meeting, quite unusual but understandable in the circumstances and I will respect that person's wishes. However, more promotion is required and I shall be setting out within the city to do just that over the next couple of weeks.

On a side note, I met up with a bard of the most amazing talent, the art of poetry-of-the-moment. I employed him for a few meetings in return of a choice of one of the items I own. He favoured a nice piece of armour and I listened to one particularly beautiful piece of poetry that near brought tear to my eye as he spoke of love and loss. I miss Kelth and his poetic and loving soul most terribly and found that this sweet rendition of poem touched at my heart. Seeing the tear in the bard's eye too, it seemed it had touched something within him too.

Life goes on, as does the hustle and bustle of the Cage and the Cagers and I glide on the periphery as usual keeping wary distance from many and reserve warm smile to the trusted few. I meet halflings who wish to touch feather and half-orcs curious of my kind. But the days pass and, though the nights are long without the warmth of my warrior-poet, I keep busy.

Stand proud Naya'il, you are no longer that shy reserved girl you once were, you can hold your own now. You are strong, your wings are unfurled...your kin and love would wish you be all you can be.

[*Pashan01]

Once more a new Sensory Stone is brought to Civic Festhall, if asked, an imp brought it from his master for the competition and explained it to be given to Naya'il for the competition.

*contents will be told later, at least partially if she decides to look into the Sensory Stone*

Naya was delighted to finally receive more interest into the Sensate Competition.

After spending a few hours in the bazaar that afternoon promoting it by notice, leaflet and word, only to receive a little interest in return, and what interest there had been had been more so on account of her wings and celestial heritage, enjoying a brief discussion with some gentleman over a curious plane with a city known as Ravenloft whose inhabitants he said were not so dissimilar to those of Sigil, but who had not left his name so she couldn't tell whether this was valid entry and the man hadn't been too concerned, a few others who though asked interesting questions, though struggled with the concept of the sensory stone and being unable to draw and didn't seem to wish to get creative and make an entry....

...well....Naya gave up for the day, a little despondent and headed for the Civic Festhall to see if any further entries had been delivered there. And one had.

She took the Sensory Stone to the lecture room and sat to one of the benches, laid finger upon the Stone and activated it.

*as the Sensory Stone is activated by her touch, a cloudy image opens up, in what appears like a chamber filled with arcane circles and scriptures on the floor and walls, of red, purple, green and blue color, tinting the room softly with similar lights, a person stands in middle of the room, it appears like a human male with a dusty dull coloured robe on, mask with multiple gems sinked in it, hunching to lean on a staff, with a backpack on his back... Marius stands in middle of the room and speaks out...*

"Greetings Naya'il McEwan... once I saw this competition to come up, I decided to deliver this simple sensation for you to judge. The true power of Arcane, prepare yourself for something you've never felt before."

*If she continues still touching the stone, he indeed starts to chant darkened words, not quite the same channeling of arcane he used earlier that she might still remember, if this is even him? The arcane in the room starts to circle and whirl around, lifting hairs all over body and bringing tingling sensation of power, as if entire air was electric, slowly the circles and scriptures starts to drain from the floor and walls, becoming drawn to his hands as the ever growing louder chant gathers all the energy in the room, lighting the entire room to show him even better, no longer appearing quite as hunched or weak as he has given out, robe  fluttering to sides wildly due to the strength of spell and incase she has not yet lifted finger off the Sensory Stone by this time...

He slings the pure raw howling spell at the Sensory Stone, while rationally the spell does not come through the Sensory Stone at all...*

*to be continued if she doesn't lift her finger off*

At first she thought the image was one of her own memory...that robe, that mask, that hunched figure....but on hearing the contents of the words after the greeting, she quickly realised that this was not one of hers, this was current, new and most definately a recent stone in the making given the reference to the competition...

Another thought...perhaps was some foolery of another? But how many were still around who knew of those times past and of him?

And then in the next instant, her fingers still keeping touch to the stone.....was it possible that somehow he still lived? He had been obliterated in the explosion of the Hammer Inn that had left Sondaal and her beloved Kelth severely wounded, the building reduced to a rubble, many dead, her love charged and found guilty of the crime of helping to cause the deaths of some innocents.....

He cannot have returned from that?! Whatever this was...was it best to know more and be able to prepare for danger or just to leave be?

She felt the sensation of the arcane power that coursed through the stone, via her fingers sending shiver through her body, the swirling colours and lights causing her golden hair to rise and her long locks move as if a strong breeze of a storm had entered that lecture room.

She sensed the arcane energy about, the malevolence of the memory of that being that had been and in turn, without moving lips in prayer her instinct was to call upon the divine power of her god Pelor, channelling a return of energy to buffer herself in instinctive protection, encircling her with a shield of her faith.

Yet her finger still did not lift from that sensory stone....

She was sensate after all...she would know the truth of this....as safely as she could.

*... the spell continues with the howling sound approaching the Sensory Stone, right before impact the memory fades into the cloudy breaking image of which it came from. While the Sensory Stone itself had done its task, it didn't however end the entire matter, just as the Sensory Stone ceases, something else happens...

A Contigency stored on the Sensory Stone it self activates and this time, with a bright yellow flash, the Sensory Stone starts to disintegrate into dust and fall to ground in that form, another part of the Contigency was what seemed to be ink injecting to her skin as if a tattoo, which moves wormlike on her skin, attempts to touch it, scratch it or take it away seems to have same effect as trying to take a tattoo away. The small black line continues to crawl up her hand from the finger she touched the Sensory Stone with and towards her lower back where it sticks and stitches itself into a pattern...



... which she would see in a mirror as it seems to have got stuck into her back, right below the wings. Initial other effects do not seem to appear yet. Mundane and common magical attempts to remove the tattoo seems to fail.*

Standing in the bazaar was becoming awkward as something was irritating her, a shifting of wing, a burning itch requiring scratch to her lower back....after discussing with another girl ways and means to make a demonstration for the Sensate Compeition, that not all need be written or painted so long as the idea was new, interesting and creative, Naya left the bazaar, thinking to take a bath and groom herself carefully.

[*Pashan01]

The nightmares...are....

..nearly too much....

.....but I fear they are only just begun

I see Kelth, bleeding and calling out for help, Sondaal..her blond locks shorn, her scalp blackened, skin torn...Neli...crying, those beautiful dresses in tatters, Raymond...with swollen blackened leg...all..asking for me, needing me...and when I try to help, they get more distant and I never seem to be able to reach them in my vision....and yet I have seen none of these friends, my beloved...in so many days, weeks now.

The mark on my back itches and the skin around it bleeds where my thumbnail has irritated it further. Yet my scratches seem to leave the skin above that black skull tattoo intact and the area around raw. Tis a curse...that much is certain.

A kindly young girl of the Harmonium, Sophie assisted me. But attempt at a simple remove curse spell had no affect...the magic behind this is powerful. A healing touch from her gentle hand helped to sooth the soreness upon skin that my own fingers had created but did not take away the burning itch of the mark. Sophie...offered to find me help, discretely...perhaps a mage of the arcane might know more of this, she mentioned Raymond and I realised we had mutual acquaintance. He is a goodly mage, perhaps there are others....one must be wary, there are others too who would use this to advantage.

I hope Sophie can help. She asked about the sensory stone and the vision of the masked enemy within, told me to try to see if any of the stone dust remained in the lecture room where it had disintegrated. But I told her that seeing as a few days had passed already, that I feared the sensates had been unusually efficient and the lecture room already cleaned.

I try to keep up with my daily duties but with sleepless nights, I find myself resting more now during the day...Pelor forgive me for this weakness. The competition will proceed...I can and will deal with this...though perhaps I can gather more help to investigate...

I managed to get a little of Cratten's time in a quiet period of his own duties to delve deeper into my concerns I had for him once I had seen the memory contained within the stone he had sent to me anonymously. While things are under control for the present...it would seem that there is an inevitability that preys upon his mind, challenges him, making him question his ability to handle it, when ...not if...but when it happens...he told me the name of a woman to speak to should things take turn for the worst.

I sensed that to speak of more for a man in his position of authority is a difficult choice and I did not press him. I know nothing of spirits...but, despite my own tiredness and issue, I put the past aside and offered my help in whatever way he considered would be useful...but I will leave that to him.I understand the desire for privacy and need for caution, discretion in seeking aid without the meddling of the masses.

But his knowledge of spirits and the spirit plane led me to ask...whether it was possible for a spirit, a ghost of the past to return and physically change something of the present...with clear knowledge of the present.

How did Marius' ghost know of the sensate competition and create a sensory memory? Sophie had suggested a family member...Cratten's answer did not entirely reassure or provide conclusion either.

Was Marius returned in body or in spirit? If his ghost was able to have done this to me, may the gods protect us all if he should be alive.