Always Ascending

[Ryuforce]

"A baker? Ohh you make treats?" Duran says with a bit of interest as he looked back briefly to ask that, then marched forward to keep the team going down the path. "Rather neat!"

[HP: 20]

[Spell Slots: 2 Uses]

[Lay on Hands: 10]

[Roselli]

"Maybe I don't exactly know how to bake well. I could make some bread. A sweet roll in a pinch. But I can hire someone to do the work, and I can get the profit or something. Hard working business woman." Gwyn suggested.

[Ordos]

"This feels..." Naethra wanted to say too easy, but something was odd.  She felt strange.  It wasn't the cloying, sexual corruption that she felt when she was wounded earlier... it was nothing like that. 

Rather... it was far away, but familiar.  Gentle, but energizing.  She felt different.  Lightheaded for an instant, and then somehow clearer.  She'd only ever felt anything like that once before.  Alone, in a forest, afraid and in the dark and not that much different than now.

She closed her eyes, stopping for a moment and letting go of Gwyn's hand.  When she opened them, she knew was touching fae magic. 
[Naethra activates Eldritch Sight, and is now Detecting Magic] 

"oh, I'm sorry... I was a little distracted there, for a moment," she said, scanning around, her glance lingering on the discarded items, the cottage, and the high tree branches before passing over her companions and their new clothes. 

"A bakery sounds lovely... although I'm not sure how valid or useful that deed would be.  Wouldn't something like that revert to town control after a while?  Is the parchment dated?"  Did she even know what city it was in?  Naethra abandoned that line of questioning... better to keep things hopeful right now.  Besides... Gwyn would make a good baker.  Or business woman.  Or chefess. 

[Roselli]

Gwyn took out the stolen deed, "I don't know. I didn't look closely. I figured I could pass off as who ever she was or her daughter. Ok, I sound kinda shady when I say it like that, but it would be jobs and service to the community."

I look back at the document to see the name, date, city, etc.

[Alice]

The deed is in one of the larger fragments of Seinhelm simply stating that the holder of this deed is the proper owner of the property in question.

As Neathra starts up her fey vision she sees what she expects to see at first, the satchel bag is clearly magical, the weapons you all carry have a an aura of magical force about them as well. Then.. it's almost like the power blinks out.. the ability to see fades till it seems you are looking about with simply mortal eyes. Your magical focus.. it's no longer etched with pearl either. A tiny voice blooms in the back of Naethra's head, "oh dear.. seems you've used up all the fey you brought with you... I wonder what the rest will say to dragging out a powerless bookworm with them... I wonder how you'll explain this..After all.. even a magical novice knows that a sorcerers power flows from within.." Naethra can feel.. the lack of something.."I'd keep walking and listen... You want to stay useful to them yes.. Look over at that former jackass of a man and really everyone is better for it.. She's much more pleasant now.." Neathra's eyes are drawn to the paper, on one hand, she can now imagine herself as some shopgirl some place..on the other, it's a legal contract.. and so easily transferred..

"oh my.. that is an interesting thought isn't it..I bet there is a very interesting contract I could get at a bargain price.. What do you think of that?"


The path is fairly clear, but plants are clearly starting to overtake it, as the party walks the forest grows quiet around them and noisy again as they pass. No animals approach close enough to be seen.

[Ordos]

Naethra felt her heart chill as the strange voice spoke into her mind.  Her pulse raced, her skin paled, and she made every effort not to betray her terror.  Rather, she kept walking, but slowed her pace so she'd fall just behind most of the group, just so no one could directly see her while she tried to process this.

Okay... The important thing is not to panic.  Failing at that, the next most important thing was not to cry. 

This was bad.  Really, really bad.  Something horrible would leap out of the forest any moment and she'd be utterly defenseless.  Maybe she could make noises with her mouth and just say she missed if anyone asks?  That... would probably work, come to think of it.  Some of these people seemed exceedingly dim, and none of them seemed to know much about magical...

But that was only the secondary problem.  The primary one would be actually surviving whatever came next.  The goblins had been entirely too dicey as the were, but without her spells, without her Lady's intervention...

That was what hurt, most of all.  More than the emptiness. More than the fear.  She had hope while she held the Fae's magic, hope in the old stories, hope in fey-wilds, maybe even hope of transcending her cursed heritage.  Now...

Now there were thoughts on her head she wasn't certain were her own.  Why did she want to look at the bakery deed?  What was this about a contract?  Was... Was the lady of this place offering to replace her benefactor?  Did this communication by thought thing work both ways?

"I made a deal with my Lady," she whispered in Sylvan, hopefully too softly for anyone to hear.  "If you want my oath, my service, or my loyalty, you must ask her.  She holds my Oath, not I."  That's how debts work, right?  Although, truthfully, she didn't know much (well, anything, really) about the nature of the pact she made.

Quietly, and not visibly trembling, she picked up her pace a bit, trying to read Gwyn's bakery deed over shoulder, just in case.

[Roselli]

Gwyn looked over the contract not hearing the mumbling from Neathra, "Oh, I don't even need to pretend. I can just be me and I now own a bakery. Sweet! Hot cross sweet rolls. Maybe some whiskey infused glaze. Something with a bit of a kick. Get drunk from eating."

After having it out for a bit more to read it, Gwyn went to put it back into her bag. "Although, do I need to do something about my name? I've been travelin around for a while before thing. Building up a nice party rep, as Gwyn. It's gonna feel weird claiming to use the same name. Be the same person. What do the rest of you feel about continuing to use the same name?"

[Nihtgenga]

Retiaria was glad when the group started moving. The sooner they were out of these woods and back in a nice, safe town, the better.

[Perception 7 + 1 = 8]
She didn't notice Naethra's muttering.

"Although, do I need to do something about my name? I've been travelin around for a while before thing. Building up a nice party rep, as Gwyn. It's gonna feel weird claiming to use the same name. Be the same person. What do the rest of you feel about continuing to use the same name?"

"I don't see the problem. I mean, it's your call if you don't feel comfortable using your old name now, but you're still you, right, no matter what you look like now? Your reputation's the only thing you can really own- I mean really. So if I was you I'd be wary of just throwing it away."

[Roselli]

"Not throwing my reputation away, but I think protecting it. Until I'm able to turn back. Ok, I guess this would be a hell of a story, and it will be. I just want to avoid spoilers for people. If they know this is me, if I use my normal name, they'll be telling my story before I get to do so. I've been really looking forward to telling my own story. I don't need those tossers messing it up. Maybe it doesn't need to be a big change. West is fairly common."

[darlingng01]

I stop walking and look around "Something... isn't right. We're above ground, but these aren't the wilds. I don't feel the ambient taint of chaotic magic, or the eyes of predators from all directions. I know it's rather redundant to say, but everyone stay on guard."

[Nihtgenga]

"Not throwing my reputation away, but I think protecting it. Until I'm able to turn back. Ok, I guess this would be a hell of a story, and it will be. I just want to avoid spoilers for people. If they know this is me, if I use my normal name, they'll be telling my story before I get to do so. I've been really looking forward to telling my own story. I don't need those tossers messing it up. Maybe it doesn't need to be a big change. West is fairly common."

Retiaria nodded slowly. "Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Any ideas for the fake name?"

"Something... isn't right. We're above ground, but these aren't the wilds. I don't feel the ambient taint of chaotic magic, or the eyes of predators from all directions. I know it's rather redundant to say, but everyone stay on guard."

"Yeah, no worries there. Wilds or not, this place is freaking me out. I don't think I've ever seen this many trees before, it's weird..."

[Roselli]

"I'm open to suggestions on the name. I'm all upper crust and stuff now. Probably more of a Gwyneth or Gwendolyn than my name. Ideas?"

The clerics words made Gwyn more aware of the area and she took a look around. She was used to traveling gathering stories before. Maybe she could place something.

Nature 12+1=13

[Ryuforce]

"Well..." Duran listens to Gwyn and Retiaria. Being way to far ahead to hear the other tielfing nor realize she's muttering to herself. "I'm personally never changing my name form what I'm born with regardless of this accursed form. though I guess you got a reputation to maintain and I'm just now working on mine..." Just as she finished she heard Oric's warning that something is off. The Paladin stops for a moment and looks around briefly. "I hope that's not a sign something really nasty is around." With that the paladin did take caution. Focusing just long enough to try to reach out ot sense some of the greatest lifeforms of good.. but some of the most foul of lifeforms. And undead too for that matter. Hoping he can spot anything trying to sneak up.

Duran began moving again as he looked back to the group briefly. "Keep your eyes up, I can only pick up on some things.." The paladin muttered, continuing to scan the area while moving forward.

[Duran uses DIVINE SENSE to try to spot Celestial, Fiends, and Undead not hiding behind total cover. Also detects Concentrated/Desecrated ground.
Ends at the end of Duran's next turn.]

[HP: 20]

[Spell Slots: 2 Uses]

[Lay on Hands: 10]

[Divine Sense: 3 uses left]

[Ordos]

Deep breaths... but not too deep, otherwise people might notice something is wrong.  Think, Naethra thought to herself, what would you do normally here? 

Not crying was a good start.  So was not screaming.  She blinked rather misty eyes and tried earnestly to continue that practice. 

The other people in the party were talking.  Normally she'd weigh in. 

"We have no idea where we are.  You can't traverse the Wilderness, not really, not reliably.  What are the odds you'll end up in a city you're familiar with?  In a city that would have ever heard of you?  Or any of us, for that matter.  I think... one way or another, you'll have to restart your reputation, wherever you wind up.  Might as well choose what works best.  You'll never be Gwyn there, at least not the Gwyn you were.  Even... even if you do change back, you won't have all the same influences you did before, you would have survived something... most dreadful, and you'd have to start over in a new place, with only us as your foundation.  One way or another, you'll be building from scratch.  We all will."  If we survive, she thought but did not say. 

"I'd... I'd think about a new name.  A pretty one.  Maybe Guenevere?" she added, weakly.  She wanted Gwyn to stay an elf, and a woman.  It felt so right... the brutish, borish, dreadfully uncouth vulgar half-elf had been a pain to work with, but the new elf girl was so sweet... not the brightest, but it seemed such a tragedy for her to throw away all she'd gained.

Of course, that train of thought made the Voice's words sting.  What would she give up to survive this place?  What could she do now?  What had she already given away, and what had she just lost...  The voice and the thoughts had been oddly focused on that deed... what was it getting at?

"Oh, may I please see that deed for a moment?  I may be able to recognize the city.  I studied maps of the old empire, from time to time," she said.

"Keep your eyes up, I can only pick up on some things.."

She turned her attention to Duran as she spoke.  If Gwyn had been improved by this place, Duran's changes had been... at best a lateral move, but she seemed more the person she was when this all began.  But the warning was apt.  Naethra looked up, uneasy but already well and truly frightened.  She hadn't felt this helpless since those first nights alone in the Wilderness... 

[darlingng01]

I look back at Naethra, quirking an eyebrow at her misty eyes but refraining from mentioning it. The situation isn't great, but it's nothing to get upset over... "Well, that depends on you. I've been able to return to a town pretty reliably as long as I came prepared. Some good wine and some food can earn you quite a bit of help. Though it seems whoever captured me helped themselves to my stock of trading goods." Hearing the discussion about the deed I give a light shrug "I can also give it a look if you want, I've been around. That said it probably doesn't really matter if anyone knows the place. It's just whether or not you can get there."