(Vol 2) Chapter 25: Visions Made Blue

I can’t trust this one.

Samantha said nothing to the guy immediately. She made her staff disappear and altered her illusion to cloak her armor, making her appear much as before so she could release the more outward illusions, including the audio.

Janius scoffed loudly at the man above. “Get lost, thief. Go steal another pie off the window sill. This isn’t any of your business.”

The crossbowman winced from the first words of Janius, quickly pulling the horn out of his ear. Then he gazed down flatly at his accuser. “Pies aren’t out at this hour, though I suppose your wife might make me one.”

“She never make- wait, wha-?! I’ll beat you to a pulp, you bastard!”

A long-suffering sigh issued from Alecto as he put a calming hand on his son’s shoulder. “Don’t you usually avoid matters likely to result in bodily harm, Devero? Your words?”

Devero nodded. “Yes. Philosophically speaking. And my assessment is that it is not likely in this case. All that’s needed is a bit of competent distraction. I think that the lady here has it in spades.”

“She is just a wizard,” Janius muttered dismissively. “Spare us your exaggerations, especially in calling her a lady.”

“You’re being even denser than usual, Janius. I wish I could fire you from my crossbow. Your head could shatter walls and so forth.”

“Listen here, you good-for-nothing-”

“Madam is fine,” Samantha interjected, though still looking up at Devero. “Madam Nym, if you like. And yes, I can handle distraction quite well.”

Devero tipped his hat with a grin. “Then we’re a match made in heaven, Madam Nym.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” Samantha replied with a smirk. “But ranged support will be appreciated, so you have my vote.”

Alecto threw up his hands. “Fine, fine. He keeps his nose clean reasonably around here, if nowhere else — to hear the tales. Come down and let’s discuss price, Dev. Maybe we can turn some of it into room credit. Counting double.”

Devero raised his eyebrows in consideration, then turned to take the steps down. “Those tales are very exaggerated, as I’ve told you…”

Samantha called out loudly, “What, you’re not just going to jump down dramatically?”

His trailing voice answered, “I leave the showing off to you!”

“Alecto, I think I’d like a team of nine total. This makes five. Don’t select your brawniest, now. We need those that can be stealthy and keep noise minimal. Hunters, maybe.”

“I can do that, I think. And what do you need to be able to find the hideout?”

“All of the information you can provide on everyone involved. And some likely locations to scry if you know of any. Unless they have protections, gentlemen… they won’t be hiding from me.”

She got a rundown on all the info, initially from Janius, but more so from all of them after Alecto and Devero finished their dealings. Devero in particular provided strong intel on the Brothers and on likely hiding spots within the region.

Bagatta Meritosi was the true ringleader of the gang, and fairly formidable. He kept his dark hair in a long braid and had a usually trimmed-down beard. He had a nasty scar on his cheek from a spear thrust, was missing the tip of an ear, and also missing two fingers on his left hand. He wore dark mail-and-leather armor.

Devero guessed he was probably a level 5 Warrior and exceptionally evasive (‘slippery as an eel’), likely with a Rogue level or two and a few magical items. His two brothers were lower than that, and most of the gang would be level 1 or 2 in various classes.

Ianthe’s husband was called Siphien, and their Ox was named Noxxie — Sammy had no clue why the last was mentioned but there it was. Ianthe was very newly pregnant, her husband a stout, bearded fellow with a bit of a ‘baby face.’ While Sammy knew that wasn’t literal, initially she had trouble picturing him as anything other than a giant baby, which definitely wasn’t helpful.

Information acquired, Sammy begged off back to her room with Azure to ‘meditate’, switching her Outfit back fully along the way. Dart was at the balcony waiting to be let back in, so Sammy opened it and the parrot form flew in.

“Long time, no see,” Dart said as he landed on a bedpost. “Miss me?”

Sammy frowned at him. “I missed you bloody being here to safeguard her. And would you look at that, something happened, didn’t it?”

“I sensed something, but it didn’t seem too dangerous…”

Quickly giving him the rundown mentally, Sammy meanwhile took her boots off and sat on the bed for a moment. Azure started removing her layers again while intermittently sipping from the cup of wine she’d brought up with her.

When through, Parrot-Dart somehow emulated a ‘rubbing the chin’ motion with a wing. “What I’m wondering is how I’m going to play this? I’ll be hamstrung if you don’t let me be some sort of shapeshifter…”

“Eh — fuck it! Be a shapeshifting parrot-horse-whatever. But don’t talk as complex as this normally. Hmm, can you emulate an animal statue?”

“I could. Temporarily, I hope.”

“I feel like people would accept you as a magic item come to life if they see a statue at first. The less rumors flying around about ‘spirit this or that’ the better.”

“Hey, that’s not bad! That or a sorceress’s familiar, eh? Those are animals…”

Sammy turned to Azure to ask her something — then her eyes widened. Her back was fully turned, but she’d removed everything but her breeches, in order to apply her moisturizing ointment to her torso and arms. She was bare from the waist up. For a long moment, Sammy was frozen in place… then her head snapped away.

This is not like any other woman! I can’t just- just see Azure naked!

Meanwhile, Dart’s little smug parrot eyes were heavy-lidded and so smug. Sammy gave him a very strong warning look that promised death if he said anything.

“Madam?” Azure’s voice, which caused Sammy to freeze up again.

No-no-no, she is not going to ask me to help apply it!

“Sorry, can’t help, can’t-” Sammy quickly dropped down to the floor to lie down. “Gotta go! Gotta start the search!” Even to her, the voice sounded strangled.

“Help? With wha-... oh. Oh no. Oh no, sorry! I was going to tell you not to turn around since I need to get my bottom half now. I figured you were a bit shy about these sorts of things… I’d never ask you to- to…”

“Oh, that’s not what I meant at all! Haha.” The lamest of lies. Still strangled. “No worries!”

“I see. I apologize for the discomfort… I should be more mindful. I didn’t realize- Uh. I just… need to try and rest a little… and prepare…”

“No worries!”

It was an awkward, agonizing remainder of time until she was back in her demiplane, where she sagged and sunk down into her throne.

Why does she affect me like this?! No one does that! No one! Ever! Not accidentally… Red did it on purpose to prove a point. Exposed a weakness. Is that what happened? It isn’t the same. Azure just, just… I’m just an idiot. Just. An. IDIOT.

She looked up to see a grinning faerie princess ‘laying’ sideways in the air, one arm propping her face, slowly sliding into her field of vision, watching her with interest.

Sammy gave a long sigh. “Yes? What is it, Constance?”

Constance’s grin widened even more. “I was just thinking, Your Majesty: if I didn’t already know what was in her head, what would this expression on her face tell me? And the answer would be that you were thinking of ‘that girl’ or ‘that boy.’ The crush. The look is so distinctive, it can be nothing else.”

Sammy gave the faerie dragon a withering gaze. “Ridiculous. Like you’re some expert? You’re based off of my mind, and I’m fucking clueless.”

“Only partially on you, Dearest Goddess. You are no actor, yet I am so skilled, yes? That includes the analysis of human expression! Even of human experience. I’d say these external gifts you gave us make us invaluable for advice! So, I must say-”

Annoyed, Sammy cut her off with a hand. “I don’t want to hear it, Constance! Please just go back to your duties.”

“Right away, Madam…” Constance maintained a grin as she did a slow backstroke through the air, ‘swimming’ back to the mirrors.

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14 FE (Mirrors, Fate, Light) obtained from worship. Converted to Light FE.

5 FE (Illusion, Fate, Light) obtained from worship. Converted to Light FE.

4 FE (Fate, Light) obtained from worship. Converted to Light FE.

4 FE (Illusion) obtained from worship.

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Greenleaf worshippers can’t give me Light when they don’t know about it… oh well.

Sammy began sifting through mirrors in the region around Brackenhome utilizing the many targets she had, and pulled away her Resemblants from their prior searches to help her with it. She got no immediate hits, so settled in for a longer period of observation and effectively waiting for an opportunity to pop up.

Meanwhile, Jeeves informed her of deaths that had occurred in Port Al Kenstrom, the capital of the Duchy where Marjorie had died. Bast’s uncle, Duke Kenstrom, had not been present at all, with the military forces positioned south for the war efforts. A few people in the family did die, but mostly the deaths were focused on the intellectuals. A prominent steward was dead. A pigeonkeeper. The rest were simply taken prisoner.

She passed on the information to Bast, who recognized most of the names and definitely wasn’t happy about it, but it did not seem to hit him terribly hard, at least.

Spontaneously deciding she was tired of simply waiting, Sammy activated her Intuition ability and focused on the five possible locations she’d been given by Devero and the others for the hideout. With little to go on to pick between, she guessed, spending an FE to improve the odds. She hoped at least one was right.

The first was a full abandoned cabin in the woods, not known to many outside of the Bracken circles… but then that was a big circle. Sammy sent Dart as a raven to scope it out. Simultaneously she enlisted the aid of Constance, sending her to a cave.

Dart reported nothing at the cabin while Constance was just arriving at the cave. This left three choices to try for him… 33%, another FE… which basically made it 50/50. She took a deep breath, felt her way through it, then picked.

It was an ancient sawmill and probably the furthest out of the locations. From what Devero said, it was barely still standing due to some stone support structures. The roof had collapsed, but some unknown person had reroofed it partially for shelter. Sammy winced, as the location was said to be something shy of twenty kilometers away from Brackenhome.

It would be a bitch to take a party to in the middle of the night, but not all is through woodlands based on the landmarks we’re following.

Dart headed there with super-raven speed, noting landmarks rapidly one after the other. When he shared his vision via mental exchange, she got an indirect view of the sea on the horizon, which was nice. Dart reported all of the nearby coastline was down a significant cliff from what he noted earlier in the day, gradually sloping down as one went north or south.

Unsurprisingly during that time, Constance reported the cave empty of hidden baddies. Samantha sent her off to one of the two remaining locations.

1 FE gained due to user belief/acknowledgment. Note: not yet a Follower.

Follower conversion successful. 1 FE gained. 1 Daily FE gained (total: 48).

Ah, the diligence of my sweet, sweet Estara. Sammy immediately let Estara know she ‘clocked’ the time, but that they’d compare later since she was in the midst of a quest — and it was late, besides.

Dart managed to find the sawmill with relative ease. Very soon thereafter, it was clear they’d hit the jackpot, as several horses were clustered outside the decayed and dilapidated structure, and there was even a fire going just on the inside. Most were still awake at the hour, though a few had pallets made further within.

The two captives were tied back-to-back and chained to a post. They did not look to be in fantastic shape, covered in mud and tears in their clothing. The man was far worse off — he’d been beaten by appearances, his face swollen and bloodied. The woman did not appear to have any obvious injuries.

They could not find the ox at first, but then Sammy noticed how much meat they were roasting over the fire and eating, among other varied preparations. Soon they saw the carcass, too.

Bastards! They’re eating Noxxie! Yeah, probably not worth trusting them one bit.

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« (Vol 2) Chapter 24 | Table of Contents | (Vol 2) Chapter 26: Truly Original Ideas »

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Samantha, Virgin Goddess of Mirrors & Illusion
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Goddess Level 2 [15/20]; Minor Deity

Domains (3/4): Mirrors, Illusion, Fate
Faith Energy: 298/2500
FE (Mirrors): 6 ; FE (Illusion): 14 ; FE (Fate): 8 ; FE (Light): 36
Followers: 38 (Daily FE Gain: 48 [52])

Devout: 7
Priests: 3

Brute: 0
Rogue: 0
Wizard: 1 [14/20]
Bard: 0 [7/10]

MP: 23/28

Special Skills: First Aid, Tarot Reading, Priestly Ordination, Holy Relic Investiture, Create Servitor, Read Runes, Spell Construction, Detect Magic

Special Traits: Token User, Immortal, Demiplane Domain, Conceptual Body, Fueled By Faith, Avatar (Samantha; Core)

Spells: Identify (5 MP), Icebolt (3 MP)

Powers: Faith Energy Utilization, Grant Prayer (Illusion), Grant Prayer (Fate), Mirror Sense, Mirror Communication, Intuition, Alter Fate, Create Illusion, Grant Invisibility, Dazzling Spectrum, False Auras, Mirroring Duplicates, Reflect Force, Mirror Maze

Status: Token User Promotional Bonus (8/30)

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Note: Some Light FE will come during the day, due to most Oldaster partiers not praying (though there is at least one exhausted introvert that left early and did pray lol).