Here There Be Dragons: Let's Play Ryuutama (Anime is Real Edition)

Ryyan: I find the sea breeze quite invigorating, don’t you agree Koal?
Koal: :face_vomiting:

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Koal's Journal

Whoops. I forgot to keep this daily, and I’ve lost track of the days.

Whatever. I’ll just sort things by event. I don’t think the dates matter that much. OOC: I’m so sorry, I wasn’t taking notes! I have no idea how many days passed in the last session! Just assume that each entry is entered at the end of each event.

Fish Slaying

After leaving the Great Hall of the Guardians, we set out to find ingredients for our exorcism ritual. First up was f̶a̶i̶t̶h̶ t̶r̶u̶s̶t̶ a pouch of pixie dust. Alice knew where to find a whole island of fairies, so we chartered a boat and set out immediately.

It wasn’t long before we were attacked. Thankfully, it was only a large alligator. Since an alligator is just a legged fish, I wasn’t too worried. After all, I knew Alice had my back!

During the attack, Deneb was knocked into the water and I soon followed. I just know Pendel is going to say that I was knocked in too, but I deliberately fell in so I could attack the gator.

Alice, my aquatic annihilating acquaintance, leaped in after the two of us. The gator’s fate was sealed in that moment!

Pendel, of course, stayed on the boat. I know he uses a bow, but would it kill him to at least pretend to have an ounce of courage?

Dealing with the Fairies

Why do we trust Pendel to do anything? We asked him to look around town to find diamond dust and a 50 year old wine cask, which are two more components of the ritual. He came back smelling of brine.

Apparently, he fell into a barrel of pickles at some point during his search. Now, I’m just a builder. Civic planning is more Ash’s domain. But I’m pretty sure that the place that brines pickles and the place that sells diamonds and wine would not be anywhere near each other.

After that debacle, we had to get to the top of the fairy’s mountain. We took a cable car up. It was expensive, but Pendel heard that it stopped by a hot spring, and then we just haaaaad to take it.

I think he came to regret his decision. I saw Deneb chasing him with a bar of soap; that was probably all sorts of unpleasant.

Alice managed to find the Fairy King. He was willing to do us a favor if we did one for him, and he wanted us to clear out some ETE scoundrels who opened up a toll booth on the path up the mountain. Pendel found some more barrels of brine (because of course he did) owned by an old hermit, and he decided to use them to get rid of the ETE. The combination of being hit with a barrel and smelling terrible was an idea with merit. I decided to grab a barrel so I could enact the plan the right way.

Sure enough, Pendel completely screwed up his own plan. Both he and Deneb just threw their barrels down the stairs. Barrels are designed not to break when dropped, so they just bounced down completely intact. Deneb managed to break hers with a spell, which may have been her intention from the get go. I, on the other hand, did not want to take chances. I broke mine open on the wall of the cave, and threw it down at the ETE. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. I guess that should have been expected from one of Pendel’s plans. I rescued our operation by rushing into the confused ETE toll both while swinging my axe and screaming at the top of my lungs. They could not get out of that cave fast enough.

The Fairy King made good on his promise to Alice, which brought us one step closer to saving Deneb’s mother.

The 50 Year Old Wine Cask

I hate the ocean. The ocean destroyed my town, multiple times. The ocean has taken the lives of many of my friends. And the ocean made me look like a fool in front of Pendel.

Deneb and I got seasick. It was horrible. Pendel, through some inane stroke of luck, was completely fine.

It’s hard to overstate how disgraceful this felt. I grew up by the sea! And the Barony of Pendel is landlocked!

Once that unpleasant experience was over, we arrived in Alice’s hometown. Her family, in addition to being a lovely group of people, had a cask of wine that we could use. They were willing to part with it, but only if we could help them run their restaurant for a day.

I don’t know for sure what everyone else got up to; I was running deliveries all day. I did manage to see what Pendel got up to. Apparently, he got a job as a host. This job had a uniform; specifically, a maid’s uniform. O̶f̶ a̶l̶l̶ t̶h̶e̶ t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶s̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ u̶p̶s̶e̶t̶ m̶e̶,̶ t̶h̶e̶ f̶a̶c̶t̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ h̶e̶ l̶o̶o̶k̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶̶ g̶o̶o̶d̶ i̶n̶ a̶ s̶k̶i̶r̶t̶ w̶a̶s̶ n̶o̶t̶ o̶n̶e̶ I̶ e̶x̶p̶e̶c̶t̶e̶d̶

We didn’t screw anything up, so Alice’s family was willing to part with their wine. And the maid uniform that Pendel spent the day in. M̶a̶y̶b̶e̶ h̶e̶’̶l̶l̶ w̶e̶a̶r̶ i̶t̶ a̶g̶a̶i̶n̶

The Pouch of Diamond Dust

More time on the vile ocean. I’m going to strangle Pendel by the time this journey is over. It’s not enough that he found his sea legs immediately, he just has to gloat about it.

well MAYBE some of us just can’t get used to the ocean. maybe some of us despise it. maybe the thought of being surrounded by it is upsetting. maybe i’m not vomiting because of motion sickness. maybe i’m remembering. in great detail. what a drowned corpse looks like, PENDEL

I’m back on solid ground, and the ocean is at my back. Once again, Alice did most of the work in securing the ritual component. She went to speak with the Fisher King; both to secure an alliance for the Barony of Pendel and to secure a pouch of diamond dust.

Thankfully, the Fisher King only asked for one thing in return for both requests. Pendel agreed to send a regiment of troops to defend the Fisher Kingdom, and the Fisher King agreed to give him a navy and a pouch of diamond dust. We’re heading back to the Sunset Sentinels, by way of Pendel’s home town.

Maybe I’ll get lucky, and I’ll accidentally chop my own head off before we get there.

̶̶I̶ P̶a̶t̶c̶h̶ T̶h̶i̶n̶g̶s̶ U̶p̶ W̶i̶t̶h̶ R̶y̶y̶a̶n̶̶̶
̶̶I̶ O̶v̶e̶r̶c̶o̶m̶e̶ M̶y̶ A̶n̶g̶e̶r̶ I̶s̶s̶u̶e̶s̶̶̶
I Stop Being A Piece of Shit

I don’t want to write anything, but I feel like I have to. I definitely can’t talk to anyone right now, so writing is all I can do.

I fucked up. I fucked up!

I ruined a large portion of Ryyan’s castle. I don’t even have a reason.

I was trying to find him. I couldn’t find him, so I started yelling for him. He didn’t come, so I started destroying things.

I think Shrike told me to do it, but that doesn’t matter. I still listened to him. It’s still my fault.

I didn’t even focus on Ryyan’s stuff! I destroyed his mother’s throne! I didn’t even see most of what I wrecked!

How many family portraits did I destroy? How many heirlooms? How many mementos and keepsakes?

I was tearing down the door to Ryyan’s door when Deneb dragged me to talk to him. I was so angry. I couldn’t think straight.

I tried to guilt-trip him. I told him that it was his fault Annabel died. I don’t even believe that anymore. The second it left my mouth, I felt my stomach tie itself in knots.

Ryyan was having none of my bullshit. But he was stilling willing to apologize. He wanted to make me feel better.

I felt disgusted. Not with him, but with myself.

Pash tried to help. What he said was true, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. I couldn’t make excuses anymore.

When he was done, he hugged me. It felt nice. I have to thank him.

Ryyan must have been willing to listen to him, because he forgave me.

I’m going to better.

I have to be better.

I need to be better for Ryyan, for Alice, and for Deneb. For Ark, for Annabel, and for Arrata. For Oh-Kae, and for my island.

I need to make their lives better not worse. I need to push them forward, not hold them back. It’s the only way I can make up for my behavior.

A̶n̶d̶ i̶t̶’̶s̶ t̶h̶e̶ o̶n̶l̶y̶ w̶a̶y̶ m̶y̶ f̶a̶m̶i̶l̶y̶ w̶i̶l̶l̶

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Ryyan's Journal - Session 8

The last few days have been going well, I suppose. As we set out from the Guardian stronghold, we set a course for collecting the ingredients Deneb needed for the ritual to remove the demon from her mother: a bag of noble fairy dust (given freely), a bottle of wine (at least 50 years old), and a bag of crushed diamonds. She also said we would need the true name of the demon, which I guess we’ll have to pry out of it somehow, and also one other thing she didn’t seem to be specific about. Something to house the demon? I’m not sure, but I’m confident that Deneb can handle that.
Our trip down the river into Fairy lands was surprisingly uneventful at first. I had heard tales of the tricks fairies loved to play on people, and was expecting our party to be led astray at some point. But the worst thing that happened was an attack by a river alligator (or was it a crocodile?). It was tense at first, as Deneb got knocked into the water, but Koal and Alice seemed to be in their element when fighting in the water, so I let them handle most of it.
I am embarrassed to say it, but I was completely useless when it came to finding anything when we arrived in Basin Pass. Through my own negligence, while discussing matters with a local merchant, I was not looking where I was walking, and stepped off of the raised walkway, directly into a barrel of brine. The smell was atrocious, and it made the trip up the mountain in the ropeway carriage rather unpleasant. Both for myself and my companions. I was looking forward to cleaning off in the hot springs, but Deneb wouldn’t leave me alone. I’ve never felt more embarrassed than when she started bathing me!
Anyway, the King of the Fairies was willing to give us some fairy dust if we removed an illegal ETE toll booth in the middle of the tunnel road. We put to use some barrels of brine donated by the local hermit, and managed to drive the ETE out without anyone getting hurt. Once we had the dust in hand, we chartered a ship to Alice’s hometown of Obsidian.
Overall, the voyage was rather pleasant. I had never been out on the ocean before, and the sea breeze was quite invigorating. I get the impression that not all of my companions felt the same way, but I must admit I’ve been trying to avoid them recently. They probably could accomplish more without me dragging them down. Alice’s family’s restaurant was quite nice, and her mother agreed to give us the wine we needed if we helped out around the place. Alice and Ark were deft hands in the kitchen, while I waited tables and seated people out front. I will admit, I hadn’t worn a skirt since the last time my sisters convinced me to play dress up with them, but I found it somewhat fun. Of course, if my sisters ever find out, I’ll never hear the end of it.
Once again, we set sail to the the Fisher Kingdom. We surmised that, if anyone would be likely to have diamonds, the most prosperous trading kingdom would be it. And once we arrived, they were open to negotiating an alliance with my family as well. With diamonds in hand, we set out on the road towards my home, on our way to learn the demon’s true name.

Things have been going well, but I still feel unprepared for what lies ahead. Seeing the armies of the Usagi Taguel mustering reminded me of how costly war can be. How many of those people will come back home? When we got to my family’s estate, I wanted nothing more than to be alone for awhile, to think over my recent decisions. I… may have snapped a bit at Pash, about what had happened during his period of watching over us.

Koal… Koal has every right to be angry now. Despite his rampage through the manor, I won’t hold it against him. His people have suffered far more than mine. He’s right, I could have saved her if I
We talked things over. I hadn’t considered how it must look when I fail to show how I feel outwardly. Being raised as a noble, one is taught that openly showing what you feel is oft considered a sign of weakness. I have spent most of my life trying to conceal how I truly feel, to the point that I must look like a monster when tragedies occur.

What will happen if Beatrice doesn’t come back? How could I possibly live up to her legacy?

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Deneb's Notes

I never want to go on a boat again. :face_vomiting::sparkles:

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Guess who’s late? (It me.)

Session 8 Journal (18th to 22nd of Forta)

18th of Forta, 1107 (Continued)
With the Guardians preparing for battle, we set our sights towards freeing Deneb’s mom from that demon. For the ritual, we’d need four things: wine of at least fifty years of age, diamond dust, fairy dust and the demon’s name. Everyone seems nervous about that last one, but I don’t think it’ll be so bad. They’re probably just named after a sin or something. No matter the case, though, we decided to save it for last. The fairy dust would have to be obtained from a royal fairy, and the southwestern mountain is the best place to find one. But that’s not all; we definitely have a 50-year old wine in the cellar, and diamonds should be no problem to find in the region, so we’re going to the Fairy Kingdom!

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful; Ryaan decided it would be faster if we traveled down the river by boat, and though both Koal and Deneb looked a little shaken, we made it to Bright Scale in no time, and we could continue for a little longer after a quick stop. When we later set up camp, we saw some baby turtles hatch and helped them reach the water. Alas, there were of course no adult turtles to be seen, so tonight we did not dine on turtle soup.

19th of Forta, 1107
Well, the good news this morning was that I snagged a turtle, and made a little makeshift tank for them. They’re too small to eat now, but I figured since we were swinging by Obsidian, I could drop this little guy off. The bad news is, as I was putting him on the boat a fairy drifted by, intending to key-scratch our boat, and got my leg instead. Fairy pranks.

Our journey towards Basin Pass wasn’t without incident; on the way, we were ever-so-slightly toppled by a passerby crocodile. Deneb and Koal were thrown in, (it seems like their luck around water is, as they say, bad,) but Ryaan and I kept our balance. I dove in to help, and it didn’t take long for that ‘gator to go down. Of course, we kinda crawled our way to Basin Pass at that point, and had to stay in the inn for a night.

20th of Forta, 1107
We began our search for diamonds to make into dust, and somehow that led to Ryaan falling into a barrel of brine. And so, we postponed our quest to find diamonds, and instead began a search to find Ryaan a good bath. And luckily for us, there was a rope that led right to the summit. Must be a recent thing. It was certainly priced high enough to be a tourist trap, I’ll say that.


I searched the wellspring for the Fairy Queen while my companions were doing… whatever else it was they were doing. But instead, it happened to be the Fairy King I found; the very same I met back in Flamewrought. He had little issue giving me the Fairy Dust, provided we first cleared the mountain of the ETE men who had recently infested it. Apparently they had found a way to block fairy magic, meaning they could prance about the inner caverns without fear of being pranked by the many, many fairies within. Given nobody likes the ETE, everyone in the group was completely okay with the request.

To develop a plan to oust the soldiers, we paid a visit to the hermit. They provided us with barrels of brine, with which we could basically gas the soldiers out of the cave. It didn’t matter if they could negate magic; that smell would be something they couldn’t ignore. After I bravely went down and accidently attracted their attention, my companions pummeled them with barrels. They barely had a chance to raise their weapons before they couldn’t stand remaining in the caves any longer. As for the fairies that dwelled there, who knows. I’m sure some of them appreciated it. The janitor fairies, perhaps less so.

With our task finished, we obtained the Fairy Dust. I still need to repay the Fairy King’s favor for me back at Flamewrought, but for the time being we can leave. Of course, it was pretty late so we just decided to pack it in for the day, (we could go over to Obsidian and stay the night I’m sure, except I can’t say Koal and Deneb would take sea travel at night any better.) Tomorrow, though, I’m going home.

21st of Forta, 1107
Provided you weren’t Koal or Deneb, sailing to Obsidian was a breeze. We arrived just after the breakfast rush, and I introduced my companions to my mother and my sister. Our request for a bottle of wine only met with a small complication; a bottle of at least 50 years of age is, naturally, something you don’t just use outside of special occasions. But Mom was willing to part with one provided we did a bit of work for the afternoon’s lunch rush, though she was a tad worried about how capable my friends were at restaurant service. Deneb and Koal both came in seasick enough to purge their guts out, so I can‘t exactly fault her for the concern.

All three of them did pretty well, and on a similar note they pulled off the maid outfits very well. And no plates were broken either! I didn’t think they’d pick it up so quickly; I’d say they did about as well as I did when I started out. I was underperforming a little, though. I was making a pretty mediocre meal, but luckily for me Ark turned out to be just as capable a chef as he is a warrior. I shouldn’t be surprised; my parents were the same way. But he really pulled out a good meal, and it’s a shame we couldn’t stick around to make dinner.

After the lunch rush finished, Mom went down and grabbed a bottle of Littleford Vineyard 1038, (nice.) As everyone else prepared to leave, I figured I’d check my sister’s room to see what she didn’t have, and get some ideas before her birthday. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and it would have been. Provided I didn’t happen to knock a mirror off her desk. And had said mirror not been a priceless artifact from a civilization long past. And, well, deciding against just leaving without telling her what I’d done, I let her know. She punched me. Very hard. In the shoulder. Deservedly so, I’d say. I’m, uh, gonna need to make her birthday present a good one.

We traveled for the rest of the day, and it was fairly uneventful. Deneb made us some hammocks, though, so that was nice of her. I’ve never slept in a magic hammock before.


22nd of Forta, 1107
Things went smoothly on our way to the Fisher Kingdom, or at least as smoothly as it could have with half our usual entourage ill. Ark took his leave when we arrived, unfortunately. It’s not like this wasn’t the plan or anything, but I only just learned he knew how to cook, and I haven’t gotten to talk to him at all about the subject. Hopefully if all goes well, we’ll be able to meet again.

Things haven’t been looking great on the Pendel front; the ETE managed to take Littleford, and although the caverns back to their territory have been collapsed, they’re fighting tooth and nail to keep their position. The Fisher King is worried that they might be sitting ducks if the ETE decides to attack from the south, so Ryaan has promised to send in what aid he can. So, it’s just another day in war politics, I suppose.

We decided to stop by Pendel Town on our way north. Thankfully, the warzone hasn’t reached this area yet. Even still, the plaza is far more vacant than it was… nearly a month ago at this point. Caper wasn’t there either, not that I was expecting her to hang around. Nobody was in a particularly good mood; Koal was fuming, Deneb seemed continually worried about our upcoming demon encounter, and Ryaan was just… kinda sad. I myself had a chance to speak with Beatrice again, and unfortunately her friend Emerine is working with the ETE, who have promised to resurrect her former lover for her compliance. The ETE are notorious liars so I already know that’s not true, but I’m dumb idiot and I was stupidly noncommittal when I tried to speak with her, so she left in a huff. So that’s two days in a row of pissing people off, and I didn’t even have to break a priceless artifact this time! Good going, me.

I looked for the rest of my companions to discuss dinner for the night when I arrived at Ryaan’s house, or manner, or whatever it is. It had been the site of a small, one-person rampage, which may have continued if Deneb hadn’t intervened. Koal’s attitude and Ryaan’s general gloominess weren’t doing either of them any good, but when it came down to an actual confrontation they managed to talk to one another and come to an understanding. Both of them still seem uneasy, as one would expect, but I’m glad some of us are actually good at talking.

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Ryyan's Journal - Session 9

Our plan to remove the demon from Deneb’s mother was successful, though not without challenges that opposed us. We left Pendel Town on the 24th, heading to the hut Deneb’s grandmother owned, in order to find things for the ritual. Deneb wasn’t specific about what exactly we were looking for, and I was too distracted while we were traveling to ask about it. The battle over Littleford was starting to spill over to the west, and we managed to skirt around the worst of it, but… By the Dragons, I had hoped we would be able to avoid such scenes for a bit longer. I choked back my bile countless times looking at every corpse we came across. I had to see them, no matter what, just to make sure my sister wasn’t among them. She wasn’t there, thank goodness, and we reached the hut without further difficulty.
The hut was rather quaint, I suppose, even with the fire damage. Deneb instructed us to look for anything that could be used to make a scarecrow, which she intends to bind the demon to. What I found, however, was much more important, as it was a musical locket with a picture of Deneb’s mother and Deneb as a baby inside. I couldn’t tell what Deneb was feeling when I gave it to her, and I can’t imagine what it was like, growing up without her parents.
We decided to head to the Sunset Sentinals first, to escort Deneb’s mother to the Earldom of Decent. Our reasoning was that it would be safer to travel with one extra person, rather than all of the people who would be performing the ritual. Along the way, we encountered a Sentinal patrol fighting the ETE, and we stepped in to assist. While I kept their spellcasters from casting anything, Koal… dispatched them. Very messily. It was all I could do to take his clothes and send them to the Knights for cleaning. So much blood…
We arrived at the Sentinals’ stronghold and finally met Deneb’s mother, Iris. It seemed that she had allowed herself be part of the barrier keeping the Great Bane in check. Shrike told us he would be able to force the demon inside her to give us its true name, but he faltered, and actually needed us to help him. It seems that he isn’t as all powerful as he makes himself out to be. Deneb them poured all of her magical power into the barrier, to strengthen it as we took Iris away. She collapsed from the effort, and I carried her for the rest of the day. The demons beyond the barrier seemed to flee, except for a hideous form of what once was a dragon. Going by Shrike’s expression, it must have been his charge. In that moment, I almost forgave him for killing my Aunt.
We headed out with Iris and Vigil Est, Est coming along in order to keep Iris from losing control. I carried Deneb for the first day, and she looked in pain while she was sleeping. It pained me to see her like this, and it was worsened by the incessant whispering in my head. I felt the demon, trying to take hold of me, trying to trick me into becoming its host. But I stood strong against it, and would not be swayed. The second day of traveling was harder than the first, even with Deneb waking up. Somehow, we all managed to pull together and help each other make it to the Earldom.
Deneb’s Grandmother was there to help set up the ritual, though we all had a part to play in it. I helped draw the ritual circle, then everyone had a swig of the wine from Alice’s family’s restaurant. Alice and Koal seemed to feel the effects of the wine more than anyone else, so Deneb and I had to double our efforts with the spell. Once we cast it, it felt as if it didn’t take, and the demon was about to leap out and possess someone. But then the bindings came to life, and the demon was sucked into the scarecrow, where it was powerless to hurt anyone. Vigil Est made sure that it wouldn’t bother anyone ever again, and we thanked the Earls of Decent for their assistance.
Vryn showed up at that point, no doubt thanks to the meddling of Shrike or Pash. She insisted on taking Iris back with her, and it fell to me to explain what consent is. Honestly, it was so embarrassing to have to explain such a concept to someone at least twice my age. Deneb seemed rather uncomfortable with it too, and I can’t imagine seeing one’s parents fight is very fun at all. Once the dispute between Vryn and Iris was settled, our next dragon guide showed up. A red dragon who wishes for war, and who frightens me to my very core.
I knew that Koal and I had personal reasons for going to war, but I offered Deneb and Alice the choice to leave and live their own lives. They both chose to stay on, Alice saying that her father was a mercenary in the war, and Deneb… didn’t really give a specific reason, other than the fact that the ETE were against witches in general.
Caper returned then, and she said she was working on a plan to purge the Great Bane once and for all, so that is good. She said she would do what she could to protect my sister and Emerene, which calmed my worries a bit at least.

Also, Alice was never dating Beatrice for real?! Is Koal the only one with an actual partner?!?!

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It’s just now hitting me that my character is an eternal “Alice’s Restaurant” reference. How did I do that I wasn’t even trying???

Deneb's Notes

The spell that purged the demon from my mother was successful, as was the attempt to stop it from possessing another person. The whole ordeal wasn’t great, and I’ll be the first to admit that we got incredibly lucky that the demon got pulled into the scarecrow. I have to keep learning so we can free everyone that’s possessed without it being up to blind luck.

And after, well… I… don’t really know how to process going from having zero parents to two in the span of a couple weeks. I guess I’ll just have to get to know them when there’s time and see what happens.

I also found out that Annebelle is alive but in bad sorts. I couldn’t find the emotional energy to see here after everything that happened today, but I’m sure she’ll turn up again. I suspected she’d be ok, but this also makes me wonder… if she’s ok what about the jerk who rules the ETE?

Ryyan seemed confused as to why I’d continue putting myself in danger but I don’t want the ETE to keep doing these awful things. The dragons are the physical embodiment of nature itself, if they keep corrupting them, who knows how much of our world would be affected.

I won’t stand for it.

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Koal's Journal

Investigating the Witch Hut

I think things are looking up! This little expedition went well, from beginning to end!

Now that we have everything we need for Deneb’s ritual, she decided to raid her grandma’s house for anything that would help her scarecrow plan. I found some demon-attracting straw, which apparently exists, but Ryyan went above and beyond. He found a locket which contained a family picture of Deneb and her mothers. I’m happy for him; he was long overdue for a win.

…I really hope this plan works. I want Deneb to be able to see her mother. I hate to see a family torn apart. She’d probably hate to hear me say this, but I hope they can patch things up with Vyrn. I know she doesn’t really deserve any more chances, but they’re family!

Now that we were ready and prepared, we decided to get Deneb’s mother. We figured that walking one demon to a coven of witches was easier than walking the coven to the demon. On the way there, we were accosted by a group of ETE mages.

I’m happy to write that I think I’m living up to my promise in my last entry! I really made an attempt to bond with Ryyan!

During the fight, Ryyan decided to take a shot at the wizards. He missed, but I was proud of him for trying. I decided to improve his morale; I managed to decapitate their healer in such a way that his head was impaled on Ryyan’s arrow! Sure, it didn’t really help, but I’m sure it made him feel better about missing!

I also sliced one of the wizards in half! W̶h̶e̶n̶ I̶ c̶l̶o̶s̶e̶ m̶y̶ e̶y̶e̶s̶,̶ I̶ c̶a̶n̶ s̶t̶i̶l̶l̶ s̶e̶e̶ t̶h̶e̶ f̶e̶a̶r̶ a̶n̶d̶ p̶a̶i̶n̶ o̶n̶ h̶e̶r̶ f̶a̶c̶e̶!̶ A̶n̶d̶ I̶ c̶a̶n̶ h̶e̶a̶r̶ t̶h̶e̶ h̶o̶r̶r̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ s̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ s̶h̶e̶ m̶a̶d̶e̶ a̶s̶ h̶e̶r̶ l̶i̶f̶e̶

The last one ran off. I guess I was just too scary for him!

Securing Iris

I don’t really like the HQ of the Sunset Sentinels. They have no regard for morale.

There are demon possessed people everywhere. There’s a person chained to every wall. And everyone acts like this is perfectly normal.

Iris did not recognize Deneb. It was unpleasant to hear. Deneb didn’t deserve to be ignored by her mother.

I didn’t catch most of the conversation that followed. I think I was too mad to retain most of it.

What I do remember, is the sight of the Great Bane. It’s a zombie dragon. I’ve seen corpses. I’ve seen death. I was not prepared to see this.

It was a horrible undulating mass of flesh, scale, and bone. Its heart was lying exposed, separate from most of its body. Apparently, this is all that remains of Shrike’s dragon. He passed out, and Ryyan had to carry him.

We left the mountain with Iris and Vigil Est in tow. I hope that a demon-free Iris will at least recognize her own daughter.

The Ritual

GOD my head is pounding. I took one swig! ONE! I need a gallon of water.

The ritual was a success, but it seemed like a close call. Part of the ritual involved drinking the wine, and it affected me a lot, so I only think I remember what happened.

When the demon first broke out…I think it tried to possess me. For a brief second, I thought I heard it speak. It said, “Koal…How do you feel about them? The ones you claim to ‘love?’ You can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me Koal!”

At that point, it was suddenly sucked into the scarecrow. For that, I thank the Dragons. I don’t know if I could have resisted him. I was too drunk a̶n̶d̶ h̶e̶ w̶a̶s̶ m̶a̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ t̶o̶o̶ m̶u̶c̶h̶ s̶e̶n̶s̶e̶

I’ll admit, I’m a little hazy on the details of what followed. I think Ryyan had to lecture Vryn about consent? And I think Alice immediately defaced the scarecrow, which rules?

I do remember that Vryn left without her sight, which means that she’s not accepted by her family. This is for the best. This is for the best. I wish it ended better, but this is for the best.

I also know that Annebelle is still alive, which is great news! I didn’t go and see her. I don’t think she actually counts me as a friend; she only really talked about Deneb.

One last bit of good news, the relief troops and supplies were able to make it to my island.

Now for the bad news…Oh-Kae has been taken prisoner. I think Coeller, our new dragon, said she was taken hostage. That means the ETE is trying to keep Dacafe out of the war. I don’t know what Ahn-So will do. He might order his army to stand down to save his daughter. He might sacrifice her to save others.

What I do know, is what I will do. I’m going to save her. I don’t care if the entire ETE army stands between me and her, I will save her.

I will not repeat my mistakes. I will not stay my hand. I will be quick. I will be decisive.

The ETE is a world-spanning organization. They have touched every part of the world I have seen. They have vile dragons, ancient magic, and a massive army at their side.

But I have my axe and my anger. I have Deneb’s magic and her creativity. I have Alice’s polearm and her determination. I have Ryyan’s bow, his spells, and his adaptive nature. Furthermore, we have the military might of our coalition at our backs. The ETE will fall, and I will watch it die.

3 Likes

Unfortunately I did not, at any point, get drunk over the weekend, so I just settled for typing as though I were drunk. Like an amateur.

Session 9 Journal (23rd to 27th of Forta)

23rd of Forta, 1107
We left Pendel Town in a hurry this morning, intent on evading any ongoing battles. We avoided active fights, but as we traveled we were forced to witness numerous corpses littering the road. Horrifying as the sight was, we had as much time to give these soldiers are proper burial as anyone else in the region did. It didn’t take us long to reach Deneb’s house, only slightly singed from when Annabelle came by and torched it. We scoured the hut for various pieces that could be combined into a scarecrow. I found a hat. To my credit, it was a pretty rad hat.

In addition to those, we also found a pendant and a box of letters, both of which were connected enough to Deneb’s mother Iris that we figured we could take them along. With this done, we had no other reason to stay. The rest of this day was, thankfully, uneventful.


24th of Forta, 1107
Koal and I both woke up on the wrong side of the bed, it seems. Or perhaps it was the corpses getting to us. Either way, we were a little sluggish while travelling. And unfortunately, we ran into trouble at the border. The Sunset Sentinels were fighting with a group of ETE soldiers. I think they might be pincer attacking the battalions that dug themselves into Littleford, but a small group of three mages broke free and attacked us. Figures. Koal… well, we were all doing kinda meh in that fight. A few misses, a few hits, that sort of thing. Koal murdered the ever-loving hell out of two of them. The third ran away. I can see why. One was decapitated, the other… uh…

Koal was extremely heroic. His axe shined with blo the sweat of battle. With only a little support from us, he defeated two of the mages. The third looked paralyzed with fear, but fortunately for him his legs still worked and he booked it out as soon as he could. We all congratulated Koal on a fight well won. We were so exhausted by his heroics, we set up camp near the old warren, right where we’d settled the last time we were through here. It was nostalgic, I must admit. Alas, I didn’t make note of what we had for dinner that night, or I would have made it again. I think it was boar? We had plenty of boar that night.

Shrike and Pash seem to be arguing over whether Iris and Vyrne should get back together. Oddly enough, Shrike’s the forceful one here. I mean, I get he wants his two travelers to be back together and happy, but Pash is arguing against “shipping” two people together? Am I already asleep?

Just woke up. Can confirm, not a dream.

25th of Forta, 1107
The Sunset Sentinels sure is an interesting place. I’d never guess there could be so many people acting so casually about being possessed by demons. Right when we stepped in, we met with Nestrin. That someone with a demon that ingrained in them basically lives in the foyer would make anyone think twice about robbing the place, that’s for sure. We were brought to the barrier keeping the Great Bane at great bay, and the current resident powering the thing happened to be Iris. Oddly enough, my plan to ask the demon its name without a question mark didn’t go over well. I suppose it only makes sense that Deneb would be the only person who could draw that out, though Shrike certainly helped. The demon’s name is Garland, and because of Shrike we can be sure the fiend wasn’t lying. With that information, we could head to Decent Stronghold to perform the ritual.

Before we left, Deneb offered to help empower the barrier. Anyone could do it, and taking Iris off that duty wouldn’t spell doom for the continent. But something odd happened when she did so; Deneb herself used up so much energy she passed out, so she wasn’t awake to see it. Ryaan, Koal and I certainly did, though. It was the corpse of a dragon, animated as though something that rotted and torn up could live. It rammed the barrier, and though frightening, it didn’t possess the strength to break it down. Still though, with its guts strewn about the floor and hanging from the ceiling, the fact that it made such an impact is frightening to say the least.

Apparently that corpse was Shrike’s Dragon. When he told us stories affected dragons, I only thought he meant their mood. But the garbage the ETE fed to them beforehand turned them into a one-dragon mortuary. If there’s a power that can reverse that, it’s certainly not something we can do alone.


We set off as soon as we could. Deneb’s still passed out, and Ryaan’s pretty shaken. Not to say Koal or I aren’t, but Ryaan’s constitution has never exactly been the best.

26th of Forta, 1107
Oh, wow, not much happened to today. Garland was giving us the evil eye most of the way, but honestly it’s not that difficult to tune them out. Thanks to the chains barring any movement from Iris, we just had to throw a blanket over her and the problem was solved.
Thanks to a quiet day with no threats to our lives, I was able to cook so good meals today. Pancakes for breakfast, some BLTs for lunch, and a stir fry for dinner, which helped me use up most of those mushrooms. I probably cook the rest soon. They’re nearly a month old since we got them back at the warren. At least they’re still in good shape, against all odds.

27th of Forta, 1107
Today’s the big day. We’re all prepping for the ritual. I did my part, (lunch was excellent, thank you very much,) but the bulk of the work went to the magic users. Or magic knowers, I guess. I don’t know what’s going to happen in there. I’m writing this now in case I die horribly. Hopefully that doesn’t happen. That’d make for a bad story. But fingers crossed everything goes well!

Okay so that wine was good as hell. I dunno why we all needed a swig of wine for this, but damn does Denebs grandma know hown to do a good ritual if this is how it starts.

I don’t wanna be rufde and write my journal in the middle of a very good ritual, but we solam dunked Garland right into that scarewcrow wait shit no I mean we slam dunked Garland “rite” into that scarecrow. I dunno how magic worjks but

Okay so fior some reason they won’t let me throw the scarewcow into the sea, I dunno why I thin that’s a perfectly fine way to get rid of demons. Oh well growing a tree over him is another good option.

Okay! So last night was fun, despite the afternoon starting with demon shenanigans. I must admit, though, I’m surprised I got drunk so easily. That must have been some pretty potent stuff! Now, I don’t think I was that drunk, but my memory from that afternoon’s a bit… perhaps not spotty, but very strange. For one, I swear I remember mention of Grand Duchess Cecile’s death. Granted, that would explain a few things. But someone would have mentioned that to me by now if it really happened, right?

Either way, I do remember Caper’s arrival quite clearly. Although she can’t join us on our sea voyage, we asked her to help Beatrice and Emerine. If a Green Dragon is involved, their story may become one of a light-hearted journey in the midst of a bloody war, which in turn may convince Emerine to leave the past behind. And while I still need to speak with her myself, I told Caper to pass on a few words for me. Normally I’d be disappointed that I’d sobered so quickly, (damn my good liver and experience with alcohol,) but it’s good I could form some sort of coherent apology.

After that, though, I got blitzed. I didn’t want to lose my drunk high and the flights were cheap.

3 Likes

Pash is foiled again!

2 Likes
Ryyan's Journal - Session 10

It has been a quite eventful voyage to the Isle of Catastrophe, but we have finally reached its shores. After driving the demon out of Iris and meeting our newest dragon guide, Coeller, we were transported on board the Bad Luck, the flagship of the three ships the Sentinals were sending to the Isle. The other ships of the line were the Misfortune and the Jinxed. I did not find the naming traditions of the Sentinals very humorous at all, but it was not like we really had any other choice.
The first day of sailing was pleasant, though Koal was still incapacitated by nausea (I wonder if he suffers from some sort of inner ear imbalance?). As the sun began to set, we sighted a hurricane brewing in the distance, and both Deneb and I could sense that this was no natural occurrence. In the distance we could see several ETE ships tormenting a Dragon Turtle, which was causing the creature to conjure up a mighty storm. There was no doubt in my mind that such a storm was aimed directly at the Flamewrought Duchy. I knew we would have to stop the ETE here, but I was filled with such paralyzing fear.
Koal was suffering too, as I saw him turn pale and begin to shake when the storm came into view. I realize now that, out of all of us, Koal has suffered the most from such devastating weather. I followed him below decks, where I found him carving something out of wood (a ring, perhaps, though I know not for what purpose). I have always been taught, that in times of peril, those of noble birth must rise as leaders and inspire those they fight alongside. Truth be told, the words of encouragement I shared with Koal were intended to bolster my own resolve as much as his. I knew that mere words would not be enough, so I put as much power as I could into a protective enchantment over him. He seemed to steady himself after that.
When Alice commanded the opening salvo, I could scarcely believe how loud the cannons were. And when we received the return fire, I could barely stay on my feet. Everything was shaking and burning around me. I saw Deneb prepare to leap onto the Dragon Turtle, to soothe and heal it, and I watched as she tripped over the railing and fall into the water. Without any hesitation, I grabbed the nearest line and dove in after her. In retrospect, I really should have tied the rope to something first, as well as remember the proper form for diving. Slamming face first into the surface of the water is in no way heroic or sensible.
Unfortunately, the Bad Luck was hit too many times by the opposing forces, and began to sink as I pulled up onto the debris Deneb was on. I ordered the Sentials to get on top of the Dragon Turtle, trusting that Deneb would be able to pacify it in time. Our only hope was to board one of the ETE ships and commandeer it, and it seems like Alice and Koal shared the same thought.
I felt… as if I had become untethered in that moment. I could barely make any sort of dent in the hull of one of the ships with my magic, and the enchantment I gave to Alice was nowhere near as powerful as Koal’s. It was the first time I ever reached the limit of my magical abilities. I am so thankful for my companions, for they were the ones who pulled us all out of a terrible situation and brought us victory. My memories go blank after boarding the captured ship, right after using the last of my reserves to heal Koal.

I can’t remember much of what I dreamed of, bits and pieces of incoherent sights and sounds. When I came to, I felt utterly awful, worse than any headache I could remember. Again, I have my companions to thank for successfully guiding our ships past the blockade and onto the shore. Agatha and the Sentinals sent their forces to Dacafe, in order to break the siege there, and our dragon guides flew off to scout ahead for us. For the first time in a month, we were by ourselves.
Deneb seemed to busy herself on the beach, though I did not see what she was looking for, or if she ever found it. Alice said she wanted to practice hunting, but considering the incredible haul she brought back, I would say she doesn’t need to practice anymore.
Koal told me about the island, his home. I never realized how different their traditions could be, but it makes perfect sense. Burying someone means nothing when the land floods on a regular basis. Koal spoke of how his family makes keepsakes and mementos, to honor those who have passed away. He showed me the bracelet he wore, that, should he perish, he wanted us to send back to his family.
Then he gave me an amulet, carved out of wood, bearing the seal of the Flamewrought Duchy. I had no words for how much such a gift meant to me, to honor the passing of my Aunt. I realized in that moment that I had yet to shed any tears for her, and began to on the spot. I don’t know how I can ever repay Koal for this kindness.

Coeller and Caper returned to us in the evening, and brought us news about what we would be facing tomorrow. It does not surprise me that Beatrice has made it here already, and knowing that there is a way for her to save Emerene gives me hope. We need to decide on a battle plan, but our ultimate goal remains unchanged: Break through the enemy lines and rescue Oh-Kae. Once we have accomplished that, we can focus on finding the dragon on this island and put an end to storms that have plagued it for so long.

I can only pray for our allies to succeed, and, should we fall in battle, I pray that our story is never forgotten.

3 Likes
Koal's Journal Session 10

Setting Out

We started our voyage back to my island today. The ship we’re on is called the Bad Luck. I hope the name is ironic.

It’s only been a day, but I’ve not felt well since I left land. I think it’s my nerves. I’m worried about being on the sea, I’m worried about my island, and I’m deathly worried about Oh-Kae.

A short while ago, we found something I had hoped to never see while on a boat. A hurricane. I’ve never been able to remain calm around storms, and being confined to a ship did nothing to help. I think my friends saw the cause of the storm. I agreed to do whatever they needed me to. Anything to stop that storm.

I went below deck afterwards. I didn’t want to look at it anymore. Instead, I tried to make two pendants. One for a wedding, one for a funeral. It probably wasn’t the best idea. Instead of just worrying about the storm, I’m now worried about the storm, my fiancée, and death.

Ryyan visited me. He told me to be brave, which I thought was a little laughable at first. He acts like this all the time, surely I deserve at least one fear.

But his help didn’t stop at his words. He cast a protective spell on me; one that could keep me safe even if I was overcome with fear. I thanked him. I feel bad for being dismissive of him.

He’s a really good leader, even if he doesn’t think so. He truly wants me to be the best I can be.

At this point, I have to at least try and fight. But I do think I’ll just wait for someone else to drag me into it. It’s one thing to be thrust into a perilous situation; it’s another thing entirely to walk into one of your own volition.

The Dragon Turtle

I’ve done it. After years of cowering in the wake of every storm that pops up in the sky, after years of being paralyzed by the sight of a dark cloud, I’ve managed to overcome my fear. I don’t know if I can do it twice, but I’ve at least done it once.

While I was below deck, a cannon ball burst through the hull. I wasn’t hurt, but I was brought face-to-funnel with the hurricane.

I admit, I was still terrified at the sight of it. I started to hyperventilate. I could feel my body locking up. But before I could black out, I heard Deneb’s voice. Shortly after, I saw the moon. I focused on it instead of the storm. It helped me stay calm. The hurricane was still there, but I didn’t have to focus on it anymore.

At that point, I realized that fire was starting to spread through the ship. Our crew was panicking; they didn’t have any clear direction. I decided to teach them what I had just learned.

I addressed the whole group, and I asked them, “What are you afraid of? The fire? These measly flames? This is nothing to be scared of!” I then ran through the flames to get to the hole in the hull. Ryyan’s spell kept the fire from touching me, so I started removing the burning parts of the ship. It probably wasn’t the best way of doing things, but it was all I could think of. Thankfully, the Sentinels were able to get to work on the actual repairs.

Before the hole was completely patched up, I saw a black-robed figure fall past it. I thought it was Deneb, and I was proven right as Ryyan immediately jumped after her. He was carrying a rope. I tried to grab it because I was worried that he forgot to tie it off. I was right, but I was of no help. Afterwards, I raced to the deck of the ship. It was the only way I could keep them in my sight.

It wasn’t long after that that the ship split in half. I fell in the water next to Snickerdoodle. I managed to get her to the Dragon Turtle, which was tethered to the other ships. I noticed that Alice was trying to climb onto one of the ships with those tethers, which gave me a much flashier idea.

I sprinted from the turtle’s head to its tail. The tail was wagging up and down; I jumped from the highest point in the tail’s movement, and I landed on the enemy ship.

Ryyan’s magic proved to be invaluable. I was immediately set upon by four ETE members with spears. None of them were able to lay a scratch on me. They retreated almost immediately. The one ship that remained uncompromised tried to fire upon me. I knocked the cannonball into the ocean with a headbutt. With Ryyan’s support, I had become invincible!

I decided that, if we were going to commandeer this boat, we would need to be rid of its remaining crew. I burst into the lower deck and immediately embedded my axe into an ETE member. The remaining members, who appeared to have run into Alice, decided to run off. They’d rather face the tumultuous waves of the ocean than my axe! There were two members who properly surrendered. We haven’t really done much with them. We eventually just lashed them to the mast.

Ryyan helped me one last time during this encounter; he healed the scrapes and cuts that I had taken during the fight. This caused him to pass out, but I kept him from falling over. Pash seemed really happy about that. I’m not sure why.

From Turtle to Landfall

Deneb sent the turtle on his way. The only thing between us and my home was the ETE blockade. Thankfully, Alice was able to navigate us through it.

Once we finally made landfall, our dragons set out on their missions. Shrike took his stories to his dragon, Pash infiltrated Arbor to make it easier to save Oh-Kae, and Coeller scouted out the guards.

The four of us had plans as well. Deneb tried to find some healing herbs, Alice hunted every living creature on this part of the island, and Ryyan tried to write a song about the desert.

I decided to have a chat with Ryyan.

I wanted to thank him for what he’d done. I told him that I only wanted to teach him about my island’s customs, but that wasn’t exactly true.

I told him that permanent graves were very rare due to the difficulty in maintaining them when you live in a nightmare. That instead, we make keepsakes and mementos that we keep in our house. Remembering those that have passed is a deeply personal thing, and we take it very seriously.

Once I was done, I presented him with my real gift: A heart-shaped pendant with the sigil of the Flamewrought Duchy on it.

I was worried about him. I knew that losing his aunt bothered him, but I wasn’t sure if he had time to mourn. There was no funeral, no eulogy, no wake, and no sign that Ryyan was ready to move on. I wanted him to know that, while he was on my island, he was welcome to take as much time as he needed. It feels weird to say he liked it, but I think he appreciated it.

For some reason, I thought I heard the sound of a lovebird freaking out while I was hugging Ryyan. I don’t remember seeing lovebirds on my island, so that was weird.

Planning

Coeller finished her scouting mission, and she brought back bad news. Arbor is being guarded by our friends. Arrata is leading the guard. I don’t want to sacrifice one friend for another.

Caper also paid us a visit! It wasn’t the best circumstances, but it was nice to see her again.

She told us about the nature of the ETE army. They use undead creatures called Skindancers(walkers??). These creatures take control of another person, and force them to do their bidding. They’re weak to fire. You can free someone by either killing the skindancer, or performing a ritual on their victim.

I am scared. I don’t really know what to do. The others seem to have a plan, but I’m too scared to think of one. So far, I’ve only been good at killing the ETE. That’s not an option. What can I do?

What can I do?

EDIT: I decided I wasn’t happy with the last paragraph, so I took it out.

2 Likes

Alice’s dual-class story: She got really bored and decided to hunt. Then a crit die happened, and an ecosystem was destroyed in only a few hours.
In other news: I don’t know what month comes after Forta in this fantasy setting! Or if months are even 30-31 days in it.

Session 10 Journal (28th to 30th of Forta)

28th of Forta, 1107
Despite setting off on the Bad Luck, (a perfect name for a ship setting off to Calamity Island,) today was a fairly slow day. My stomach was sloshing about like nobody’s business, but that’s the price to pay if you want to prevent a hangover. I stayed as sedentary as I could not to get seasick, and it worked. Koal didn’t do too well, but then again he never does on boat trips. We did get a group of Nomads joining our journey, though. They deserted their own tribes in hopes that wouldn’t get them mixed up in the war proper. It is the ETE we’re talking about, so one can’t be sure how well that will work. We can hope for the best, and if this ends quickly enough it may not even be concern.

29th of Forta, 1107
We didn’t exactly sleep the best; our ship tossed and turned, and given the upcoming events none of us could really rest easy. Still though, we were at least able to make it out of the river and into the sea.

During our travels, we came upon a small fleet of ETE ships attacking a poor, defenseless, delicious Dragon Turtle. We’re never a group to pass up an opportunity to fuck up some ETE shit, so of course we dove right in and intervened. I won’t say it was a mistake to do so, but it was certainly taxing on our resources. I opened the fight strong, sinking an entire ship with a volley of only three cannon shots. The rest of the fight… did not go as smoothly. For me especially. Their aim was as good as mine, and when the rest of the ships opened fire, we discovered the Bad Luck was an apt name. The ship sank, and our crew made their way to the back of the Dragon Turtle, who Deneb attempted to befriend. I thought I’d be cool and fire off one last cannon shot at the captain of the other ship, but it didn’t pan out. At all. So while everyone else kept busy, I wasted my time with a pointless attack, then had to tread water later than everyone else.

In other news, my other attempted cool move (nabbing a rope and climbing aboard a ship,) also did not go well. Koal pulled a far cooler stunt and leapt off the turtle and on to the ship. Meanwhile, I struggled to make it onboard, and only barely made it in. I was totally prepped to take care of the cannoneers, but there was no need, as Koal came down and interrupted their laughter at my entrance by terrifying them with his sheer might. That’s fine, clearly today was not the day for cool moves.

At least I scooped up some of the meat that came off the turtle when it was attacked. It was good.

30th of Forta
Today we arrived on Calamity Island. We need to storm an ETE fortress, so must of us separated and did our own thing. Considering I managed precisely one cool move yesterday, I thought I’d brush up on my hunting, since I haven’t done that since I was little. And you know, I thought I did pretty well all things considered. As my mom always said, if you can’t carry everything you bagged, you had a good session. I’m pretty sure she could have handled the load I got, but I thought it was respectable.

And… if I’m to be honest, it was also most of the creatures I saw lurking around this section of the desert. Thumbs up?


After I finished up dinner, we were greeted by Caper, who returned after some brief time with Beatrice. Things aren’t looking good, because Emerine is in exactly the kind of situation I was hoping she wouldn’t be in. And in this case, she and many other people we could count amongst our allies are being controlled by things called Skincrawlers. Also known as Puppetmasters, these things are undead monstrosities which can bind living beings and control them. Even worse, a large number of them are bringing an even larger number of soldiers to Calamity Island, and of course Emerine is amongst their ranks.

Okay, so, opinion time: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA FUCK THESE THINGS SOUND AWFUL HOLY SHIT WE MIGHT HAVE TO KILL GOOD PEOPLE AND THERE’S A SLIGHT CHANCE ANY OF US COULD GET CREEPY MIND CONTROL STRINGS IN OUR BACK AH DANG AH HELL.

A note to anyone who might read this in the case I die tomorrow: Please cross that part out and write something about how confident I am that tomorrow’s going well. Personally, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’m writing a story in which I go from dread to relief after surviving a harsh fight. But if that’s not the case, shouting about how terrified I am right before a potentially gory death seems like it’d make for a bad story, and bad stories are the last thing we need. So yeah, just get rid of this whole thing.

ANYWAY, we’re gonna contact my dad and any other groups of soldiers hither and thither, and tell ‘em not to kill anyone but the undead jackasses. Honestly with those guys on the island, and both Beatrice and Annabelle fighting their way towards the island, we’ve got a pretty good pincer attack set up. I won’t jinx myself, I’m just going to finish writing and go cook. I’ll make note of what I cook tomorrow; I’ll probably just pass out after I eat.

2 Likes

Um Forta, Fifthe, Sixa, Septe, Octet, Nineian, Teno, Elevent, Dozenth

30 days each.

Best creative mind ever over here.

Ryyan's Journal - Session 11

The first sight I had of the battle before the Arbor Estate was of the banners, rising over the horizon as we approached. It was mesmerizing, in a way, just how many people took part in the conflict. Then we crested the hill, and any feeling of awe gave way to disgust. The ETE’s use of Skinwalkers is inexcusable, and I hope never to see them used again.
I was worried that our band of four would be unable to help turn the tide of battle in any appreciable way, but our clever use of the flammable solution Coeller gave us proved those worries to be unfounded. Through our actions behind the ETE’s lines, we managed to disrupt and scatter the Skinwalkers, and give our allies time to push through and achieve victory. I dare not take any credit for the victory, as I know Beatrice was just as essential, if not more so, as the leader of the combined forces.
What I saw in the Arbor Estate was nearly as horrifying as the carnage from the battle. I had thought the ball in Flamewrought was as bad as Pash’s abilities could get, but this was a nightmare. The influence he has on people is terrible, not because of the situations he puts them into, but because of the fact that _he doesn’t force them into it._Everything we saw the guards doing, they were doing out of their own desires, just amplified by Pash’s magic. It is sobering to consider what I have done while under that same influence.
With the guards and servants thoroughly distracted, it was rather simple to sneak into the dungeons and free the captured Arbor forces. Through a secret passage in the deeper cell block (no doubt installed in case of this kind of situation), we climbed up to the roof, where Koal was reunited with Oh-Kae. Baron Arbor and Julian were there, though I could hardly speak to them, as I was focused on scolding Pash for what he did to those poor people. It was at that same time that Beatrice, together with Emerene, took the castle with hardly any resistance.
Seeing my sister with Emerene made me realize how few opportunities Beatrice has had for romance. She has always been a little obsessed with training and fighting, but I have never seen her so conflicted about how she feels about another person before. It was in that moment I knew that, if there was any chance for her to be happy after this war, I needed to do something. Giving her our family’s engagement ring was the right thing to do. There is… a lot I have to think about before I try again, and right now I need to focus on the war effort.
Oh-Kae seems insistent on traveling with us, even though we plan on heading right where Wyserias’ forces are strongest. I think that, without her retainer there to chaperone her, she is acting more aggressively than she normally would. Koal doesn’t seem to mind, though. The next morning, however, brought a rather loud objector to their relationship.
I had just spent half that night tossing and turning in between nightmares, and Oh-Kae’s younger brother decided the crack of dawn was the perfect time to start a fight with his sister’s fiance. I was not having it. I managed to get him to calm down, or at least stop shouting, and the rest of my party were able to make him see how immature he was acting. Hopefully, he will reconsider his position towards Koal in the future.
We are about to set out for Windswept, and Coeller has made certain Wyserias will be there to face us. I haven’t been able to shake the feeling of dread ever since this war began, but never has it been this strong. My only hope is that, should I die, I die fighting so that my friends can end our story, and bring peace to this stricken island.

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Koal's Journal - Session 11

Destroying the Skinwalkers

Our fight against the ETE went better than I expected. We were able to sneak around the main front of the battle and strike at the Puppetmasters. I had a chance to strike when Alice distracted the flank’s guard by harrying them with Snickerdoodle. I didn’t even know Snickerdoodle was a riding animal. I was able to use magic to throw a bottle of highly flammable solution at the cluster of puppet masters. I must have killed 100 of them.

But that number was nothing compared to what Deneb’s moms did. The two of them crashed a flaming ship onto the battlefield. They wiped out the majority of the Puppetmasters, which freed all of their victims. We kept casualties to a minimum; this battle was a success.

Saving Oh-Kae

This rescue mission was bizarre.

I was like I was back at the Flamewrought Duchy, where I first met Oh-Kae. All of the guards were overcome with emotions; there were love triangles everywhere. But I expected that from Pash.

What surprised me was the way everything was presented. It was like some bizarre performance. They were all doing “normal” things, but they all acted like there was an audience watching them. It was a little unnerving, and I was already on edge.

Eventually, we were able to find where Oh-Kae, the Baron, and his lover had all ran off to. They used magic to escape their cell, and then used a hidden passage to escape to the roof. The stairway had some strange music piped to it. I think it was shouting something about darkness?

I was relieved to find Oh-Kae again. The second I saw her, I ran towards her. I held her as tightly as I could. I barely know her, but I’m still terrified of losing her.

When she asked to come with us, I knew I had to take her along. The only way I can know she’s safe is if she’s with me. And, more selfishly, I just wanted to keep talking to her. She’s just so much fun to be around! I don’t think either of us have been quiet since we left Arbor!

Editor’s Note: This is followed by pages of uncomfortable gushing about Oh-Kae. They have been removed for the sake of the reader.

In-Laws

Eh-Good-Nuff is back. I wish he wasn’t.

It’s not like I don’t understand what he’s doing. Hell, I ran away from my home in a desperate attempt to save it. I get where he’s coming from.

But he is not prepared for this. He hasn’t considered tactical operations at all. He was going to lead his followers to their deaths, and he had no idea.

I was able to talk him down. I had to make Major Northwoods babysit him for a while, but I think he’ll be safe for now. I really need to work on figuring out how to talk to him normally. If we’re going to be family, we need to at least understand each other. If we really can’t stand one another, that’s fine. But I really don’t know enough about him to make any opinions.

…Wyserias is waiting in my hometown. Coeller placed an enchantment on him, and now he’s actively pursuing our group. We can’t leave without engaging him. But I don’t want to go back.

I thought I was done. I funded the latest repairs, and I was going to stop the nightmare once and for all. I truly thought I would never see that nightmare of a town again.

I will just have to make this quick. I’ll be in and out as fast as I can. Hopefully, I won’t run into anyone I know.

Presented Without Context

Guy Fieri Knight Frosted

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Knights of Flavortown is my favorite summon.

Session 11 Journal (30th of Forta to 2nd of Fifthe)

It was pan-fried chicken with a mushroom-gravy sauce. Bitch.

1st of Fifthe, 1107
We woke up early today. Coeller gave all of us a bottle of flammable solution, which would be effective against the undead skincrawlers.

Solution is very flammable; more so than most oil. May be good for stir fries, but if I attempt that I must be very careful with how much I use.

The skincrawlers were certainly a terrifying force to be reckoned with, and the battle had already begun, with the results of it unclear. Thankfully, we managed to sneak our caravan amongst some rocks without notice. While Koal prepared to attack, I untied Snickerdoodle from the wagon and rode her valiantly. Not into battle, there was no chance I was fighting while riding an animal as is, much less one as irritable as Snickerdoodle. Still though, I drew the ETE army’s attention, which meant the skincrawlers’ human shields were on the wrong side to block an attack from Koal. And it was quite the devastating attack; he used the solution and burned up a large group of the things. Which is good, because my dumb move would have certainly gotten me pincered.

Either way though, Decent made one hell of an entrance; in a single moment, their ship crashed on to shore and unleashed an attack devastating enough to burn away the rest of the skincrawlers. It was,


quite frankly, cool as hell. And it allowed us to get a move on to Arbor without a fight that could kill us. I’ll have to thank those guys later. Them and Vryne.

Thanks to Pash, getting through Arbor was easy. It was quite the sight though: we were witness to turbulent fits of passion and rejection. Sometimes both at the same time! The worst of it all, though, was the kitchen. Where most of the fortress’s residents were merely kissing or bickering (or kiss bickering,) it seems a group of people were holding a cooking contest, similar to the one I participated in back at Flamewrought. EXCEPT THEY WERE ALL AWFUL AT COOKING. Amateurs. All of them. I would have kicked them all out and showed them the basics from a safe distance if we weren’t in the middle of something else.

At the very least, the rest of the jailbreak wasn’t so taxing. We freed the prisoners, who took little time to charge to the ground floor, before we found a secret elevator that led to the roof. As it turns out, Oh-Kae, Koal’s fiancé, as well as Baron Arbor and his lover Julian had managed to escape and hide out on the roof. Koal had a very, very intimate reunion with Oh-Kae, most of which I did not pay attention to out of respect.

Right on time, Beatrice came charging into Arbor, which was as sure a sign the battle was over as one could hope for. After everything had settled, I was finally able to apologize to her for my earlier lackluster attempt at human interaction. We both seem to be in the same boat, in that neither of us are really good at romance. In any capacity. Even now she’s unsure of her feelings for Emerine, but at the very least I wanted to make her sure of our friendship. I don’t know if I’m good at that either, but she left seemingly happy, so I can only hope for her best.

To my relief, both Dad and Ark survived the battle. Ark ended up pretty hurt, though. From the sounds of it, he pulled of some really impressive stunts. I wish I could have been there to see them, but his boasting about catapulting himself across a battlefield are great in their own right. He’s a gigantic dork, trying to sound as cool as he possibly can, despite the fact that half his body was covered in gashes and bruises. It’s adorable, really.

2nd of Fifthe, 1107
I woke up early this morning to make a nice challah for French toast. I figured, hey! It’s the final battle! Why not make a really nice, (if very sugary) breakfast for everyone? Well apparently, Oh-Kae’s brother Eh-Good-Nuff got real pissy at Koal and started arguing with my dad about who should lead the army in the coming fight. He didn’t have a plan, he was just mad about Koal marrying his sister. He didn’t get bacon or tea to go with his breakfast. Because I can be spiteful too.

There was some deliberation about what to do today. Wyserias waited for us in Windswept Dragonswept, but we knew the Storm Dragon waited not far out to sea. Wyserias’s men were apparently heading out to meet that dragon, presumably to do further damage to them. But Wyserias’s death would not only make those soldiers think twice about harming that dragon, but it would also serve as a climactic end to a story we could feed to the dragon to heal it. So thanks to Coeller’s weird magic, Wyserias has been given a grudge against Deneb; an opening which should allow us to challenge him face to face.


With our goal in sight, we sailed around to attack Dragonswept from the back, while the rest of the army attacks from the front. We docked, and managed to scare away most of the soldiers in the process. We weren’t given a free ride to Wyserias, though, as we were stopped by a small group of soldiers, who I would have assumed were elite guards or something. Except I think one of them was some guy who owned a winery? Blackthorn or something? I have no clue why that guy was there. He was really tough though. Everyone else had an easy time with the guards they clashed with, (Koal murdered a man with lightning,) but I got my head handed to me. At least until he was alone, that was the point we all ganged up on him.

Now that that’s done, we’re all dusting ourselves off. We left (most of) them alive; we can’t be bothered fighting people who may just give up once Wyserias dies. The way is clear, and we know where Wyserias is hiding. I gotta write off the cuff now, because the moment that fucker dies, I’ve got a dragon to feed.

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The game ended today and I’m really gonna miss this crew. I’ll have the Dragon’s journals up here eventually (though I feel it’s mostly rehashing what else is being told.)

This was an amazing game and I was so blessed to have you all in it. Thank you all so much for bearing with me as I fumbled through Ryuutama.

Your dragons were:
Caper:

Pash:

Shrike:

And Choler:

The best dragon was:

  • Caper
  • Pash
  • Shrike
  • Choler

0 voters

:angel:

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