Well, what an explosive end to Act 2, (https://www.buzzinmeeples.com/forum/tales-from-the-buzzin-meeple/cleric-log-after-abjuration-date-year-31-04-07-session-18)
Thanks so much Adam.
With the stakes so much higher, it feels like we've approached a massive turning point, and the end of the campaign is potentially in sight.
I've talked with a few people about how these events and how the past several months of adventuring have affected their characters.
I thought I'd add this post, so people could put down their thoughts on their changing character motivations, outlooks, thoughts, feelings and even appearances.
This will hopefully help Adam going forwards, and might just be a bit of fun, Thanks folks, see you in the Dungeon.
Act Two
Roza feels very distant from the ongoing chaos in the Outpost, she knows that people are very upset with the outcome of how close having some respite against all the after effects of the bleed of the Fey realm. But after everything that has happened in such a short span of time.
Roza is wracked with guilt for leaving her family, even all the while knowing that her mother had told her to leave. With her issuing Felix with a request to keep her safe.
In the hurry Roza was glad she had left a quick letter placed near her mother, one enchanted with her own Chance family sigil. Only a member of the Family would be able to break through the enchantment. Those who persist in trying to get an unpleasant surprise.
Roza finds herself shifting between absolute fury that shifts back to guilt with a deep sense of sadness.
It was the very fact that she had done all she could to help the Outpost with the collection of Balthazar, she had promised the still asleep Shadow Sigh that she would help get him back to his own home. A promise that had often echoed in her mind the longer everything went on, with his own sense of self seemingly dulling with each day that past. Roza had promised to help him, she never failed a promise if she could help it.
Roza had known everything was dire, she had pushed away the unease she had felt when she had gone through the escape route. Roza despaired that with all she had given and strived for, she had possibly lost everything that she knew. Laurel and Posy were safe.
That gave her a good sense of reassurance but to know that her parents could be taken or even gone forever?
It was sometimes too much. So many people would have been harmed on that day. Roza didn't even yet know if any fatalities had been announced.
Also Roza now had the responsibility of being the Head of the Family with her Mother gone. Roza put herself together with the standard being a Chance was expected.
Roza ties several small plaits throughout her hair pulling it into one of the many hairstyles she had worn over the years, Roza takes care to make sure she looks more noble than she had ever presented in the Outpost before trying to meet a standard that would be expected. Since everything that had happened. She would be expected to keep her head.
Roza keeps her Chance sigil taking comfort from its presence. Roza throws herself into contacting the other Houses that the Chance family have connections with, pouring concern if they were at the wedding or just doing her best to create outcry at what the Cannith's had done to her Noble knowledge based family.
Elaborating on the fact that they were clearly getting above their station, if they thought of such an attack on a wedding! Against a person who had Guest rights. The Cannith's attacking her family in such an aggressive way just to obtain the brother they were so keen to harm. It's something Roza doesn't like to dwell on in the daytime for those thoughts haunted her dreams enough.
Roza also slowly gets to know Felix somewhat with everything being so tense and unsure. Roza throws herself into keeping him in the loop. Telling him things that a Chance would be expected to know. Roza teaches him about various Families that the Chance family were allied with. She told him of who he would have to be firm with, those who would try and take advantage of his new status in the Family. This isn't what either of them had thought would happen.
Roza finds herself trying to convince Felix that he was free to explore and wander as he wished. To get to know the Outpost. Although everything had been out of her control, she felt rather responsible for his situation, going all out to make him feel as welcome as she could. Given the situation.
Roza answered the questions that he tossed her way. Happy for a distraction and a way to get to know him at a more casual pace. Roza knew his questions were both for his own curiosity and sometimes just to distract her from any of the differing emotions that were her day to day.
It was at night that Roza looked at the belongings that she had taken from her childhood room, they were just small bracelets and a necklace that her father had brought back from one of his trips. A silver long chain that had a jeweled flower attached. it was something she had asked and asked for as a child. An item that she knew he would have custom made especially for her.
It was based on a drawing in a book after all.
One of her favourite childhood books. Tales of all sorts. of grief, adventure, and warnings of what happened to those that strayed too far from where they were loved. Roza found herself singing quietly in her mother tongue, often singing it quietly to herself whenever she was engrossed in whichever new task she had assigned herself, pushing to try and do all her mother would expect.
She sometimes tried to sing her father's favourite song. one that had such a positive glow "Here comes the sun…" . but her voice faltered, throat closing. Roza would close her eyes, take a breath then try to continue on. She could only try but nothing seemed optimistic. Not anymore.
Kharduum Steepmine (Hill Dwarf Cleric)
"I don’t know much of the world before the Abjuration, I was just a small child when it happened, I grew up in the shadow of a quiet temple, nothing but small villages nearby, hoping to eke out a life in the wake of such volatility.
I travelled to the Capital and joined the Guild in the hopes of helping to bring stability to the barren lands, to allow people to prosper under the watchful light of Moradin. I’ve made friends, had adventures, and helped those in need. But I’ve also seen horror and despair, I’ve seen people so utterly devoid of empathy, seeking power and control just to satisfy their own twisted natures.
I will never forget the look on Roza’s face upon realising her house and those within were gone, and the sting in my heart at being betrayed by one I called an ally."
Kharduum feels the sting of betrayal from Koronus, a man whose life he has saved multiple times.
He has never seen anything like the horror inflicted upon House Chance by House Cannith.
He will feel the failure of not bringing Balthazar Cannith back, especially as the Feywilds continue to leak into the Outpost and Shadows Sigh remains comatose.
It will leave him changed, he doesn't want to just sit on the sidelines just supporting others anymore, he will be more inclined to take things into his own hands and go on the offensive if needs be.
Unless something is done this will be the end of the Guild and the Outpost.
He will turn TOMs Diner (his temple/walk in centre) into a sanctuary. To enter, Zone of Truth will be used to ensure people's intentions, this can be a base of operations for trusted party members, if we're no longer sure the Guild hasn't been infiltrated further.
Kharduum will support Roza in her quest to save her family, but doesn't want to abandon the outpost. But will search for the opportunity to rescue Lodrom and Roza's parents using scrying and sending, although he suspects the Canniths will have covered their tracks and potentially shielded their captives from this.
Kharduum will reach out to the people of his temple and the Sonnlinor, the elite order of Warrior Clerics Lodrum belonged to. If the Canniths are involved with tampering with the ties between Life and Death, they must be stopped, and that would be in the best interest of the Sonnlinor.
Appearance changes:
Kharduum has shaved the sides of his head and wears the rest in a braided top knot, his beard is now tightly braided centrally down his body. Dwarven war braids.