Anarion

Sunshards

Chen’s flush feels like it starts at the base of her feet and the warmth rises unstoppable all the way through up until it leaps out the tips of her ears. She imagines her whole face must be on fire and tries to bury her head in one of this tall, strong huntress’s many arms.

It is worth understanding that this is not the first time that Chen has been kidnapped. It’s a regular happening among princesses. Being bested in a close match and taken prisoner for an exchange is considered the honorable outcome, far more so than a cowardly retreat. That it offers the victor an opportunity for some well-earned teasing and boasts isn’t so much a perk as the whole point. Chen has, in her last few years, been both kidnapper and kidnapped, though she tends to be on the gentle end of kidnappers among the princesses. Her mothers taught her to bear this sort of thing with dignity and poise. It’s only shameful if a princess allows herself to be bested by a clearly inferior opponent (being taken by a lowly palace guard might make you a laughingstock for months).

However, princesses never ask in these situations. Being captured is just part of the custom. The huntress was a superior opponent and Chen had committed to a decisive strike understanding that she couldn’t win the match but could give a good accounting of herself and earn better treatment as a result. B-but the huntress was asking Chen to submit to this. To...to...not only submit but say that she wanted to be teased. She ought to be outraged! She ought to just walk off, or at least to take the middle option and bide her time while learning The Way until she could make a quick escape once they found Yue. Under no circumstances should she intentionally choose humiliation. If this got out, the other princesses would gossip about it forever, she’d probably get some kind of humiliating nickname, and both her mothers would be furious! S-so why was she blushing head to toe and speaking something muffled into the huntress’s body?

She tries to collect herself, fails, realizes that she can hardly give an answer shouting into a strong, sculpted arm, and lifts her head, which she promptly turns sideways and tries to bury into her own shoulder (not having any free arms to cover her face) so she doesn’t have to make any eye contact.

“I’m a P-princess and...and you’ll...you’ll never get away with...*deep breath* with subjecting me to this in-indignity.” She says with great difficulty.

Oh suns, she was in for it now. Except...her heart wasn’t sinking, it felt more like it was soaring.

[Chen is accepting the XP and declaring herself Smitten with Rose from the River (whose name she still doesn’t know). As to why they can’t be together, this just can’t last. Chen has a destiny and it starts with getting Yue and going back to getting her edge over Qiu. She wants this, but she knows, just knows, that it’s going to be temporary and then she and Rose will have to go their separate ways. Rose likely implicitly knows this if she’s familiar with Chen’s world, and it matches with The Way as well.]

Sunshards

Chen stands on her tiptoes, her scarf pulled taut against her neck and for a moment her eyes widen and she feels a blush rise to her cheeks. She glances away as if in shame before bringing her sword around with a slash that cuts forces the huntress's hand away and pulls her loose. They break and split, the fresh dirt of the lakeside hills crumbling as they slide apart and take firm stances again. But the words echo: you wanted to save the Scales of Meaning herself from a monster. She hadn't, she just wanted the Scales to warm to her, to agree to let her follow, to defuse the argument the two were having and calm her emotions. She didn't really think anyone needed saving and she hadn't thought this hunter was a monster then.

Did she now?

Chen blinks, clears her head. Doesn't take initiative on the next thrust. She could have, and she thinks the huntress a skilled enough swordswomen to know that Chen didn't make a move matching the speed she had shown so far. Was it a feint, a trick? Chen lets out a breath she was holding. She felt a slower but more lasting flush rising to her cheeks as she remembered how it had felt be held by someone with such strong arms. How good it would feel to be all wrapped up in that scarf, her wrists and ankles bound, carried close to that strong body...

Before that vision can overwhelm her, Chen charges, a rushing forward sprint, earth spraying up behind her as she channels her power into a flying charge, too fast for her feet to touch the ground. Surely a feint, a game of chicken, she'll pull back at the last second and go for a fading strike of some sort rather than rush a stronger opponent.

"I never thought you a monster" she cries, not pulling back but striking her blade firmly into the blade of the huntress. It's so surprising that for a moment, it throws her stance and crystal light sparks and flies forth in a flash to rival the dawn. And then the air is broken ground between them, both blades flying faster than the eye can follow, blurry after images tracing them like ethereal butterflies. Rose is pressed close, shouting "essan el-heloi" and if her hearing is good, she can hear Chen's heart thunder in her chest racing to keep up, racing to surrender, racing to be held!

"Never! I would never damn you!" she shouts and cuts in close. "I'm one of the good princesses!" she changes the angle of her front foot and curls her elbow, bringing the sword in close to her body. "I'm trying to find Yue too, along with everyone else under the sun because Princess Qiu wants her." The sarcasm is evident, even as she hits the huntress not with the blade but the hilt of her crystal sword, pushing sharply under the huntress's guard and into her stomach. "I can protect her from the small army Qiu's called down, bring her safely to become a handmaiden, and cut into Qiu's power at the same time" The blade flashes outward from its backwards thrust, spinning in Chen's grip of its own accord, a masterful showing of her chi to control it so precisely at this speed without hurting herself. Her scarf's two ends both fly upwards from the wind generated, making them tempting targets. "So help me out!" the blade flares and lands a single solid strike on the huntress, Chen hurling herself bodily forward and nearly into Rose's arms to support it past the opposing blade's guard.

[Chen grants Rose's request to fight her to submission by fighting with grace. 1+4+2=7. She is giving Rose the fight she wants flirting or provoking for a string and seizing a superior position (that being right in Rose's arms after a show of strength). Rose gets to pick one option in turn.]

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Some time passes, a cool breeze blows and there's a threat of a summer storm. The air crackles like lightning could strike.

Robena

The ride is a blur to you, mixed with memories of burning and the smell of smoke in distant lands. You find yourself riding into a nearby town further along the road in Southaven. It's a town and nearby keep that border the forest on its southern side, inventively named as you'd expect. It has only a single inn, the Fox & Stag, and the gate, though barely more than a wooden palisade, had a guard stationed at it whose armor was clean and well-kept.

Now that you know though, the signs of Uther's corruption are practically everywhere else. Families are smaller than you remember from your youth and children look hungrier than they should at summer's rise. Homes are less well-kept than they ought to be and mold licks at the edges of the beams on some houses.

What knight from your memories do you find at the inn when you arrive?

Tristan, Nin

You rode from the forest's edge at a more leisurely pace, but the ride was tense. The king spoke little and the gathering clouds seemed to reflect the thunder brewing at her forehead. You could almost hear the words so close as they hissed through her mind and her mood held the rest of her knights at taut readiness. No monsters surfaced to confront your party, however, and so instead you rode and the only sounds were the neighs and muffled thuds of horeshoes on dirt paths.

You've arrived at a keep called Southaven, having exited the forest on the same side you entered while drawing an upside down U shape (with some extra curves because of how the Questing Beast tore up the land). There's a town nearby, but King Pellinore appears to be on friendly terms with the keep's lord, Sir Linus. It's a small keep, only five knights make it their permanent residence, along with a handful of men at arms. The town nearby has an inn, the Fox & Stag, but Pellinore insists on having the horses and equipment seen to by the keep smith first before you go into the town. Sir Linus looks rather overwhelmed by it all and is fussing trying to find room for the hunting party.

Nin: How does this remind you of your family and set you at ease?

Tristan: What about all this is making you want to get away from it all and get some fresh air?

Constance

Around the keep of Brythys the air feels less heavy. You went with Cath to fetch the little box, having departed from Robena in something of a flurry, and you could tell that the ghosts were, if not satisfied, at least at ease this time. The small box was heavy for its size, like it was full of quicksilver, though you did not open it nor did it leak.

You present it, along with your newly befriended cat, to the traveler with his thick tawny hair and his straw hat. You had to backtrack along the road a bit, so you're seeing dark clouds gather a ways further along, but they haven't reached you yet.

When he sees you arrive alone, cat and box in hand (so to speak) he gives an excited yell and runs over to you. Cath also gives an excited yowl and sprints forward, tangling herself in the man's legs and utterly tripping him, causing him to sprawl face first into the road with a puff of earth and a straw hat that flies off to land at your feet. Cath, looking extremely proud of herself, purrs and bops him in the head for good measure.

"Damn it, Cath Palug, would you give a man a minute's respite?!" he shouts, as he starts to gather himself.

Tell us how (or if) you go to his aid.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Tristan and Nin

Mort's face darkens, though not at you. Distant memories trouble him. Some past trauma most likely. Abstractly, the answer to your questions is that he needs to trust you and feel safe speaking to you because King Pellinore's anger problem is clearly quite bad. It's not that she would harm you, but she may well harm her knights for their incompetence, most likely when they're alone so that rumors don't spread. But that very atmosphere of terror, lurking just under a genial exterior also prevents Mort, or any other knight, from truly confiding in you. Asking how do people create trust with one another has a million answers. Perhaps the most obvious, if the most frustrating, is time. Ride with them, eat with them, hunt with them. Share stories and laugh together, and surely he will open up to you, intentionally or accidentally. If you're looking for something faster: save Mort's life (or at least do him a great service), swear him a favor and your secrecy with a binding oath, or find him alone and intimidate him with threats worse than what you think Pellinore may be doing if you don't mind losing his friendship afterward for that last.

None of these can be done now, riding amidst the King's other knights. Instead, you come to a break in the forest to find the king standing beside her horse, gazing outwards to the treeline. The Questing Beast is nowhere in sight and its trail abruptly ends.

"Fae magic" she seethes, loudly enough to be heard over the clopping hooves of horses, and you realize that this hunt will not be a short one.

Constance and Robena

The name falls into a silence louder than a shining knight at full tilt. The world is still, save for the tiniest motion from Cath, the black and white cat, who steps quietly forward on little paws to nuzzle into Constance's leg, offering a little warmth in a cold land rapidly growing colder.

*****END SCENE*****

Sunshards

"I'm Princess Chen of the Northern Wind! Heir to the twin powers of Sourcefall and Ys, shard wielder to be, and an aspiring painter!" She grins and swords clash as she throws herself into the duel in the light of sunset. "And you...are very good at this!" she adds, wonder in her voice. She hadn't really believed that these two were anything more than particularly burly travelers (okay one was a snake, but that's hardly something to hold against a person!) but the sword work of this hunter impressed her. Chen could count on her fingers the number of people she couldn't disarm in three moves, yet here she was in a full blown duel and her advantage was obviously because her opponent had tried to play games and had hesitated to even draw her sword in earnest.

Setting sunlight merges with the light from her blade and it flashes brightly, offering her an opportunity to reset her stance and advance on the huntress. She doesn't, however, account for the fact that losing her own press is all the time needed to offer Rose a chance to collect herself. "I'd believe you're truly an ancient huntress" she says, not appreciating the danger to herself if she really did believe her own words. She starts a new stance, twirling one foot and bringing her sword around to strike feinting high and then dropping low. "But why in the world are you out here just wandering about? And with that strange snake person!"

Chen realizes as the flash fades that she has no idea where the snake went. Argh! Stupid, stupid princess. How dare she ever have fun! She can feel her cheeks burning just imagining the berating from her mother: "The wind instructed you, never lose sight of your goals young lady!" And here she had lost sight of her goals! "Your companion is gone, we've lost her. How about we fix that, I need to find her so I can finish my job out here! It's important. Maybe we can help each other instead of this extended duel?"

Chen parries, once twice, feints and tries to step back to create some space. "Tell me what you're looking for here, and what you want. I'm sure I can help." She tries to smile and quickly throws her sword out to parry again and retreat from the huntress's advance.

[Figure out a person: 1+2+1(heir to a mystic power)+3 (string spend)=7.
Three questions Rose:
1. What do you hope to get from traveling out here with Scales of Meaning?
2. How could Chen get you to let her chase after scales?
3. Bonus question from crossed swords: What do you hope for your future?
You get a question back]

Sunshards

The laughter comes first. A light, happy sound like tinkling crystal chimes. "Surely the subsoul of the Pyre of Inspiration needs no help from a lowly traveling princess, even from an ancient hunter." She laughs again, though her feet never leave their poised stance. "But if you are struggling with your traveling companion, my lady, I'm sure that I can offer to mediate."

Chen dips her head in the slightest bow, her long red scarf bobbing upwards, the smile still on her face and the sparkle in her eyes. She takes a breath and her whole body focuses arrow-sharp. The scarf bobs and the the blade flashes at the same time, the sound of its crystal tinkles like Chen's laughter. Chen takes one step towards Rose, never leaving the dancer's stance she's been holding or shifting her balance off her center. This is practiced bladework done naturally, the balance as sure as sure and certain as a casual walk. The sword blade strikes towards Rose's defenses in a series of blows and feints, though not one that bears her full weight. These are not commitments but teases, each one a gentle trickle of water splashing upon a rock looking to see which way it will fly forth. Looking for the easiest path to keep flowing. With each strike, her thin skirts flare lightly and her scarf gives another little bob behind her, teasing you like a cat tempted to catch a tassel.

Now is the first time that Princess Chen's attention is all for you, Hunter. She's obviously determined that between you two travelers, you're the one with the power here, and, hearing Scales' request, is delighted to take your measure. She's looking right at you, her dark eyes framed by darker hair and that thick red scarf. She's looking at your blade and your face to see how you react.

As to that reaction, how good are you eyes, Hunter to take Chen's measure? If you can see well from afar, you've seen a change in Chen's bearing in this handful moments. When she was contemplating, there was such uncertainty on her, and if you could see her approach at a distance, you might have seen her fidget and look oh so worried. But once she saw Scales it has been all confidence and she seems to truly be relaxing in this moment, looking forward to enjoying this fight and excited to take your measure!

[Chen starts a fight and rolls to entice Rose, also embodying her heroic aspect of legendary skill in this fight. 6+2+2+1=11. She'll gain a string and Rose choose an option to react.]

Sunshards

Shouting demon creature, were you expecting to be ignored? The airborne princess before you, hovering just above the treeline leans casually against her glowing crystal sword, obviously lost in thought, cheek resting on one hand as she gazes distantly over the path, looking at you but not seeing you.

In her mind right now, she's mulling her mother's words, the horses, the strange whisper of the wind that still clings to her. Follow the Snake. Thinking always helped distract her. It was almost like art in her head. She'd start from something and begin drawing the picture in her mind, filling in the blank spots, taking a guess at what might fit best, imagining what could go where when she lacked the full suite of colors. She'd do that when she was little, when her Mom (Hesha) or Mommy (Ysel) would push her. They always complained that she'd fall apart under pressure and then praised her later for how fast she learned. Go hide alone somewhere and think through the problem until she could do everything perfectly and her parents would love her. Coping mechanisms.

Right now, she needed distracting. Like, say, from the crushing weight of being told that she's the "speartip of our entire alliance." Gosh, maybe if she was that important she could have one of her mother's shard tiaras then?! It would have made this a lot faster than shivering with the North Wind wrapping around her. All her warm wools did nothing when it was close like this, blowing into every little hole and crevice, ugh. She hadn't expected that answer. She was hoping for the wind to just blow ahead of her, lead her on a chase right to Yue. It meant something that she got a cryptic answer instead.

Her first thought was that the girl was on the move, but she dismissed that because when it came to pure speed, Chen was one of the fastest princesses in the nine kingdoms, barring magical cheating. If it was just a matter of catching a moving target, the wind could have still led her straight there. That meant magical cheating. Maybe if she went straight there, she'd run into Yin with a full bodyguard and get overpowered. The snake-based route might get her there with better timing or by surprise. Still it was odd, where was she going to find a...snake...

It's only when Scales of Meaning emerges behind Rose, her naga form slithering from the trees and her face flushed with obvious outrage that Chen's attention properly fixes on the two travelers, and it is Scales to whom she makes her descent. She lands smoothly on the balls of her feet, shifting her weight with a dancer's practiced ease and, holding her sword by its hilt in one hand, makes a formal but not overly deep hands clasped forwards style bow towards Scales of Meaning (and a slight gesture towards Rose as an afterthought). The landing says "I know what I'm doing" and the attention and care indicates formality and respect. Mom was always emphasizing how important it was to make a first impression and Chen needed to keep her excitement in check at so instantly finding the target of her instructions.

"Oh Great Scales of Meaning" she says, avoiding any hint of sarcasm (for it's obvious that slighting the title has enraged the snake) "Magistra of accounts and balances. My name is Chen, Princess of the Northern Wind. I would be honored if you would permit me to accompany you and your herald on your present journey for the day. There are many dangers about and travel is always safer in numbers."

She lifts her head having made the formal offer and shares a warm smile with the two travelers. It's obvious she knows a great deal more than she's saying and has offered no explanation for her presence. But it would be rude to breach decorum and ask before responding to her respectful request.

Sunshards

"Mom, why do you have to be like that, I'm calling now, I can't always do everything instantly!" Exasperation and more than a little whining in that tone, but also stalling for time while Chen thinks what to say. A beat, then "I was finishing my scouting above the lake and then princess Qiu sent me a message and I'm going to win an easy contest she put on to find one new handmaiden and have a dance with her! That's what you wanted me to do right, I'm supposed to confront her and get the advantage and take away her shards, so I'm doing my job and you should be proud that I jumped on this opportunity!"

Chen spits all of that out in a breath, barreling right past the assorted lies. She pointedly ignores the fact that she was doing art rather than scouting, and utterly ignores the tiny voice in her head admitting that she would spend any dance melting into Qiu's arms rather than gaining an advantage.

She has another short pause, but jumps in to interrupt before her mom can say anything about all this. "I um, to win the contest I need you to use your shard to help me find the girl before Princess Yin. She brought out a whole pack of her wolves! Can you ask the North Wind where I can find someone named Yue?"

[Not sure if Chen's Mom counts as parleying with a toxic power. I think so since she's part of the forces pushing the destiny. If so, the result is 3+5+0=8. GM's choice as to what the price of the answer is.]

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Constance

This is your question to answer for Robena's ear alone. A quick a word, a sigh, a sag of the shoulders could carry mountains of meaning. But there is much you could say to Robena as well. Uther's reign is not what it once was. Would you tell her in the knightly manner, that your lady of Lostwithiel still has not sworn fealty to the High King and you have had visions of fire and blood in his livery that must be stopped through courage, chivalry, and a touch of magic? Perhaps the rumors of King Pellinore on the hunt and the Questing Beast rampaging through the woods?

Or perhaps you would you tell her that Arthur, Uther's only child, is missing and there is no heir to be found? That Merlin left the court a few years prior and is not to be found though it is your quest to seek him? Perhaps you've even heard the darker rumors of the High King's mad rantings, the tournaments he hosts from which knights do not return, and the rumors from little birds that cursed knights akin to what you saw from the Azure Knight wander the land?

Or perhaps again your ear is closer to the land and its people. Would you tell her of the rumors that the harvests have thinned and those with less fortunate land have been starving nearer to Camelot? Of winters growing colder and darker than they seemed in past? Of the rumors of monsters and wild beasts ravaging fields? Or perhaps the dire news a few farmers brought in before your departure that a blight is starting on the wheat and the whole year's crop could be lost if something isn't done.

Tell Robena what it means to you, river-daughter, that what was is grander than what is, and that as you look forward to what will be you see room for a greater fall?

Tristan and Nin

Nin you've hit on something here. Something that isn't right. "I don't rightly know sirs" Mort says and shakes his head as if to clear it, his hair flouncing. He ties his helmet to his saddle and passes a hand before his eyes as though to check his vision. "Though I grew up in the King's castle, I can't recall anything of the creature before we heard of it ruining the fields and Merlin gave his prophecy. I'm sorry I cannot be of more assistance." He shakes his head again and seizes on Tristan's question like a lifeboat, perking up immediately. "Heirs? Of course, my lord, King Pellinore is known for her fierceness in all things and the laughs and shouts of her family are a delight to those of us who serve. Why there's Tor and her brother Aglovale, already fine young knights holding the keep in our absence, and then Ladies Lamorak and Dornar both squiring and of course little Percival, who's a delight to all who visit. You must never have come to the King's castle if you've heard of none of them. I'm sure that if we complete the hunt, she would feast you for a week and introduce the whole lot of them."

Sunshards

Yin is...complicated. Like, the whole magic knight thing is extremely aesthetic and Chen is into that! But she did some sketches of Yin the last time she visited and...well they're too romantic, Yin does these poses like she doesn't know how to hold herself naturally it's all glitz and show. The only good sketch (In Chen's opinion) was when they got back from a hunt and Chen surreptitiously started some lines going while Yin was helping her knights get settled. That moment where she was working, guard down, shoulders relaxed, and just a little sweaty was real. Her lips curl upwards a little remembering it with a smile. Chen hadn't given her that sketch though it was sitting in her collection for...reasons. She was going to ask Yin to visit Sourcefall soon and maybe go see the waterfalls together at dawn. She had this idea that if Yin were a bit more out of her constant shining auras and knights vs. monsters thing she'd finally let herself relax and maybe they'd even go swimming together in one of the northern lakes. She almost laughed aloud imagining Yin jumping into the frigid lake and then shouting at Chen for tricking into something so cold!

As she thinks on the current situation though, Chen's brow furrows with worry because Yin is loud. Not that she's scary, Qiu could easily outmatch her in a one on one for pure presence. But if Yin's already on this and it's not just her but a pack of her wolves, it's going to be a lot. Like light shows and golden halos kind of a lot. And sure that's cool, Chen might enjoy it another time, but she would have preferred to get to this Yue first. The poor girl is really going to get overwhelmed and having Yin with her whole retinue show up was enough to give Chen a headache, so she could only imagine what a poor country girl who had never even started handmaiden training would be feeling.

Chen was going to need to move light and fast. "I should go then. You really never go halfway, do you Princess Qiu? I'll try not to add to anyone ripping up the countryside. Can't wait to see what you paint when I get back with Yue!" She gives Qiu a little wave and, leaving her art supplies on the boat, points herself towards the lake. Before her flight down had been the height of grace and elegance, a dancer's pose from blade of her sword to the point of her toe. Now, she was crouched and eager, her body leaning forward into a point, her sword held close along her side. The light within it dances up and with a burst of sudden energy and a gust of wind Chen is off and over the lake at speed.

Once she's outside of the immediate influence of Qiu's shards, she sighs. She's not sure yet if she's going the right direction, but she knows how she's going to do this. The wind blows everywhere and it would know how to find this Yue. But Chen didn't have the power to ask the wind that herself. She was going to have to call her mother.

She swallowed and put the number into her phone. "Hey, Mom?"