HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
Rolls
Casting: Both spells succeed.
"Who goes there!?" Dornhall would demand aloud after nodding to Ashley's whispered suggestion, bracing himself against the wall. Ashley herself, in the meantime, would cast a spell that pointed her in the direction of the orc that had captured them. She wasn't exactly nearby, being at least a mile away, and most definitely wasn't the one outside the door. Dornhall would nod tersely as Ashley reported that, but appeared no calmer.
Jenn would look over, but made no preparations of her own. Karena would heft her sword, despite that she was still slowed by how gravid she was. "Tis an emissary of the Winter Court, sent by Lord Arclan Clay, high knight of Winter and servant to the queen of air and darkness," a feminine voice answered, cold and impatient.
Ashley felt herself relax, somewhat. If it was true then it was a very good sign. She could still be worried about her fellow academy mages. But Jenn was with her, and Clay was apparently alive and had means of finding survivors. An emissary sent by the Winter Knight didn't necessarily mean they were free and clear yet, but any help at all was appreciated.
And, further, anyone lying about being a servant of Mab would most likely find themselves suffering her considerable displeasure. If they were powerful enough to scorn that threat... then there wasn't much Ashley and her group could do to stop them. That left the possibility of a someone who was both lying and stupid. Which was overall considerably less threatening. But given how vulnerable they were... she held up a hand, indicating that Dornhall should wait a moment.
The wind mage cleared her throat, and answered, shifting language. "Hello, emissary. Demons attack us here ago, and will attack us here later. Do you see signs of demons, outside?" She cursed herself silently, as her somewhat-rusty Elven would certainly sound clumsy. But if the person outside could understand Elven, it substantially increased the odds that they were aware that impersonating an official of the Winter Court was unwise, so Ashley would consider them genuine and indicate that Dornhall should let them in, almost regardless of their response.
Language: Elven: 4(3+1) Academy, and friendship with fey
Ashley isn't fluent, but is the next best thing, so I assume she can mostly understand and make herself understood, in general if not perfectly.
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
The armored orc looked to Ashley, expression still hidden by his leonine helm, but clearly seeking some indication of what she wanted to do. Karena would move closer to the door, but only just, putting her beside Ashley, her sword raised.
"Your grasp of that tongue is embarrassing," the woman behind the wall retorted dourly, and to Ashley's ears it still sounded like she was speaking in Crolian. "The language of the lostkin is eloquent, if still limited... Do not disgrace it further by fumbling with it. There are no demons out here, nor any sign of their presence save the carcass sitting beside the doorstep."
Assuming that the person's chastisement didn't cause Ashley to change her mind, when she opened the door she would be confronted with the sight of a strange looking woman. She had pale, icy blue skin, horns that curled back over her head jutting up from beneath her straight black hair, pointed elven ears, and long nails. Despite the cold, she was clad in a top that left her midriff and shoulders exposed, a simple piece of white cloth with narrow straps crossing over her collar, as well as a pair of buckskin trousers with diamond shaped holes in the sides created by the ties holding them together, and a pair of simple leather boots. In one hand she held a closed hide bag, and in the other she held a rack with a half dozen fish hanging from it.
"May I come in?" she asked impatiently, but awaited an invitation from Ashley before stepping inside, sweeping past Dornhall, Ashley, and Karena to approach the fire. "I was brought with a command from Lord Arclan - to remain in place until you can be reached - a message - that the rest of the party is safe, intact, and on the way - and instructions... To deliver you supplies, and remain until Arclan's arrival, aiding you as you need to ensure that you are not overtaken again."
She let that settle while kneeling down beside the fireplace and opening her bag, revealing a selection of neatly packed fruit, bread biscuits wrapped in leaves, dried meats, and a silver canteen. She spent a moment examining the supplies critically, and then drew a silver knife and began to scale the fish over a paper mat taken from her bag. "That does mean that one of you will have to pay the price of my summoning," she added casually, without looking over her shoulder.
The response is rude, but then doubting that kind of claim was somewhere between paranoid and rude itself. Ashley decides to ignore it, and signals Dornhall to open the door.
The woman isn't exactly what the wind mage imagined. Blue skin, elven features, with clothing more appropriate to a summer day in her native Badaria than the blizzard conditions outside. But that did, at least, explain why she showed up in the middle of the blizzard rather than waiting. She would be at least as capable during the blizzard as before or after, if not more so. Not as Ashley imagined, but perhaps what she should have expected. And another mild surprise, she politely asks permission before entering. Ashley responded, "You may, emissary."
Ashley looked at the food, her stomach rumbling, reminding her that she'd given birth since her last meal. But dealing with the Fae woman had to come first, and she listened to her explanation. "Stay here. Well, we weren't exactly planning on leaving tonight anyway, but I hope Lord Arclan makes haste." Ashley quickly outlined the situation - the Orc, the demons who had originally captured them, and the masters who were apparently being summoned. "With your aid perhaps we can defend ourselves against them, but that depends on who comes for us, and what reinforcements they can call."
And then there was the final bit. After a moment's thought, she decided to just ask. "I've heard of prices anywhere from a little gold to agreeing to complete some quest. Even being allowed to slay a demon, which is definitely in the cards. What price do you require? I'm sure any of us would be willing to pay a reasonable cost for your aid..." Ashley turned her gaze to the others, hoping to see confirmation.
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
"The weather does not make travel easy for those with him, and he must remain near the others to guard them against the storm," the faerie woman replied, "he will not be able to come here until the storm eases, and that will not be for some time." She would listen impassively while Ashley laid out what had happened, making no comment as she prepared the fish she'd brought.
When Ashley asked what the faerie required as component cost to her summoning, she simply answered; "That one of you have my children." She had said it casually, but Karena blanched, and Jenn shuddered. Dornhall, however, piped in; "There is an alternative; these three have just been traumatized enough, and-" The orc was cut off, the faerie coldly answering; "I will not bear your seed in my womb. Were it Lord Arclan, I would consider it... But not for you."
The orc growled, the sound distorted by his helm, but the faerie did not react, leaving him to shrug and drop the matter. After another moment, the scent of fish roasting over a fire filled the cabin, further excaberating Ashley's hunger. Jenn began to stir, looking up and shifting a little to watch the faerie cook, though she remained essentially curled up in her bedding. "If demons are your foe, you would do well to begin fortifying this cabin. They will have nearly as little trouble moving through the storm as I did, though I doubt they will have as easy a time navigating it... Unless their summoner is familiar with this place."
Ashley blinked, stunned. Bear her... children. She looked at her companions. Karena, her belly obviously swollen with some demon or another's foul seed, and clearly not interested in paying that cost. Jenn, swollen just as obviously, and Ashley could never ask her to do that anyway. And Dornhall, obviously lacking the appropriate equipment. At which point the emissary made it clear that while the reverse was potentially an option, the orc was not. Great. That left only herself. And her big mouth.
But... the fae loved their wordplay. And another thought suddenly occurred to Ashley. But it had to be approached carefully.
"I agree that we need to fortify, the sooner the better. But lets talk about that... cost. We did not summon you. You have already delivered supplies, and a message, at the request of Arclan. We could send you back to him now, and ask him to pay your price, or find someone he can convince to do so. But lacking your aid could cost us our lives. Or worse. So... lets make a more specific agreement."
Ashley took a deep breath. "You will aid us to the best of your ability from now until Lord Arclan arrives and dismisses you, or three days, whichever comes first. In return for that and for all you have done so far, I will have intercourse with you, with the intent of conceiving a child. I will choose where, in what position, and when, starting no more than 12 hours from the end of your service. We will continue until you are satisfied that a child has been conceived or three hours have passed. I will do nothing to terminate the pregnancy. Do you agree?"
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
The faerie continued preparing the fish while Ashley verbally worked through her estimation of the situation and concluded with addressing the "price" that they had mentioned. Ashley's efforts to play around with the wording of the deal wouldn't seem to phase her or take the brunt of her concentration from her task, but she didn't respond immediately. Her quiet consideration lasted for a few seconds, during which she flipped the fish and applied a bit of seasoning taken from a leather pouch in her bag.
"Your terms are unacceptable," she replied, her tone cold and placid. Dramatic as that declaration might have been, however, the faerie would let it settle for a moment before adding; "But not irreparable. Several things... Firstly; My deal was with Lord Arclan, and only he may offer an alternative end to the timing. The cost falls upon one of you because he wishes it, and because he believed that your need for aid was dire enough to broker my services. I will remain with you until I am dead, or until you are delivered safely to him.
"Secondly; Choose the position? No, I think not. It is not for you to dictate the manner by which I will acquire my payment from you. Far too many mortals are sub par lovers, and so the how shall be up to me; if you prove to be a dead fish, I can at least extract SOME enjoyment from you. A degree of veto power such that you cannot come to harm through the course of our mating is an acceptable addition.
"Thirdly; It will be I who decides the where, and as matter of necessary convenience, the when will not have a time limit. The condition that I do not take you elsewhere such that it would be difficult or inconvenient to return to your companions is perfectly acceptable, as is the condition that you need only carry my seed once as payment for this particular contract."
The faerie would retrieve a set of wooden plates and begin to stack food onto them. "I believe that you can comprehend my amended stipulations without needing a summary. Technically, this isn't a negotiation to begin with, but some quibbling on details I can appreciate," she continued, before twisting around and offering Ashley a plate of food, "anything else?"
Ashley nodded to the first point. "I'm not going to object to the possibility that you end up serving us for longer than expected. Only that the payment is not to be expected until that duration is finished."
"But as for the details of that payment... I will not have this hanging over my head for years, waiting for you to collect your payment. Nor will I agree allow you to 'collect' at a time when it may interfere with another obligation. Let us instead agree that it will be done as soon as possible following the end of your service. If on the same day, then I may have an hour to prepare or finish what I'm doing. If it can't be done the same day, then I may delay up to 24 hours. I would also prefer some guarantee that there will not need to be an excessive number of... attempts... due to either nature or deliberate interference."
"For where, your suggestion is acceptable, provided that the location you choose is private. Nobody else needs to witness this."
The wind mage struggled for a moment with the final objection, the only one that really mattered. She had intended to make use of Jenn's ring to give herself a penis, and then pick a position where conception was (hopefully) possible, but with the other woman the one bearing the child. She could rephrase the request, maybe insist she decided which orifice was penetrated, or which womb was fertilized. But since there was only one apparent option for both, that didn't seem likely to slip bye the blue woman. There was one more possibility. That the woman was simply fine with getting pregnant herself. Given what Ashley knew of the Fey, she'd be more likely to agree to that after seeing what the Wind Mage was capable of, assuming she did well in the expected conflict. She ground her teeth, looking for another possibility, before finally giving in. "And fine, you can have say in the position. But I get to propose a suggestion first, once we are alone and ready. If it's objectionable, you can propose three alternatives, and I pick one."
After a moment, the mage added "And a question, somewhat related. What, exactly, are you? Both in terms of... the child... and what you can offer to our defenses?"
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
"The first matter is acceptable; I had no interest in delaying my payment. Tis better to see the matter settled as soon as we may," she would answer when Ashley clarified the timing, though then she would coolly add; "It is unlikely that many attempts will be required; I have magic and access to potions that will make sure of that. However... Be aware that I would literally fuck you to death before I let you skip out on fulfilling your end of the bargain." Karena blanched at that, and gave Ashley an incredulous look. Jenn, in contrast, had seemingly zoned out and was merely waiting to be fed.
"The degree to which you are arguing this seems suspicious," she would remark coolly, "but... Very well. I believe that three options will be sufficient. If that is all, I believe that our accord is reached."
"I am sidhe," the faerie woman would answer, "high sidhe, of the court of Winter. The frigid air and all that call it home are under my power, be they living or... Otherwise." She would fix Ashley with an icy glare; "I can raise and command the dead, call upon the beasts of the wild, form guardians from stone or ice alike, conjure cold that could freeze even a demon's blood in its heart... Is that sufficient, or shall I go on?"
"Well forgive me," Ashley responded, somewhat hotter, "if I'm worried about little details in a bargain with someone that just literally threatened to 'fuck me to death' if I don't fulfill every detail. I know enough about the fey to be wary."
She sighed. There were a few more details that occurred to her - like what if she died before giving payment. But maybe that detail wasn't wise to bring up. Quite apart from the fact that she didn't intend to die, as it was her companions would probably escape having to pay as it was.
And the woman was a High Sidhe. Of Winter, if that hadn't already been obvious. Well. The Sidhe ranged widely in power, but even the weakest would be a worthwhile ally. A High Sidhe might be a nasty shock to a demon returning expecting only to encounter Ashley and her allies. "Very well. Agreed." The price was high, but if she was alive and free to pay it, then it would probably be worthwhile.
"In that case, we should start preparing. Unless the rest of you have any objections," the wind mage looked questioningly at the others, "I suggest that the most useful thing you can offer right at the moment is information. If as you suspect our foes can easily traverse the blizzard, but can't clearly see... it would be good to have warning before they arrive, and to know what exactly is coming. The rest of us... I can make some preparations inside, if we have time, but I suspect that the best Jenn and maybe Karena could do would be to rest and recover as much as they can before the fight."
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured Sidhe
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
The faerie would return to handing out food, making no reaction either to Ashley's irritated protest, or to her ultimate agreement. There was a sudden sense of dread finality that arose when Ashley gave her consent, however, but it was a brief and fleeting sensation.
"Eat first," the sidhe replied when Ashley suggested that they start preparing, rising as she did so. Jenn barely seemed to react to anything around her, and was simply eating very slowly and despondently. Karena merely shrugged and shook her head, "I don't see any better options... And I'm hungry." Dornhall would move to take some of his own, but at the sight of the orc's limp, the sidhe would kneel in front of him and grasp his leg. Ashley felt the regenerative magics going off, healing the battered bone and ligaments, and the orc paused before listing the visor of his helmet in order to help himself to the offered meal.
"I can conjure a pack that will keep watch; the howls will signal an enemy's approach," the sidhe would say once her healing was done, rising to her feet. "And I will reinforce and disguise the cabin with a later of ice. At least if they attempt to blast us out, we'll have some warning."
Ashley considered. There were some minor precautions she could take, but if they were reasonably sure that the attack wasn't coming *now*, then the best would probably be to rest and recover. If it was likely to be some hours before the attack, eating now and resting later seemed like a good idea. Her instinct was to oppose the Fey, to say she could have thought of that herself. But she hadn't. And she was paying an awful lot for her help. Best to take it, then. The wind mage joined Jenn, trying to make sure she ate, worried that she still wasn't responding well.
As the sidhe moved on, Ashley turned to her again. "That would be most useful. I could put up a ward to alarm when someone passed, but I couldn't give us more than a few seconds warning in this blizzard, and it would do nothing to slow them down. Do what you can and return, and we will discuss our plans for when the attack comes."
The wind mage returned to her meal, and waited for the Sidhe to finish whatever healing she was offering and leave the cabin, or at least move out of easy earshot. Then she would turn to Jenn. "Love? They hurt us. And worse. I know. And when this is over, we'll take time to recover. You can take... as long as it takes. I promise. But it isn't over yet, and I need to know if you're going to be able to fight. If not... I'll protect you. But if you can..."
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured Sidhe
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
The faerie paused briefly when Ashley addressed her, nodded, and then went out the door. That left Ashley to deal with Jenn, who was... Not doing well. Normally when eating, she liked to savor her food. Even simple meals that she'd had many times tended to go down slowly, allowing her to savor every bite. Now, she was shoveling the food into her mouth without even tasting it, taking no advantage of something that she'd normally have taken as a pleasure. The fairy had managed to make something of a decent meal, but Jenn seemed not even to taste it, and as soon as she was finished eating she retreated back into her makeshift sleeping bag.
Dornhall and Karena were talking on the couch in quiet voices, leaving Ashley to try and shake her lover out of the stupor that the traumatizing events had left her in. She stared back at Ashley expressionlessly, showing no real reaction at first as the storm mage first spoke. That expressionless didn't fade, but it did start to crack; blankness turned to muted shock, and she began to shake. "It won't make any difference," she whispered hoarsely, cringing further at the sound of her own voice, "it won't matter... I'll kill them if they come in, but it won't matter..."
Ashley shook her head, sadly. "Of course it would matter, love. They caught us by surprise the first time. They will not like what happens if they try again when we're ready." It was clear the water mage wasn't going to be at 100% for the fight, but she'd recover eventually. She looked down at her amulet. Ashley had resisted the urge to use it the moment it was recovered because the original reasons for coming on this trip hadn't vanished. Fleeing back to the Academy would be defeat. But it wouldn't be as bad as losing the upcoming fight. And maybe, for Jenn, it wasn't even worth the risk. "But if you're convinced it's hopeless... It is not. We have a way out." She leaned back down, taking the amulet off and slipping it around Jenn's neck, whispered the instructions for activating it into Jenn's ear.
Ashley also considered the preparation she herself might make. Now that she'd eaten, and had some time to consider the new reality of their situation - that Clay and other allies were coming, and what the Fae had told her of the Blizzard's effects on both Clay and the demons - the answer seemed obvious. She'd once taken out an Alien Mothership with a storm conjured in minutes. Given an hour it should be trivial for her to either ensure the Blizzard remained until Clay could reach them, or lessen its effects to allow Clay to hurry through it and arrive sooner and more prepared. The fae was even now readying conjurations to give them warning equal to what the wind mage could manage, and reinforcements against assault that Ashley wasn't sure she could replicate. Which left a fairly simple plan to present to the Fae when she returned:
Either worsen or lessen the blizzard to maximize their chances. Sleep to recover her strength until the warning sounded. And then start casting every enhancement she could maintain over the course of a fight.
Ashley is giving Jenn "escape", her necklace enchanted with the ability to transport the wearer safely back to the Academy when activated. She has explained how to activate it for that purpose, while the Fey is outside. Her intent is for Jenn to get out before the action if she feels it's utterly hopeless. She hasn't specifically mentioned that the user can bring other creatures with them, and intends to resist if Jenn tries to take her with her.
Escape - A pale stone about the size of a nickel set in a tight silver necklace. [...] Enchanted to cast the Instant Transmission power, drawing on a moderate internal well of energy (20). Twisting the bottom half to face burned-side up, then back, will activate the power by attempting to teleport the bearer to a room intended for magical arrivals in the Academy.
Instant Transmission
The character can teleport themselves and anyone they are in contact with to any location that they have been previously, or can see from where they are.
-Utility Power.
-If out of combat, the character pays 6 EP, and teleports to any location that they have previously been to or can see from their current position.
-Any creature touching a character using this power goes with them, as do any objects that the character can carry.
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Pregnant with two stalkers Karena Arselone: Pregnant with twin goblins Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured Sidhe
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
Jenn would stare back almost blankly, her miasma of despair unbroken by Ashley's attempts to pierce it with reason. She would take the enchanted necklace and stare at it for a moment, holding the pendant in her hand as it lay around her neck, and said nothing... But she didn't pop out of existence, retreating to the Academy even if she now had the ability to do so.
With her lover potentially reassured, that would leave Ashley to decide on how best she could contribute to their defenses. This was not the time for direct magic, and so she assembled a circle on the floor, in a clear portion of the small room, to begin her work to manipulate the blizzard. Karena would watch briefly before going back to resting, and Dornhall would keep guard by the door as Ashley went through the necessary patterns to begin tapping into the natural energies swirling around them outside. First she had to understand them, then begin to "feel" them, and only then could she dictate whether the storm was to lessen that Arclan and the party could rejoin them faster, or strengthen that their attackers would have a harder time getting to them.
The faerie that had been sent to them returned midway through the ritual, having completed her preparations outside, but she merely glanced Ashley's way before moving to sit opposite the hearth cross legged and meditate.
Ashley sat, back against the walls with legs crossed and palms on her knees. She'd been taught the proper form for meditation at the Academy, of course, but the entire point was to relax, so that her physical body didn't distract from what she was doing with her mind, and she'd been doing that since before her first formal lesson. It wasn't easy, today. There was still a dull ache in her jaw, and another in her asshole, a reminder of the too-recent violation at the 'hands' of the tentacle horror. And a rather more pointed throbbing pain from her pussy, which had suffered the most at the attentions of her various rapists and most recently when her brief monstrous pregnancy had ended.
But all those - even the worst - were far enough removed for her to ignore without too much effort. Next, however, came the mental distractions. Foremost among them Jenn. Her lover wasn't doing well. But as much as she wanted to run over to her and wrap her arms around the woman, the best way to protect her was to do this. This, and what she'd already done, with the amulet. Even if her manipulation here failed, Jenn had a way out. Using it might have consequences, but hopefully knowing those consequences were the worst that could happen would eventually ease the water mage's mind. And that, with some effort, proved enough to let Ashley focus on the Storm.
The wind howled, full of snow that would make it impossible to see your own hand in front of your face. But the snow was practically irrelevant to the power of the storm. The cold wind would be merciless, ripping the heat from a body, and killing an unprotected person in mere minutes. And there would be no easy protection. First they blew one way, then another, taking anyone or anything that had tried to shelter behind rock or tree from rear, ruthless and brutal. Ashley reached further, upward and outward. The storm was enormous. She couldn't feel the land, much what see it, but through long experience she could sense where the storm rose up, and understood that this was because the land rose up as well. It was massive, the mountains themselves insignificant by comparison. But at that level it made more sense. It wasn't merciless, or ruthless, or brutal. The death of a bird, deer, or even sentient creatures was so small that even if it had a consciousness it would be like the death of an unseen bacteria.
It was a great, mindless beast, slowly trudging across the north, not caring where it tread, where it came from, or where it went. But Ashley cared. And while chaining it forever or banishing it with a word and gesture were beyond her - beyond anyone, she thought - it wasn't a mountain. It was in motion. And the right prod in the right place would be enough to slow it, or drive it to go faster. But she hadn't actually made a decision on what to do with the it, yet.
Her instinct was to freeze the storm in place. To hold it over the tiny cabin, and stoke it, until nothing could live outside shelter for a hundred miles in any direction. But the more she thought about it, it seemed that at best she would be delaying everything. Even if the demonic attack couldn't proceed during the storm, neither could the rescue. And while Clay himself might be able to ignore the cold to a greater or lesser degree, Ashley felt it likely that the *rest* of the party would be hampered more than the demonic forces. It was the only possible way to defeat her foes herself - if she made the storm worsen suddenly, she might get lucky and kill demons who thought they understood the power of winter. It was the right move. If rescue wasn't in the cards.
But it was. Not just expected, but with the presence of the Fey, Ashley felt that it was effectively just a matter of time. They had to hold out until then. Survive and, if not actually win, at least not get carried away. And if the demons could get through the storm better than Clay's party... then it would be better if there *were* no storm. But even if that were the best solution, it was well beyond her power to snap her fingers and dismiss a blizzard of this size and strength. But just as a pebble in the right place at the right time could cause an avalanche, the touch of a woman who knew what she was doing...
Ashley started pushing before she could have second thoughts. A touch of heat here, stilling a breeze there, pulling the strength of one gale to enhance another. For a storm of this size, it wouldn't be a single touch, but dozens, expertly applied, pulling power from herself and the world around her, until the storm was bent to her will. When she started, she could have given a perfect forecast of the next day or so. By the time she was done, she would have changed that forecast to match her desires.
In this case, a delicate balance. Unable to halt the storm immediately, she settled for knowing when it would end, at a time of her choosing. The storm would rage, showing every sign of holding in place, pouring snow and wind on this hut and the surrounding miles for *days*. But an hour before dawn it would stop, suddenly and without warning. That would, hopefully, give them time to rest and prepare, and the sudden change in conditions - expected by the defenders but not the demons - might work to their advantage. Certainly, it would maximize the speed with which Clay and his party - who after all needed to sleep at some point as well - could arrive.
After what felt like hours, but which Ashley knew was only minutes, she blinked her eyes and focused back on the cabin, shuddering slightly as her sense of the storm faded, and she announced the results of her efforts to Jenn and the others.
Ashley has attempted to influence the storm, so that for the next several hours it continues with every appearance that it will last for days... until it suddenly and without warning stops shortly before dawn.
The idea is that Ashley hopes to trick the demons into giving up the element of surprise, attacking exactly when she expects, allowing the defenders to be more ready than they would otherwise be. Alternatively, the demons will realize the end of the storm was magic, see through her clever plan, and delay their attack... while Clay is marching towards the cabin, unimpeded by any storm.
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Weakened, Naked, Arcane Brilliance (+9 Focus)
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Exhausted Karena Arselone: Naked, Exhausted Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured Sidhe
Two babby Stalkers?
Two babby Goblins?
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA?
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
The cabin rattled and creaked around Ashley as she guided the storm, miniature gusts of frigid cold piercing the primitive structure through the weakest cracks in its structure. Fortunately, she had already prepared herself to resist such environs when enchanting some of her gear, and the cold could barely touch her, much less distract her. The voices of her odd collection of allies were as distant to her as the sounds of the raging blizzard while she concentrated on manipulating the storm, allowing Ashley to reach into the currents of energy that shaped the weather. Even ritual magic wouldn't have allowed her to shift that much matter and energy, but that wasn't what the ritual had been meant to do. Training had honed her natural connection with the wild fury of storms like this one, and she pulled on just the right strands to make it do exactly as she wanted. The storm would last until morning before abating, ensuring that any travel would be difficult to the point of being practically suicidal without the proper protection, at least in the local area.
Rolls
Perception: 3 successes.
Luck: ???
With her work finished, Ashley would find herself with a bit of time to kill, though relaxing would be difficult. The demons could attempt to brave the storm and attack at any moment, leaving a nervous tension thrumming through the small space. Every time she looked at either Jenn or Karena, it was like their bellies were bigger, and unlike Ashley their offspring wouldn't be easily crushed eggs; the knight had been impregnated by goblins, and Jenn was carrying the offspring of the reptilian stalker demons that she had been hypnotically forced to pleasure.
Some hours would pass, though it was difficult to really tell the time. Jenn would sleep, fitfully, and with regular gasps signalling that she had awakened again. Karena would increasingly look like she was having trouble moving as she waddled around, casting longing glances at her arms and armor. Dornhall would watch out the windows, staring through the visor of his helmet out into the blizzard, but would take bouts of resting on the couch, on the floor, or against the wall, if only briefly. It was clear that he was exhausted, likely not surprising given that he had followed them here on an injured leg, without the benefit of magical protection against the storm, and kept watch over them after killing the tentacled horror in the midst of its bout of violation, but he was making efforts to keep alert and functional anyway. Only their new faerie ally seemed truly at ease, and alternated between taking turns at watch, relaxing, and eyeing Karena and Jenn.
It would come to pass that both Jenn and Karena would give birth before the night was out. The former went first, gasping to wakefulness and then giving a pained groan. Karena, gravid as she was, ambled over to help immediately, while Dornhall went to grab a bucket of snow to boil into some more clean water. Their faerie overseer would keep out of it, allowing Ashley to midwife for her lover as she delivered a pair of win demons. The stalker infants did not wail with their birth, instead unleashing hissing cries until pressed into their mother's arms... Or silenced with whatever method Ashley chose should she elect simply to kill them while Jenn was still delirious. Fortunately, it being a demonic birthing, it went incredibly smoothly, and a bit of healing magic would leave Jenn essentially whole again.
Karena's birthing was some hours after that, and again it would be up to Ashley to deal with it. The knight dealt with it much better than Jenn had, going through the necessary steps with almost practiced ease, and soon had a pair of goblin offspring held uncertainly to her chest. Unlike Jenn, she was fairly lucid, and made no indication that she wanted her offspring slain. Whether Ashley made to do that anyway or not, the storm outside would suddenly and noticeably quiet... But only from directly outside the front door.
A look outside would reveal a tunnel of force, an outstretched bubble of energy that the snow and wind were glancing off of like they would a physical structure, and down that conjured corridor Ashley could see clearly out to the treeline... And the ominous crimson flashes appearing there. Whatever magic was taking place, it was being conducted out of line of sight, ensuring that it would be very hard to make any kind of accurate spell placement, but already Ashley could see movement between the tree trunks... Night was still around them, and the storm had not yet abated, but the demons had come anyway, despite the blizzard and the additional feet of snow that it had already left upon the ground.
Despite the tense situation, once her ritual was finished Ashley dropped her maintained spell and did her best to sleep. With everything going on it wouldn't be easy. If she herself hadn't only recently given birth, and then done some intensive magic. As it was, it felt as if she'd sat down next to Jenn and closed her eyes only seconds ago when her girlfriend squeezed her hand hard enough to wake her. The situation was immediately obvious, a contraction drawing a scream from Jenn.
The wind mage quickly got to her feet, helped bare her lover's lower half, then held her hand, gently trying to calm her and coach her through her deliveries while Dornhall boiled water for the cleanup after. Fortunately it only lasted a few minutes, even with two of the aliens being born. Ashley shuddered, trying and failing not to remember her own recent labor. With the aliens born, she turned to their mother, looking for any indication that she wanted them. She knew she had wanted nothing to do with her own spawn, and felt Jenn would agree, but sometimes feelings changed when one was actually in this situation. But the water mage was still practically insentient. Well then. Ashley made sure the stalkers were handed to Dornhall, and silently indicated that they should be taken out of Jenn's sight and eliminated.
Once she had Jenn covered, cleaned, and asleep, Ashley collapsed next to her, trusting the newly-arrived fae to keep their bargain and keep them from being taken completely by surprise. And this time actually felt a bit rested when she was again awoken by the sound of a woman going into labor. Karena had more of her wits about her, but the vulnerability of pushing a living creature out of her vagina was impossible to remain stoic through. But since she was awake and lucid, Ashley was hardly going to rip the newborns from her chest. It would be up to the woman to let go if she wanted them 'taken care of'. If not...
Suddenly, the sounds of the storm quieted, and what to do with the goblins was the last thing on Ashley's mind. She looked out the window, and could see a bubble of energy, holding back the blizzard in a tunnel between the front door and the treeline. It was still full dark - though given that the storm still raged, Ashley couldn't be certain if dawn and the storm's end was minutes or hours away. But this was... bad. Her gamble had been not just that their foes would be forced to wait until dawn to attack, but that they would be forced to wait until dawn even to approach. Because rescue definitely would.
So, three options, and they had to decide immediately. Stall. Attack. Or flee.
With the preparatory work she'd done, and with certainly hours having passed since then, the storm could end any second, or still be hours from completion. That probably ruled out flight. It would be incredibly dangerous in the storm, and if the enemy could follow them then they would be fighting at a disadvantage. And if the storm ended... they would be out in the open, without even the meager defenses of the cabin.
Ashley's first instinct was to attack. Now, immediately, against enemies who expected them to hunker down. There was a clear path, and a decisive blow might disrupt the attack and leave the demons split up and exposed to the elements. But... it wouldn't really be a surprise attack, would it? The demons would be aware that they had touched the cabin with their magic, and she had to assume that they expected the defenders to be aware. They might not actually *expect* an attack, but only because it would be suicidal.
Defend, then. And again her instinct was to act immediately. Some form of magic held open this path - she was a skilled countermage. If she focused her efforts, either she could take down that path, or they were all hopelessly outclassed. Hopefully the former. But again she overrode her instincts. Diving into the fight impulsively is what had gotten her into this situation in the first place. No. The attack hadn't started, but the move wasn't to start it *herself*. It was to defend. To strike where there was a chance with little risk, but otherwise just to hold out until the storm broke and reinforcements could arrive.
And something was wrong. She turned to the Fae. "You conjured a pack to keep watch. What do they see?"
In the mean time, the wind mage wouldn't stand by. Ashley checked that Thunder was loaded and ready, then pulled in a small amount of energy, intensely focusing her mind.
At this point, I'm assuming I'm all clothed and geared back up, having had several hours to recover. Hopefully even the negative statuses we've built up will at least be reduced.
But Ashley's action at this point is to cast:
Arcane Armor (Buff) [Can buff Dodge, Armor, or Resistances.]
Picking Resistances. Focus, if I have to specify one.
Ashley has a base of 14 casting dice, +3 for Focus in Arcane, and will cast with Dedicated Concentration, sacrificing 10 dodge dice for +5 bonus dice. 22 total. She rerolls both 2's and 3's on casting checks.
She needs 2 successes to cast the spell and gain its level 2 effect (with bonus from Focus talent). Note that for every four successes beyond the needed amount, buff spells are treated as a spell level higher for the purpose of their effects.
HP = 52/52, PP = 72, EP = 77/78, Status = Fine, Arcane Armor (+18 to all Resistance checks) Upkeep = 1 EP
NPCs Jenn: Naked, Exhausted Karena Arselone: Naked, Exhausted Dornhall the Troll Slayer: Injured Sidhe
Sharog: Unhelpful orc captor, MIA?
Daniella Boulay: ??? Ryon Toma: ??? Alex Kovisto: ??? Professor Laura Steiner: ???
Arclan Clay: ???
Jiub the Slaver: ??? Ayeila: ??? Caragor: ??? Grumush: ??? Gronkor: ??? Dalmen: ??? Scortha: ??? Nilsin the Red: ??? Trogo son of Trondor: ??? Ylsig: ???
Jenn, as insensate and unresponsive as she'd been since the rape had occurred, would offer no reaction when her labor was done and the squirming, silvery-skinned demonic infants squealed for her attention. Dornhall, returning with water, would pause at that, and when Ashley made to hand them to him and silently bid him to do the dirty work in eliminating them, he would hesitate. Ultimately, however, her would nod and exchange the infants for the water and take them to the door. Their faerie guardian watched him carry them away with no expression, but then turned to gaze at Ashley and Jenn for a few minutes, still expressionless but totally unblinking.
Fortunately, Ashley would be able to get enough rest at that point to have largely recovered from her ordeal, or at least recovered enough that she wouldn't be hindered in her efforts to defend herself. Karena would look uncertain as the storms sudden quieting at their door, holding her goblinoid offspring against her breast as sweat coated her brow. It was clear that she didn't have the capacity to make so fateful a decision in so quick a time, and with Ashley offering no input, Dornhall would coldly say; "We cannot take them with us, Karena." Despite his tone, he would place his hand on her shoulder, as comforting as the gesture could be given his fully armored state, and she would look up at him with a pained look, her lip quivering. Finally, after a long moment, she would murmur; "I know." Then, she would offer the infant goblins to the orc, who would take them gingerly despite his intent, and again go to the back room where Ashley had, at one point, been allowed to clean herself up.
Karena, despite her exhaustion and the hanging of her head suggesting that her emotional state was less than ideal, would awkwardly amble to her feet and start going for her armor, wincing as she tried to climb into it. When he got back from his grim task, Dornhall would grumble; "What are you doing? You are in no fit state to fight." Karena, still wincing as she tried to get her greaves on, would reply; "And you are, on a broken leg that's only being held together by your armor!? If they take this cabin, we can't afford for any of us to be caught defenseless. We literally don't have a choice right now!" Dornhall, it seemed, had no good reply to that, and merely grumbled before taking up his spear again and moving to stand by the door.
Rolls
Casting: 19 successes. She may bring it up to a 6th level spell, effectively. It will only cost 1 EP to cast, but it will still cost upkeep as if it were a 6th level spell, so 4 EP per round.
Buff: 5 + 1 from Focus in Arcane, for 6 per spell level. After some ooc consultation, Ashley elects to cast it as a 3rd level spell, for 1 upkeep.
Ashley's casting would go uninterrupted, allowing her to divert her full concentration to it, and while she might have put a lot more energy into it if she'd so wished, it would opt to limit it somewhat so as to conserve her energies. Her mind, body and spirit now protected from any incoming threats, she could turn her attention to the faerie guardian, who would answer her question with a scowl and; "If they slipped past the winter wolves, it means they either slew them before any could raise the alarm, or were aware of them enough to evade them. Let me... Yes, no, the pack is untouched. I will call them in closer, to harry the flanks of our foes, but if they have guile and magics enough to have gotten this far, prompting them to make a frontal assault would be.... Unwise. They would serve, at beast, as a brief distraction. For now, I will bring them closer, to observe and see who and what besieges us."
While she was concentrating on that, Dornhall would be helping Karena into her armor, and Ashley would have a moment to check her gun over. Looking out the window into the raging blizzard, Ashley would see figures in the distance, coming down the force-tunnel towards them. "There is an orc," the faerie declared, "and with her are demons. Casters, by the look of them. Several. I cannot discern if they are merely conjured, or if they walk our realm in their true flesh, without seeing them with my own eyes. Five demons in all. One maintains the force tunnel. Three others, along with the orc, are conjuring forces. Goblins, in large groups, for now. They... Have several others with them, fae, four... Nymphs. They are bound, and the demons are consuming their energies to conjure more of themselves."
Energy moved around and within the wind mage. After what felt like an eternity sealed away from the energy of the world, everything seemed to move just so. Perhaps it was luck, or the fact that she had attuned herself to the storm earlier, or the exuberance of being able to do magic again, but everything aligned perfectly as she pulled the energy into a defensive posture. Not only would it defend her from direct attacks on her casting, the magical defenses would free her to focus more intently on her outgoing spells, they would protect her spirit, and even speed up the reactions of her body. For a moment it was *too* much, pushing her to levels of awareness and focus beyond what she'd experienced before... and she could feel the energy pouring out of her to do it. She pulled back a bit, trying to balance the usefulness of the spell against the cost to her magical reserves, until only a trickle flowed out of her, while her will was still hardened to steel, if not quite the mithril it had briefly reached.
That done, Ashley listened to the fae's assessment, and nodded.. A grim situation. But at least the fae was proving her worth. Just what she had said so far could be enough to save them, if Ashely could just work out the details. And if there were no nasty surprises.
The goblins. It seemed obvious they would soon start throwing waves of them at the cabin. That was... not a significant problem. If they surrounded Ashley, they might manage to grab her and take her effectively out of the fight. But running down a tunnel towards her? There the advantage went to the wind mage. She could fill that passage with deadly winds, killing them or driving them into the snowstorm, which would be, if not deadly then at least a force multiplier. And now that she had fortified her mind against assault, she was fairly confident that anyone capable of stopping her magically could also simply flatten the cabin.
The demons were the true foe. If they were just conjured... well, then she could focus on whoever summoned them to rid the plane them, and there wouldn't be as many reinforcements as she might otherwise fear. It wasn't an impossible task, for a mage. But it wouldn't be easy. And harder every time they gathered enough energy to conjure an ally.
Time was their enemy. Even if the goblins were little threat with a narrow choke like that tunnel, the effort would wear Ashley down. As would her enhancing spell. And meanwhile their enemy would grow in number.
Ashley turned to her allies. Dornhall and Karena were both formidable warriors. But the latter had only just given birth. And the latter... Ashley had focused too much on Jenn, neglecting her other allies. With a broken leg, Dornhall would be limited. And after all her efforts... any help from Jenn would be a welcome bonus, but she couldn't be relied upon in combat. The best odds of getting help would be to be direct and precise. "Jenn, love? Can you try to heal Dornhall and Karena? Please? For me? Even a little?"
There wasn't time to coax the water mage further into it. And in any case, neither of them had more than basic knowledge of healing. Trying to heal a broken bone was risky, too risky to try when there was a decent chance they might avoid a fight. Now that they knew they had to fight, though, taking that risk seemed the best bad choice. Especially if Jenn could do it, saving Ashley's magical reserves for the fight.
Next, she turned to the two fighters. "If they come, try to keep them off me. And if any manage to enter from the sides or rear of the cabin, it'll be up to you to call out and delay them as best you can. But if it comes down to flight or all of us falling... they were after me. Escape, and maybe I can be rescued, eventually."
Finally, she turned to the Fey. "As for you...knowledge is our greatest asset. If they are going to heavily rely on summoning, we need to target their summoners in the true fight. If you can distinguish which are here in their true bodies and which are summoned, we can narrow that down. And if a few of your pack can stay close enough now to see which do the summoning, even better. The goblins and other lesser demons will stick to the narrow tunnel. If they come individually they will be no threat. And if they come in mass, bunched up in a narrow corridor, I'm confident that my spells will break them quickly. The greater demons will be more intelligent, and less bound to the tunnel. There again your wolves will be an asset, warning us if any come from another direction."
If they were lucky, only one or two of the demons would be there in truth, the remainder summoned by the orc and the 'real' demons. The trick would be to force them into full-out combat. As long as they could stay back and throw cannon fodder at the group, they would be slowly worn down. And the summoned demons wouldn't fear for their lives, knowing their true bodies were elsewhere. And the demons would know all that, and so avoid a fight if they could. How, then, to force a final fight quickly? There was no easy answer. The first thing to try, perhaps, was to show them how much of their own efforts she could waste with one or two spells when the goblins attacked. And in the mean time, keep their surveillance efforts going, hoping a weakness would show itself.
For herself, Ashley had to balance preparation against her limited magical stamina. It didn't seem the goblins were close enough yet, so instead she positioned herself carefully, trying to stay as safe as possible while having a clear line of sight on the tunnel. She again checked her gun, readying it for quick use if anyone got close. And finally, she prepared herself for her first combat spell of the day.
Arcane level 1 - Arcane Focus (Utility) [The character may expend this spell at any time after casting, removing it completely, to gain a +2 die bonus to their next casting check or attack roll.]
