session seven
Events:
Jaeo 25-
The team had brunch and met with the king of Argus where they agreed to dispatch the bronze butcher and the orcs of Melina Island in exchange for a tripled bounty and rare magical tools to get the job done. This was the first time they publicly introduced themselves as Ex Umbra.
Augo 2-
While traveling Caelen spoke with Vethra about their connections to this dark magic. They felt a synergy with swirling purple magic only they could see as they embraced one another. For the first time they felt like maybe they aren’t alone.
Augo 17-
The team arrived in Tannis for the Sun festival. They did some shopping and eventually found the Bronze Butcher’s Den as well as an annoyingly eager civilian woman who seemed unnaturally interested in their investigation. They eventually learned that she was the real bronze butcher, using the story of an orc killer to throw off the investigation. The team subdued her and Caelen questioned her. During this conversation the team realized she was a copycat of a known serial killer that she praised called The Silver Slayer. Zane defaced the shrine to this false idol of hers as Caelen revealed that he is the silver slayer. He began to torture the woman that had perverted his creed but was interrupted as Zane snapped her neck to give her a merciful death. Zane tried to punch Caelen but Caelen managed to dodge. Zane walked out, followed by Shadoe. Vethra began questioning Caelen about his secret life as a killer with tears in her eyes as kat did her best to comfort her. As Caelen walked outside a surge of magical energy forced Vethra to remember her early life… her original name. Caelen was plagued with visions of fire and silhouettes. Zane notified the guards of the body and requested to address the townspeople publicly in the morning. Shadoe and Caelen had a brief discussion in private after she destroyed his bed. He thought she would understand, and she thought he was more than a monster. Vethra told the others that her original name was Daisy but that “they” only ever called her Three, hence her connection to her cat Two. She told Caelen that she has seen what powerful people do with this dark magic. She spent 15 years knowing the depravity of it. Caelen claimed that his killings were his way to control it. Zane comforted Vethra as she told them she was once a real person. He said that in his eyes she has always been a person, she has always had a name. Eventually everyone fell asleep, kat and Vethra were the only ones to share a room. Kat didn’t want her to be alone. In the night each of them were overtaken by a vision of a man calling himself the prophet. He gave a speech and disappeared as they all woke up in unison. The only ones that know this vision was a shared experience are Katrina and Vethra who awoke at the exact same time and realized they had both seen this prophet. Caelen is shaken by the fact that the voice in his head was silenced during this vision and seemed to have no knowledge of what Caelen had seen.
The Vibes:
Caelen-
This is the first time he feels almost shameful for what he is… for what he’s done. He still feels that he is doing what he must, that this is the best way to channel his bloodlust. He won’t say he regrets any of it, but seeing the others react the way they did has stirred up emotions in Caelen that he didn’t think he could have. He was never afraid of being a monster when he was alone, but now… just maybe, something has changed. It’s easy to see himself as a beast, but it’s harder when they see it too.
Zane-
He misses his wife, he is anxious about his twins, and now on top of it all he finds himself traveling with a brutal killer. This isn’t what he wanted. He only accepted this mission to provide for his family, yet he stands here without them in the presence of a man he can’t understand. Zane fights for love, and now he sees… Caelen fights for blood. He is having doubts about trusting Wysper, and he is considering abandoning this mission if Caelen continues on this path.
Shadoe-
Mostly she is just disappointed. She’s always known what Caelen was capable of, but she never knew how much he craved it. She had hoped that he could be more, but now she’s unsure. She’s used to being a loner, but she grew to like having this crew around. She began to care for each of them, and now she’s watching as it all falls apart.
Katrina-
She didn’t trust Caelen to begin with. They had such a heavy disconnect, but after fighting by each other’s side, they began to form a bond. She spoke to him about her childhood. She shared meals and stories with him. She began to see him as a friend, but now she sees the beast. He compared himself to her as a fellow hunter, trying to make her understand, but all she could focus on was how his darkness had broken Vethra. She doesn’t care to understand him, at least not right now. All kat seems to care about is making sure Vethra is ok.
Vethra-
Broken… she is broken. She let down her walls, she thought for once that maybe she didn’t have to be alone in her suffering from this cruel magic. She told Caelen things that she has never told anyone. She trusted him, she took comfort in him. But she sees now that he isn’t just another victim of the darkness. He enjoys the power. He feels pride when he kills. She tried to make him understand that he should be afraid of this magic, but he has no fear. She is lost and confused. Every time she has an emotional moment with Caelen it’s like their magic connects, breaking through to the deepest parts of her mind. She remembers her old name. She remembers the faces of the men who wielded this magic. Her trust, her heart, her mind… are all broken.
