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[ hello! gale has been restored to proper wizardry and looks a good deal more comfortable. then again, he has real shoes now that leeches have a harder time getting through.
he also has a cat scratch across his face. ]
Good afternoon. Faring better today, with your belongings restored?
he also has a cat scratch across his face. ]
Good afternoon. Faring better today, with your belongings restored?
[ kate is also in her regular clothes! which means no more hiding her lack of face. hi. ]
Yes. It's an improvement.
... I would ask the same of you, but... are you all right?
[ sir, your face. ]
Yes. It's an improvement.
... I would ask the same of you, but... are you all right?
[ sir, your face. ]
[ ma'am your face. or lack thereof. ]
Well, I understand now why you were investigated a Shadow Curse perhaps a bit more.
[ as for the face, he waves a hand. ]
Ah-- Yes. Tara is perhaps a bit upset with me at the moment. But she'll calm down soon enough.
Well, I understand now why you were investigated a Shadow Curse perhaps a bit more.
[ as for the face, he waves a hand. ]
Ah-- Yes. Tara is perhaps a bit upset with me at the moment. But she'll calm down soon enough.
Yes. I apologize for not being more forthcoming, but I hope you understand.
[ that some people might not react kindly to seeing her appearance. ]
Is Tara your pet...?
[ that some people might not react kindly to seeing her appearance. ]
Is Tara your pet...?
Oh, no-- No apologies necessary. No need to explain. You know, I've met a being quite similar to you recently. A being created from Shadow.
[ but, quickly at the second question: ]
Hah. No, not exactly. She is my friend. She does like to claim that I am her pet, as a matter of fact.
[ but, quickly at the second question: ]
Hah. No, not exactly. She is my friend. She does like to claim that I am her pet, as a matter of fact.
Ah... I see.
[ warmly. she still has no idea who or what tara is, but good for her. ]
Would you tell me more about this being you met?
[ warmly. she still has no idea who or what tara is, but good for her. ]
Would you tell me more about this being you met?
Of course.
[ she'll get to meet Tara soon, she's just. angry. right. so this story first. ]
I suppose more accurately he was two beings, or ... the two halves of what used to be a single creation. I mentioned the Shadow-Cursed Lands, correct? The blight of Shar? His name was Oliver, and he was, to my understanding, created when the curse settled on the region and rent him from the being, Thaniel, that embodied the spirit of the land. For a great many years, Thaniel was banished, and the part of himself that was Oliver remained. He appeared to us as a small boy, with seemingly little memory of who, or what, he was supposed to be, and apparently a great amount of loneliness. I can only imagine, of course.
We were able to convince him, eventually, that he should reunite with the lost part of himself we were able to recover. I ... don't know what they decided in the end. If they should rejoin their disparate selves, or stay indepedent. But one has to hope it worked out either way?
[ she'll get to meet Tara soon, she's just. angry. right. so this story first. ]
I suppose more accurately he was two beings, or ... the two halves of what used to be a single creation. I mentioned the Shadow-Cursed Lands, correct? The blight of Shar? His name was Oliver, and he was, to my understanding, created when the curse settled on the region and rent him from the being, Thaniel, that embodied the spirit of the land. For a great many years, Thaniel was banished, and the part of himself that was Oliver remained. He appeared to us as a small boy, with seemingly little memory of who, or what, he was supposed to be, and apparently a great amount of loneliness. I can only imagine, of course.
We were able to convince him, eventually, that he should reunite with the lost part of himself we were able to recover. I ... don't know what they decided in the end. If they should rejoin their disparate selves, or stay indepedent. But one has to hope it worked out either way?
The Shadow-Curse was able to split someone's entire being into two? I've never heard of such a thing...
Was he the only one affected in that way?
Was he the only one affected in that way?
I think perhaps it was because he was a spirit, or something of the like, that he was able to suffer this fate instead of the one for a more mortal being.
[ he considers. ]
That said, we did run into a few others. Some were ... warped. Changed by living under the weight of the Shadowcurse, though not split in two as such, but turned into creatures that reflected their misdeeds in life as a shadow in this way. Another was a man, quite ordinary. A soldier. Though somehow he had managed to hold onto some vital part of himself for over a hundred years, bathed in this curse, without changing into something unrecognizable. An incredible amount of willpower.
[ he considers. ]
That said, we did run into a few others. Some were ... warped. Changed by living under the weight of the Shadowcurse, though not split in two as such, but turned into creatures that reflected their misdeeds in life as a shadow in this way. Another was a man, quite ordinary. A soldier. Though somehow he had managed to hold onto some vital part of himself for over a hundred years, bathed in this curse, without changing into something unrecognizable. An incredible amount of willpower.
How terrifying, for one to endure such a thing for so long...
The phenomenon I witnessed also affected people's minds, but... not in such an extreme way. They still seem very much like regular people, living regular lives. But there's something decidedly off about them.
The phenomenon I witnessed also affected people's minds, but... not in such an extreme way. They still seem very much like regular people, living regular lives. But there's something decidedly off about them.
... If you don't mind me asking, are you spirit of some kind? Or suffering under a curse yourself?
[ ... smoke starts rising from the top of her head. ]
That's a good question. I'm afraid I don't have a good answer.
That's a good question. I'm afraid I don't have a good answer.
[ oh dear. well, he's not going to question it. it's fine. ]
Fair enough. Perhaps too personal a question at any rate.
Fair enough. Perhaps too personal a question at any rate.
It's complicated, is all.
I wish I had a simple answer to give, but most information of that nature is kept out of the reach of children.
I wish I had a simple answer to give, but most information of that nature is kept out of the reach of children.
For what it is worth, I'm sorry to hear that. You deserve to know who and what you are, and it feels unfair to deny you that.
... Thank you. It means a lot to hear that.
It's been a long time since I've spoken to any adult who was willing to answer anything.
It's been a long time since I've spoken to any adult who was willing to answer anything.
That's quite alright. I'm, of course, willing to answer anything you consider that might be helpful to your cause.
[ a bit of a laugh ]
Though I have been told I have a bit of a compulsion when posed a question to overexplain, so please do not hesitate to stop me should it become unhelpful.
[ a bit of a laugh ]
Though I have been told I have a bit of a compulsion when posed a question to overexplain, so please do not hesitate to stop me should it become unhelpful.
I will keep that in mind.
[ there's no laugh to match, but there is warmth in her tone. ]
[ there's no laugh to match, but there is warmth in her tone. ]
[ after all the drama of the execution and after karlach has gotten settled somewhere or has gone to talk to someone else he'll go find himself a relatively quiet spot to sit and write furiously in his little journal.
he'll look up as he hears someone else though. ]
Ah. Kate. Quite the exciting afternoon, hm?
he'll look up as he hears someone else though. ]
Ah. Kate. Quite the exciting afternoon, hm?
That's one way to put it...
[ she comes a little closer, curious about the journal. ]
... Are you all right? That was your face... and your friend, out there.
[ she comes a little closer, curious about the journal. ]
... Are you all right? That was your face... and your friend, out there.
[ he's not taking great pains to hide it - it looks like something of a journal entry. DAY 538: Ensealment Charm not as powerful as before. Disruption from demi-plane? Consider reapplication or redirection of energy. Magical item may be necessary. in his scrawling handwriting. ]
Oh. Well-- [ looking off for a brief moment. ] My face is hardly an issue. You know, I actually faced off a Simulacrum of myself rather recently, in a trial of Shar, and bested that pale copy rather handily- ... Karlach is an excellent warrior. I had full faith she would persevere and she has.
Oh. Well-- [ looking off for a brief moment. ] My face is hardly an issue. You know, I actually faced off a Simulacrum of myself rather recently, in a trial of Shar, and bested that pale copy rather handily- ... Karlach is an excellent warrior. I had full faith she would persevere and she has.
A Simu--
[ immediately very curious. but stopping herself because she knows they will get sidetracked for like an hour if she doesn't like, try to stay on topic first. ]
... Yes. I knew she would, too. I hope her wounds will be all right...
[ immediately very curious. but stopping herself because she knows they will get sidetracked for like an hour if she doesn't like, try to stay on topic first. ]
... Yes. I knew she would, too. I hope her wounds will be all right...
Fortunately a few fingers are nothing a competent Cleric can't fix, though I imagine it will be a bit infuriating for the next few weeks. Maybe there is a solution we've yet to think of, but she did not bring anyone along with healing spells. Her mistake.
[in a light, jokey tone. ]
... I imagine the hardest part will be the emotional aftermath, but I believe the only solution for that may be time.
[in a light, jokey tone. ]
... I imagine the hardest part will be the emotional aftermath, but I believe the only solution for that may be time.
[ she nods... ]
It was a cruel and unreasonable position for her to be put into.
... May I ask what you're writing?
It was a cruel and unreasonable position for her to be put into.
... May I ask what you're writing?
[ A little hesitantly, but. he might as well. ]
I am notating my symptoms. It's best to keep track of it, should I notice any change. There was some instability earlier, and I want to be sure to keep on top of it.
I am notating my symptoms. It's best to keep track of it, should I notice any change. There was some instability earlier, and I want to be sure to keep on top of it.
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