pc: euphausia

[sacredpath]

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saturday zero

[sacredpath]

[by saturday evening, shadowheart can be found at the outdoor hotspring. she's sitting in one of the shallower pools in the water, still wearing her sexy angel costume white dress, but sitting hunched so she's sinking in the shallow water up to her neck. she has a glass of mixed drink from the bar here with her.

also, the owlbear cub is playing in the foliage nearby, doing cute things like hunting the lack of animals that are here.

shadowheart waves.]

Oh, hello. It's not quite scalding enough to distract, but it's pleasant.

[trifocal]

[ Eupha seemed to have the same idea, as she also shows up to the hot springs with her sexy angel dress. ]

That's good to hear. Is it all right if I join you?

[ ... owlbear cub!!!! ]

Is that a friend of yours?

Week 0, Wednesday

[trifocal]

[ As the day winds down and people are starting to wander off, Eupha is taking a break with an ice cream cone in hand just outside of the mansion. When she sees Shadowheart, she greets her with a smile. ]

Oh, Miss Shadowheart! Good evening. Were you able to decorate your room to your liking?

[sacredpath]

[cute.]

Eventually, I was able to find some things I liked. I'm quite pleased with it, really.

[she seems pretty happy.]

I haven't had a room I was able to decorate myself before.

week 1; monday

[sacredpath]

[she's out here at night wearing a cheap wig while being menaced by spider skeletons.]

But spiders don't have bones!

[trifocal]

[ honestly valid, eupha is also mystified at this. ]

Could it be some strange new species?

week 1; friday

[sacredpath]

[voids you voids you voids you]

...I wish I could say I was surprised it happened again, but two?

[even if her tone is a bit glib, she does look troubled, frowning at eupha.]

How are you feeling?

[trifocal]

I am all right. [ a sigh. ]

I had hoped that such tragedies would not repeat, but... it did seem as though something, or someone, is enabling them.

week 2; monday

[sacredpath]

[gimme your chosen prompt! au timeline? baby? or is eupha just normal? shadowheart has some stuff going on too, but it'll depend on eupha what we're doing.]

[trifocal]

[ eupha will be au (mostly normal?? but hanging out with this mask on)! gimme any shart your heart desires ]

week 2; thursday

[sacredpath]

[what a week! you asked for a thursday pc but given everything that has already happened today, she will find eupha wherever she's hanging out. giving her a silent look of commiseration.]

I can't believe it's happened again.

[trifocal]

[ yeah... it's bad. ]

I have faith that Basilio can handle danger of all kinds, but to see that even he came back in such a state... I fear what may yet be in store for us.

week 3; monday

[sacredpath]

[i'm throwing us right into it. a door opens and they're deposited in the funhouse mirror area.

The funhouse mirrors take you down a path that seems to grow darker as you walk. What is reflected in the mirrors is a hazy landscape, all in grays, with swirling thick darkness that looks like smoke all around. Everything in this land is dead, everything. The ground is cracked and patched. No plants grow here, except for the odd glowing foliage of the underdark, which is adapted to darkness. There are no living animals, but there are beings in the dark. Undead corpses of animals with glowing eyes animated by some evil power, dark shadow shapes, even the corpses of people from time to time, ones who wandered in here and fell.

Other mirrors show flickers of the story of this land. A century ago, this was a thriving and lush landscape ruled over from the nearby castle, Moonrise Towers. There was a market town and many people who lived in the rural areas. But a curse was placed on this land by the goddess Shar. Everyone who once lived here either died or fled, because no life can thrive in the shadows. The shadow curse eats away at anyone who travels through it before they join the armies of undead.

Shadowheart is traveling through this land with her companions, Gale, Karlach, and Astarion. They’re using lanterns to keep the shadows at bay, but in the darker places, even that doesn’t work. But Shadowheart seems less affected by the others.

“The shadow curse… it doesn’t seem to affect me like it does others. Not as badly, at least.” Shadowheart’s voice sounds pleased. “Do you know what this means? Lady Shar is protecting me, while others are left to face her wrath.” She’s touched by this, like this is an unexpected blessing, a protection she didn’t think she’d be granted, but is now taking as proof of something she hadn’t thought she’d ever see proof of. “...She loves me. She must do.”

She notices the others slightly unimpressed, and adds - “Don’t give me that look. It’s a good thing I’m resistant to the shadows. I can help all of you.” And then more to herself - “Lady Shar wouldn’t bless me like this for no reason. There must be something she wants of me.”

The journey leads you deeper into these cursed lands. Despite Shadowheart’s claim of receiving a blessing, this is an awful place, and even she seems to be feeling it. Eventually, they come to a road, and find a destroyed caravan, bodies strewn all over the place. Men, women, children, all horned and colorful people, tieflings, lying murdered in the road, attacked. Though a few were armed, and though one or two of the bandits who killed them lie dead as well, most were refugees, not warriors.

(Memories on the mirrors on the other side of the wall. A party, in a serene grove, at night. A celebration in honor of Shadowheart and her friends. Tieflings drinking, dancing, toasting to them for helping save them and find a safe path to Baldur’s Gate. Many of the dead were among those remembered from the party, though some notable faces are missing.)

The sight is horrible, but the next turn through the mirrors leads to something else. An inn, easily visible through the darkness, as it is shrouded in an enormous bubble of light, blinding and looking like the surface of the moon. Inside the spell of protection, life can thrive and the shadows are banished. And Shadowheart and her friends find most of the remaining survivors of the tiefling caravan there, having been given shelter by the inn’s owner, a cleric named Isobel.

The reunion with the survivors is mixed. It’s a happy thing, that they survived and found shelter, but there’s no way to travel ahead, many of their party were killed, and many more are missing. Some of the children beg them to go find one of their friends who is being held captive; others as after missing loved ones and family members, but there’s no way to guarantee they can be saved or are even still alive.

Shadowheart goes upstairs with the others and meets Isobel. The conversation is brief, and tense, but perhaps there’s more there, if you linger and peer more deeply into the mirrors.

Isobel is at work renewing the ritual that protects this inn. It’s a beautiful thing, like summoning moonlight in her hands and letting it spread out across the area. She turns, and takes the party in.

“I didn’t realize I had an audience.” Her gaze falls on Shadowheart. “And a Sharran one, at that. Frankly, I’m surprised you’re willing to help us. Your kind aren’t known for their decency, particularly when a Sharran curse is our greatest obstacle.” She sighs. “But if you are who I think you are, I’d be a fool to reject your help.”

“I won’t be spoken to like that by a Selǔnite,” Shadowheart snaps back at her.

In an adjacent mirror, the shadow of Moonrise Towers, the enemy occupying it. An obstacle that Shadowheart and her friends must face, and an enemy of Isobel and all of the people taking refuge in this inn. For reasons unknown to you, the man controlling Moonrise Towers wants Isobel brought to him a prisoner, but if Isobel leaves this place, or falls, every last person inside the inn will fall to the shadow curse and die. She needs Shadowheart’s help, but Shadowheart has come here seeking help from her, as well.

“We’ve both got a bitter pill to swallow,” Isobel says, conciliatory. “When this is over, we can spit it back out. But for now, you’ll be needing a protection spell, won’t you?” the woman adds. “I see Shar has offered you protection already, but no harm from some extra. Even from a Selǔnite.”

Shadowheart agrees, and Isobel casts her spell, but as the magic washes over her, she clasps her hand in pain. The feeling of a spell using Selûne’s magic triggers pain from the old wound on her hand, reminding her that making peace this way is not accepted.

“Imagine being compelled to hide a shrine in a land that is utterly hostile to you and your goddess,” Shadowheart says, after they leave Isobel’s chambers. “Utter pig-headedness.”

“Hmm,” Gale says. “Tenacity might be a kinder word for it?”

“I’ll leave the kinder words to the softer hearts,” Shadowheart says.

Even so, without questioning it, Shadowheart and her friends defend the inn when forces from Moonrise Towers attack, keep them from taking Isobel or hurting her, so that Selûne’s protection can remain in place for a little longer.

There are more pathways, leading ahead, all lit by the glow of that protective moonlit spell. A story of a war between two goddesses, one that tends to use the lives of mortals as chess pieces, but more, too, some sort of deeper conflict within Shadowheart, one she doesn’t seem to understand herself. You can explore deeper, but there’s also a way out, back out of the hall of mirrors.

[trifocal]

[ there is a grim look on eupha's face as she observes the chilling effects of the shadow curse, the bodies of the tiefling refugees... but her expression lightens a little as she sees the glimmer of hope of that inn... ]

That woman is a Selǔnite? It seems fortunate that you were able to aid her.

[ while i, pazu, shake and think about how i had to reload after accidentally badending that sequence...

it looks like there may be more, but... she stops to consider shadowheart's reaction. ]

Week 3, Saturday

[trifocal]

[ back at the mansion... ]

I was about to make some tea. Would you like some?

[sacredpath]

Tea?

[t... but she'll nod. the vibes are sort of rancid, but she'll try to calm herself a bit.]

I would take some.

week 4; wednesday

[sacredpath]

[post party! she is a bit tipsy and carrying her shoes, but in a very good mood.]

That was fun, wasn't it?

[trifocal]

It was! I've never been to a party like that before. It's all a bit... reserved, compared to what I am used to, but everyone looked so elegant!

Week 4, Thursday

[trifocal]

[ coming to look for shadowheart!! i assume she is at the hospital. ]

Is there anything I can get you?

[ she'll offer, as she tries to see how she's looking. ]

[sacredpath]

[she is at the hospital! her legs are not great, so she is very much laid up in bed. but she has had her wounds tended to. there's a bruise blooming on her face and scrapes, but otherwise nothing obviously visible besides what's been banaged on her body.

her emotional state isn't great, though. tired and sad and distressed, a little confused, a little angry, but some self protective guardedness back in place.]

That's sweet of you. And, yes, actually. I could probably use a change of clothes.

[since her clothing is both currently absolutely blood soaked and also tight leather, so not great for bandages. but we can handwave eupha getting something for her if you'd like.]

week 5; monday

[sacredpath]

[well she is at the corgi train god damn it. the owlbear cub is here too. you would think having a cub that is as big as a large dog but burly with bear claws and a beak would be a bad fit for a bunch of cute dogs, but the cub seems used to dogs; he basically plays with them like he's in a precious documentary about a baby lion cub who was socialized by a domestic dog, like he has dog behaviors and stuff. it's very cute.

shadowheart is also here, petting a couple little corgis.]

Well, slow down, slow down. Don't be jealous, there is enough petting to go around for everyone.

[she seems like, despite everything, she's in a lighter mood. she'll wave at her.]

Would you come over here? I don't seem to have enough hands for them.

[trifocal]

[ oh!!! her eyes light up. ]

I would be very happy to!

[ yay!!! she'll come over to pet the corgis. one comes right over and starts rolling around to show its belly. ]

Your owlbear friend is quite good with them.

week 5; thursday

[sacredpath]

[eupha better be hospital]

[trifocal]

[ ok she is hospital.

she's sitting upright in bed, her left arm bandaged and her face slightly flushed. there's a computer keyboard next to her for some reason, which she is studying somewhat absently. ]

Week 6, Thursday

[trifocal]

[ coming to see her in the hospital. ]

... Would you like me to retrieve some clean clothes again?

[sacredpath]

[she has been bandaged up and stabilized, though she still looks bruised and beat to shit. smiling at eupha, though.]

That's kind of you. I do hate this outfit.

[she's still in her ugly robes.]

week 7; friday

[sacredpath]

[sometime during the day before movie night shadowheart can be found just around the mansion. waving to eupha.]

How are you feeling? [did she even drink.]

[trifocal]

[ she did but probably got drunk off of one drink and then slept it off... she looks inexplicably bright-eyed and energetic the next day. ]

I'm quite well, thank you! How are you?