The Royal Palace of Avalonis
(The Real World)
Outside of the game's world, the Loud Sisters watched as their father walked to the side of the room and began looking for something inside of a large chest. After about ten seconds, he found what he needed and placed the item upon the game board. It was a plastic model of a majestic white and gold castle.
It had long towers with cone-shaped spires, its walls were pearly white with golden lines stretching around it (which were meant to represent stonework and its main keep appeared bigger than their own house (that is, it looked as such within their imaginations.) "What's this place, Daddy" questioned Lola, "is it a model of the building we're in?" Lynn Sr. smiled down at his daughter and said that she was half right.
"This model was inspired by the building, yes" he stated, "but in the game; it's the royal palace of Avalonis; where mine and your mother's characters rule." Leni and Lola gushed loudly at this reveal, thinking it was "super cool" that their parents were playing as a king and queen. "Hold up" cried Lynn Jr. exclaimed suddenly, "I thought you guys were just the Game Masters...or whatever, not actual characters in this thing."
Principal Huggins gave a slight nod in understanding and explained that as Game Masters, they were entitled to portray any necessary side-characters within the game. "For example, there will come a time where we might use monster voices for any creatures you'll encounter in the game" he said with a cheeky tone, "so...keep your ears open." After taking a moment to shake the thought of monsters out of their heads, Lana and Lola took hold of their mini figures and readied themselves for the next part of the game.
"Gotta say, girls; it's nice to see ya getting into the game a bit" Pop-Pop said with a hearty chuckle, "here's hoping the rest of your sisters won't be too far behind ya in that regard." With that said; he assumed his role of Game Master Karuk, once again and began to recite the game scenario. "After agreeing to join with the messenger, the five of you enter his wagon" he explained in his character voice, "you have no idea where you are all going...but in spite of that, you prepare yourselves for any possible misfortune ahead."
(The Game World)
For almost two hours, the carriage trudged on; the horses doing their absolute best to push through the wind and the rain. During the voyage, the four warriors look towards the messenger with suspicious gazes. Finally, Ventris cleared her throat and asked him why he ventured through such harsh elements so far from his home.
"I was sent there by my lord, King Acheron" the messenger explained, "he has tasked me with the duty to seek out able champions who would come and help us; as we prepare for the coming evil." Upon hearing this reveal, the four "champions" erupted into a cacophony of confused murmurs. "Oi! You didn't say anything about fighting any sort of evil, mate" grumbled Ezra, "just what in the void is goin' on here?"
With a reluctant sigh, the messenger said that he was not entitled to give any specifics on what was happening. "But be assured; when we arrive at the palace, His Lordship will explain everything." While still feeling somewhat wary of the lad's words; Ventris, Ezra, Ursa and the Kenku Witch agree to accompany him to his home.
(Line Break)
After half a night's ride, the carriage continued its trek back home. In the distance; the sun began to rise slowly, shining its rays through the windows of said carriage. The Kenku squawked irritably, as the light shined into her eyes; waking her from her slumber.
Upon hearing these noises, Ursa gave a prodigious yawn and looked out the window to see how far they've gone. What she saw on the horizon caused the Tabaxi female to gasp in awe. "Everyone, quickly...wake up" she cried excitedly, "we're coming up to a village soon!"
The messenger took a peek outside the window and smiled softly at the sight before him. "My Lord and Ladies, I bid you welcome to Avalonis" he stated, "His Lordship will be pleased to see you all, once we've arrived." After that, the boy instructed the carriage driver to make haste for the palace; once they've entered the village.
With a soft nod as a response, the man took hold of his reins and gave them a quick snap; which caused the horses to shoot off down the road. During the remainder of the ride, everyone couldn't stop thinking about what was going on and why this Acheron desired the help of complete strangers. "Is there anything else you can tell us regarding this 'danger' your king spoke of" inquired Ventris, "is there some sort of invasion approaching or has there been some sort of misfortune that has befallen one of your allied kingdoms?"
After a moment or two of silence; the messenger revealed that long ago, the king's royal advisor had a strange vision. "Pray thee, friends; do not think me mad for what I'm about to say" the lad implored, "but in his vision; the royal advisor spoke of a large castle keep with red jewels embedded into its stonework, a land ravaged by an evil pestilence and a lone figure ruling over this place with a mysterious orb." As the foursome listened to the messenger's words, Ezra and Ursa could feel their fur standing on end.
"I daresay, young man; your story is quite foreboding" Ventris murmured while stroking her frost wolf's fur reassuringly, "are you certain it is wise to venture so far from home on some old man's nightmares?" While he knew the she-elf wasn't being disrespectful, the messenger gave her a soft glare and said that Master Alucard's visions were often correct. Upon hearing this name, Ventris raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the lad.
"Alucard...Are you referring to one Alucard Stone-Scale, by chance" she asked, "he was a dear friend of my mentor back in my homeland." With this bit of information presented, the messenger took note to inform the king of this upon their arrival.
(The Real World)
As the story returns back to the real world, Lynn Sr. is seen moving a minifigure of a carriage across the game board. "You travel through the village, then the city and finally arrive at the palace" he explained, "there, you are greeted by a pair of guards; who eye the four of you intently." Mildly bothered by this, Lola grumbled and proclaimed that no one was to look at her that way unless they were judges or the audience from a beauty pageant.
After everyone shares a light giggle at the wee blonde's comment, Rita continues on with the game's story. "Before any of you speak up, the messenger boy bows before the guards and informs them that the four of you wish to speak with the king" she explains, "to which they immediately grant you entry; albeit...begrudgingly." At that moment, Leni raised her hand and asked what the word "begrudgingly" meant.
"It means that they literally allowed us to go inside" Lori explained, "despite however much they considered us untrustworthy." This made Leni feel even more confused, wondering why the guards were acting so suspicious of them. "Answer me this, dear Sister" inquired Lisa, "how would you behave if an elf, a bird-like creature and two feline humanoids were all standing outside our home and wished to come in?"
For a second or two, the second eldest Loud Sister tried to offer up a reply. But she quickly understood Lisa's point and withdrew her statement. "Truth is, sweetie; no one else in the kingdom thought anyone would come" Pop-Pop stated, "as such, it makes sense for the guards to be a scooch antsy around strangers."
With that statement, Leni finally understood the situation and urged everyone to continue the game from there. "Very good...Once the guards let you pass, you soon led through the front gates of the palace" Mrs. Johnson explained, "upon entering, the messenger urges you to enter as quickly as possible."
After this; Lori, Lucy, Lana and Lola's game pieces are moved over towards the front of the castle model. Then, Rita suddenly opens it up; revealing what looked like the great hall of a real palace. Despite everything being dollhouse-sized items, it all still looked beautiful.
After taking a moment to marvel at the model, Lynn Sr. and Rita bring the girls' figurines inside the main hall of the palace. "Upon entering the throne room, you see scores of people gathered inside" Principal Huggins explained, "in time, you are brought before King Acheron and Queen Eliana."
(In the Game World)
As the messenger led the foursome down the aisle; the court looked upon them with looks of shock, confusion and slight amazement. "What the devil are they all staring at" Ezra murmured under his breath, "they look as though they've never seen creatures like us before." The messenger boy chuckled softly and said that creatures of other races have not visited Avalonis for over a decade.
"There was a time where Elves, Dwarves, Fair Folk and scores of others came to this kingdom to trade or celebrate merry times with us" he explained, "but after recent events...they have become far too distressed to leave their homes." Concerned by the lad's choice of words, Ventris asked what sort of danger was plaguing his people and why the king would seek out strangers to help him.
"I cannot answer, My Lady...for I do not know how to" the lad replied, "but His Lordship shall tell you everything you wish to know himself." Not long after that, the group found themselves before King Acheron and Queen Eliana at last. The King, despite his distressed state, was a rather noble-looking fellow.
He had long brown hair that reached the base of his neck, a thick beard along his chin, was dressed in the finest of royal attire, carried a magnificent curved sword at his side (which was sheathed in it is bejeweled scabbard) and wore a crown of amethyst atop his head. His queen, the lady Eliana, appeared equally noble; despite feeling incredibly concerned for her husband. Her long blonde hair had been braided into a ponytail, she wore a shimmering crown of silver atop her head, was dressed in a beautiful lavender gown, wore a golden necklace around her neck (which bore a magnificent ruby at the center) and in her right hand, she held a long golden scepter.
The four adventurers stared in awe of the royals for so long, they were completely unaware of the impatient glares they were sending them. "Child, who are these strangers you bring before us" Queen Eliana said suddenly, "we sent you to find able-bodied champions...instead; you bring us a she-elf, two felines and a mangy crow!?" Upon hearing these words, the Kenku Witch let out a shrill cry of outrage; which echoed loudly throughout the hall.
Sensing her companion's apparent distress, Ventris placed a hand upon the Kenku's shoulder and did her best to calm her down. Meanwhile, the messenger did his best to appease his masters for his supposed "failure." "A thousand pardons, my Lord and Lady" he murmured warily, "but...while on my journey to find warriors to aid us, there was a storm; which forced me to seek refuge inside of an inn not far from here."
Upon hearing this; Ventris approached the throne, took a knee and bowed her head respectably to the king. "Your messenger speaks the truth, Your Grace" she stated, "I too was venturing through that same storm until I eventually chose to take refuge within the Black Wolf's Inn." Ventris then mentioned that the others arrived at the same place for the same reason she did.
Then, just as the she-elf prepared to continue with her story; she looked at the right side of Eliana's throne and spotted a figure that almost made her jaw fall from her face. It was a male Dragonborn dressed in a beautiful dark-red hooded robe. The sleeves of said robe showed off beautiful streaks of orange and gold stripes that reached the hems of the sleeves.
From the chest to just below the Dragonborn's waist, there was a gorgeous white cloth with gold hemlines. Along the left and right sides of this cloth, there was a collection of odd symbols sewn into the material with golden thread. What the Dragonborn had beneath his robes was equally surprising.
He had blue-grey scales, a long snout with a pointed horn on the end of his nose, large fists with sharp claws at the ends of his fingertips, three-toed feet and a long tail that stuck out beneath his robe. The creature eyed the four strangers silently for what felt like ages until at last, he stepped forward and offered to observe them closely. "Of course, Alucard...but be careful" King Acheron said warily, "who knows what this lot is capable of."
The Dragonborn nodded slightly and, using his mage staff as his walking stick, began to approach the group. As he drew closer, Ezra began to feel nervous and presumed the creature was looking for a chance to strike them down. But instead, he approached Ventris directly and looked straight into her eyes.
(The Real World)
Back in the real world, Lori found herself feeling uncomfortable about her character's situation. "Okay...real talk here for a minute" she asked uneasily, "why is Mr. Grouse's character giving me the stink eye, the girls and I came to help." In response, Lynn Sr. announced that Alucard was well-acquainted with the Elf King of Ventris' homeland.
"I know this reveal doesn't sound like much, girls" Rita stated, "but you'll get to see the elf kingdom in due time." This announcement brought a huge smile to Leni's face. But her jubilant mood quickly ended, when Lisa reminded her that the situation would only be within their imaginations.
"That is true, young lady" Mrs. Johnson stated, "but it seems that your sisters are getting quite invested; nonetheless." At first, Lori was prepared to make some sort of remark about the teacher's statement. But then, she realized the bitter truth; that she and three of her sisters (thus far) were getting invested into the "dorkiness."
"Fine, have it your way" Lori mumbled, "what happens next?" With broad smiles forming across their faces, the Council of Game Masters continued where they left off. "When you look closely at Alucard, you find yourself mildly captivated by the style of his robes" Rita/Eliana explained, "that's when you learn that he is the court's royal advisor and Archmage."
At that moment, Lola raised her hand up and asked what the word meant. "Is Archmage some kind of fancy name for a wizard" she asked, "if so, why not just call him that?" While her sisters felt that the question seemed like "typical Leni," everyone else thought it was a valid inquiry about the game.
"Thing is, Leni; there aren't just wizards in this game" Lincoln explained, "there are all kinds of people who can use magic." To help explain it another way, Clyde took out a piece of paper and listed several magic user classes on a one-to-ten list. "Lori's character, Ventris is a Mage" he stated, "which puts her somewhere on say...number six or eight."
Surprisingly enough, Leni was able to understand all this and soon realized that an Archmage must've been the "big shot" of magic users. "To make a long story short, Leni; an Archmage can use any kind of magic they want" Becky said suddenly, "it's like...they could blast fire with one hand and use the other to summon ice powers." While this reveal was rather cool to some of the Loud Sisters, they still questioned how and why someone like Mr. Grouse had such a character.
"I'll have you know, lil missy that I had my character since the days I would play this game with my grandkids" the old man said firmly, "and I've been usin' him for almost ten years!" Despite being relative newbies to the game, the Loud Sisters couldn't help but feel somewhat amazed by this reveal. "It's because he's been so knowledgeable with the game that we decided to appoint Mr. Grouse's character as Acheron and Eliana's advisor" Principal Huggins explained, "and his advice has helped us come to many important decisions."
When asked what these "important decisions" were; the Council brought up the game schedule, who among the Council should keep a record of stats for the game and more importantly, the menus they have available for snack and meal breaks. The last reveal caused everyone to snicker softly; not out of spite but rather, amusement. "So, then; what am I to do about his character staring at me" Lori asked
Lynn Sr., after pulling his hood back up, replies in saying that Alucard suddenly embraces Ventris in greeting; upon learning who she is. "He then comments on how tall you have become; saying the last time he saw you, you were a young elfling" Lynn stated, "how do you respond to that?" After thinking on it for almost twenty seconds, Lori replied in saying she'd greet him the same way she would in the presence of a relative; slightly uneasy but no less happy to see them.
"Very good" Mrs. Johnson murmured happily, "you then tell him of how you came to the palace...but the King and Queen don't seem to believe your story, what do you do?" Almost immediately, Lola stood up and proclaimed that the four of them would try and "make" the king believe them. "You could do that" Mrs. Johnson murmured, "but that would require a risky Intimidation Check and if your roll comes up short, things could get messy."
The moment this was presented, the two young blondes began to feel rather nervous. "What if we just tell them the truth" Lucy said suddenly, "I know my character can't speak human languages...but maybe, Lola's could explain what happened." The Council commended Lucy on her careful planning and suggested that Lola should be the one to perform such an action.
The reason being was that as a Rogue, Lola's character was capable of using a Persuasion Check. This meant that she could get anyone to believe her words, even if she was lying. "Much like with Intimidation; the bigger the number, the more effective your words will be" Rita stated, "so...good luck."
With that said; Lola took hold of the dice, shook it vigorously between her hands and threw it down on the table. The 20-sided object skipped along her end of the table for several seconds until at last, it stopped; showing the number sixteen on its side. "Okay, I got a sixteen" Lola stated, "is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
The Council smiled at the young pageant princess and assured her it was a very good roll. "We shall see how effective it is for you" Lynn Sr. stated, "what would you like to tell the king?" Without hesitation, Lola said that she and her brother were simply taking shelter at the inn; after the storm broke out.
"While on our quest to find someone to assist us in our hour of need, my brother and I took shelter at the inn" she explained in a theatrical-sounding voice, "that was when the barkeep started acting rather offensively towards the three of us." After listening to Lola's testimony; Lynn Sr. said that while the king and queen still had some doubts, their wet clothes and disheveled appearances were clear signs that she spoke the truth. "Soon after our...shall we say, tussle ended; we were approached by your messenger" Lori added, "what is this danger that plagues your people?"
Rather than respond outright; Rita, while in character, asked Lola what sort of danger was plaguing her people? "Okay, could I butt in for just a quick sec" Lola interjected suddenly, "what sort of kingdoms do mine and Lola's characters live in, exactly?" Soon after saying this; Lynn Jr. replied in saying that since Tabaxis look like jungle cats, the jungle must be their home.
The moment they heard her words, the Council of Game Masters suddenly applauded Lynn; which greatly confused her. "You are correct, sweetie; nice assumption" her mother commented, "are you sure you haven't played before?" Upon hearing this, the young jock scoffed lightly and said that it seemed rather obvious.
Once that was settled, the Council continued on with the game's story. "With a heavy heart; you, Ursa inform the king that something has caused the vegetation in your jungle home to rot" Principal Huggins stated, "as for the animals...the moment some of them have eaten the rotten fruit, their minds instantly changed." Feeling both worried yet curious, Lana asked what he meant by "changed?"
"I don't know if we should go into...too deep of detail, considering your age" Mrs. Johnson said hesitantly, "but to put it one way, imagine seeing something like...a hippo eating a crocodile. "Not to rain on your creativity, Ma'am" Lisa interjected, "but hippopotami are widely known for being herbivores and there has been little record of them eating any form of meat." Rather than give the wee genius a firm retort, the Council smiled slyly at her and brought back the matter of the rotting fruit.
"The fruit isn't simply rotting in a typical sense, honey" Pop-Pop stated, "thing is...whatever force that's sweeping over the jungle has tainted the land with its dark power!" From here, Rita added that this same force warped the otherwise natural fruits and vegetation of the jungle into something hideous. "Now, whenever herbivores eat any of the leaves or fruits; the dark essence begins to overwhelm them as well" Mrs. Johnson added dramatically, "turning these once kind creatures into ferocious abominations!"
Once this was all said, Lana couldn't decide what she disliked more; the destruction of otherwise "cool" jungle land or the stuff happening with the animals. "With so many creatures going against their biological nature, the Tabaxi people of the Entangling Isles Clan are forced to wall themselves up" Rita explained, "not even the children dare to leave their boarders." The moment this was said; Luna raised her hand and asked how Ezra and Ursa got out, if no one else dared to leave their homes.
"At first, the two of them didn't want to" Principal Huggins replied, "but because Ezra (Lana's character) and Ursa (Lola's character) were tasked by their king to seek out assistance from outside the jungle." When asked why those two were specifically chosen, Lynn Sr. said that Ezra's magic alone wasn't enough to help restore their jungle to normal. "Because of this, the Tabaxi chieftain asked her to find someone who could help strengthen her powers" Lynn stated, "as for Ursa, she would serve as his bodyguard; due to her skills with a blade."
(The Game World)
Upon listening to the Tabaxi duo's tale, thus far; King Acheron found himself deep in thought. Then, he turned towards the she-elf and asked what her reasons were for being out in such conditions. "Before I begin, Your Lordship; I must say that the Rogue's situation seems oddly similar to my own" Ventris stated, "it actually sounds like something my teacher described in a recent vision he received."
Feeling both concerned yet intrigued, Queen Eliana asked what it was that the she-elf's teacher saw in his visions. "I daresay, Your Ladyship that I could not quite make much sense of his words" Ventris sighed, "but as I recall...he spoke of an ancient fortress shrouded in mist in a nearly barren valley." This statement created a great deal of disarray within the great hall.
Soon, every servant and noble present began to murmur fearfully to one another. Upon seeing his court in such dismay, Acheron did his best to call for silence. Afterwards, Alucard approached Ventris and asked for more information on her teacher's visions. "Tell us, madam...how did your master describe this fortress" he inquired, "did it possess any...unique features upon its foundation, by chance?"
For a moment or so, the mage did not know how to respond to the Archmage's question. After a while, she stood still for a moment and did her best to focus her mind; hoping that her foresight would help provide some answers. But alas; due to her magic's current state, the images within her memory came out quite hazy.
"I can't quite see the image that clearly" Ventris grumbled, "but I think...I see...I see...jewels!" Almost immediately, the court burst out into a fit of outrage; many proclaiming that the elf was simply thinking greedy thoughts. "If you would all be so kind as to let me finish" Ventris grumbled while rubbing her temples, "I can vaguely see that the jewels are...built within the walls' foundation?"
The moment this was mentioned, the entire room echoed with cries of horror and fear; even Alucard found it difficult to keep his reserve. Meanwhile, the king and queen gazed upon one another in silence. But the four "champions" could clearly see the fearful looks upon their faces.
"I don't wish to pry, Lord Acheron" Ventris murmured warily, "but...does this fortress I mentioned hold some sort of significance to your people?" For what felt like ages, neither he nor Eliana answered the elf mage's inquiry; mainly because they did not quite trust her or the others. But then, Alucard approached them and began to explain the history of this fortress.
(The Real World)
At this point in the game, Lynn Sr. looks at his daughters and shows them an illustration on the thing folded out in front of him. "See this, girls; this is what's called the Dungeon Master's/Game Master's Screen" he stated, "this is meant to keep other players from sneaking peeks at our dice rolls or notes." While the Loud Sisters nodded slightly in understanding, they wondered what his info had to do with Ventris' vision.
That was when Principal Huggins gestured towards a specific image on the DM/GM Screen. It was one of a large castle fortress; it was black as night, shrouded in a thick, misty fog and everyone could see large red stones built into the stonework (just like in Ventris' vision.) They saw these same jewels along the towers, including one in the back of the fortress.
"Hey, that's the same place in Lori's vision" Leni chimed in suddenly, "talk about a coincidence." The Loud Sisters and Lincoln softly grumbled at the young blonde's absent-mindedness, wondering if she was paying attention at all. "This is that very fortress, dear" Pop-Pop stated, "and it was once the home of a just and compassionate queen."
Upon hearing this, Lynn Jr. burst out laughing and proclaimed that only weirdoes would live in such a place. "I dunno, Sis; that fort actually seems rather homey" Lucy murmured with a smile, "but...why is talking about that's scaring the court of Avalonis so much?" Before continuing on, Principal Huggins turned towards Mrs. Bernardo and asked her to help provide some atmosphere (i.e. dim the lights.)
Without a moment's hesitation, the high school drama teacher did just that; all while giggling with anticipation. Meanwhile, the Council collected another small castle from a chest and placed it upon the game board. The moment the lights dimmed and the curtains closed slightly, everything became eerily dark.
Then, a small glimmer of light began to shine off the game table. While still nervously trembling, the Loud Sisters looked on to see the red jewels on the black fortress shining brightly. This was made possible thanks to a small light bulb inside of the model.
"Oh, wow! Way cool" cried Lana in amazement, "for a minute, I thought those jewels in the model were actually glowing." After giggling heartily at her daughter's statement, Rita explained that the "jewels" on the model were toy jewels, the kind one would find on a child's princess tiara on Halloween. "What's so special about this creepy place anyway, dude" Luna asked, "and why does it have everyone acting so weird?"
After taking a moment to geek out a little, the council pulled their hoods up and gestured over the fortress model. "What you see before you is the Bloodstone Keep" Lynn Sr. said dramatically, "a great castle that once stood as a beacon of prosperity for all who lived there." Almost immediately, Lucy interjected in saying that the council "got their info wrong."
"Bloodstones are known to be healing gems" she stated, "but from your description, they sound like anything but that." The Council nodded slightly at the young Goth and said that her assumption was correct. "Once, long ago; a kind and gracious queen ruled within the Keep" Rita explained, "but then...she suffered a cruel betrayal at the hands of her own sister."
This reveal created a great deal of discourse amongst the Loud Sisters, half of which refusing to believe that siblings would do such a thing to one of their own. "It doesn't seem too farfetched to me, to be honest" Lynn Jr. muttered, "I've seen how some of you get, when something you want is on the line." Upon hearing this response, the other Loud Sisters glared daggers at Lynn but she didn't seem to mind.
As the Council resumed their story; they mentioned that soon after the invasion, the queen vanished without a trace. "Afterwards, the leader of the invaders seized both the throne and her sister's entire kingdom" Pop-Pop stated, "all this was possible thanks to her enchanted orb." After saying this, Albert gestured towards the illustration of a woman with demonic-looking features.
She had a black dress with a red cloak, wore an ebony crown atop her head, had a purplish-white skin tone and black nails as long as eagle talons. "Whoa! I know she's the villain in this...but her clothes look incredible" Lucy murmured, "just look at that crown!" The moment these words passed her lips, the young Goth suddenly shuddered in disgust.
"Gah! I'm complimenting a fashion item...just like Leni or Lori" she thought fearfully, "if I end up becoming clothes obsessed by the end of this game, I'm burying myself in one of my coffins!" Meanwhile, the others were wondering how one woman was able to conquer an entire kingdom. That was when they remembered their Pop-Pop talking about an orb she had.
When they looked at the villain's illustration, the girls could see the item in question in the woman's hands. "Out of curiosity, what's so special about this orb thingy" questioned Leni, "I mean, it totally matches her...creepy but hot look; but still." After sharing a bit of a laugh at the fashionista's words, Lynn Sr. explained that the orb was an object of great power.
"In her mad quest to try and seize her sister's throne; Melaena, the villainess of our game, searched for anything that could help her" he stated, "what she found was an artifact known as the Crimson Orb!" From here, Lynn said that the orb's power was magnified by the moods of whoever possessed it. "WHOA! Sounds like some sort of super-powered mood ring" Luna gasped, "except it's a big ol' crystal ball."
The Council nodded at the young rocker and said the Crimson Orb worked exactly as she described it. "Using the power of this artifact, Melaena laid siege to her sister's home" Rita explained dramatically, "and when the battle ended...there was no sign of the queen anywhere." This caused an eerie chill to wash over the Loud Sisters, who were all wondering if the queen had been captured...or worse.
"With her sister disposed of, Melaena immediately took control of Bloodstone Keep" Mrs. Johnson stated, "whereby she used the power of the orb to change the entire kingdom to match her cruel demeanor." With this reveal, Lucy now understood how the keep became how it looked; as well as why the animals in Ezra and Ursa's homeland were acting odd. Soon, they began to understand why the king and queen were so on edge.
When she saw the uneasiness in her sisters' faces, Lori's "big sister instincts" kicked in and she immediately took charge. "I wish to approach the King and Queen, if I may" she stated, "and I want to tell them that we'd be happy to help them in any way."
(The Game World)
For what felt like ages, King Acheron sat in silence; scratching his chin in deep thought. At first, it seemed as though he might refuse their help. But then, he suddenly felt Queen Eliana's hand rest upon his shoulder; snapping him out of his train of thought.
"They are the first individuals to answer our summons, beloved" she stated, "it would be unwise to shun them when so few others have come to our aid." After taking his wife's words to heart, Acheron gazed firmly at the four strangers and sighed deeply. "Before I make my decision, I must know one thing first" he stated, "are the four of you skilled in any form of combat?"
With a mildly uneasy grin on her face; Ventris assured everyone that her magic would help protect and defend everyone beside her, even at her current level of strength. "My sister and I are also capable fighters" Ezra stated, "of course...my druidic powers are more for healing and defensive purposes." The moment she heard her brother say this, Ursa reminded him that they were feline folk.
"Even without your power and my blades, our claws shall prove quite effective in battle" she assured, "would anyone care to see a demonstration?" Almost immediately, the court quickly urged the Tabaxi female to lay down her arms. "What of the she-crow" questioned Eliana, "has she anything to say in regards to her abilities?"
Upon opening her beak, the bird woman tried her best to speak her piece. But alas, the only thing everyone could hear was a series of noises and trilling noises. At first, the king presumed she was being disrespectful and was prepared to discipline her for it.
But the moment the guards prepared to surround the bird woman, Alucard raised his clawed hand high; which caused them to stop. "Please, do forgive the feathered lass; Your Majesties" he said respectfully, "she is a Kenku and her kind are incapable of speaking any of the known tongues." The bird woman suddenly gave a slight nod, indicating that the elderly Dragonborn had spoken the truth.
"That's a bit of a bother then" murmured Ezra, "how will we be able to communicate with one another, if she cannot speak our to us?" All was silent for several moments and then, Alucard came up with a plan. "With your permission, my Queen; I wish to procure something from the treasury" he asked, "it will help us with our current situation."
While still bearing a most confused look upon her face, the queen granted her advisor his request. A moment or so later, Alucard returned and everyone could see him holding a glowing circlet in his claws. "What do you plan to do with that, Sir" questioned Ezra, "and why the devil is it glowing?"
Alucard smiled softly at the young druid and said all questions would be answered, once the circlet is placed atop the Kenku's head. Afterwards, the glow suddenly began to envelop her body slightly. Once it faded away, everyone stared silently at the Kenku worriedly; wondering what might've happened to her.
With the greatest of caution, the messenger boy approached the Kenku and asked if she could understand him. What happened next was so surprising, even Ventris' Frost Wolf pup felt flabbergasted. Without moving her beak, the Kenku female smiled at the lad and said "yes."
The court gasped lightly at this sudden answer, wondering how she was doing this. "Alucard...what did you just do" questioned Queen Eliana, "how is she communicating with us?" Ventris was equally curious about this and took a moment to observe the Kenku female.
Upon doing so, she immediately noticed a blue aura radiating off of her. "Master Alucard...that spell you used upon the circlet" the she-elf asked hesitantly, "was it some form of telepathic charm, by chance?" The elderly Dragonborn smiled at Ventris and praised her on her knowledge of enchantments.
"While she cannot naturally speak as we do, the spell I used has given our 'friend' here telepathic communication" Alucard explained, "she can now speak to us through her mind." While others found this development to be intriguing; there were those, like Ezra, who felt that such a creature might not be as intelligent as they were. After a while, Alucard calmly approached the Kenku and smiled at her.
"Greetings, friend" he said warmly, "might you be kind enough to share your name with us?" For a while, the Kenku didn't answer; possibly still shocked from being able to speak. Then, after taking a calming breath; she bowed her head and said "Shadow...name Shadow."
Despite the rather simplistic response, it was enough to satisfy everyone. "Tell us, Shadow; what brought you to the Black Wolf's Inn" questioned King Acheron, "are you on some sort of quest or are you searching for your kin?" Upon hearing the second example, several members of the court suddenly started chortling. "With all do respect, my Lord; is it wise to trust this creature" a nobleman murmured, "Kenku are notorious for being thieves and vagabonds."
Shadow hung her head low in shame and said that this was an unfortunate truth about her people. "But I wish to help change that" she stated, "all of my life, I have been treated as an outcast; always looked down upon by others because of what my ancestors did...but I want to try and change that."
(The Real World)
Looking around her, Lucy could see every one of her sisters staring oddly at her; as if she had grown another limb. "Okay...how the heck did you know all that, Luce" questioned Luna, "how could you know somethin' about a character that you've just started playing as?" With a shy smile upon her face; Lucy admitted after everyone went to sleep, she had been reading up on the Kenku race under her covers.
"So, that's what the weird glowing was" Lynn grumbled, "I thought you were writing poetry before bed again." Before the two girls decided to get into an argument (albeit a mild one,) Lynn Sr. stopped them and commended Lucy on her research. "But Daddy, why did the Kenku guys get cursed" Lola asked, "what did her character's ancestors do?"
The Council looked at one another in worried silence, for a moment. Then, with heavy hearts; they began to briefly tell the tale of the Kenku Curse. "Truth be told, sweetie; they lost their ability to fly because the heavens punished them for committing a horrible offense" Rita explained, "but it happened so long ago...few in present day know what actually happened."
Mrs. Johnson then added that as the ages passed, the descendants of the ancient Kenku have been doing anything possible to earn back their ability to fly again; even constructing heavy cloaks that resemble wings. "Aww! Poor bird people" Leni murmured, "not being able to fly is totes like Lori not being able to drive or Luna losing her rock & roll skills, they just wouldn't really be themselves." With this simple statement, the young pixie cut rocker suddenly felt a chill run through her.
"Bruh...don't even think of puttin' that idea in my head" she murmured, "if I lose rock, I lose my soul!" After everyone shared a little laugh at Luna's words, the council continued on with the story from there.
(The Game World)
After hearing Shadow's tale of woe, there was much whispering and concerned murmuring in the great hall from the court. Some still viewed her as a scoundrel, in spite of her testimony while others took pity upon Shadow and offered her their sympathies. Among those who stood with the latter were Acheron, Eliana and Archmage Alucard.
"I must confess that I do not know of any way to reverse such a curse, unfortunately" Alucard said sullenly, "but perhaps...if you were to join these three others in helping stop Queen Melaena, the gods may take pity on you and free you from it." While such an idea seemed lik wishful thinking, Shadow felt that it was still something worth attempting at. With that thought in mind, she crouched down slightly and bowed her head; while also spreading her cloak out like wings in a bow.
"What say the rest of you" inquired Alucard, "will you join Shadow in this quest and help save the realm?" Almost immediately, Ventris bowed before the Dragonborn while her wolf pup yipped in agreement. Meanwhile, Ezra and Ursa were chatting amongst themselves; contemplating on whether or not they should get involved.
"We set out to find allies to help save our people" she growled softly, "instead, we find ourselves wrapped up in the troubles of outsiders!" While he also shared some of his sister's stress, Ezra felt that what was happening affected more than just their jungle.
"Whatever this...Melaena has done or is doing, Sister; it affects us all" he informed, "therefore, we must try and stop it however we can." At first, Ursa felt like arguing with her brother...but she couldn't deny the overall truth of his words. "But what chance do the four of us actually have" she asked, "your powers aren't meant for combat, the she-elf is obviously a novice and who knows what the Kenku is capable of."
Before their conversation could continue any further, they suddenly heard the queen lightly clearing her throat. "We await your answer, young ones" she said firmly, "will you or will you not help us?" After sharing one last glance at each other, Ezra and Ursa knelt before the queen and agreed to help.
"All that I ask is that you do not get in my way" the female Tabaxi murmured while looking towards Ventris, "and try not to accidentally turn me into something smaller than a lizard...if you can." With a frustrated blush upon her face, the elven mage threatened to make good on Ursa's request; should she ever rouse her temper in the future. As this was happening, Ezra quickly stepped in-between them and tried his best to quell their hostility.
"If we are to act as the kingdom's champions, we have to work together" he urged softly, "if we don't...all of our homes will be put at risk." The two ladies glared firmly at each other while thinking on Ezra's words. Then, after letting out a weary sigh; they agreed to work together.
"Excellent, we thank you for answering our call" Queen Eliana said gratefully, "for now...let us offer you refreshments and a good night's rest in our palace; as a small token of gratitude." The moment the offer was mentioned, the trio could suddenly feel their limbs aching slightly and their bodies shivering. "One other request, if I may be so bold to ask" murmured Ezra, "might we also be permitted to take a warm bath?"
Without a second thought, the king and queen happily granted the Tabaxi's request. "Lead these four to the bathhouse in the village" Acheron ordered, "and while they bathe, have the cooks prepare a feast for us." Without hesitation, the king's orders were quickly carried out. The royal kitchen staff went to work prepping the meal, while Alucard led the foursome out to the bathhouse.
(The Real World)
After this, the hall suddenly echoed with the sounds of a golden bell ringing. Afterwards; Mrs. Bernardo, while dressed in her crier uniform, began marching about the room while ringing said bell. "What the heck is she doing that for" grumbled Lori, "we are literally in the middle of a game here!"
As if she heard her complaints, the high school drama teacher soon stopped marching and turned towards the players. "Good people of House Greyhawk, the hour is now 8 of the clock" she announced, "the time has come to sup and retire to our chambers for a good rest." With this announcement, everyone wished each other goodnight and headed off for their rooms.
The whole time this was happening, the girls simply stared at them in confusion. "Wait...that's it" questioned Lynn, "the game is over...I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO PLAY YET!" After helping their daughter calm down, Rita explained that the game has only just begun.
"Tomorrow, we'll continue right where we left off" she assured, "who knows which one of you will be joining the game next." The Loud Sisters (sans Lily) felt a mixture of annoyance, bitterness, impatience and disdain well up inside of each of them. "Do we really have to keep playing though" whined Lori, "this game literally feels like it's dragging on and I don't know what to expect next."
With a bright smile forming across his face, Lincoln said that while the game can seem to drag (for some players;) not knowing what comes next was the overall point of the game. "No one knows where the adventure will go next" Clyde added, "that's the fun of it, the unexpectedness and unpredictable nature of the game." Upon hearing this, Lisa rolled her eyes and claimed that she failed to see any of the supposed fun.
"I am a scientist, I do not care for unpredictable variables" she murmured, "I prefer things to be on point." This statement caused several other players to snicker softly, while others claimed she was simply bitter because she didn't get to play yet. But then, everyone went silent; when they saw Principal Huggins raise his hand.
"I know the rest of you girls are anxious to start getting your feet wet...so to speak" he stated, "but rest assured, your time to shine will come." Lynn Jr. simply grumbled at the principal and proclaimed she had better things to do than sit on the sidelines while everyone else was playing. Thus, she was prepared to leave the building forthwith.
But before she could move so much as a foot away from the game table, Lynn suddenly felt her mother's hand rest upon her shoulder. When the young jock looked over at her, she could see a very stern look on her mother's face. "Now, young lady; the game isn't over yet" Rita said in a no-nonsense tone, "you agreed to play the game to the very end."
Soon after that, Lynn Sr. stepped forward and recited said rule for all his daughters to hear. "It's your choice girls" he said firmly, "either stay with us and play...or face punishment for leaving the house against our wishes and following us." Upon mentioning this, Mrs. Johnson suggested putting the Sisters all on kitchen duty.
"That's it...that's the best punishment you've got, please" scoffed Lynn Jr., "we're a family of thirteen, we've done plenty of dish duty sessions." While their sister spoke the truth, Lisa was quick to remind her elder sibling of one minor difference within the two scenarios. Their family's dirty dishware consisted of both the thirteen of them and their house pets; whereas the dish cleanup within Castle Greyhawk involved tending to almost 200 or so dishes, cups, utensils, platters and who knows what else.
Upon hearing the number and dishware quanity, the Loud Sisters almost fainted with shock. "And if dish duty still seems too small for you, there is always bathroom cleanup" Flip said suddenly, "word of warnin' for ya, ladies; I just ate a Frito chili pie and at my age...well, let's just say there's a bit of a mess in the ol' privy." Naturally, the rest of the crowd gagged loudly with disgust at this reveal.
But as sickened as they were by it, the Loud Sisters appeared on the verge of vomiting...all except for Lana. "Okay, okay...we'll keep playing" Lori cried submissively, "just please, don't talk about bathroom messes anymore!" With that said; everyone smiled, wished the girls goodnight and went off to bed.
As they trudged off up their rooms, little Lily suddenly started yipping like a pup; as if she was still playing her character. "Um...Lily, the game is over for the night" Lori murmured, "you can stop pretending now." Much to the eldest Loud girl's surprise, Lily frowned at her and shook her head firmly in response.
Afterwards, she broke out of Lori's arms and proceeded to run off on all fours; all while yowling like a wolf. "Man, I wish we could get that excited about this game" Luna muttered, "but I've yet to get into the mood." Then, much to Luna's surprise; she suddenly felt Sam kiss her lightly on the cheek as she passed her.
"Don't worry, my Purple Pixie" she said sweetly, "this game's just like playin' music; once you find the groove and let it flow through you, everything else is easy." With that, she wished Luna one final good night and went off with Simon to their room. For a few moments, Luna just stood there; resting her hand upon her cheek where Sam kissed her.
Then, she looked at herself in a wall mirror and her GF's words suddenly started echoing in her head. "This game is just like playin' music" Sam's voice stated, "once you find the groove and let it flow through you, everything else is easy." Perhaps Sam had a point, all Luna had to do was wait and find her groove in the game,
"I just hope it won't take long for me to find it" she thought, "otherwise...this is gonna be a looooong game."
(First AN: Thus ends Day One of the campaign and so far, four of the Loud Sisters are starting to become invested in it. But what will happen next, when the game resumes the next morning? Tune in next time, to find out.)
(Second AN: I know that this chapter didn't include a lot of D&D style gameplay; dice rolls, Insight Checks, Arcana Checks etc. But that's only because this is the introductory part of the game. In the next chapter, the fun really begins.)
(Third AN: I'm well aware that technically speaking, the Kenku race is incapable of verbal communication and mostly use a form of mimicry. But for this particular campaign, I felt it'd be cool if a Kenku was given a form of telepathic communication. This way, outside of the game; Lucy will be able to speak normally...instead of making random noises and possibly, embarrassing herself.)
(Final AN: Some might think I'm going overkill with Lana's character of Ezra mentioning that the unknown blight spreading across his jungle home is causing herbivores to act carnivorous. But it's like the council said, Melaena's using the Crimson Orb to warp the world into whatever she pleases and that includes messing with nature.)
