Kettara knows she is dead. That isn’t in question.
She’s also on a boat and can feel the gentle back and forth of waves. That is in question, and shouldn’t be happening. She ought to be awakening among her ancestors, greeted as a warrior in the afterlife by all those who came before her.
Instead she is on a boat, and holding a strange lantern.
Kettara stands there for a long time, staring at the lantern. Her armor digs painfully into her chest, the metal of her chestplate horribly warped, and she coughs, putting a hand over the place where her ribs were sticking out not so long ago. There’s no injury. The skin is unbroken and left with nothing, not even a bruise, to sign what was done to her. If not for her armor she would have thought it was a dream, something conjured up from her mind and banished upon waking. But her armor is broken and she is alone.
This isn’t right. ]
What is this? Where is my teacher?
[ She’ll ask this to the first person she encounters, more than a little wild-eyed. Kettara is seventeen years old, six feet tall, and very green. Her eyes are red and wide, but she does not weep. Part of her wants to. This isn’t right at all. She should be dead and surrounded by her ancestors. Her mother was supposed to greet her at the end, like the elders said. ]
Master Muln! I don’t understand!
2 Crash aftermath
[ The chaos after the crash is a relief only because Kettara knows what is expected of her. It won’t be the first accident she’s assisted with, and incidents in Mulgore’s rivers have become more common lately with the chaos running rampant among the elementals. It isn’t even the first boat accident she’s dealt with.
Unfortunately, the spirits refuse when she calls them to her side. The power returns to her, but the elemental water will not rise or part before her to save the cargo or those trapped below.
Kettara snarls under her breath, but continues regardless. She casts a small spell and then walks out onto the water.
There’s no need to swim when she can stand atop it. ]
Hand that to me! Quickly, my magic will not last!
[ She’s far more useful when she can ferry supplies and people from those diving below. Unfortunately, her power starts fading almost immediately, and she begins sinking back into the water inch by inch.
There’s nothing for it. Kettara continues to cast, and sink, and cast again.
Later, she can be found sitting on the beach, trying to recover her energy and watching the remaining recovery efforts with interest. ]
3. Tavern roof
[ Lacking a better plan, Kettara is sulking on the roof. Though she recognizes the tavern for what it is and the familiarity is comforting to a certain extent, it’s also filled with strangers. Most of those strangers are human. None of them have been hostile yet, but Kettara figures that’s just a matter of time. Thus, she’s retreated to higher ground.
It’s the smart thing, she tells herself. It gives her fair warning of anyone approaching and the higher ground if — when — it comes time to fight.
She’s sitting next with her back to the wall, knees hugged to her chest, and glaring at her lantern. It flickers on regardless. More than once she’s been tempted to smash it and damn the consequences, but that would be rash, and acting rashly is exactly what got her here in the first place.
And of course that’s when she gets company. She bares her teeth and growls, laying a hand on her weapons. ]
no subject
[ This was not the afterlife that was promised.
Kettara knows she is dead. That isn’t in question.
She’s also on a boat and can feel the gentle back and forth of waves. That is in question, and shouldn’t be happening. She ought to be awakening among her ancestors, greeted as a warrior in the afterlife by all those who came before her.
Instead she is on a boat, and holding a strange lantern.
Kettara stands there for a long time, staring at the lantern. Her armor digs painfully into her chest, the metal of her chestplate horribly warped, and she coughs, putting a hand over the place where her ribs were sticking out not so long ago. There’s no injury. The skin is unbroken and left with nothing, not even a bruise, to sign what was done to her. If not for her armor she would have thought it was a dream, something conjured up from her mind and banished upon waking. But her armor is broken and she is alone.
This isn’t right. ]
What is this? Where is my teacher?
[ She’ll ask this to the first person she encounters, more than a little wild-eyed. Kettara is seventeen years old, six feet tall, and very green. Her eyes are red and wide, but she does not weep. Part of her wants to. This isn’t right at all. She should be dead and surrounded by her ancestors. Her mother was supposed to greet her at the end, like the elders said. ]
Master Muln! I don’t understand!
2 Crash aftermath
[ The chaos after the crash is a relief only because Kettara knows what is expected of her. It won’t be the first accident she’s assisted with, and incidents in Mulgore’s rivers have become more common lately with the chaos running rampant among the elementals. It isn’t even the first boat accident she’s dealt with.
Unfortunately, the spirits refuse when she calls them to her side. The power returns to her, but the elemental water will not rise or part before her to save the cargo or those trapped below.
Kettara snarls under her breath, but continues regardless. She casts a small spell and then walks out onto the water.
There’s no need to swim when she can stand atop it. ]
Hand that to me! Quickly, my magic will not last!
[ She’s far more useful when she can ferry supplies and people from those diving below. Unfortunately, her power starts fading almost immediately, and she begins sinking back into the water inch by inch.
There’s nothing for it. Kettara continues to cast, and sink, and cast again.
Later, she can be found sitting on the beach, trying to recover her energy and watching the remaining recovery efforts with interest. ]
3. Tavern roof
[ Lacking a better plan, Kettara is sulking on the roof. Though she recognizes the tavern for what it is and the familiarity is comforting to a certain extent, it’s also filled with strangers. Most of those strangers are human. None of them have been hostile yet, but Kettara figures that’s just a matter of time. Thus, she’s retreated to higher ground.
It’s the smart thing, she tells herself. It gives her fair warning of anyone approaching and the higher ground if — when — it comes time to fight.
She’s sitting next with her back to the wall, knees hugged to her chest, and glaring at her lantern. It flickers on regardless. More than once she’s been tempted to smash it and damn the consequences, but that would be rash, and acting rashly is exactly what got her here in the first place.
And of course that’s when she gets company. She bares her teeth and growls, laying a hand on her weapons. ]
I was here first.
[ This is her spot. She has claimed it. ]
4. Wildcard
[ Hit me! ]