Citadel's Shadow II, Session 63

Citadel's Shadow II, Session 63 was a session of the Citadel's Shadow II campaign, played on 19 January 2020 (UTC) (18 January 2020 for some participants).
== Personnel ==
===Game Master===
*GM: played by Michael Lee Viviano
===Player Characters===
*Fern the Siegemaster: inventive fox-person student played by Rail Runner
*Minigallith "Miss Mini" Atakares: half-elf mage played by Alden Loveshade
=== Prominent Non-Player Characters ===
* Chad Zhing: mage and martial artist of Shining Luck Mages' Guild
* Chuckie Zhing: mage and martial artist of Shining Luck Mages' Guild
* Eliza Boulavier: human assistant at Maisson Boulavier
* Eri Snow: fox-person entertainer at Madame Maude Lynn's Theater of Thrills
* Kyrie Kelevan: human priestess of Damira
* Pei Zhing: guildmaster of Shining Luck Mages' Guild
== Events ==
=== 1742 ===
Heris 27 (Restingday) (continued): Eri Snow, Fern the Siegemaster, and Minigallith Atakares, recently joined by Chad Zhing and Chuckie Zhing, were in the Paper Grotto bookstore in Commerce Crossing, Delctra's Cauldron Borough, Trynser City. They tried to figure out the mystery of what had happened to Eliza Boulavier and Kyrie Kelevan. They had disappeared, apparently due to a top-hatted magical raven-like being, but two books had appeared that seemed to be their autobiographies, with blank pages at the end.
Mini said the others could look for clues while she skimmed the books; she started with Eliza's. She cast a spell to look for a living aura from Eliza's book, but found none. Yet notes continued to be scribbled in the book margins, as if written by Eliza. Then new text not scribbled appeared after the existing text. It seemed to be a sad tale of romantic disappointment. It went on to tell about self-pity and wishing she was more sociable and able to get the guys she liked. But then scribbled words appeared in the margin that said, "What is this? This isn't me!"
Fern said she believed the books were magical, but expressed no other theories about them.
Meanwhile, Master Pei Zhing had tracked down the raven-being's dimension from Mini's information, and had gone there.
Mini asked for something she could use to write in the book that could be cleaned off after she wrote in it; Fern found and offered a pencil.
Meanwhile, a crowd had gathered outside the store.
Mini learned she was able to communicate with what appeared to be Eliza by writing in the book which was answered by writing.  Eliza wrote, "I feel like I'm buried in paper, with a page open to the world."  This confused Mini, who had figured she would have detected that with her spell which was meant to find signs of life but found none.
Corporal Corvira Levlor of the Trynser City Municipal Force arrived to investigate. Fern explained what had happened to the corporal as best as she could.
Mini had Eri "talk" (by pencil) to what appeared to be Eliza. Mini magically borrowed the language of Aidrel from store employee Keri Pinknose, and started skimming through Kyrie's book which was written in that language. Hers was a lot more dense than Eliza's, with religious writings, philosophy, and so forth. Then Mini borrowed a pencil and began writing in Kyrie's book.
Kyrie (apparently) wrote that she was "freaked out." In spite of her book being written in Aidrel, often used by priestesses such as Kyrie, the scribbling was in the common language of Trynsern. Kyrie wrote, "I'm in darkness. I see the page open and you're writing in it. I also sense new writing appearing. It would seem that there is some unseen force trying to write a bad ending to my story." Mini had Fern, who had finished explaining what had happened to Corporal Corvira, write in the book to Kyrie while Mini skimmed through the book, which was awkward to do.
Fern suggested filling in the rest of the books. Eri thought that a great idea, and that the books could be filled in such a way that it set Eliza and Kyrie free. Mini was skeptical, and pointed out that they weren't mages; but then had an idea. She discussed with Fern, who had studied thaumatology, if it made sense that Eliza could be in the book but not the book. It seemed possible that the book could be a medium through which Eliza was being channeled. They learned that both books had new writing in them that wasn't scribbling.
Kyrie's book said that she was having a crisis of faith, while the scribbling in that book said, "This is ridiculous."  Fern tried to estimate how much time it would take for the books to be filled.
Mini asked "Kyrie" a question related to Damiran theology that she believed only a true student of theology would know; Kyrie answered it correctly. Fern noticed Kyrie's book was larger and more dense; Mini said that was likely because Kyrie was older and had done more as a priestess than Eliza had done as an innkeeper's assistant.
Chuckie asked if someone knew somebody who was good at writing books; Chuckie suggested they get a talented writer to write a happy ending.  Fern said she hadn't studied writing, but offered to try.  Mini said, "I don't think we want an ending! If this is their life, we don't want to end it!"  Chad thought that a good point.  Mini suggested, "Something like, 'Then I found I was back to normal, safe in the Paper Grotto book store located in the Commerce Crossing building in Trynser City.'"
Chuckie said he wasn't recommending it, but wondered what would happen if they "hucked" the books into the fireplace. Chad thought that might work, but then they'd be in the fireplace.  Mini did not think it a good idea.  Fern said, "We could try that only if it wasn't irreversible, as we don't know if we're doing the right or the wrong thing."
Someone in the store brought in an author, while Eri suggested Rollo Morliss, who like her worked at Madame Maude Lynn's Theater of Thrills.  But as Rollo wrote horror, Mini questioned it.  Eri said she was sure he could write happy endings too, but Mini said we do not want an ending!  Eri said she meant a happy ending as in the captives getting free, but Mini insisted they not even think about putting the "ending" in the books.
The author who had been brought in was Belwraith Darkle, a Thalosian writer of weird magic stories, which seemed appropriate.  Meanwhile, Eri went to get Rollo, whom she believed was good at coming up with things under pressure.
Fern and Mini agreed something should be written about Eliza and Kyrie returning safely to the bookstore.  The authors asked a lot of questions about Kyrie, and questioned Juan Silvio-Vagle, Eri, and Ethel Boulavier who was Eliza's aunt (all three lived in Maisson Boulavier with Eliza, and Juan and Ethel had been among the crowd that had gathered near the bookstore).  There wasn't much information on Kyrie, so Mini suggested that the TCMF get Professor Chalk as Kyrie lived with him; they did so.
Master Pei Zhing returned; he was unhappy.  The raven-being had fought to the death, and "blew up" the books he had, although Master Pei had gotten a few.  Master Pei thought the idea of writing the return of the missing girls was a good one.
Belwraith and Rollo each wrote in a book--and it worked!  Eliza and Kyrie were restored, and their books remained--and were given to each of them appropriately.  Eri, Mini, and Fern gave hugs.
As it was now early morning, group members returned to their homes to sleep.  (Citadel's Shadow II adventure 2020 01 18)
Heris 28 (Godsday): After either sleeping in or going to religious services, Eri Snow, Fern the Siegemaster, Kyrie Kelevan, and Minigallith Atakares met at the Paper Grotto bookstore.  Eliza Boulavier did not come; her aunt Ethel Boulavier had forbid her going back considering what had happened there the previous day.  Mini wanted, but did not find, a book on ellyllon and billikens; Keri Pinknose said she could do a search for her.
The group stopped by the Maisson Boulavier and checked Eliza's "autobiography;" it, like that of Kyrie, was a normal book.  The group hung out together including going to the Marketplace Borough where they went shopping.  There was a tense moment at the marketplace when a merchant sensed that Fern wasn't socially quick and tried to take advantage, but Eri got nasty with them.
They decided to head back to the Cauldron Borough, and as the bus was crowded decided to walk.  They heard screams coming from the way they were headed.  Some of them heard running hooves and what sounded like a cart crashing.  The hooves grew nearer.
Fern moved to the side of the street to avoid getting trampled by horses, and Eri hung onto Fern.  Mini, who remembered the billiken who had been with her casually walking into traffic without a problem, stood in the middle of the street facing the incoming riders.
People screamed and leapt for ditches; Kyrie, did not realize what was happening until the last second.  The horsemen appeared to be fairly well off, perhaps young nobles.  As they appeared to be nobility, Mini screamed for people to get out of their way; there were six riders.  Mini dodged out of their way.  Kyrie, on the other hand, ended up on the ground near the side of the road, covered with "road funk."
Another horse rider seemed to be going after the other riders; it was Akira Kinpatsu of the Trynser City Municipal Force. who was blowing a whistle.  Mini said she should have done what she had thought about doing, which was stop the horse in front.
Fern said that she thought "the mad horse riders" were being taken care of, and that they couldn't catch up to them to help.  Eri doubted than even the horse-riding Akira could catch them.  Fern said there wasn't anything they could do about--except help those who had gotten hurt.  Fern and Kyrie started treating injured people.
Mini asked Kyrie who splashed mud on her; she said she had to dive for cover.  Mini yelled out, looking for someone who had been hurt by the first rider or his horse; she also reviewed what they looked like, how they moved, what they wore in her mind.
Feyannyha Lacourbeshay, a lieutenant in the Trynser City Municipal Force, arrived.  She said everyone could bring their complaints to her office.
A woman named Shyla Hayden said, "Those brutes knocked my little girl to the ground!"  Mini learned it had been done by the rider in front, the one she had studied.  She learned the girl had been kicked in the right shoulder.  Mini examined the footprint on the right shoulder of the girl, whose name was Raina Hayden, and cast a spell to find him.  She had a vision of him on the bridge between Temples Ward and Embassy Quarter.  
Mini said she could find the rider in front.  Feyannyha said he was probably way out of the Cauldron Borough by then, and that "those idiots go riding around town like that every now and then."
Meanwhile Fern looked at a damaged apple cart.  It looked like it had gotten a hoof right in the middle that smashed up the boards a bit and knocked it over.  Apples were scattered over the road.  Fern said, "What a waste of food."
Mini cast a second spell, and told Lt. Feyannyha that if she could ride with the officer, she could take her to the rider than had been in front.  Mini also told her that she had never learned to ride, but the lieutenant agreed to help her.  Feyannyha then told her that she was not supposed to leave the Cauldron as she was leading the watch.  Not being able to continue pursuit puzzled Mini, but Feyannyha said they should be able to catch up with Akira soon.  Mini, who knew Feyannyha was a member of the Sisters of Surrea, told her, "I'm going to be a Sister of Surrea some day!"  The lieutenant said, "Sure. I'll give you a recommendation," which excited Mini.
Mini treated Raina Hayden, the girl who had been kicked by the rider, and Fern continued to treat people.  (Citadel's Shadow II adventure 2020 01 18)