Of Roses and Thorns

Molly Schafer

Carly Strait

McKenzie Wilkes

After a successful concert, our heroes grow closer as they prepare for the Rose family dinner. Hearts, blood, and family are all on the line.

## Summary

#### **After the Concert**

The team rides in the back of a stretch carriage offered to them by Talon. There is a full bar, plenty of seating, and a hot tub in the back with an attached grill. Zil is grilling out while Griana reflects on her feelings about performing with Talon. Performing really seems to be her passion and she's shocked at how happy and full she feels when she gets to do it.

Mavis pokes at Zil and Dylan and incites them to do a contest where they see who can hold their breath underwater the longest in the hot tub. The prizes are breakfast made by Griana and "one night alone" with Ora. Zil comes out ahead of the contest and they eventually all arrive back at The Greenhouse. Zil is first to open the door and we overhear a fight between Aelizia and Valdis over a person named Vaughn Voight.

> “*At 300 years Tam takes a spike from the sun and strikes it in you and you are unmade.*” -*Valdis*
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The party gathers that Vaughn was a Crimson Knight who ran before his death. He was hunted by not found for a very long time. Valdis insists that Aelizia has no right to protect him, but Aelizia insists she does. Eventually the two charge Lucas with taking Team Langdale away and keeping them out of this, Cyrine and Ora stay. Valdis tries to advance on Aelizia and Ora holds her back, taking her outside to cool off. Aelizia tells Vahn to lay low, and informs Cyrine that Amanda has not returned from Arkala yet. Aelizia also tells Cyrine about the death of Archmage Lavinia and that Lyco is dealing with things, along with the fact that Raf has not been contacted and told yet.

Outside, Ora tries to talk Valdis down. Ora tries to implore Valdis have some trust in Aelizia, and instead just try to figure out why Vaughn is back and not do anything rash. Valdis insists that she will kill him. Ora warns against this again before the two part ways.

In Team Langdale's room, the Crimson Knights rejoin the party and the trio inquire about the Vaughn situation. Ora tells them not to worry about it before presenting the team with a "secret sauce" to eat with their tater tots, a sauce made by her old friend Naomi. After late night snacking, the trio goes to sleep while the Crimson Knights make themselves at home.

Cyrine tells Ora about the death of Lavinia before suddenly in the middle of the night, there is a delivery. It's for Cyrine - nervous, she makes Ora open it with her. It's a dress from her favorite dress maker, sent to her by Lyco. Ora looks disappointed in this, mentioning that the dress is not Cyrine's colors.

#### **The next morning**

beGriana grabs the paper and is immediately met with the news of Archmage Lavinia's death. Conversations are already swirling about the replacement for Lavinia, much to Dylan's distress remembering the warning from Becca. Dylan tears out the page of the replacement options to keep.

Zil tells the group that they dreamwalked and spoke with Phibi, delivering the messages from Phibi to all of the members of Team Langdale. Mavis heads off to her usual training with Zaren and the days goes by calmly.

#### **Getting ready for the dinner party aka Blanket Shenanigans**

Later that night Dylan is giving everyone expectations for the dinner with her family, informing them at Valindra Kaven and Quinn will be joining them, so to dress a little fancier. Mavis pulls Dylan to her room for some "help with stretching" and Dylan excitedly follows, happy to help. Once in the room, Mavis pulls a blanket over the two of them and tells Dylan that she's discovered that Gjina is locked away in the chieftain's house in Septice, and that the Shroud has dropped their investigation since they can't get to her. Mavis knows that Zaren has a key to Septice on her desk, and she wants Dylan to steal it and check on Gjina. Dylan is hesitant to steal and sacrifice her position to do good in the Shroud by getting caught. Mavis quickly yells for Zil to join them. Dylan objects, not wanting to bring more people into the plan and Dylvis bickers under the blanket while Zil listens at the door. Dylan loudly whispers that the only reason Mavis wants Zil to help is because she likes them.

> *Dylan: "Just because you like them, doesn't mean you have to bring them into everything you do!"*
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> *Mavis: "I don't like them, what do you mean?*
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> *Dylan: "Yes you do you like them so freaking much!"*
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Zil joins the blanket party and quickly agrees to help. Griana catches wind of the shenanigans and also joins, Mavis throws Dylan's crush on Griana at her a bit, much to Dylan's embarrassment. Cyrine and Ora try to eavesdrop but Zil masks their planning with magic. The plan they decide on - Mavis works out with Zaren, Griana will distract Cyrine while Dylan distracts Ora, and Zil will sneak into Zaren's office to steal the key and rescue Gjina. Team Langdale exits the room and lies to the Crimson Knights about their scheming. Cyrine knows they're lying, but just tells them not to get killed.

#### **Ships sailing**

As they get ready for dinner, Dylan enters Griana's room and asks her for help covering up her powers to her dad. Griana immediately agrees, and they decide to blame the bracelets on Dylan's newfound magic. They talk about how they both think the other is attractive, Griana stating how hot she found Dylan as soon as she saw her, well, the whole party thought she was hot - "especially Kai." They flirt a bit and leave it at that.

Down the hall, Zil knocks on Mavis' door. Zil asks Mavis out on a date. Mavis stands in shock for a quick moment before agreeing happily, they plan to go out tomorrow.

In the hallway, Cyrine and Ora are overhearing the various romantic conversations and mention how intertwined the team is romantically. Ora suggests they convince the party that they're in love, and Cyrine is into it. They also flirt a bit before the party heads off.

#### **The Rose family dinner**

The party arrives at the Rose Manor and begin schmoozing with Dylan's dads. Lots of greetings and hugs as everyone is ushered to the dining room. Everyone is mingling and Fernando asks Mavis to speak with him privately in his study. She gives Dylan a panicked look, and Dylan gives one right back, but she follows. Zill offers to follow invisible, Dylan agrees that's a good plan and helps cover for Zil as they turn invisible and follow down the hall.

Still in the dining room, Cyrine discovers a huge painting of Margaret Rose holding an infant Dylan. Her eye is drawn to the ring Margaret is wearing, identical to the symbol of the Reveri people. Cyrine asks about the ring and Dylan presents it, she wears it on her dogtag chain. When Cyrine mentions the symbol, it doesn't ring a bell for Dylan. She just knows it as her mother's engagement ring. Cyrine tells Dylan to ask her father about it. Near the end of this conversationn Quinn and her mother, Valindra, enter the party.

Back in the office, Fernando presents Mavis with a letter from her mother. Mother Maymont is disappointed in Mavis and is charging Fernando and the Rose family to watch over Mavis until her brother can come collect her, all while refusing to allow Mavis to compete in the Tourney. Mavis tries to convince Fernando to disobey this, but fails, so instead asks him to hear Dylan out which he agrees to.

Dylan comes to the office and attempts to appeal to her father, reminding him that Mavis is of age and can make her own decisions, Fernando isn't budging. Fernando says that names have honor and that he respects the Maymont name, Dylan says that he should care about what Mavis wants. Immediately after that, Zil becomes visible and advocates for Mavis. They ask him if family always has to be blood, he says not necessarily. Zil says that they believe that if Mavis has been running from her family, then maybe the Maymonts aren't her family, Zil doesn't think the Maymonts have Mavis' best interests in mind. Zil tells Fernando that if he things names are more important than a person's well being and Dylan shoots Zil down, hurt that Zil would say that.

> *Zil: "If you think a name is worth more than actual family, or a person's well being, then I don't think you're a very good father."*
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> *Dylan: "Zil, no. No. That was too far, that was an insult to me, too."*
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Zil and Mavis see themselves out and Dylan stays back with her dad. She tearfully tells him that she thinks he's a good dad and that she loves him, but she wants him to help her friends to show them that he's a good person. He agrees to let Dylan be Mavis' charge, as long as she reconnects with Morgan and helps convince Mavis to go with him. She reluctantly agrees for now. Before she goes, she asks Fernando about the engagment ring. He says he doesn't know anything about it other than Margaret already had it from her hometown, and he was poor and couldn't afford a ring so they used it as her engagement ring. He says it was her favorite thing in the world. The Roses reenter the dining room and get ready for dinner.

Dinner begins and conversations are had all around the table. Ora and Shelton discuss the rebuilding of Jack & Jill's, while Cyrine and Griana talk about eating bugs. The chef is presenting all of the courses as they tell an elaborate monologue about the food they're serving, they're being a bit strange but the party just listens. The main course is finally served and everyone lifts their plate covers to see their plates covered in dismembered hands and feet, blood everywhere. The chef cackle and runs out the back door, the party quickly leaps into action. Ora races out the front while Griana, Cyrine, and Dylan follow them out the back. Going through the kitchen, the staff is dead. Zil and Mavis prepare to dimension door.

Outside, Trickery reveals themself to be the chef, cackling at a job well done in scaring the party. They conjure three large, winged forms that loom in the darkness of the streets before disappearing. Roll initiative.

## Trivia

* The first appearance of Vaughn Voight.
* The first appearance of Valindra Kaven.
* Barry, the carriage driver, mentions that he is in an acapella group called New Directions that performs Thursdays at The Refuge.
* Gaspard Rose mentions that he is a bard, and he was the first man to portray the role of Kiersten in Monster of the Musical.