Session 35: The Family II

## NPC's

Amalesca, Oliver Sr. Tigale, Jessabelle Wormwood

## Summary

Wolf-Annora follows the scent, but it disappears at the rightmost wall, covered by a bookshelf. She wakes everyone with a howl, and they come downstairs. Nonamé uses her magic identifier, showing that the sword's red aura strengthening, but there aren't any people unaccounted for. Oliver Sr. runs in with a knife, asking where the wolf is. Everyone lies and says that it's just his imagination. He facepalms, grunting, "please don't tell me you smuggled a wolf." They give in and explains the existence of a shapeshifter, which is no less concerning. Annora explains the situation, leading to asking whether or not the sword's soul can manifest physically. Jessabelle enters, saying that to an interesting question. It can only show in certain situations, and even then, not physically. She says that Annora's killer may have been a ghost, considering that the house is probably haunted. Cryllos investigates the bookshelves further. All of the bottoms are flush against the ground, and the back walls are thick. Alastor tries to phase through the wall, only to hit an impassable force, a ward against people and gods. The party forces Jessabelle to reveal a secret room behind the bookshelf. Only Oliver, Cryllos, and Nonamé are allowed in. They see three objects inside: a suit of armor made of void, dark metal, a bell-shaped container full of glowing flowers, and a pocket watch. On the floor are weird circle etchings and a pile of red fabric. Nonamé throws some chains, which disintegrate over the circle etchings, also wards. The cloak was used by her when younger, and the same one Annora saw. Nonamé uses the detector again, showing that the flowers glow red and the watch glows an iridescent rainbow. Also, Annora's sword is brighter. Jessabelle offers to work more magic detecting on the blade. She has no idea what it can do with the information she has. They have a breakfast of pancakes. Cryllos gives a very sad Amalesca some pancake.

Jessabelle is almost ready to examine the sword but is missing some sycylia petals. The area it grows in has bones, which they shouldn't mind, though some are human. Jessabelle wants Oliver to stay to talk.

* The others go through the woods, where old and fusing, human bones, lead to a pretty clearing. They find the vines with flowers, which Nonamé takes. Amalesca asks about Jessa, to which she responds that it's not really important. She finds her voice familiar from about ten years ago, in the truth stone auction. Amalesca suddenly seems concerned. She asks to take a look at Jessabelle. After hostility, she asserts that she must take Cryllos on trial due to his contract with the Court of Dreams and status as a god vessel is illegal.
* Oliver watches Jessabelle in her lab as she mixes powders and liquids. She laments over how long it's been and asks what it was like in the Lost Land. He describes Arbora as large and vertical, full of weird people. She is surprised that anyone there is sane. Arbora was a monster, and she didn't expect anyone on the expedition to survive and civilize. He asks her about her thoughts on his travel companions. She finds them particular, and though none of them are evil, some are pretty awful. Oliver doesn't trust Annora, to which she responds that trust is complicated. She compliments him on his gifted at the piano. She then asks him for help on her magic music sheets.

The others return and ask about the bones. Jessabelle only says that she built the house here as the bones are a fixture. The experiment is ready. She warns that if anyone is caught up, they may face mental health problems. Amalesca looks at Jessabelle and softly gasps. Everyone except for Nonamé refrains. Jessabelle sprinkles some dust and hands Annora oil, which she drinks.

Suddenly the room is gone, replaced by white space. Annora sees a red-haired man sitting across her. He is glad for the company but asks her to reconsider the offer to protect Ivy. She flat-out rejects again, saying that there is no point in doing anything that does not benefit herself, or her friends. He tries to retort, but she calls him a dead simp. He senses that the walls are full of the fallen, wrong, and familiar. He feels dead children and "brothers." She asks if there are any other souls in the sword, and he suddenly poofs, replaced by a young blonde in a white dress. She looks like the woman in the vision. She's long lost her name. She says that it was a warning, which Aster also sent. In the past, she used the sword to save children, but they all died except one. In the wall are so many children, who've been here forever but still are children. One body in the wall is still alive and in pain. She fades out, a void in her place. Arms start crawling out. Annora's eyes close, her hands around the hilt of the sword. Jessabelle notices that it is time to stop the ritual.

The white space shatters, returning Annora and Nonamé back into reality. Nonamé wants to break down walls. Cryllos sweeps the house using the detector and the sword, revealing that the sword glows bright red near flowers, especially near small, blue ones. Jessabelle claims that no one died for the flowers, but it gives off bad vibes. She uses the petals to make tea. The party deduces that they are blood lilies used for her immortality, upsetting them. She defends herself, saying that she wants to live and meet fascinating people. Since the blood lily will only work for a few hundred years, she's currently making true immortality. She notices Amalesca, which, to cover her up, Nonamé calls an emotional support frog. Ultimately, that fails due to the gold coloring. Jessabelle says that the curse wears off after a few days and only works once. She did the blood lily ritual herself, much to the party's disgust and fear. However, they have to stay as she continues to work on the defense charm. Nonamé notices a pinkish aura around the flowers and a yellow one around Jessabelle's piano. Inside, there are human tendons instead of strings. Cryllos flags down Oliver Sr. in the garden, looking tense. He shows him the piano, which he quite disturbing, but not surprising. He rambles about how she's not that bad once you get to know her, that family is valuable. They must stay together and give second chances. Alastor feels that he is manipulating. Oliver Sr. shows fear and guilt but keeps composure. They further interrogate him, but threats won't work. He tries to leave when Oliver asks, "You wouldn't put your only son in danger?" Oliver Sr. breaks, revealing that Jessabelle has his wife hostage, as she needs a blood relative for her music. If he does not give Oliver, she would be the sacrifice. Every note is written with a relative's blood, and the house is built of their bones. As long as his wife's life is in jeopardy, he must force the party to follow the plan and not destroy the flowers. Oliver Sr. asserts that the family does not consist of simple or weak people. Amalesca collects her memories of Jessabelle, that she is crafty, terrible, a villain, and a bitch. The party starts planning, when Shade gives a plan Z, to kill off her bloodline. Though the others were thinking that too, it fills them with fear. Everyone is thoroughly conflicted.

## Misc.

* Cryllos slapped Shade thrice. Shade was, frankly, quite rude.
* The three items
	+ Suit of armor: A suit of armor that reflects no light; Anyone who wears armor has the strength of 100 men and is invulnerable, but they will have the urge to kill
	+ Blood lilies
	+ Pocket watch: Can alter time