Session 8: Viter

*What is this devilry!?*

After entering into the viscous, vivacious and vitally important blood gate, I found myself *back home.* No woods around me. No fawns gently lapping from ponds, nor birds chirping their morning songs, but a rather destitute version of mine very own home.

Now *of course* I took this place as mere fancy. Did you think for a moment that dear Viter would be *fooled* by such obvious devilry? Nay, I say!

But I played along anyway. I wouldn’t want any fanged, ferocious and fantastical beast looking within my mind and knowing I wasn’t fooled, so I stepped through the scene as masterful an actor such as the famed human Danielle Dazed-Lupus would.

I stepped into the crumbling courtyard, observing the disrepair I now found myself in, and in a few moments I heard a noise – crying – coming from within the manor. I stepped inside carefully, and found a small figure cloaked in black, hunched over, her sobs echoing through the lifeless halls as she stood behind seven pine coffins – the cheapest one could purchase. I couldn’t believe it – or so I would *pretend* – my own mother was the only one left alive.

She shed tears and claimed my accumulating debts caused this to happen. Bah! As if I would *lose* money on my investments! As we all know by now, if Viter puts down two coin, he gets four back in turn. But that’s neither here nor there.

My mother lunged at me, and then I awoke. I felt a little off after that attack, weakened, you could say. But not due to any fault of my own. It was that damnable door that pained me so.

I couldn’t tell if the beast who caused this vision wasn’t gone yet or not, so I played the part in front of my companions. And then the grandest thing occurred – Ivasar referred to himself as one of *Viter’s Acolytes!* I couldn’t have been more proud! Ember didn’t *say* those words aloud, but I could see in her eyes and to her heart that she felt it too.

So there we were – each of us having survived a nasty vision – but despite it all we kept our eyes on the true prize – heroics!

We went through another barrier and found ourselves back in a forest. And there they were, the children, each of them stood around the circle. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw young Celeste speaking with a wickedly ugly creature as it pranced around, barking orders. But a young one’s mind can be left shapeless and eager to find form, and in the wrong hands Celeste found someone all too eager to mold her.

Viter’s Acolytes quickly jumped on the opportunity to save lives, and went into battle! We dropped barrels filled with… things… and I personally rescued a child all on my own. Ivasar heroically entangled the group, while Ember shot a Guiding Bolt to torch our foe! (Note to self: Remind Ember to show me *her* version of Guiding Bolt. I might use it).

Right as we were to strike the killing blow, a Dimension Door appeared and vacuumed the evil wench away. Celeste, tragically, was murdered, along with several of the children. But we took home who we could, including the werewolf we found at the centre of the magic circle, and returned to town to explain our deeds.

As we were to ride off into the sunset, we decided to drop off the werewolf child to the local wizards where we happened upon our old friend Schmendrick (at least, I think that’s how you spell it), including a fresh face who called herself “River”.

Ember gave her a rough time. But at this point, I’m starting to think that’s how Ember embraces people.

Huzzah! Off to new adventure!

Oh, and someone found a heart-shaped stone. I'm sure it's unimportant.