While the Cat's Away

**While the Cat's Away** is a series of quests given by the High Priestess and the Acolyte to gather information on Cameron's goals. It requires you to learn the Animal Shapeshifting Spell from Aryel and travel to the Consciousness Center as a cat.

During this quest, time will not pass while you are in cat form.

The quest objective in Part 3 says to follow the Cat-colyte to the Consciousness Center, but the next cutscene will trigger as normal if you have a speed boost active and run ahead of her.

## Dialogue

Quest intro:

* High Priestess: Cameron’s influence troubles me. More and more people attend his services… … which means he’ll persuade them to believe that there are “Malcontents” out to do harm to the community. We need more information. Novice, Acolyte, the time has come for both of you to learn shapeshifting. How do you feel about a feline spy mission?
* Acolyte Violet: Ooooooohhhhh, yes! I see where you’re going and I like it!
* Tara: Feline… spy… mission?!
* Acolyte Violet: We’ll learn how to turn into cats and then sneak into the Consciousness Center. How close is my guess?
* High Priestess: Telepathically close. Every witch learns from Aryel how to shapeshift themselves into animals. But they must wait until they’re old enough not to misuse such power. I trust both of you to treat your animal hosts with kindness.
* Tara: Um. What if I get stuck as a cat?
* Acolyte Violet: Now that would be funny-
* High Priestess: Aryel won’t let you get stuck as a cat. I promise. Parker’s mentioned more and more talk of rooting out the Malcontents. And Cameron is often scribbling in this tiny little notebook of his. We need to know what it says. Visit Ravenwood Hollow for a transmogrification lesson. Then see if you can find an open door at the center to sneak through.
* Tara: This might be going too far.
* --[Choice: Attend a seminar as humans?]
	+ -
* --[Choice: Attend this week’s service?]
	+ Tara: We could just get intel by attending this week’s service.
	+ High Priestess: All of us showing up together? That would be too suspicious. Besides, we need that notebook.
* Acolyte Violet: Hey, I’m not bothered by this.
* Tara: As long as we don’t get caught…

Part 1: Speak to Aryel to learn how to shapeshift.

* Aryel: So you’re to learn how to walk a mile in a cat’s paws, are you?
* Acolyte Violet: Yes! Finally! I’ve been waiting for years.
* Aryel: I don’t usually say this, but: patience! Don’t forget respect for the creatures allowing you to use their corporeal forms!
* Novice Tara: What? I thought we were going to learn how to transform into cat form!
* Acolyte Violet: Don’t be ridiculous! No one can do that. But we can politely ask animals if we can ride along in their bodies for a while.
* Aryel: Exactly. Graymalkin and Cleocatra here are experienced with ride-alongs.
* Cleocatra: Mrrrrrow!
* Graymalkin: Mrrr. Meow.
* Aryel: Oh, of course. Tara, Violet, it’s time for you to ask permission.
* Acolyte Violet: Graymalkin, you are the noblest of felines. I would be grateful to walk with you.
* Graymalkin: Mrrrrrar!
* Novice Tara: Is this some sort of joke? A… a hazing ritual or something?
* Acolyte Violet: Friends, please excuse the manners of our newest member. Her speciesism is brought on by ignorance rather than malice.
* Aryel: Now, I can sense the thoughts of our fine friends with gills and feathers and fur. But what makes you unique, dear witches, is that you can share their consciousness. Tara? Cleocatra must know she can trust you.
* Novice Tara: Okay… Cleocatra? Can I, um, walk with you?
* Cleocatra:; Wrrrrao. Prrt!
* Aryel: She said, “Of course.” Now! Take these shapeshifting incantations. You’ll need to cast them on your chosen cat.

Part 2: Cast the animal shapeshift incantation on your familiar (that’s your cat!)

* Tara: Holy ham sandwiches! It worked! I’m a cat!
* Violet: Not just any cat, but your familiar! And she sees so much more than humans.
* Aryel: Now off with you. To your skulking!
* Violet: We need to head to the Consciousness Center. We’ve got to find out what’s been happening there.
* Tara: Wait, you sound normal. That’s wild!
* Violet: It raises so many questions, but we gotta scamper. There’s no time to waste!

Part 3: Follow the Cat-colyte to the Consciousness Center.

* Violet: It’s go time. We need to be totally silent. If they catch us in there, they might think we’re just mousers keeping the center clean.
* Tara: Ewww.
* Violet: But they’re not gonna turn a blind eye if we start spouting the Queen’s freakin’ English.
* Tara: Cat’s got my tongue. Got it. Notebook… notebook… hmmm. I wonder where it is.

Part 4: Look around the Consciousness Center for Cameron’s notebook. (it’s on his desk)

* Tara: Ah! Here it is!
* Cameron: … and the presence of Malcontents seems to be on the rise in our fair town. It’s they who spread the pagan beliefs we saw at the Summer Festival. Whatever they may call themselves, their purpose is clear: To sow chaos and keep you from your true potential!
* Violet: That’s a lie!
* Cameron: Who was that? Find them!
* Angus: A disembodied voice? It has to be witches! Erm – I mean, Malcontents!
* Violet: Time to scram!!
* [Scene transition: coven circle]
* Tara: Whew. Cleocatra is fast. That run barely took any effort!
* Violet: Glad you enjoyed it, ‘cuz I think the incantation is about to wear off-
* Tara: Man, human senses are nothing compared to cat senses.
* Violet: I know, right? Thank you Graymalkin.
* Tara: You’re the best, Cleocatra.
* Cleocatra: Mph. Mrr!
* Graymalkin: Mewp! Rrrr.
* Tara: Now, let’s take a look at this journal…
* Violet: We have a heck of a report to make to the coven at the next meeting, that’s for sure.

Part 5: Speak to the High Priestess and tell her what you uncovered at the Consciousness Center.

* High Priestess: Tara, Violet, was your mission successful?
* Acolyte Violet: Was it ever! Once Aryel taught us how to transmogrify, we practically waltzed into the center.
* Tara: Dragging that journal away in cat form wasn’t easy, but we managed it.
* High Priestess: He’s started a heading for a list here. “Possible Malcontents.” No names on it yet though. That confirms my suspicions. This isn’t just idle talk. Thank you, you two. You were excellent.
* Tara: What can I say? We make fur-midable spies.
* High Priestess: And you’ve performed admirably in your shapeshifting abilities. You may now shapeshift *responsibly* into a cat familiar after creating shapeshifting incantations of your own. In cat form, you will be able to utilize their swift reflexes to catch fish and other useful items. Also, while the cat is in control, your body can be resting, so it allows for more hours in the day. Well done, both of you.
* [Reward: Animal Shapeshifting Spell recipe]