Anthe 3 - How It Feels

Day Three

The team takes in the property, noticing a clear apple theme in the fields and accents on the home. In the distance, there is a train track going over the water. As the Painter and Azaki explore the fields, Lynore, Aster, and Natalia notice a large man with an axe and a big beard, a child with pie near him, and a few other individuals as they enter the manor. A few individuals seem to have metal replacements for their limbs or various parts (a metal eye, leg, etc.).

The lumberjack-looking man with the metal leg asks whether they killed the monsters. Venus replied that they had help from our group, but they have yet to discover the origin of these monsters. The man’s name is Wilder, and he notices Aster first, figuring that he is the one in need of Venus’s father’s help. Wilder is not a fan of Lynore’s attitude and Aster is not a fan of Wilder’s many invasive questions. Lynore defends Aster but they bond over their dislike for Soltus.

The child with the pie’s name is Wiz, and he is spooked by Aster, thinking he’s a monster.

After meeting these two, the group walks over to Venus and her father on a nearby couch. Venus’s father and Aster discuss a bit about what’s happening to him and they eventually go to a private room.

Venus’s father (Adhamh (Ahv) Eithne (N-ya) is tentative to do anything about Aster’s neck, as he is worried about messing with the magic keeping Aster alive(?) They discuss options for making sure his head doesn’t roll off again, but that would happen another time. Aster is curious about his blood and if it is the same substance dripping out of the base of his head. Adhamh makes a small cut in Aster’s hand and viscous, ink-like fluid slowly bubbles from the wound. A sample is taken to study later.

They further discuss what Aster is seeking and, unfortunately, Adhamh doesn’t have much experience with memory loss.

As this is occurring, Lynore and Natalia get some breakfast since the crusty oatmeal earlier was pretty awful. Lynore goes up to Wiz, the kid with the pie, and asks where he got it. Lynore doesn’t trust that they will give food to her, but trusts that Wiz could get some for her. Wiz is reluctant and insists that all travelers will receive food.

As Lynore and Wiz debate over who will asks for pie, Natalie goes up to Bibble, the individual holding pie for travelers. Natalia learns that Rogger makes the pies and does most of the cooking. Lynore notices Natalia receiving pie and asks her to get some for her (please).

Natalia makes some conversation with the fellow travelers about the apple orchard and they begin to discuss Adhamh’s origins.

He was a metalsmith in Myscian but wanted a simpler life, so he started an apple farm to get away from it all. The transportation company that uses the trains helps to ship his apples. He didn’t purposefully choose to be near Soltus, this location just happened to already have some apple trees and a nearby train track.

As Lynore and Natalia make conversation, a gorgeous woman with golden hair (Coronabeth as ref) comes downstairs and sits in Venus’s lap. From Wiz, they learn that she’s a traveler and has been here for a while. She might even stay. Wiz remarks that some girls leave and sometimes they stay. Lynore and Natalia assume he means for Venus but Wiz says, “Not necessarily.” We learn that his mother stayed here a while but left him and his father. Wiz and Lynore bond over this.

Lynore mentions how her dad left, but she’s going to find him in Myscian. She insists he cares about him, but Wiz is quick to point out that he left her. Lynore says “Yes, but my mom never listens to me.”

Wiz suggests that they go catch some frogs for a frog circus, he calls Lynore Lionel and takes her hand.

A bit after Aster leaves the room with Adhamh in it and joins them in the frog hunt. As he leaves the manor, though, many whispers of several individuals repeat the phrase “Poor, poor soul,” over and over in his head. He feels a shock through his system and feels very uncomfortable. Holding himself, he stumbles away from the frog hunt, wanting to be left alone. Lynore calls out after him but he does not answer.

Lynore and Natalia follow Aster as he slowly trudges through the forest. Aster heads for the nearest patch of flowers and begins to pick at the petals. As soon as the petals are gone, he would grow them back and repeat picking at them. As he does this, the purple flowers in his hair turn white.

Lynore, knowing Aster is a bit afraid of Natalia, puts forward the plan that she and Natalia concocted earlier.

Basically, they will identify the magic on Aster with one of Natalia’s spells. She will sense whether it was sinister or not and information about its origin, hopefully. Knowing Aster is wary of her, she will try the spell first on Lynore to show that she will not harm him.

As Natalia touches Lynore’s hand, Lynore fakes being in pain, but the spells is quick and not painful. Natalia senses the amulet that Lynore pulls her magic from. Lynore jokes about this being an excuse for Natalia to hold her hand.

Natalia then tries the spell on Aster. Though Aster feels nothing, Natalia’s sight vanishes and she falls to the ground. She feels an immense sadness and cannot hear voices or wind in the trees. She eventually opens her eyes and regains her sight, but her eyes are pitch black. This fades eventually.

She is, understandably, taken aback by this and terrified that this is what Aster feels constantly. He is in fact, not ok.

Lynore questions whether this is a curse. The voice in his head insists it is not. Lynore suggests talking to priests since this might be some sort of plan by the gods.

Eventually, Rogger comes by to call them back to the manor. The group notices that his ears are metal. They then go to look for Wiz.

He has trained the frogs to jump in a circle. Lynore creates tiny fireworks and cymbal sounds; Wiz is very impressed with how his frogs have been trained. The frogs are named: Jizz, Jazz, and Jozz.

They all get back to the manor and only Aurelia and Venus are up, snuggling on the couch. Venus shows each of them to their rooms.

Natalia casts an alarm on the door that will go off if the door is touched in any way.

Lynore thinks of her family and all that has happened before going to sleep.

Aster communicates with the Voice in his head. The Voice insists that he shouldn’t worry about them in response to Aster asking whether they have possessed him. The Voice also says that he should live as though nothing is wrong. Aster insists that something is wrong and it’s all that people point out when he is around. The Voice encourages him that it may get better and this is just his new normal. Aster asks the Voice what they know about what happened to him. After several minutes of silence, the Voice still has no response. Aster finally asks whether he can keep communicating with the Voice. The Voice says yes, but not to worry about them.

Natalia wakes up to the alarm on her door going off. The door handle has been turned the the door is slightly open. She jumps into the hallway to look for whatever was there but the hallway is empty.

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