DF Soaring Phoenix (Novices Team-A), Session 79 - Diary of Merrill Tangled Tail
Here is an in-character summary of the last session by the player of Merrill. As always, I am giving out an Impulse Point to any player who writes a summary for the blog.
Party roster:
Erizax Ofaris, human wizard, 292 points (PC)
Merrill Tangled Tail, cat-folk monk (martial artist), 234 points (PC)
Randall, human veteran (knight), unknown points (NPC)
Violetta, human warrior (barbarian), 160 points (PC)
Campaign Date: 2 and 3 January, Year 647 of the Vycenaean Empire.
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Diary of Merrill Tangled Tail:
It good to be back in Bridgegate. People much like Merrill remember, town much like Merrill remember. There more buildings now on other side of river, and buildings that now bigger, but on whole things not change very much. That good. It feel like coming home, yes yes.
Inn where friends usually stay, it also much the same. Smells, tables, chair, floor, people, they all same. From moment Merrill settle into inn, it as if Merrill never leave. Except there no friends. It seem that Merrill is first to return to town, and it not certain when other friends return. Or if other friends return... Merrill does not like to think of this, but it not clear when friends went own paths that all paths would come back to Bridgegate. There no sign of others. In place this is familiar, Merrill again alone. So Merrill go out to be among people of town, get to know people and get to know town better. There much to do, and much time in which to do these things.
After some days, Erizax return. But after brief stay, Erizax leave again. He say he going to Mere for short while, but his path returns to Bridgegate. That good! If one friend come back, it almost certain others come back too! After few more days, Erizax return from Mere and we talk over drinks like friends that old. As we talking, Randall walk in inn! Merrill hear that Randall back, but always miss him. If he honest, it because Merrill like to wake up when sun already warm, and Randall he wake up before sun. So we call greetings to friend Randall, who return greeting as he share drink with woman that tall at bar.
Woman at bar, she look at Merrill and suddenly rush towards table. For moment Merrill thinking she mistaking him for other kin, but then woman smile wide and pet Merrill. Randall explain that woman is new friend, and new to town. For few moments, woman try to pick up Merrill, but he use Persuasion of Gentle Moon to push hands away, and woman understand that Merrill not pet but person. She say, she Violetta, and new to town. She say she never seen kin before, and pet Merrill again.
In truth, Merrill not had reaction like this from someone since Merrill was very young kitten. Back then, he very very cute, or so Merrill told. And there worse thing than new friend stroking hair and fur. But no touching tail or pinching ears. That where Merrill draw line!
Violetta say she new to world, or so Merrill understand. She not know how speak language yet, and that Merrill understand very well. She say she from place where only one moon in sky. That sounds like lonely place. How to walk path without light of two moons? Clearly it better she in proper world now with proper moons and proper paths, yes yes! But Merrill can tell that Violetta she still sad she no longer able to return to place that once home. This, Merrill also understand very well.
After short conversation that take long time, Violetta say she want to fight Merrill. This seem strange to Merrill, because he not done anything to anger Violetta, but then she make clear that it not fight to fight, but fight to spar. She never seen kind before, and want to know if kin can fight. So Merrill agree to spar next day outside of town.
It been little time since Merrill was in Dojo. It good to spar and keep memory of muscle fresh.
Next day it near noon when friends and new friend meet outside town. Violetta say she not like wake up early, and sleep is good. Merrill thinking he has found new friend, yes yes! Randall ask Violetta and Merrill what rules of fight? Violetta look at Merrill and say, we not use weapons. She not want to hurt Merrill with flail. That friendly, but Merrill thinking it not good idea to fight Merrill unarmed. He ask if Violetta certain, and she say she certain as certain. She say that Merrill can use claws, because they not weapon. She wrong, but that lesson only learned one way.
Merrill remember lessons in Temple of Ten Tigers, and lessons teaching other students. It not necessary to hit students too much, but it necessary to hit students few times. Otherwise, how they learn? Master Zheng say it necessary to have calm mind when teaching, and calm heart when fighting. So with calm heart and calm mind, Merrill wait for Violetta to strike.
When she punch, Merrill uses technique of Little Moon Rising to throw Violetta over shoulder, and then wait for her to get up on feet. When she punch again, Merrill step out of way. After little while, Merrill return punch with technique of Furious Tiger and scratch Violetta twice with claws. There blood... Merrill scratch too hard! But Violetta she smile, and see Merrill with eyes that new. Having taught lesson of Furious Tiger, Merrill open distance and kick. Nearly Merrill fall on face! But luck of moons still with Merrill, and he turn wild miss into rake of toe claws. That technique of Sudden Moon, and Merrill never able to land it before. Again Merrill scratch too hard! But Violetta, she smiling. It strange! Merrill suddenly thinking, she not so easy to defeat, and fight only end when surrendering. At rate of this, Merrill may need to hurt Violetta bad bad before she surrender, and Merrill not willing to do this thing!
When Violetta try copy technique of Sudden Moon, she lose balance and fall. So Merrill walk over and hold out hand to help her up on feet. That simply good manners in Dojo, yes yes. There no shame in this. But Violetta she cunning, and grab arm of Merrill. It take all of skill of Merrill and knowledge of Little Moon to free arm from grapple and return grapple of own. Then, to make sure lesson it well learned, Merrill throw Violetta over shoulder again.
This time, Merrill grab Violetta while she on ground and take hold of leg. Violetta she struggle to get free, but it hold of Little Moon Waxing, and Merrill good at technique of Little Moon, yes yes! After few seconds, only way Violetta she can get free is breaking own leg. That also only option Merrill has left in technique, and still Violetta she not surrender even if situation it hopeless. Only thing Merrill can do now is hurt Violetta bad bad, and that not thing Merrill want do. And Merrill thinking, this all lessons that well learned.
So Merrill let go, bow to opponent, and yield fight. It never said that to surrender, it necessary to lose. Of all things Merrill has taught, he thinking Violetta learned that claws they sharp, and kin that not look very strong they usually quick quick and sometime stronger than they seem. And Merrill learn that there many things he not know about teaching, and that Violetta she brave and strong.
So friends decide that Violetta now friend, and part of Soaring Phoenix, yes yes! But Violetta hurt, so Randall say he take Violetta to temple to have wounds healed. He also pay for entry fee back into town. This seem strange to Merrill because friends they only out of town for short while, and even in sight of palisade whole time. But guards they say that walls and bridge and palisade they not repair themselves, and there no doubt that friends are entering town, so friends must pay fee. This seem fair to Merrill. But he thinking, Erizax not agree.
After healing and drink in inn, friends go see father Marcus. Erizax say he wanted to go see manor that appear outside of down, but Randall he say that it out of town, and does Erizax want to pay fee again to return? Erizax clearly not happy about having to pay fee, again, and so instead go to see Father Marcus. Unfortunately Father Marcus he not available, and Methra she say that Father Marcus not feeling well and not seeing visitors. That sad sad. She also say that cult not having luck finding coin to build shrine, and this troubling Father Marcus who had vision that shrine needs to be built in Bridgegate to ward off great evil. Luckily Merrill still have some coin left, so he give small donation and say he will be back to speak with Father Marcus later, when Father feeling better.
There strange atmosphere in town. It still same town, and same people, but... Merrill thinking, there something going on that bad bad. It make fur stand on end. But Merrill certain everything better when Eleanor return.
Merrill hopes this is soon. He misses friend Eleanor.
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