Chapter Thirteen: Hearts and Darkness

[Psychie]

At the sight of the large angry Felane, Oreleth adds her grin to that of Luna's. "Ah! Our odds coming out of this alive and in one piece have gone up significantly. This is truly a blessing for us. Please tell us, great SkySting, how is it possible for Powerpaw to be here?"

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin Taletreader

The shock of watching SkySting's magical prowess was swiftly overcome by the joy of seeing Powerpaw joining them. But Otiorin was cautious. If Powerpaw was here, did he also get caught in the trap? What of the others?
"Hullo, Powerpaw. How did you end up here?"

 

[Purr]

(Story time, Gang! Grab a snack and a drink!) =)

Powerpaw gave big, warm, furry hugs to everybody who wanted one (he offered one to Nivirea too whom he did not know half as well as some of the others). He even scooped up Oscar whose tiny form disappeared into those white and black-furred muscles. "Awww, guyz! It's so good ta see ya agains! Lemme tell ya!

Snarling briefly at SkySting, Powerpaw leaned on his maul and began his tale. "After you'se disappeared, Oscar here told us ta run off ta Highwind's church ta dis god-guy, Saint Cuthbert! Den Oscar poofed, too. So we followed his advice an' we went lookin' fer a big, holy human dey call 'Bishop du Blake', da head of da church! So, de knights let us in, tanks ta Ben da Smiffy, and dere he is - Bishop du Blake - all preachin' in fronta people of all races in Highwind! So, we all start quietly wavin' at him ta get his attention. He sees us an' sez, "Adventurers, you are interruptin' me while I am giving the word of the Righteous to da People of da Faith! You haz one sentence ta tell me before I asks you ta politely wait until I is done!" Powerpaw performed a huddling motion. "So, real quick, Mom, me, Ben, Misha, an' Sparkle all put our heads together an' Ben told us what ta say. Since I was da loudest, dey had me shout back.

'Bren an' his team needs yer help right now!!'

"'Take over!" he told another human holy guy an' away we went inta his study like a hobbit after a pie!

"After a whole buncha talkin' an' castin' an' prayin' an' even moar talkin', dat Shalin elfie-guy showed up wif his daughter, Kath. Den of all people, Kausheya of Bastet showed up too! Den Bishop, Shalin, an' Kausheya start puttin' dere heads together like dey has done dis befoar! All of it goes waaay over my fuzzy head (but not Mom's or Sparkle's or Kath's) an' finally, dey say, 'Pohjola! Dat's it! Dat's where dey gotta be!' An' I sez, 'Well, send me dere already! I gotta help 'em!' and dey sez, 'Hope so! We only has enuff spell for one person so yer it!'"

Powerpaw reached into his large belt pouch and withdrew a wide brown wooden case about as long as a dagger. "So, dey gimme dis and sez, 'Give dis ta Bren, Luna, Bria, Nivirea, or Otiorin! Only a magic-user kin use dese an' only a magic-user can break da curse!' and I sez, 'What curse?' Dat's when dey told me ta shaddup an' git goin'. Time was runnin' short. I chuckles an' sez, 'Does dat mean Time is a dwarfie?' Mom kicked me fer dat one but it wuz worth it!'

Powerpaw mimicked walking around and looking up to something taller than himself. "So den dey put me in front of dis really big tapestry an' dey sez, 'Stand here!' so I does. But dere's wittle Sparkle-face sittin' on a pedestal right beside me. She's all wishin' me luck an' Pyri dis an' Pyri dat an' I haz forgotten, so I'm thinkin', 'Who's Pyri? Shouldn't she be worried about Luna-face?' An' Sparkle's all lookin' at me wif dese big sad eyes. She turned aroun' ta walk away so dey could cast da spell, but I looked at alla da casters an' dey looked busy. So I grabbed Sparkle-face by da neck an' stuffed her in my pouch here," he pointed to his second belt pouch, "an' den I told her ta shaddup."

Powerpaw settled into a battle stance. "So den dey asks if I iz ready an' I sez sumthin like 'KILL!' and dey sez, 'Dat means "yes"' an' dey all cast dis big magic spell on da Saint Cuthbert tapestry. An' POW! What happens?" Powerpaw stabbed his claw straight up at SkySting. "DIS big snakey-face comes stickin' her big schnoz through it from da other side! Everybuddy in da room just flipped out! We don't haz dragons in Shamballah, so I thought it wuz Bastet's worst foe evar - Set himself!!"

Bria, her hands clasped, asked, "What did you do?"

"Whaddya think I did? I SMACKED HER RIGHT IN DAAA FAAAACE!!" Mightily, he swung his maul in a full circle. "WHAM!!"

"Now 'tis my turn to speak, half-wit!" SkySting interjected. She placed her claw on her chest and began to tell her side of things. "I stormed into the Goblin chief's camp with every intent to seal mine debt with thee. 'A curse for a curse', I say! From the mutterings of the goblinoids who had trodden upon my bridge-form for years upon years, I had learned that there was a Pinnacle of Power nearby and a spatial wall between the dreaming worlds separating cold-hearted Pohjola and a city of hobgoblins somewhere on shining Sharseya. Restored to full life and flesh, I blew through the goblins's hovels like the horrifying hurricane that I am and as they fled before me, I claimed their Pinnacle of Power, dedicated to foul Maglubiyet, the thrice-ugly god of goblins."

Powerpaw shook his head. "Boy, you'se speaks really funnies..."

"Thou art one to talk!" SkySting continued. "Dispelling Maglubiyet's hold and claiming the pinnacle for myself, I was in the middle of adjusting the core of its mystical enchantments to mine liking when a mortal-born Gate spell formed right before mine eyes! I but peeked in..."

Powerpaw swung again. "An' dats when I smacked her!"

"Cease thine interrupting, dimwit! ...And was immediately, but harmlessly shown mine way out!" SkySting's irritated growl echoed all over the cavern. "I reached in, this time with mine claw..."

"...an' I chomped it!" Powerpaw roared in victory.

SkySting growled again wiggling the offended claw in mid-air. "And this thing was attached to it! By his very teeth! He dared bite me!"

"Well, you'se asked fer it!"

"Thou art lucky to be alive, simpleton! Were it not for the faintest of dragon-scents upon thine person, I might have slain thee!"

"Oh yeah!" Powerpaw finally remembered. He hustled up to Luna and reached into his pouch. There, upon a small bed of leather-lined pouches, lay Sparkle. The purple-scaled pseudo-dragoness was unconscious with the strangest of expressions upon her aged features. She seemed as if she had fainted. Luna had only seen this happen to Sparkle in the rarest of times. It only tended to happen when she was surprised beyond belief, as had happened in younger times when she had adventured as Luna's father's familiar. "Here ya go!"

SkySting slithered about and pointed at Sparkle. "There! T'was the presence of a true dragon mine nose did detect." She scoffed at Powerpaw. "And so, dullard, instead of sending thine soul to whatever nether realms thou shalt surely speedily depart to, I placed thee inside mine Cloud of Grasping and brought thee here. Fortunate for thee that these are friends of thine, else thine life would be forfeit!"

"Uh, whut?"

SkySting rolled her eyes. "Fools! Shall I never be free of them?"

"Uh, what fools?" Powerpaw looked around. "Anyways, I got da way outta yer curse right here! Just read these stones in da right order!" Powerpaw offered the sturdy box out to any of the Wayward Wanderers who were curious about it. About that time, Oscar appeared out of Powerpaw's fur, crawled down his arm, sat down on his forearm, and stared at the box. "Curious. This container does not appear to be of Averlundian make."

"Naw," Powerpaw licked his nose. "Master Kausheya brought it. It's from Rhumia! So's what's inside, you'll sees!"

This got even SkySting's attention. She peered down, her eyes glimmering like jewels.

What do the Wayward Wanderers do?

 

[Sherwood]

"Oh yeah!" Powerpaw finally remembered. He hustled up to Luna and reached into his pouch. There, upon a small bed of leather-lined pouches, lay Sparkle. The purple-scaled pseudo-dragoness was unconscious with the strangest of expressions upon her aged features. She seemed as if she had fainted. Luna had only seen this happen to Sparkle in the rarest of times. It only tended to happen when she was surprised beyond belief, as had happened in younger times when she had adventured as Luna's father's familiar. "Here ya go!"

Luna once more lets out the happy sound at the sight of her little dragon friend. "Sparkle! Awww, my poor, sweet dear! Powerpaw, thank you for bringing her along with you. I had worried that I would never see her or any of the other Wanderers again!" Luna gently picks up the stunned pseudo-dragon and cradles her in her arms.

"Uh, what fools?" Powerpaw looked around. "Anyways, I got da way outta yer curse right here! Just read these stones in da right order!" Powerpaw offered the sturdy box out to any of the Wayward Wanderers who were curious about it. About that time, Oscar appeared out of Powerpaw's fur, crawled down his arm, sat down on his forearm, and stared at the box. "Curious. This container does not appear to be of Averlundian make."

Despite the concern that Luna has for her familiar, she cannot help but find herself interested in the stones that Powerpaw has in the case. "If these stones are to be the end of our curse, we must handle them very carefully or else we may ruin any chance of breaking this curse on us. By putting our heads together, I do believe we can solve this riddle."

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Brendoran, Paladin of Mielikki

Character sheet
Hit Points: 26/26
Armor Class: 22
Touch Armor Class: 16
Spell Points: 3/3
Hero Points: 1/1
Mighty Blow uses: 1/1
Interpose uses: 1/1
Color code: 3399ff

Powerpaw gave big, warm, furry hugs to everybody who wanted one

This included Bren, who was very happy indeed to see the big Felane. "Powerpaw! How in Mielikki's name did you get here?" He listened with astonished wonder as Powerpaw answered that very question.

He sees us an' sez, "Adventurers, you are interruptin' me while I am giving the word of the Righteous to da People of da Faith! You haz one sentence ta tell me before I asks you ta politely wait until I is done!" Powerpaw performed a huddling motion. "So, real quick, Mom, me, Ben, Misha, an' Sparkle all put our heads together an' Ben told us what ta say. Since I was da loudest, dey had me shout back.

'Bren an' his team needs yer help right now!!'

"'Take over!" he told another human holy guy an' away we went inta his study like a hobbit after a pie!

Bren smiled wryly, remembering the many other times he and his party (The Light in the Dark, back then) had come to seek Archbishop Du Blake's advice or assistance.

Time was runnin' short. I chuckles an' sez, 'Does dat mean Time is a dwarfie?' Mom kicked me fer dat one but it wuz worth it!'

That made Bren laugh and shake his head.

"Anyways, I got da way outta yer curse right here! Just read these stones in da right order!"

At the end of Powerpaw's story, Bren looked up at SkySting. "Thank you very much for bringing our friend to us, Lady SkySting. By your tale and his, he would have appeared in the middle of the goblins' camp upon arrival in this place, and while he could perhaps take on even so many, he would be distinctly the worse for wear afterwards, and we would still have to meet up with each other -- and with us not knowing he was coming, even! Your actions have helped us greatly." He bowed, and then turned his attention to the Rhumian box Kausheya had sent via Powerpaw.

He nodded in agreement with Luna. "Working together has been the key so far. Let us see what we have here, and between us we shall return to ourselves and our proper place, in defiance of the Maiden of Pain!"

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth looks at the others. "Despite my past training in the mystic arts to enhance my bow, I am not as smart as experts like Luna. But I will offer what opinions I have to try and help. Tell me, Powerpaw; do you know the proper order that these curse-breakers must be read in? It would seem to me to be the best answer out of all possible ones. That way, we won't run the risk of making mistakes and trapping ourselves in this icy place."

 

[Purr]

"Uhhh, me?" Powerpaw stared at the container and back at Oreleth. "Uhhh, mebbe start wif one dat looks like a face?"

Smiling Bria took Powerpaw's paw and hugged it. "Some things really are better left in the hands of the wise..."

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

.:| Nivirea - The Sorceress |:.

Nivirea offered no resistance at all against Powerpaw's hug. Quite the contrary - she remained close to the fuzzy giant, even going as far as leaning back into him with her eyes closed and a content smile on her face. She seemed to appreciate the softness and warmth of his fur greatly. At the same time, she eyed the container with some interest but said nothing about it just yet.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna's curiosity is getting the best of her, so she does her best to pull herself out of the big fuzzy hug, and she asks, "Powerpaw, can I please have the case? I am quite anxious to take a look inside it." Once she has the case, she gently sets it down on the ground and examines it to see if it is locked. If not, she then gently opens it up and looks inside.

 

[Purr]

Powerpaw grinned widely at all the welcoming and hugging. As one who had felt like an outcast even from his own beloved Bastet-born people, it felt so good again to be by the sides of those who accepted him - his friends.

"Sure, Luna-face!" Lightly patting Nivirea's back lest he bowl her over with his great strength, Powerpaw handed the container to Luna. He watched the wizard's every move with childlike curiosity, for he wondered what brainy Luna would do to unravel its mysteries.

Luna found the container to be very heavy and once she had gotten it to the cavern floor, she opened the lockless lid with relative ease. The weight's mystery was soon dispelled; the container held strange blank stones made of a mineral she could not identify. The box held four stacked rectangular stones."

"Oh! I knows dis! Iz a kid's game started in Issmir! Make a square outta dem ta start..." Powerpaw pointed.

This Luna did without trouble. The sides of the quartet of stones clicked together and formed a square about the size of a small shield. Then Powerpaw shook his furry head and Luna realized why - these pictures seemed to make no sense.

"...now da whole ting..."

The square began to fidget and tremble with a life of its own until suddenly it crackled and split apart, not into its four original rectangular sections, but into sixteen small squares, each with its own glowing glyph!

"...does dat! Now make it a square agains 'cept ya only got so much time ta do it."

Thus proved difficult. Furthermore ("furthermoar?"), when Luna tried to reassemble them, some of the pieces quickly met together, while others stubbornly remained apart, unable to be pushed together - like tiny magnets. It seemed the trick to finding the correct message was to assemble all sixteen pieces, each glyph set in their correct positive-to-negative orders, in a short amount of time (about sixteen seconds) or Luna would have to start all over again!

"Bouncin' Bastet, it makes my face hurt jus' lookin' at it!"

Spoiler: Sherwood

Luna requires a succesful Arcana skill roll in order to assemble the heiroglyph. Do you want to use your typical dice color or another? Please reply in the Adventurers' Table.

 

[Purr]

On the surface, merging the hieroglyph in the sixteen seconds she had seemed almost like an impossible act. Before she knew it, the pieces had burst apart again forcing her to start anew. It was aggravating. But... Luna soon began to notice her advantages. The small squared stones each had four sides and each side either pushed or pulled, but the glyphs did not change from attempt to attempt. Once two glyphs locked together, they held until the time limit was up. Luna understood with certainty that it was really just a matter of time before she would have the sixteen-piece glyph into one big picture. And what then?

Finally, Luna was able to piece it all together. She had figured it out! The last piece clicked on and the hieroglyph was one big beautiful scene, but Luna was Averlundian. She had never before visited Rhumia and didn't know what a hieroglyph was. Still, the pictures, now in order, seemed to deliver a message. As more than one pair of eyes from her fellows watched her, Luna's understanding slowly formed. The hieroglyph read, "Whoever lets himself be led by his heart will never lose his way."

Spoiler: OOC

This is a real Egyptian proverb from whom my Rhumians are loosely based on.

Further study into the hieroglyph uncovered a magic under the script. Luna had, in truth, assembled more than a hieroglyph - this was a magical scroll of sorts.

Spoiler: A magical scroll of sorts

Just a picture to show some hieroglyphs for atmosphere, not the riddle-trick before you.

(Image credit: EgyptTours2014 )

Understanding the magic was easy for Luna - it was as if it wanted to be known - but she made yet another discovery - there was another message beneath the surface of the first written in magic. Someone had scribed written four words, not in glyph-form, but in your Averlundian Common tongue! They read, "Choose with your heart."

Then the spell itself was known to Luna. This was a special scroll of Remove Curse, powerful enough to break Loviatar's hold perhaps... but it could only be used on one person.

Sherwood What does Luna do with these discoveries?

 

[Sherwood]

Luna looks down at the scroll with a mixture of personal pride for solving it and dismay that the scroll can only help one person. Sitting back, she says, "Well, the puzzle has been solved, and it contains a way for one of us to be free of this curse. But, it is as I said, it will only help one of us. Naturally, the little devil on my shoulder wants it to be me, but I cannot in good conscience arbitrarily make that decision. This must be agreed upon by us all."

"I think that the bare bones of the matter comes down to, which one of us, after having been freed of this curse, will be of the best help to stop the plans of Loviatar and break the curse on the rest of us? With that in mind, I would have to place my vote for Bren to be the one to accept the blessing of the scroll. You are a paladin, and with your sword arm at full strength to lead us, I think that there would be few challenges that we cannot overcome." Even if my own heart screams for the benefit if this scroll, I must make the right decision for all of us.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin Taletreader

Hearing about the exciting new discovery, Otiorin couldn’t help but feel elated. One of them could break the curse that bound their greater skills and abilities away from them. The only thing that troubled him was Luna’s suggestion.
“I’d have to place my vote on Bria. Having a Paladin in the fullness of his puissance is one thing, but what fear would we have with one of Sharseya’s most powerful healers in full command of her abilities?”
He looked around the faces of his companions, trying to read their thoughts from their expressions.

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth feels a warm sensation in her heart at the level of self sacrifice that is being shown here. "There is wisdom to both your suggestions. Consider this, though: We now have a potent fighter in Powerpaw with us, and if we are dealing with goblins, I would hazard a guess that he will be able to plow through them like a scythe through wheat. So, either a offensive spell caster to blow up the enemy, or having our healer at full strength to keep the rest of us alive in our weakened state would be good. That is my two copper's worth for you."

 

[Sherwood]

Luna looks pensive as she listens to Otiorin and Oreleth. "Mmmm. You are both right. What good is having a strong arm to fight with, if the rest of the Wanderers are felled because we are so weak? Bria, would you be willing to accept this spell to help us all stay alive in here?"

 

[Kaerri]

Brendoran, paladin of Mielikki

Bren smiled at his friends. He knew how badly each of them wanted to be restored to their proper selves, for he felt that same desire in his own heart. And yet, none had spoke on his or her own behalf, only what he or she believed to be best for the party. "Oreleth makes an excellent point. My own inclination is to offer it to one of our offensive spellcasters, for I believe and hope that Bria's current abilities will suffice for the most of us, and the sooner we can remove the enemies in our path, the less injuries we will take ourselves. And yet I cannot help thinking that the curse should be removed first from the one who suffered from it most." He turned to Nivirea. "Forgive me for pointing it out, but it seems to have hit you the hardest. What say you? Which among us do you feel should have the curse removed at this time?"

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

.:| Nivirea - The Sorceress |:.

Nivirea had been staring absentmindedly at the scroll ever since Luna declared what it was. It was obvious that she wanted it; equally obvious, perhaps, that she needed it. She did not act surprised when Bren seemed to offer it to her. But she didn't jump excitedly at the possibility, either (or if she did, her excitement was well disguised).

"Not being myself is what hit me the hardest," she told him. "With that problem solved, I already feel much more competent. While having more power would be... nice - I mean, it would certainly make me a lot more useful - I don't know that I should be the one. You are the leader and the most experienced among us. The decision should be yours."

 

[Purr]

Luna looks pensive as she listens to Otiorin and Oreleth. "Mmmm. You are both right. What good is having a strong arm to fight with, if the rest of the Wanderers are felled because we are so weak? Bria, would you be willing to accept this spell to help us all stay alive in here?"

Bria gasped and clasped her hands in prayer. "Oh, how could I count myself among the Ko if I said no?! I can't fail you! I just can't!" Bria took a deep breath and willed her self--control to the forefront of her mind. The Wayward Wanderers were calling upon her and they would find her up for the task in heart and soul. "If I focus on my Aura of Protection, you'll all endure less pain and damage if you are near me! Even moreso if my normal powers are restored."

Spoiler: Peaceful Healer Power

Being near Bria while she has her Aura of Protection activated reduces your incoming damage. At first level, the Damage Resistance is 1 (you take 1 less hit point of damage and if you take 1 point of damage, you are unharmed). This raises at 4th level and every 4 levels to a maximum of Damage Resistance of 6. Unlike many types of Damage Resistance (silver and werecreatures, for example), Aura of Protection defends against all forms of damage and cannot be overcome. At level 10, the DR is 3/-- instead of 1.

Footnote: This was one reason your characters took a little less damage during the Goblin/Young Warg battle. =)

Powerpaw stepped forward and patted Bria on her head. "Before we met you'se guys at Bilal's Menagerie, Bria an' I wuz quite a team! I dealt out da pain while she healed me!" The hearty Felane lowered his open paw to her. "It'll be jus' like old times!"

Bria reached up, took his paw, and held it. "So much has changed since then. But some things?" She raised her free hand and moved as if in a brief and beautiful somatic dance for a spell. "Some things simply don't change. I am prepared, Luna!"

 

[Sherwood]

Luna nods. "I just hope that this works to break the curse on you. Here we go. Blessed Boccob, be with us!" With that, she begins to focus her intellect on the tile-scroll, and reads out the mystic words. Feeling the power of the spell flowing through her, Luna then directs the energy towards the Ko Monk.

 

[Kaerri]

Brendoran, paladin of Mielikki

((Before Sherwood's post))
Bren smiled. "Then it seems we are all in agreement. Let us restore Bria now, and afterwards we'll keep working together to break the curse on the rest of us!" He looked to Luna, assuming she would be the one to cast the spell. "And may Mielikki guide and empower you, and us, as we do so."

 

[Purr]

(And Now For Something Completely Different! - Dann the Dungeon Master Man) 8D

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

Sunrise in Khopshef Province by Knut Avenstroup Haugen for the Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Original Soundtrack

Rhumian magic...

The heavy hieroglyph in Luna's certainly seemed alien and dangerously potent, but it was magic nonetheless. Magic that could cure Bria of the Ko of the curse you all suffered. Luna felt an odd warmth rise in the air around her as she called forth the power of the Rhumian runes, one by one, somatically and vocally. "Whoever lets himself be led by his heart will never lose his way." The words had to be charged, heartfelt, and spoken without interruption or misspeaking (which in itself could lead to uncertain outcomes). The glyphs disappeared one by one as Luna read them aloud - she would not get another chance.

Bria stood before Luna, her hands clasped gently together in prayer, her face lifted toward the heavens with a smile across her lips. Her eyes remained closed as she embraced the mystical power Luna fed into her. Even SkySting the Undying remained silent in respect of this display of magic. An aura of bright colors - soft orange, emerald greens, and rich browns - enveloped Bria even as a greater series of lights formed over your heads. Everyone looked upward. There was a majestic display like a shining cloud filled with heavenly radiance, like sunlight from another realm far away drifting into yours.

Luna finished the scroll. She felt it vanish from her fingertips. She felt warm and comfortable indeed as if she were covered in a thick, fur coat. Below Luna, Sparkle stirred, moaned, and sat up. The first thing Sparkle saw was Luna's face. The reptilian dame's eyes flashed wide as they struggled to focus on her familiar's face. The cavern shook from floor to ceiling as a blast of the coldest, iciest wind you had felt since you had entered these Pohjolan caves touched upon your skin, but none of you felt discomfort from it. The sound of a great cracking blast filled your ears like a mountain falling, but the cavern had relaxed, and for the second time in SkySting's presence, and the fourth total time since you had entered the land of Pohjola, that crashing of ice and storm faded away into nothingness.

Each of the Wayward Wanderers felt a growing energy inside of them. Your minds bristled with abilities, skills, and powers gone far too long. Not only did the aura of orange, green, and brown flow about Bria, but about each of you until every member of the Wayward Wanderers save Powerpaw was completely enveloped in it.

"Oh my gosh!" Bria shouted, but her voice sounded strange. Louder and more powerful somehow with an odd hint of an accent none of you immediately recognized. You felt your feet rise from the earth and your body completely relax as a power greater than any of you took hold and worked its will upon you.

Then you felt yourselves lowered to the cavern floor again - your second curse was broken!

Your previous experience had returned along with something more! But... with the Rhumian magic, something about each of you had changed. Luna looked down to her large hands. Luna heard an odd, but comforting rumbling sound coming from below her throat. She saw Sparkle except the pseudo-dragon seemed tinier than ever, except for her eyes which were larger than Luna had ever seen them. And Luna was the sole object of Sparkle's attention. The old girl nearly fainted again.

The cavern drifted into silence again except for the sounds of your moving around again. You felt different somehow. The cavern's cold did not affect you as it had before, but not only had your minds been altered, but something in your bodies had changed. One by one, as the odd lights faded, each of you looked upon the Wayward Wanderers...

...and beheld a party full of Felane!

Spoiler: Moar Instrumental Music

"Theology/Civilization" by Basil Pouledouris for the Conan the Barbarian Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

All but Oscar, Sparkle, and SkySting had been transformed into Bastet's large-sized powerful race of bipedal felines! Each of you wore thick, furry coats of fur that shielded you from the ill effects of the chilly cavern. Your eyesight had altered. Things directly in front of you were a bit difficult to identify, but oh how you picked up on moving objects the moment they dared! Objects like... Bren's whiskers or Otiorin's tail or Nivirea's paws or Oreleth's slitted feline eyes or Bria's all-white coat of very pretty fur!

Spoiler: LOOK IN HERE!

If Bria were a cat, she might look like this! Now that she is a Felane, she looks like a Felane with these beautiful, furry features!
EXTRA CREDIT! Kaerri Psychie Wolf Rawrrr Sherwood Captain Hesperus If you would like to have Action Points back in the game instead of Pathfinder 2.0's limited-by-comparison Hero Points, go to the Internet and grab a cat photo that best matches your character and post it in Adventurers' Table (be sure to provide photo credit or it doesn't count!)! (And Cap'n and Sherwood? No using your avatars!)! Wheeee!

(Image credit: TheHappyCatSite.com )

Powerpaw lost his face. He danced and laughed hysterically and reached his paws out to the heavens. "Oh boy! Oh boy! Now dis whole place doesn't stand a chance!! Omigosh, Best Bastet, dis is da best magic evaaaaaaar!! MOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRR!!"

What do the Fickle Felines Wayward Wanderers do now?

 

[Sherwood]

Spoiler

Luna's new look:



And I found one for Sparkle, if you decide to have her change, too!

The sudden surge of power through her tells the fire mage that the magic is working as it should. But then, Luna notices that there is a glow coming up around all of the Wanderers, except for Powerpaw! With the sudden realization that she is now a Felane, she is struck speechless for a moment, then the dam breaks and all she can do . . . is laugh!

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth watched with a quiet intensity as Luna casts the scroll on Bria. She was always fascinated by magic, and the workings of this scroll was no exception. But then the power of the spell started to encompass all of the cursed Wanderers! For a moment, Oreleth dared to hope that the power of the scroll would be enough to break the curse on all of them after all!

But even as she felt her strength return to her, flowing back in a rush, there was something different. Something very different, but not necessarily in a bad way. Or at least, not in an evil way. She was warm for the first time since coming to this place, so that was something. Oreleth lashed her tail as she tried to put her finger on just what had changed, then she took a good look at the others and saw.

Felane. All were Felane. And here was Luna, laughing like a madwoman. The stress of the moment has made the poor woman lose her mind.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin Taletreader

Otiorin watched Luna casting the spell, half-wishing he still had access to his heritage-born magics that he could partake of the spell she was casting. As the spell reached its culmination, he saw the tendrils of multi-hued lights engulf his beloved... only to rush outwards and engulf the whole party. He turned his head aside and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the radiance. As the light faded, he heard Luna's laugh, a normally light and cheerful sound, but now slightly deeper, slightly different. He opened his eyes and beheld the sight of SkySting, Sparkle, Powerpaw and... the rest of the Wanderers, but they were all different. Each had taken on the form of a Felane, the race of Powerpaw's people.

The former Half-elf gasped in surprise, then dared to look down at his own limbs. His gasp turned into a howl of dismay as he beheld his new form.

Spoiler: Oti'paw'rin Taletreader

"After all that hard work, that suffering, trying to regain our original forms, our original strengths! Now this? This is not an outcome I would have asked or wished for! This is another damnable curse!", he growled, his black-furred lips drawn back to reveal sharp fangs.
He crouched and punched the ground in frustration, his tail lashing viciously.

 

[Purr]

Otiorin found that his fist had cracked the stone floor he had struck, a feat beyond him in the form of his birth.

"Curse?" Powerpaw turned dangerously towards Otiorin. "CURSE?!" The word had stronger meaning in Powerpaw's lands than in Otiorin's native continent of Averlund.

Powerpaw's blood-red eyes flared at Otiorin with such boiling anger that even Bria recoiled. Powerpaw got right into Otiorin's face. "LISSEN, YOU!! I risks my neck comin' here alone inta a city fulla evil goblins inta a world I haz never been on with no way back ta deliver you'se guys da best blessing Bastet haz ta give ya - an' you calls it a curse?!

"Beautiful Bastet cures not one of ya but all of ya from Loviatar's scummy evil an' makes ya moar powerful den you've ever been here wif gifts only she kin provide just ta help you and da ones you love survive dis damned place an' you got da nards call it a curse?!

"Oti, you is a Kitty-face! You iz stronger, faster, more endurin', harder-hittin, an' better lookin' den evar! Our noses kin track in total darkness, our claws an' teefies are like daggers an' short swords, an' we iz killers by natures! We iz taller, bigger, an' meaner den anyting Loviatar wuz expectin' you ta be, an' you knows it!

"An' how does you know how long it's gonna last, huh? Bastet didn't makes mistakes when she made me or when she made you'se! I volunteereds ta go solo ta find you 'cause Bastet an' Kausheya went waaay outta dere way when we called! An' we called upon dem ta help da likes of all of you! An' you insult me, my goddess, an' her number-one priest like dis?!

"Oti, I iz forevar proud ta be a Kitty-face - an' bein' one ain't no damned curse!!"

Powerpaw spat on the ground between him and his former half-elf friend. He stood defiantly, his burly arms crossed, and waited for Otiorin's response.