Campaign #1 - Somewhere on the Sword Coast

[Cat]

"Put that purse away darling! As I told Ashley and Alice, these pastries are gratis."

Nyaa thanks Freya Nya I's still like to lean the ingredients one day Nya - when you've finished your experiment Nya!
Cat tosses the pastry in her mouth and briefly observes her body for obvious changes
It's not poisoned Nya?
Cat says jokingly

Dragging the cart with some effort through the streets of Neverwinter, you make it to the stables. The stable master is in the barn, brushing the mules in question, "There you are! I thought perhaps I got the day wrong, as you can see, I have the harnesses and packs on them and oh good, you brought the cart, now we can fit them to the cart." This human gives off an aura of kindness that is palpable, the mules nuzzle him every chance they can get as if they know it's time to part soon, like saying goodbye to an old friend.

Cat greets the stablemaster waving at him with both paws
Nyaa good morning Mr. stablemaster Nya! Thanks for keeping our mules ready Nya! No worries Nya we will always treat them well Nya!
Cat greets Sandra and Sophia, patting them using a paw as brush
How are you today Nya? Ready to go on a journey Nya?

"They're ready, I'll leave... Sandra was it? On the cart for now. You're all leaving a little late today but don't let that bother you, stop before dark, I see the lantern and that's good in a pinch, but especially today, give them the idea that they don't have to work too hard."

Yes thank you Nya! We will use today Nya to get used to each other Nya!

"Holy heck, for a green clod of grass? Cat, we need to learn how to make these!"

Cat inspects and sniffs the green brick with little confidence
Nyaa we'd need to find lots of alfalfa Nya but I wouldn't know how to press it like that Nya. Looks like you need some heavy machinery for that Nya...

"Oh, you want treats? Work for it..." Ashley pets their soft necks and they seem happy for the attention, "well okay, but this is a loan." Ashley pulls out two more candies and hands one to each. "good thing I got a ton of these, seems like this is a one sided conditional friendship."

Cat laughs at Ashley's popularity
Nyahaha looks like you've got good animal handling skills as well Nya! But don't overfeed them with treats Nya or they'll want some every time Nya!

The stable master gives everything one last look over, "Seems to be in order, have a pleasant trip."

Cat waves Goodbye and leads Sandra pulling the cart
Thank you Sir, Nya!
We will see you again when we return to Neverwinter Nya!
Come on Sandra Nya let's get going Nya!

[Alice]

"I'm looking forward to it, I like tight spaces and danger at every turn, plus, it'll be nice full of lovely gems and ores, I want to go around and collect stuff, it'll be like a scavenger hunt! Haven't you ever played that game?"

Alice gives Ashley a puzzled look
Scavenger hunt? Why would you hunt scavengers? They eat rotten animals and probably taste awful! Also they're an important part of the ecosystem.
Yulya has to explain to Alice what a scavenger hunt is
Ohh, this!
Like searching for artifacts in ancient ruins!
My creators do that a lot, that's how they acquired my ship too! It was basically their main hobby when I think about it...
Nah, not really my thing. Ore and gems might be useful to get me back in shape but apart from that I don't care about such things. I like open places like warm forests. There I can grow everything I need.

"No, really what's in it I ate two!?"

Huuumanf!!
Alice exclaims with a pastry in her mouth
Thankf Freya for gifing uf freebief!

Dragging the cart with some effort through the streets of Neverwinter, you make it to the stables. The stable master is in the barn, brushing the mules in question, "There you are! I thought perhaps I got the day wrong, as you can see, I have the harnesses and packs on them and oh good, you brought the cart, now we can fit them to the cart." This human gives off an aura of kindness that is palpable, the mules nuzzle him every chance they can get as if they know it's time to part soon, like saying goodbye to an old friend.

Alice feels kind of sad and unusually sentimental for an alien monster as she watches the scene
Now, now!
You will see each other again when we return to Neverwinter! We will stop by here again!
Alice pats the huge animals but their ears remain out of her reach

"That'll be 8sp."

Seriously, those mules have pricier food and lodging than us! They live in luxury compared to us!
Alice takes the alfalfa brick into her hands
Yes, it looks like that plant has been dried, ground and pressed into shape with quite some force.
I could easily grow it on trees but that will take a while. My body can't make that in my current condition and also see no means to produce it with Cat's help. Something similar perhaps but not that.

"Oh, you want treats? Work for it..." Ashley pets their soft necks and they seem happy for the attention, "well okay, but this is a loan." Ashley pulls out two more candies and hands one to each. "good thing I got a ton of these, seems like this is a one sided conditional friendship."

Alice waits in line with the mules still in hope for a treat
Hey, you could have a one sided conditional friendship with me too if you gave me candy!

[Yulya]

Ashley smiles and you could swear you saw big fangs.

You feel very much alive to me and luckily you do not reek of blood either!
Yulya smiles at her clearly non-vampiric comrade

Scavenger hunt? Why would you hunt scavengers? They eat rotten animals and probably taste awful! Also they're an important part of the ecosystem.

Yulya has to explain to Alice what a scavenger hunt is
A scavenger hunt is a group game where you need to find a number of items without purchasing them. The team that gathers all the items first wins. But I guess I often forget you did not have a normal childhood...
Yulya pats Alice on the head

"Come and get it boys and girls!" She blows a kiss to the table in question and sits up on the bar, crossing her legs, she presents the pastries like a show girl.

Yulya watches the vulgar behavior of the other adventurers with unease

"please be careful!" Freya says with all sincerity.
Freya slides the pasty to Yulya as soon as she sits.

Y-yes thank you very much as always Freya. You know I try not to get involved with anything bad but the gods seem to have other plans...

At the butcher Yulya decides to keep 25lbs of fairy moose meat and sell the rest.

Alice's eyes widen
Whaat?
I had no idea that weird looking animal could do that! No wonder Nixie struggled with it!
Alice wearing her wofl cloak takes a step back
I'm an adventurer not a magic talking fairy animal so don't butcher me!

Yulya facepalms at Alices second display of utter lack of common sense today.
How comes you know what a mule is but not a moose? And do not worry nobody wants to eat you. Not even Ashley vampire!

At the stable Yulya is again surprised and slightly intimidated by the size of the mules.
Where they also this big when we bought them?

Yulya turns to the stablemaster
Excuse me Sir I do not want to pry into your business but can you tell me something about the incident with Miss Summers horses? We are to report all information about her whereabouts as adventurers! Do you think there were other people involved? Was there any unusual damage or traces of the burglary?

Ashley moves where the girls can see her and she speaks with a cutsie little voice you might hear someone speak to a lap dog. "Aww you girls sho shtinky! Earn your bricks! No trouble."

Ashleys behavior does not escape Yulyas perception but she keeps quiet and smiles. Everyone appears to be having a good time.

The stable master gives everything one last look over, "Seems to be in order, have a pleasant trip."

Thank you Sir I hope we will meet again soon after we complete our trip!
Yulya feels that it will be a long way until their return to Neverwinter

[/quote]

[Wofl]

[At the Guild]

You feel very much alive to me and luckily you do not reek of blood either!

"Check me again after walking all day." Ashley says with a sour look on her face.

It's not poisoned Nya?

Freya leans in, smiles and shakes her head, "would that I could, it wouldn't be you."

Alice exclaims with a pastry in her mouth Thankf Freya for gifing uf freebief!

Freya smiles at Alice's antics, "Certainly it's my pleasure."

Y-yes thank you very much as always Freya. You know I try not to get involved with anything bad but the gods seem to have other plans...

Freya seemed momentarily sentimental, "The gods whims are ever affecting our lives. We live by their grace and often die by their hands. Our hearts are their play things."

[At the Butcher]

You sold:

2sp per lb of tallow [20lbs]
2.5sp per lb of pelt [48lbs]
2sp per lb of meat [30lbs]
1sp per lb of offal [40lbs]
2cp per lb of bones [100lbs]
10sp Antlers [50lbs]

(40+120+60+40+20+10)*.75=217.5

You kept 25lbs of fairy moose meat.

You now have:
5cp
24sp
14gp
10pp

[At the Stables]

Cat greets Sandra and Sophia, patting them using a paw as brush. How are you today Nya? Ready to go on a journey Nya?

Sandra stays still, not looking to Cat, not looking away, with a stoic expression. Sophia greets her with a bray and head shake. Remembering her and happy to see her. Ready to take on the world.

Alice pats the huge animals but their ears remain out of her reach

Sandra seems even less interested in Alice, possibly not even noticing who's touching her as Sophia seems tentatively cordial toward her.

Hey, you could have a one sided conditional friendship with me too if you gave me candy!

"I gave you a ton remember? Get out of here, this is for my big stinky darlings." Ashley pets them and after the treat was eaten, Sandra nearly forgets who she was, only a brief nod, while Sophia nuzzles her affectionately.

Excuse me Sir I do not want to pry into your business but can you tell me something about the incident with Miss Summers horses? We are to report all information about her whereabouts as adventurers! Do you think there were other people involved? Was there any unusual damage or traces of the burglary?

He thinks carefully, "The stolen horses? Yes, well I wasn't here at the time, my helper was, he's been put on leave while the investigation concludes. All I know is, he wouldn't have let that happen, something happened to him, his memories of that time are absent and I believe him. There wasn't even a hair left, they searched the grounds for half a day. Those horses couldn't have escaped on their own."

Thank you Sir, Nya!
We will see you again when we return to Neverwinter Nya!
Come on Sandra Nya let's get going Nya!

Thank you Sir I hope we will meet again soon after we complete our trip.

The stablemaster waves with a kind smile, "Safe travels."

[On the Road]

The toasted brown mule, known affectionately as Sandra, pulls the cart with ease, and seems less than engaged with the activity. Sophia, with her loaded pack, seems in good spirits and excited to go on a trip.

[Thursday, Spring 20, 09:00, Clear and Sunny Morning, 8C]

When you reach the southern gate, two guards stop you and do a rudimentary search of the cart, they look carefully at Alice and then ask, "We are looking for a blonde haired girl, approximately 10 years of age, if you've seen someone of that description walking around unattended or see her on your travels, there's a reward for her whereabouts. She's to be treated as dangerous, do not attempt to engage her, she's not to be harmed, simply report as soon as you can to the roadmaster." They let you all go and you're off down the gravel high road. The grinding of gravel under wheels interrupted by occasional bangs as small rocks are surmounted, and the crunch of Sandra's iron shoes on the earth are a cacophony. As soon as they leave the gate, Sandra's pace quickens, she's finally realized she's got the open road ahead and she's no longer cooped up among tall buildings and she loves it. She excitedly pulls at a fast pace, moderated by Cat. Ashley leads Sophia who timidly follows, not knowing if leaving the walls of this great city was a good idea or not.

[The reactions and personalities of Sandra and Sophia have been worked out ahead of time in other interactions I've performed. I've used both dice and intuitional cues and they're surprisingly consistent, organic and differentiated. I'm not controlling them consciously at this point, the dice and whims of thoughts are doing everything. If you were to believe in divination and channeling, this is what they are, the dice, often rolled to gage their reactions, seem very oddly in sync, take that as you will. As all characters go, eventually they will seemingly 'act for themselves', and these two have reached that point. My remarks here are in recognition of the notion that the dice, still used, somehow seems to be guiding their development in a coincidentally coherent way, and this is not outside the realm of our past experiences, hence the 'divination'. The wonders of writing can be quite synchronistic and I find it remarkable on this side of the page now that I'm the writer and not the subject.]

[Thursday, Spring 20, 13:00, Clear and Sunny, 18C]

About 12 miles south, the mules are still happily plotting along, the road is level and free of ruts, so Sandra is seemingly unphased by the load. Ashley, ever the spotter, sees a stray package, something that's obviously fallen from a overlander recently. She runs for it and snatches it up, inspects it then tosses it in the cart.

It's a small manufacturer's crate of well made and expensive looking olive soap containing 4 bars. [4lbs, 2gp total.]

There's no reason to stop, certainly not wanting to interrupt the mules' good progress, though Sandra's enthusiasm early on has been muted slightly, she seems very determined to plot on.

[Thursday, Spring 20, 17:30, Clear, 17C]

As the sun approaches the ocean in the Western sky, Sandra stops abruptly. Ashley pulls out an alfalfa brick, breaks off small chunks and leads them off the road. "Cat? Get the water, get the feed bag, the girls are done."



You've made it about half way to the Triboar trail, good progress, and there's a less than ideal campsite nearby. An old fire ring looks like it hasn't been used in a while, the land is relatively flat, it's not the worst place to set up for the night.

"Let's get settled, I'm going to introduce them to my babies when they've been fed and rested a bit, but before dark." Once they're off the road, Ashley feeds them the rest of the brick.

[Interactions Required especially Cat with the girls]

[Alice]

How comes you know what a mule is but not a moose? And do not worry nobody wants to eat you. Not even Ashley vampire!

I only know about animals that have a practical use! There's no such thing as nature and wildlife on most inhabited worlds and very few animals are commonly used. But humans still sometimes use mules in their military even though they have conquered space. In mountain terrain these animals are unbeatable. Better than most machines, don't need a power source, can sustain on a few weeds and in an emergency humans can even eat them. You can't eat a machine!! Well that is what I've been told but I had never seen a mule in real life before the ones we bought!

"Check me again after walking all day." Ashley says with a sour look on her face.

Hey, you can always ride on the cart! It's got more than enough capacity for a whole bunch of Ashleys!
I've thought about it but I'll rather walk than getting shaken through on that rough vehicle. It was bad enough on Gundren's cart.

[At the Butcher]
You kept 25lbs of fairy moose meat.
You now have:
5cp
24sp
14gp
10pp

Alice swallows the platinum and gold coins
Ahh, that feels less empty!

Sandra seems even less interested in Alice, possibly not even noticing who's touching her as Sophia seems tentatively cordial toward her.

Alice notices Sandra's lack of affection
Playing hard to get, are we? Fine, fine! It's not like I don't have another friend here who appreciates me!
Alice demonstratively snuggles to Sophia.

"I gave you a ton remember? Get out of here, this is for my big stinky darlings."

Alice turns 360° and walks away sulking
Meh, it's not the same when I can't eat the candy from your hand!

When you reach the southern gate, two guards stop you and do a rudimentary search of the cart, they look carefully at Alice

Alice does not bother wearing her mask and it is obvious she's not Summer - or any other human girl for that matter. She still chuckles about her plan to smuggle Summer out, somehow disappointed it was not needed.
Hey, I'm obviously not the one you're looking for. Should I take my clothes off or what?

you're off down the gravel high road. The grinding of gravel under wheels interrupted by occasional bangs as small rocks are surmounted, and the crunch of Sandra's iron shoes on the earth are a cacophony. As soon as they leave the gate, Sandra's pace quickens, she's finally realized she's got the open road ahead and she's no longer cooped up among tall buildings and she loves it. She excitedly pulls at a fast pace, moderated by Cat. Ashley leads Sophia who timidly follows, not knowing if leaving the walls of this great city was a good idea or not.[/i]

Alice takes her usual place as rear guard, closely following the cart and keeping an eye on all that's coming from behind

About 12 miles south, the mules are still happily plotting along, the road is level and free of ruts, so Sandra is seemingly unphased by the load. Ashley, ever the spotter, sees a stray package, something that's obviously fallen from a overlander recently. She runs for it and snatches it up, inspects it then tosses it in the cart.

Soap?
Not bad! But it would be a waste to use this as firebombs. Maybe we can sell it in Phandalin. I bet they need soap as no traders made it there for a while.

As the sun approaches the ocean in the Western sky, Sandra stops abruptly. Ashley pulls out an alfalfa brick, breaks off small chunks and leads them off the road.[/i

Alice focuses on whats behind her and almost runs into the abruptly stopping cart
Oh, the divas have their leisure time now?
Well whatever, I guess we've made it far enough.

You've made it about half way to the Triboar trail, good progress, and there's a less than ideal campsite nearby. An old fire ring looks like it hasn't been used in a while, the land is relatively flat, it's not the worst place to set up for the night.

Alice gets the tent and rations from the cart for Cat to prepare and starts a fire
We should eat too, maybe then we can make another batch of poison!

[Yulya]

The stablemaster thinks carefully, "The stolen horses? Yes, well I wasn't here at the time, my helper was, he's been put on leave while the investigation concludes. All I know is, he wouldn't have let that happen, something happened to him, his memories of that time are absent and I believe him. There wasn't even a hair left, they searched the grounds for half a day. Those horses couldn't have escaped on their own."

Yulya concludes that absent memories sound much like Summers doings but keeps silent and just nods

When you reach the southern gate, two guards stop you and do a rudimentary search of the cart, they look carefully at Alice and then ask, "We are looking for a blonde haired girl, approximately 10 years of age, if you've seen someone of that description walking around unattended or see her on your travels, there's a reward for her whereabouts. She's to be treated as dangerous, do not attempt to engage her, she's not to be harmed, simply report as soon as you can to the roadmaster."

Yulya bows and nods - hoping that Summer will safely make it to Phandalin without being caught

Ashley leads Sophia who timidly follows, not knowing if leaving the walls of this great city was a good idea or not.[/i]

Yulya sympathizes with Sophia and wonders if she will ever see Neverwinter again

About 12 miles south, the mules are still happily plotting along, the road is level and free of ruts, so Sandra is seemingly unphased by the load. Ashley, ever the spotter, sees a stray package, something that's obviously fallen from a overlander recently. She runs for it and snatches it up, inspects it then tosses it in the cart.
It's a small manufacturer's crate of well made and expensive looking olive soap containing 4 bars. [4lbs, 2gp total.]

Yulya briefly inspects the crate
A nice find, Ashley! I also think this would sell well in Phandalin.

As the sun approaches the ocean in the Western sky, Sandra stops abruptly. Ashley pulls out an alfalfa brick, breaks off small chunks and leads them off the road. "Cat? Get the water, get the feed bag, the girls are done."

Yulya looks a bit confused
Uhm we have no water for the mules with us. We can either look for some or if we do not find any I could waste 1MP to create enough!

"Let's get settled, I'm going to introduce them to my babies when they've been fed and rested a bit, but before dark." Once they're off the road, Ashley feeds them the rest of the brick.

Yes this is probably the best spot. Let us rest here for the night!
Yulya searches the area for potential threats then helps Alice set up the tent while Cat tends to the mules

[Cat]

Cat is pleased to see how Ashley is handling the mules
Nyahaha weren't you against getting them in the beginning Nya? And now you seem to like them more than us Nya!

When you reach the southern gate, two guards stop you and do a rudimentary search of the cart, they look carefully at Alice and then ask, "We are looking for a blonde haired girl, approximately 10 years of age, if you've seen someone of that description walking around unattended or see her on your travels, there's a reward for her whereabouts. She's to be treated as dangerous, do not attempt to engage her, she's not to be harmed, simply report as soon as you can to the roadmaster."

Cat struggles not to laugh and is jabbed by Alice who is not doing much better

They let you all go and you're off down the gravel high road. The grinding of gravel under wheels interrupted by occasional bangs as small rocks are surmounted, and the crunch of Sandra's iron shoes on the earth are a cacophony. As soon as they leave the gate, Sandra's pace quickens, she's finally realized she's got the open road ahead and she's no longer cooped up among tall buildings and she loves it. She excitedly pulls at a fast pace, moderated by Cat.

Cat begins working with Sandra and getting her to read her body language. Her tall and charismatic presence makes it easier for the animal to understand what Cat wants without her having to use a verbal cue all the time. Sandra has her personality but is quick to understand Cat's body language even if she doesnt always follow through at the first attempt, testing Cat's authority. But not for long.

Cat turns to Ashley
Ashley Nya I don't know how much you know about horses Nya but you seem to be doing well with Sophia Nya! We will see how it goes with Sandra Nya.
Just remember to communicate Nya the animal needs to respect you as a leader Nya without fearing you Nya! But they gotta know who is in control Nya or things can get dangerous Nya. Just being a walking treat dispenser isn't good Nya so don't try to control them with food Nya!
They are smart herd animals Nya once they know you Nya they can easily read you without a word Nya. Just be consistent Nya. Always same body language for each command Nya. If that doesn't work Nya give them a single short verbal cue Nya. Only if that doesnt work get physical like using the reins Nya or even giving them a slap. Always go through that procedure Nya. Be absolutely consistent Nya and never stop halfways Nya or they won't respect you Nya. Always follow your own rules Nya no exceptions no grey areas Nya! Encourage good behavior punish bad Nya. Never let them push you around Nya! They can't just come up and bump into you Nya! And be reasonable with treats Nya or they'll demand one to do their tasks Nya. Thats not how it works Nya. It's an exceptional reward Nya not payment they're entitled to Nya. Also you'll get bitten Nya because they associate your fingers with food Nya! I'm sure you'll get this down perfectly in no time Nya!



After a few hours it is time to switch positions. Cat puts Sophia in front of the cart and leaves Sandra with the mule pack with Ashley. Then Cat resumes her training program with Sophia who seems to be the easier mule and quickly follows Cat's commands

As the sun approaches the ocean in the Western sky, Sandra stops abruptly. Ashley pulls out an alfalfa brick, breaks off small chunks and leads them off the road. "Cat? Get the water, get the feed bag, the girls are done."

Yes miss mule-master Nya! Right away Nya!
Cat grins and tends to the mules patting them on the side.
You all did well today Nya and we were lucky there was no incident Nya!
[Cat and Alice are busy, either Yulya will have to look for water or create it]

"Let's get settled, I'm going to introduce them to my babies when they've been fed and rested a bit, but before dark." Once they're off the road, Ashley feeds them the rest of the brick.

Cat proceeds to remove the harness from Sophia and the mule pack from Sandra and inspects their fur for any pressure points. The stable master appears to have fitted everything perfectly. Cat gives them a brushing with her paws and gets each of them their share of horse feed and water
Nyaa we should have bought a bucket Nya. We will use the extra pot Nya. Alice go clean it out Nya!

Ashley Nya!
Wait with your training until I am done Nya!
I will make a come-a-long rope and we will train them one by one Nya. If you spook both Nya we got a huge problem Nya!

You've made it about half way to the Triboar trail, good progress, and there's a less than ideal campsite nearby. An old fire ring looks like it hasn't been used in a while, the land is relatively flat, it's not the worst place to set up for the night.

After the mules are fed and the tent is set up Cat makes a 4 person dinner from 3lbs of moose meat and one vegetable ration
How about some moose tonight Nya? Help me out Alice Nya so we can get to training the mules faster Nya!

[Wofl]

[Alice needs to respond to Cat]

[Yulya needs to figure out the water.]

dotted in this landscape is small ponds and streams. The Neverwinter woods is a a coastal rainforest, so small afternoon bursts of local rain is common in the deepest parts and the local mountains act to squeeze moisture out of the air leading to many small streams that feed into the Neverwinter river and some that make it directly to the ocean. Along the high road, which is intentionally 10 feet above the adjacent land in some places, little stone bridges are built to allow runoff to funnel through. By looking back at the road, you can spot them by the tall cat tails and river reeds that grow year-round much too quickly to keep in check. If far enough away from the big city farmland, those slow moving rivulets are considered safe for animals to drink, and adventurers can also, it is a given that they know the proper techniques to avoid sickness. The small sitting ponds are less safe but animals won't have an issue.



[Yulya can look for water as a forrage activity and it is almost guaranteed to find some within one cycle (an hour) as long as there's at least dim light (within an hour after sunset or at least a quarter moon).]

[Because of the ubiquity of water in this region, for ease of game handling, it is furthermore presumed that the mules are sufficiently watered during travel and only need access to water figured out when camping. Assume that the High Road, and even the Triboar trail, has rest stops every few miles that contain water troughs that are kept full by local rains and mist. Using a pot is fine, finding water closeby is also fine.]

[The rest stop will have dedicated grazing fields and water, there's a chance to find another rest spot that has this every evening.]

The spot you are in now has grass they could eat if you had run out of their preferred food.

Ashley listens carefully to Cat's advice and nods in approval, "Gotcha chief! All the more reason not to give Alice candy. So... the stablemaster told me already,  he said don't give them treats until after they're done for the day, be consistent, don't reward them for bad behavior, and he warned they might get pushy if they associate me with a random treat dispenser,  so, from here on out, now that they know me, they'll get pets and atta-girls when they're doing their job and the alfalfa bricks at the end of a pull only. So let me know if I get out of line, thanks for that." Ashley pet Sandra as she ate. "I like animals better than people, they're kind and loyal, they don't care if I want to keep my own coin separated, and they don't throw stink bombs at god orbs. They're also smart enough not to boop dragons."

[Alice]

"I like animals better than people, they're kind and loyal, they don't care if I want to keep my own coin separated, and they don't throw stink bombs at god orbs. They're also smart enough not to boop dragons."

Alice laughs out loud
Fear enough! But that honeymoon phase of yours will come to an end soon, animals can be pretty mean too and they will exploit your every weakness! They have no mercy for the weak!

Nyaa we should have bought a bucket Nya. We will use the extra pot Nya. Alice go clean it out Nya!

Hai hai, just a second!
Alice sighs, undresses and crawls into the big pot that was used for poison cooking. It had been cleaned before but now it becomes as good as new and shiny. Not a trace or scent of its former ingredients is left



Alice re-forms into human shape and gets dressed
This should be good enough as wine glass for our divas!

She hands Yulya the pot
I've seen a lot of water around here, don't think it's worth wasting your mana on that!

How about some moose tonight Nya? Help me out Alice Nya so we can get to training the mules faster Nya!

Alice stubles from one work to the next
I'm coming, I'm coming!
I can warm the ration but you better handle the meat! I mean you guys are the picky eaters, not me!

Alice assists Cat in cooking to reduce the time until dinner is ready

[Yulya]

Alice sighs, undresses and crawls into the big pot that was used for poison cooking. It had been cleaned before but now it becomes as good as new and shiny. Not a trace or scent of its former ingredients is left

Alice re-forms into human shape and gets dressed
This should be good enough as wine glass for our divas!

She hands Yulya the pot
I've seen a lot of water around here, don't think it's worth wasting your mana on that!

Yulya has gotten used to the eerie alien show.
She takes the pot and heads off to search for water. She keeps a close watch on the surroundings.
Do not make any nonsense while I am gone! At least not more than usual!

How about some moose tonight Nya?

That sounds great!
I have never eaten moose before but I trust it will be as splendid as you other dishes!

[Cat]

Thanks Nya you won't be disappointed Nya!

[Wofl]

[Thursday, Spring 20, 18:00, Clear, 14C]

Yulya finds water right away, there was a stream close by and Cat helps her bring the horses to drink. You can't stop them from eating the river reeds even though they just ate their feed. Yulya is understandably cautious looking for trouble, and finds none. Cat and Yulya come back with the girls on their leads and Ashley's standing there with her hands on her hips, waiting.

"Cat, I'm going to need your help, keep them calm while we do this."

[Cat, Welcome to the Sandra and Sophia mini-game! Yay. At every step you will get a score based on how you handled them. Though it may look like everything is going smoothly, at the end they will have either a positive, negative or neutral reaction. At stake here is their trust of Ashley, their notions of her summons and of Ashley. Do the best you can, you have a lot of chances to get a neutral score, good luck!]

The sun's setting soon and the temperature's dropping fast, the girls have been fed and watered. Ashley approaches the mules and raises her arms, "I'm only going to offer this once, so get while the getting's good, go on smell me."

Sophia and Sandra seem more interested in her pack.

"No no no. Do well on this and you'll get a treat, but this might be a bit jarring. Cat? Get ready."

[Cat interaction required at any point you see fit, there will be specific times you are needed, anything else is bonus.]

Ashley directs Cat to stand near the mules and keep them calm if she can, "Now remember girls, these are our friends." Ashley casts Summon Dragon Wasp and Beatrice appears with a small pop in a puff of purple smoke that quickly dissipates.

[Applicable rolls, many many rolls went into the below activity.]

Sandra could really care less as the buzzing of this large wasp-like thing fills the air, Sophia is a bit more skeptical and takes an uneasy step back.



Ashley raises her palm and commands Beatirce to land on her hand.

The large beast dutifully lands with gripping claws retracted and Ashley brings her down to her face, rubbing her soft furry body against her cheek, "See? Frieeeend." Ashley approaches Sandra first and the indifference is clear, she sniffs it cautiously then lowers her head as if nodding. "Very good Sandra!" Ashley pats her with her free hand gently. "Now Sophia, you're not scared are you?" Ashley approaches slowly.

Sophia moves her head away and eyes it with a hint of distrust but as Ashley approaches, she comes around and attempts to mouth the wasp as if she's some kind of treat. "No no, this is frieeeennnd, not fooooood. Good?"

Satisfied she lets Beatrice go and she flies up into the air then pops back out of material existence. "Next is Mr. Bigglesworth," Ashley casts Summon Mechathereal Cat and everyone's favorite kitten, Mr. Bigglesworth, seems to jump out of a larger puff of purple smoke with a pop like the popping of a balloon.



In this case Sandra is calm and curious of the little cat as he approaches with a swish of his tail and a bob of his head, they touch noses in a mutual sniff and Sandra makes playful motions toward the mechathereal cat. "No worries here for Mr. Bigglesworth, what with charm levels over 20, Now Sophia, why so afraid of my cuddly wuddly little kitty?"

Ashley picks him up and brings him over slowly, and as he approaches, Sophia gives him a tenetive sniff then acts as if she's going to pick him up by the scruff of the neck. "No no, again, let's keep molly mule teeth away from my babies, got it?"

Sophia is calm and friendly toward Mr. Bigglesworth, so Ashley has him sit near her and she summons the next guest. With a wave of her hands, a fair bit of purple smoke and a loud pop that startles both mules almost to the point of revolt. The loud noise has startled them.

[At each point here I'm making several rolls and listening to my intuition, the rolls are behaving in a surprisingly synchronistic way as I described earlier.]

[Cat may describe how she calms the mules.]



A sleek Mechatherial Lynx named Olga appears as the smoke clears and Sophia is having none of that, none at all. Yet Sandra doesn't seem as agitated, she could care less in fact, just another thing smelling of Ashley, not any problem at all.

With Cat's coaching and placating, Sophia turns around and with a snorty bray that seems to indicate she's okay now she gingerly sniffs the lynx. The lynx's quiet indifference seems to reassure her. Olga licks her paw and looks around, finding Mr. Bigglesworth, she pounces on him and they begin to play. Sandra is very interested in the fun, she seems to have made fast friends with Mr. Bigglesworth and is interested in watching him, while Sophia is more reserved, stepping slightly back to avoid the rowing cats.

"Okay girls, here's the big test." Ashley begins to cast, attempting to call her biggest 'baby', "This might be loud..." With a thunderous boom, causing all the birds within half a mile to flap away, a large plumb of purple smoke lifts to reveal the cunning glare of Nixie, the Mechathereal Panther.



This time, both mules are literally shaking with fear, Sophia rears up in near panic as Nixie crouches. Looking as if getting ready to pounce on these mule-sized morsels. Ashley quickly steps in.

[Cat may describe how she calm the mules again.]

Ashley snaps her fingers angrily at Nixie and the large panther sits back up and begins licking her paws to clean her head. "Bear with me girls, Nixie is still new even to me, come on." Ashley calls her over.

Nixie saunters over and rubs the length of her body against Ashley, purring loudly.

PUUUUURRRR!

"Man that was loud, you're not the stealthiest thing are you? Now let's go meet your new sisters calmly and nicely."

Of course Sophia, the sandy colored equine, isn't convinced.

[The dice are representing the mood of these girls perfectly]

Sandra is putting up a brave face but Cat would notice she's still nervous. It's not easy to meet a sister that could hunt you successfully if she chose to. Mules are no match for a moose either.

[Cat may describe how she calm the mules once again.]
[I add these here because they are failing to calm based on the dice rolls.]

With Cat and Ashley's help, they convince Sophia that Nixie is safe and in the end the extra work pays off, she's less nervous than Sandra in the end.

"Now for the final exam, let's try this out." Ashley puts her pack, boots, socks and other garments in the cart and with just her robe she begins the process of transformation. Her skin begins to grow long indigo hair and smoke surrounds her as she morphs into the creature known as Ashley Panther. The robe drops and she picks it up in her mouth, dropping it in the cart some awkward effort. She then approaches her big friend Nixie.

Nixie bristles as Ashley, the bigger of the two, approaches slowly. Nixie starts curling her lips and hissing slightly. Ashley Panther hisses back more aggressively and her hiss startles the mules again as she shows her dominance over Nixie. The two circle each other and posture, then as you're almost sure these about to fight, Ashley panther begins licking Nixie's neck and head in a motherly way that calms Nixie right down. The purring commences.

Sophia is closer to the two and surprisingly summons the courage to smell Ashley Panther, then nuzzles her with her nose. Ashley responds by licking Sophia's muzzle which Sophia quickly pulls away, that was a little too friendly for her. This time Sandra looks quite puzzled and seems to be interested in seeing Ashley's robe perhaps in an effort to find Ashley. Her worry intensifies.

[Cat to the rescue a last time. I will continue once I hear how Cat calms Sandra down. Your final score will come after you respond and the aftermath of this managerie show will be disseminated.]

[Alice]

Ashley begins to cast, attempting to call her biggest 'baby', "This might be loud..." With a thunderous boom, causing all the birds within half a mile to flap away, a large plumb of purple smoke lifts to reveal the cunning glare of Nixie, the Mechathereal Panther.

Alice has put on her wofl cloak and is busy crouching before the pot and preparing the poison ingredient minding her own business as the thunderclap makes her jump and fall backwards
Hey, what the hell?

"Man that was loud, you're not the stealthiest thing are you? "

If that's just the panther, how much noise will the mecha war elephant make? A sonic boom that kills everything within a mile?
Alice pats the dust out of her cloak and resumes setting up the pot, slightly jealous she's not part of the exercise, mumbling to herself.
Why wasn't I introduced to all the cool mecha animals like that...

"Now for the final exam, let's try this out." Ashley puts her pack, boots, socks and other garments in the cart and with just her robe she begins the process of transformation. Her skin begins to grow long indigo hair and smoke surrounds her as she morphs into the creature known as Ashley Panther. The robe drops and she picks it up in her mouth, dropping it in the cart some awkward effort.

Alice watches the awkward show and shakes her head
What are you doing? We are all girls or monsters here! Nobody cares if you are naked.

[Yulya]

After dinner Yulya goes to rest in the tent but is frequently woken by weird summoning- animal and Alice noises