Unsettling rumours about missing family members and friends have been afoot as of late everywhere Ambika went. As someone who has lost three family members in one fell swoop with no answer to the why, she found herself incapable of saying no when a letter came to her from a personal friend, requesting her help in an investigation surrounding the aforementioned rumours in her family's old neighbourhood. She doubted it would be anywhere near easy, but when was anything ever effortless in life?

Ambika personally had no intention of ever returning to her former home in Sol City ever since that accursed night robbed her of her partner and two of her children. Too many memories that morphed from joyful to sheer agony. Still, she would prefer that nobody experience the grief that was actively gnawing away at her even as the sands of time flowed. In her eyes, some form of closure was infinitely preferable to none, even if the pain struck harder at first since it would allow them time to heal, or at least, time to process it. Unlike in her case.

Walking back to her old neighbourhood elicited a few greetings, largely from similarly-aged folk. Ambika was never the conversationalist - that was her partner Florentio's forte through and through, and he was the one who helped their newfound family ingratiate themselves into this little corner of society all the way back when, managing such a feat despite being a disgraced and disowned former Sol City noble who was living right under his former family's noses. So she did little more than to give brief nods in the direction of those people as she made her way to the friend's house.

The place was a tavern/home that was allowed to exist in the housing districts largely thanks to Florentio pulling every loophole in the books to make it work. Ambika made her way to the far end of the bar counter as was her prerogative where possible.
"One glass of water, please." Ambika called out.
"Ambika!" The tavern owner, a homely Sylvan Elf, exclaimed in surprise. "You could've said hi when you came in, you know."
"Speak quickly, Laertes. You know I detest wasting time."
"Ever the busy woman, huh." Laertes sighed. "Nobody's seen Mr. Higgins for a number of days now. Hasn't dropped by here at all. People say young 'lil Sheena's gone missing too. You know as well as I those two are inseparable." Laertes then made a quick glance around, before whispering in Ambika's ear. _{"There's word that someone might've seen Kishan around the city. Of course, the fellow was as drunk as kudzu and unfortunately, a traveller who has since left, so I wouldn't take it too seriously, but I figured you should know."}

"I see. Thank you." Ambika finished her glass of water and was prepared to leave barring any interruptions.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Quest Name: Honey?
Participants: Two or more
Location: Anywhere
Post Requirements: 5 posts per person, 200 words per post
Description: A small community, town, or village has been reporting that village folk have been going missing, with no bodies turning up. They have requested your help in investigating the sudden disappearances. Your investigations lead you to find that a member of a family, someone's spouse, sibling or relative has been eaten and replaced by a Morphleon, who is preying on the locals while disguised as their beloved family member. Find the disguised Morphleon and kill it before it eats the community, or you.

Kou Miyami was no stranger to the lavish luxuries of Sol City.

That did not mean she had to enjoy them.

Such fineries were impractical and showy to a woman of her sensibilities; a pauper from blood to upbringing to brood, one who wore her meager nice robes like an ill fitting suit. Whenever she set foot in Sol City, the elderly woman never failed to feel… small.

Ah, but she was a small woman, no? Age had long since warped her spine and robbed her of whatever height she had in her youth. There was no shame in that. For it took a strong-willed person to hold their head high in a sea of bigger fish.

She was not intimidated by Sol City, no matter how much it sought to shame her for her moth-eaten robes and her callouses and her thin-wire frames. She was certainly no giant, but there was no mistaking the dignified presence of a dragon as she hobbled her way through the streets.

Besides, that she was a foreign stranger to the market district would prove to be to her benefit this fine afternoon. Folk had been disappearing from one of the boroughs of the marketing district, and her adventuring company (which thus far only consisted of her) had been tasked with investigating the root cause. While it seemed odd for a such diminutive woman to handle a matter as sensitive as this, Kou’s acumen for the healing arts, her patient nature, and her ability to diffuse a situation made her as good a candidate as any to investigate the missing persons.

Besides, by that line of thinking, her status as someone from out of town meant that it would take an incredibly brave act to kidnap her. Her prospective disappearance, as noticeable as her presence. Or, on the other hand, her disappearance might barely ripple the pond.

(If she were any less trusting, Kou might be able to place name to the act - bait.)

Such was lost on her. Kou didn’t need to give mind to the machinations of others who might have nefarious purposes for inviting her to look into the disturbance. She would either set out to do what she’d accomplished, or she would fail. And - well - given she was plum in the twilight of her life, there was little that mattered besides making an earnest attempt at help, was there?

With a smile on her face and a twinkle behind round spectacles, Kou made her way into a local tavern that seemed to be operated by the sun elf behind the counter at the back of house, locked in a riveting conversation with a patron. The bustling sounds of patrons enjoying food and drink reminded her of home.

Kou didn’t mean to eavesdrop; really, she didn’t. The elderly woman found rumor and hearsay rather distasteful, but as she made her way to the bar, Kou couldn’t help but overhear the discussion between the barkeep and the elderly woman. Not the hushed, private bits, mind. But the actual contents of the discussion caught her attention.

Interesting. So she wasn’t the only one looking into these disappearances!

Now, Kou was hardly the type to get competitive about things such as this. Why should she, when this was just an opportunity to turn strangers into new friends and make an ally under a common cause? Leaning forward, Kou rapped wrinkled knuckles against the solid oak of the bar before speaking in thickly accented common.

“Excuse me, I couldn’t help but overhear you talking about folks going missing. I’ve quite the vested interest in this case. If it isn’t too much trouble, would you mind terribly catching an old woman up on what’s to know?”

Ambika sized up the diminutive, elderly Fellblood woman who'd come up and approached them, and then at those battle-ready fighters who came in a few moments after, feigning ignorance yet clearly looking after the woman, and finally glanced at Laertes. Laertes shrugged, putting the onus on Ambika. Sigh. Two heads were better than one, she posited, and an outsider's perspective might well be useful, as Florentio used to tease whenever he needed someone to demonstrate how arbitrary certain things were to people viewing in from the outside. Also, she would prefer not to get on the bad side of whomever those fighters were.

"You are not from around here, I assume." Noting her thick accent, she decided to underline that to see if it helps in digging out a little more information about her new fellow. "My name is Ambika," refraining from stating her surname here lest the Fellblood woman goes around asking about her family.

"Mr. Higgins is a self-proclaimed Dwarven 'philanthropist' who enjoys alcohol a little too much, though he has learned more self-control since Sheena came into the picture. Grandniece; dropped unceremoniously onto his doorstep since there were no other relatives." Laertes winced at Ambika's curt explanation, but saw fit to not correct nor complement her words.

"Anyhow, Mr. Higgins is a highly visible person because he is constantly spoiling Sheena, taking every opportunity to show her the sights and experiences Sol City has to offer, a feat he manages by virtue of inheriting his late wife's family fortunes, which he has seceded to the local community in exchange for a weekly stipend to 'keep the economy moving' as he puts it," Ambika found herself being somewhat long-winded as the words were spoken, but it was worth refreshing what she knew about them out loud.

"As for their appearance..." Ambika looked around the walls of the tavern, trying to find the portrait of the two missing persons when she saw herself from 10 years ago surrounded by her family. The heartache came near instantly, and it took all her composure to not break down there and then from all the now-marred memories. Forcing herself to push through for the moment, she stood up and gestured towards the portrait of Mr. Higgins and Sheena, which happened to the diagonally adjacent to her family's. "This is them. Laertes, when was this last repainted?"

"3 months ago, my friend. Due to commission another one next week, last I heard. 'Sheena's growin' so fast, gotta keep the portrait accurate' as he's put it," Laertes replied.

"Any questions?" Ambika turned towards the Fellblood woman once again, signalling that the ball was now on the latter's court.

Kou was completely oblivious to the men who’d entered behind her in the tavern - men who wore the colors of the Defiant Drakes, for those who were familiar with the criminal scene in the Crescent Isles. An oddity. They were a long way away from that remote island nation. And yet, here they were. Following a seemingly unconnected elderly woman. And they were not the only ones keeping an eye on her. From the bar, a human woman had already noted the foreign entry; the unknown variable. And yet, she moved through life undeterred, like her own ignorance didn’t even bother her. In her opinion, strangers were just friends you hadn’t met yet. Living a life borne from distrust was just not something she’d ever considered.

Perhaps a little more situational awareness would be more prudent, given her circumstances.

“You would be correct!” Kou didn’t even bother hiding details of her life others might keep hidden. “I am from Starlight City.” A long way from home. “Kou Miyami, but most folks call me Mama Kou. Lovely to meet you, Miss Ambika.”

She remained attentive while Ambika relayed what she knew. Kou’s hunch was right! The other woman must have been a local… or, at the very least, someone well-acquainted with the comings and goings of this district. If Kou had ink and parchment she might have written this all down. But she was afraid if she did, she might miss valuable information.

A dwarven philanthropist, huh? So not just someone eccentric, but someone well-known and possibly even loved by the community. At least, he was a memorable figure. Someone who might be difficult to disappear, given the public’s eyes on him. And yet.

Kou tapped on her chin, thoughtful. Well, if you wanted to catch a criminal - at least, what she could only assume was a criminal - you had to think like one! If she was willing to put up with the risk of spiriting away someone with money, then logically, it could only be for his money. Ransom, then? It made sense. A man who’d done so much good for a community shouldn’t have too many enemies. Besides, his poor niece…

“Oh?” She leaned forward, adjusting her spectacles to peer at the image pointed out to her. Seeing such a happy family made her heart break. If something had happened to her Tarou…

She didn’t want to imagine it. She’d already survived one child.

A quick glance at Ambika told her that the woman was, however momentarily, lost in the heartbreak of her own memories. The woman quickly composed herself; solid as stone.

She hadn’t noticed the portrait of Ambika’s family. The men with her did.

“Thank you.” She replied warmly, reaching out and patting Ambika’s hand, if the woman would let her. A curious thing. The stern lines set in her face - the sheen of her hair - said that they weren’t very far apart in age… yet where Kou’s body was stooped and ragged with years of physical abuse, Ambika’s was haunted by ghosts.

She retreated and continued on.

“You see, I was hired by a few intrepid fellows to investigate the disappearances that have plagued this neighborhood as of late. Why, it must be no small coincidence that I happened upon you lovely folk while setting out to gather information.” And no small coincidence that these two just so happened to know victims of the very same phenomenon she’d set out to stop. The gods worked in mysterious ways.

She cleared her throat. “The men who hired me have no ken whether the perpetrator is man or monster - only that locals have been spirited away. If this Mister Higgins and his niece have suffered the same fate, then perhaps I can follow their trail.” Perhaps it wasn’t too late. “Tell me, have either of you any clue where they were last seen? When?”

"That..." Laertes' eyes shifted awkwardly towards Ambika, as though he had a secret he would rather keep hidden. She knew those eyes. He had never been good at hiding his thoughts.
"Out with it, Laertes. Do not keep us waiting." Ambika chided sternly. She wanted to be out of this district as quickly as possible.
"I... Sigh... I really didn't want to have to say this, but..." Laertes gathered the courage needed to break the news he knew would drag out the worst of Ambika there and then. "Mr. Higgins and Sheila were last sighted near your house, Ambika." Ambika froze at that instant. She couldn't even bear to be anywhere near that house after the accursed night. Why? The question swiftly melted into seething hatred of the reality she lived in. But of course it was going to be the case. When did the flow of events never see fit to kick her while she was down? She'd nearly slam her right first onto the bar counter, stopping just before the two surfaces made contact as her instincts kicked in to prevent unnecessary injuries. Her breathing was a trembling mess as she struggled to keep herself under control. You are better than that, Ambika. Florentio's voice, the words that used to comfort her during the worst of her days, echoed in her mind, breaking the tenuous floodgates she'd struggled to mend on the regular and sending her tears flowing uncontrollably.
"_{Please excuse her behaviour, my friend. She lost three of her family two years ago and... Well, she could never move past it.}" Laertes whispered gently to Kou, keeping his voice as low as possible even though he knew it would not escape Ambika's ears.

Here, Laertes faltered. Kou did not prod him. Grief was never an easy topic to broach. For all the elderly woman’s talents in the healing arts, there was no miracle touch of warmth that could heal the empty parts of one’s self that were created by loss’s jagged knife.

Ambika was not so patient. Her loss manifested in the form of prompt words - an efficient exterior designed to distance one’s self from the hurts of the past. You did not have to dwell on them long if you brushed past them. She prodded him for information, a touch of impatience undercutting her voice. Kou clasped her hands together and waited patiently.

She answer, admittedly, came as a shock - even to her.

A cavalcade of emotions danced across her face. Sensations that Kou could only witness as if through a lens, distorted and reflected amongst itself until their true meaning was only known to the owner. She was an outsider looking in - if she squinted, peering through the looking glass, she might even be able to find the source of the deep-running distortions.

The silence lingered.

Kou’s hand hovered in the air, unsure. Only when Ambika reared back her fist, nearly bringing it down on the bar between them, did Kou lean back, feeling the gap between them widen.

Spectators were not meant to break through the glass.

Ambika stopped, but said nothing else. Before Kou could speak up, something incredibly strange happened. Ambika started crying. Unrepentant, as free as a river cutting through a desert.

Laertes leaned forward, offering her a brief explanation. The contents, brief, but enough to shatter her heart like the point of a blade.

“Oh.” Her voice felt small. Familiar. Jaded with the scent of an altar’s incense and offerings of fresh citrus. A dragon roared in her ears.

“No wonder the news was so upsetting.” She whispered, moreso directed towards Ambika herself than Laertes - choked with impossible understanding. “There is nothing to excuse, hon. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal. Sometimes moving past that feels impossible. Sometimes it will stay with you for as long as you’re alive.”

Sometimes you prayed in front of a shrine from sunrise to sunset and wondered why it couldn’t have been you instead.

“You’re not alone. Even if you never meet them, in the entire vastness of the world, there are other souls moving in tandem to yours, whose heartbreak shines the same brilliant hue, like fireflies dancing around in the dark. They may never meet, but that doesn’t mean their songs aren’t the same. And sometimes,” She offered Ambika a small, sad smile. “We connect. And we can lean on each other for support when our lights don't shine as brightly.”

Ambika swiveled with the instinctive fury of a rage-filled bull, ready to weaponize those very words Kou had just uttered to her- then she met the latter's eyes, filled to the brim with a welling gloominess, the life in it actively choked by an ever-present spectre that refused to leave. She knew those eyes painfully well - all it took was a mirror reflecting her eyes, and her senses would catch onto it regardless of how little she desired to bear witness to them.

It was unfair. It was so horribly unfair. Of all the people in this vast world, it just had to be someone who could comprehend the unbearable misery etched deep into her soul. It was as though the world wanted her to lay herself bare, to expose her countless scars and then laugh at her indecency. She might as well actually return to her house then if this was how things were going to be. At least then, there would be privacy.

Ambika stood up without a word and dragged herself out of the establishment, ignoring everyone and everything around her and focusing solely on the memorised route to the now long-abandoned facsimile of 'home'.

The Phairot manor was a large house even by the standards of the middle class neighbourhood it stood on - Ambika was never privy to the details, but Florentio apparently pulled off an entire arsenal of literary sleights, smooth-talking and audacious bluffs for the prime land and the building's construction. Had the manor renovated twice, even, between Semaini and Cordelia's births to make sure there was room for everyone in the family.

Ambika stood listless in front of the entrance, the pavement interspersed with overgrown grass and the plants steadily claiming the manor as its own. She was here now, but actually stepping into its boundaries was an affair daunting enough to snap her out of her reverie, replacing it with an overwhelming wave of dread.

There was a dangerous moment where fire blazed in Ambika’s eyes and poison rested on the tip of her tongue, that Kou felt she’d overstepped her boundaries. Creatures developed tough exteriors and venom as a defense mechanism; designed to bite and kill before they were hurt. Kou was struck with the sensation she was never meant to witness this moment.

Yet, here they were.

Fate was such a funny mistress in the way she brought strangers together, in the moments they last expected or wanted it.

Without acknowledging a single word Kou said, Ambika stood - gathered her bearings, and left the tavern in an attempt to escape the devils of the past nipping at her heels.

“O - oh, Ambika, wait up!”

She cast an apologetic glance at Laertes, even though she had nothing to be particularly apologetic for. Her role in the three-act tragedy that had led to this moment was a relatively small one, but she had still clearly sparked some unpleasantness by picking at old wounds. After making sure he was alright, she made her way after Ambika as fast as she could.

On the way out she finally spotted the old family portrait.

… It always was the most beautiful things that burned the brightest and the shortest.

The elderly woman pursed her lips, gathered the skirts of her robes, and hurried after Ambika.

The other woman was a shadow in the streets – her body was purposeful while her mind was elsewhere, her stride a rolling gait that habit had etched into her soul. It was all Kou could do to keep up, her body as tired as it was… but she managed. Determination gave her the strength she needed to follow through crowded housing district streets without losing sight of the woman to their destination.

It was enough. It had to be.

Kou thought her earlier efforts might have been enough, too. The look she’d seen on Ambika’s face, the raw anguish, left unchecked after years of putting distance between herself and her loss… instead of providing comfort, Kou had opened old wounds. It didn’t sit right with her. It felt like a failure.

But Kou would survive, persevere. Her family was made of sterner stuff than to crumble at one setback; the children of dragons did not bow to danger. But she was old… and tired. She couldn’t follow the same way she once could.

Thankfully, it was not long before Ambika reached her destination, coming to a halt before a grand manor, larger than any Kou had ever set foot in. Perhaps not grand by the standards of the people from this world – one different than hers – but still a sight to behold.

One that was empty. And cold. Untouched by the things that made humanity worthwhile, it may as well have been a doll’s house.

Thankfully, Ambika seemed to snap back to reality just before entering the domicile, allowing Kou a moment to catch up. She quickened her pace, hobbling on a sakura-wood cane and wheezing all the while. She shouldn’t push herself like this, but it was important.

Raising her voice, Kou called out, “I’m truly sorry if I upset you. I’ll never understand what others are going through - just because we’re similar doesn’t mean our… journeys through grief will be the same.” Her chest heaved from the effort of exerting her withered body beyond its limits. “But I do know one thing. None of us should have to bury our darlings. Such a horrible thing to go through – but it can’t be your last, for – for them. There could be a dangerous monster in this house, and I don’t want you to go in there alone. Please.”

Ambika barely paid any attention to the laboured breaths or the tenuous words eked out as best as a woman physically older than even her could. She simply spared a glance to Kou to let her know her words were at least heard, and pulled out the key to her old home as she finally entered its boundaries and unlocked the door.

Beyond the doorframe, it was clear that something was horribly wrong even with the barest of light shining in from the outside. The floors were squeaky clean, as though someone had been working on the upkeep of the manor even though there shouldn't be anyone- Unless-

There he stood, a short distance away but enough to be fully shrouded in darkness, smiling as he almost always did, inscrutable yet loving regardless.
"Mother," Kishan called out as Ambika found herself walking towards him without any second thoughts and he did much the same, moving forward until-

*stab*

Ambika looked down and saw a stab from a shapeshifting claw directed right at her heart as the illusion started to distort and melt away before her fading vision. Before any feeling of self-blame for her hasty foolishness, before any feeling of anger towards the unexpected betrayal, there was the feeling of... eerie familiarity. As though the scene that just unfolded right in front of her very eyes had already happened previously.

As the mother fell to the ground unconscious, spared an unceremonious death by a mysterious mark^[1] etched on her back, another presence would finally make his move. He desired nothing more than to show himself, to tear apart the wretched creature who dared sink its unworthy claws onto his dear mother, but that was not to be. Not with prying eyes such as the foreign grandmother outside who was undoubtedly aghast at the events unfurling in front of her eyes, who may very well have seen the visage the abomination was wearing without permission. He would not be known. He must not be known, lest his future plans be ruined. His mother will live for the time being - that he had ensured by his hand.

So it was that the child taller than his mother, never to be stripped from the shadows he stood on^[2], brought the creature to a snail's pace^[3], then introduced the bastard creature to a whirlwind of attacks^[4] before pushing the creature out of the two's collective bounds^[5]. That should hopefully buy him enough time to leave without his mother noticing or risking her life.

---

^[1]Eve of Harvest

SPOILER: Click to show

An ornate skull etched into your skin which lies dormant until you die or fall unconscious due to damage. The first time you would die or fall unconscious in a topic the tattoo will glow, replenishing any used prestige or subclass abilities. You will remain unconscious unless returned by other means. But if you manage to do so, all of your spent class abilities are refilled.

^[2]Kishan: Shadow Dancer - Overbearing Shadow (passive)

SPOILER: Click to show

While standing in a shadow, any source of natural or magical light will be unable to reveal your presence or remove the shadow. The shadow will remain as long as you are within it - it cannot be manipulated, altered or removed by anyone else until you leave it. You can also affect the light source creating the shadow, increasing or decreasing the amount of light that affects the shadow. Once you leave that shadow, it can be affected by light once more.

^[3]Kishan: Slow

SPOILER: Click to show

You can cast this spell on an enemy or other target, causing them to slow down. During their next post their speed will be cut in half, causing them to move very slowly. You walk at a snails pace and your reactions are incredibly slow.

^[4]Kishan: Cyran's Haunting Blade

SPOILER: Click to show

A technique best utilized by fighters who have honed their speed and precision to deliver quick, deep incisions in a target’s vulnerable spots. When a fighter uses this technique, their speed allows them to deliver a whirlwind of attacks that deal double the damage of normal attacks. Within the time it takes to make one attack, you are able to deliver three attacks that all deal double damage. At the end of this strike (regardless if the attacks hit or not) You use your speed and agility to disengage from the enemy, allowing you to retreat without your opponent being able to attack you as you flee. This can be used twice per topic.

[5]Kishan: Push or Pull (Conditional)

SPOILER: Click to show

After a successful strike action or strike conditional ability you can either push or pull a target a range band, based on range the interaction occurs at, in either direction, moving them away from you or towards you as you please. Once you have either brought the target closer or moved them further from you, all control of their movement you had is ended.