Witchful Thinking

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Overview

Witchful Thinking is a Wehnimer's Landing-based storyline run by GM Kenstrom. It started on June 29, 2019 and features the Landing's conflicts against its long-time enemy, the witch Raznel.


Spotlight NPCs

  • Casiphia - A companion of Thadston's, a new militia member, and once romantically involved with Disean.
  • Chrysamber Epoch - A Chronomage. No assocation with the Landing, but summoned by Pylasar for aid against the witch Raznel.
  • Disean - Thadston's son and a former member of the Blameless, under control of Raznel.
  • Pylasar - Landing Councilman, former Grand Magister at the Hall of Mages, and seemingly able to travel through time. Having unknowingly aided Raznel to become what she is, he now regards her as an enemy.
  • Raznel - The witch herself, formerly known as Naimorai Kestrel before an incident with the Landing trapped her centuries in the past. With knowledge of the future, she might have manipulated history to her own ends.
  • Thadston Andrews - Landing Councilman and one marshal of the militia, pursuing the witch on a mission of revenge and the rescue of his son Disean.
  • Thrayzar - The other marshal of the militia, a trained killer who was cursed into the body of an orc after an attempted mission to assassinate Raznel decades ago. He seeks to end her for good.


Supporting NPCs

[At any point some of these characters might step up more and be moved into Spotlight NPCs.]

  • Alendrial DeArchon - Landing Councilwoman with past ties to the Brotherhood of Rooks. Wife of the merchant Stephos DeArchon.
  • Cayde - A trader dealing in bleakstone, a new material discovered at the Bleaklands.
  • Larsya Caulfield - A mischievous, pirate-loving little girl and daughter of the Baron of Bourth. Jastevian visions of the future of a destroyed Landing reveal her older self as a survivor.
  • Mother - The current leader of the Rooks, who says that the violent ways of past leaders Rysus and Drangell are over.
  • Quinshon - A Tehir nicknamed the Dissembler, formerly from the Hall of Mages. He's the blood father of Naimorai, though she hadn't known it until shortly before she was trapped in the past. His current motives and whereabouts are unknown, though he's been briefly spotted in the Bleaklands.
  • Rone? - A masked figure with magical gauntlets created by the deceased Alchemist, Praxopius, who drew the name inspiration from town founder Rone Wehnimer. Two similar figures had been unleashed upon the Landing under Praxopius' control in the past, but the third mysteriously appeared well after his death.
  • Saraphene - Thadston's deceased ex-wife, with whom he had Disean. Slain by Raznel.


Tie-Ins to Past NPCs


Synopses

[Note: These are highly abbreviated summaries of events largely intended as refreshers or teasers. For more details and (in most cases) full logs, please click each one.]


6/29/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-06-29_-_Once_More_Unto_the_Bleak|Once More Unto the Bleak]]

Marshal Thadston leads an observation mission into the Bleaklands, where things turn deadly. The number of oily black trees and ripples into the shadow realm have increased, and [[::Turamzzyrian Empire|Imperial]] soldiers and scholars are found at one of the Tears of Koar in a temporal anomaly. Adventurers collect dozens of bleakstones, but see a glimpse of the past Raznel in 5116--and she too sees them, warning them not to return or she'll kill Thadston's son Disean, who she has under her control. The group withdraws for the time, but Thadston swears he'll come back.


7/2/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-02_-_A_Problem_Pyles_Up|A Problem Pyles Up]]

Councilman Pylasar gets mentally lost in time, again, as he rambles on Raznel's past instructing at the Arcanum. Eventually he remembers when he is and requests help sorting out puzzle pieces of his memories that have been moved around. Leafiara and [[::Ysharra_Nagorn|Ysharra]] suggest the Ithzir hybrid Rodnay as an option.


7/6/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-06_-_Double_Orc_Nothing|Double Orc Nothing]]

Marshal Thrayzar volunteers himself for mental spelunking in advance of Pylasar, emphasizing the need for practice since the [[::Wehnimer's Landing|Landing]] might only have one chance to get the purple mage's memories correct. Rodnay brings the crowd to Melgorehn's Reach, where he's inside a cocoon and apologizes that he's too busy feeding to help, but says their efforts will work if done right--though he warns of difficult choices ahead. With a new plan needed, [[::Xorus_Kul'shin|Xorus]] proposes using elemental temporal magic instead of mentalism.


7/9/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-09_-_Repeat_Offenders|Repeat Offenders]]

Scarab and moulis infestations run amok, building to an assault by undead, magic-immune Blameless. Disean, over thoughts, reiterates that Raznel warned them and says it'll get worse if the Landing doesn't back down.


7/13/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-13_-_Statues_and_Suspects_and_Serpents|Statues and Suspects and Serpents]]

Escorted by black-armored soldiers, a man named Cayde seeks trade opportunities and kicks them off by delivering a bleakstone statue of Mayor Lylia outside Moot Hall, showing papers with the approval of Councilwoman Alendrial DeArchon to Captain Stormyrain. However, fishermen soon report pulling up rotting fish--capping off a week of no catches--and, as adventurers investigate, undead sea serpents, snakes, and vipers attack. Hapenlok tries to destroy the statue, but Raznel's control over him puts a stop to that.


7/16/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-16_-_Bear_Down,_Fire_in_the_Hole|Bear Down, Fire in the Hole]]

Thrayzar says he's ready to do the experiment on the 19th, so Xorus explains the details of harnessing the Reach's temporal flux while Magister [[::Raelee_Svala|Raelee]] adds some refinements to the plan. A scarab-covered goblin says Raznel isn't pleased that they keep planning despite warnings, acting as herald to an attack by pus-covered bears and animated Rook corpses setting off explosive orbs.


7/18/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-18_-_Not_Disean_Eye_to_Eye|Not Disean Eye to Eye]]

The future Stormyrain reaches back to the seer Balley with a cryptic message to "kill them all." Balley's night goes from strange to worse as Disean, now appearing like an animated corpse, kills her off and imbeds a scarab in her, just as Raznel had done to Mayor Lylia weeks earlier. Town defenders repel a surprise attack from the Blameless, but amidst the chaos, the [[::Brotherhood of Rooks|Rook]] leader Mother confronts a farmer who's been gouging his prices as his healthy crop didn't suffer a plague now affecting other farmers.


7/19/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-19_-_Unwind_the_Curtains|Unwind the Curtains]]

Thrayzar works with Xorus' experiment to delve into his mind, using the magic of the Reach. From working with Drangell in attacking Raznel to an incident with the Ivory Thorns, from hiding Mirayam from Grishom Stone with the help of Seomanthe and Greganth to planning with Mayor Walkar against Elithain Cross, from being abducted by Praxopius to the slaughter of his tribe, decades of memories come to life before adventurers' eyes--sometimes literally! Though Thrayzar seems shaken by the final memory, the possibility of a success with Pylasar is confirmed.



7/22/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-22_-_Good_Moaning_Militia|Good Moaning Militia]]

Zombies of Landing militia members rise and attack, largely converging on the barracks. While the Rooks guard Shanty Town, Marshal Thadston and Casiphia aid other town defenders in the north, both on the streets and later with long-range shots from above. The day is won, but Hapenlok reports seeing Thadston leave the ballista tower--and nobody else can find him.


7/24/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-24_-_Saraphene_Siren_Song|Saraphene Siren Song]]

Blight strikes again and Marshal Thadston orders Casiphia to have new recruits investigate. Captains Stormyrain and Shinann report recent news, and Thadston seeks Raelee's help acquiring a glass coffin. The situation with the rotting fish sparks a fight at the docks, but before the militia or town guard can intervene, serpents attack. Throughout the battle, Raznel, using the voice of Thadston's wife Saraphene, tempts him to come join her; however, Casiphia gives Thadston a drink that puts him to sleep, saying it's a system they have in place.


7/26/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-26_-_Seeing_Time_and_Emotion|Seeing Time and Emotion]]

A journey through Pylasar's memories reveals his devotion to Rachel--and her manipulation of him. Though the Dissembler Quinshon attempts to block some of the most sensitive memories, adventurers battle physical manifestations of the blocks and, along the way, uncover secrets about Pylasar's wife and daughter, his time with the Arcanum and the Hall of Mages, Falvicar's father, the witch's dark studies, the history of the Talon of Toullaire, and the apparent source of Raznel's immortality: the paragon.


7/30/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-07-30_-_Deontology,_Pragmatism,_Survival,_Resolve|Deontology, Pragmatism, Survival, Resolve]]

With his memories temporarily recovered, the usually jovial-but-scattered Pylasar speaks instead with a lucid conviction about the necessity and ugliness of killing the paragons who he once helped create. He fields many questions about his past and lays out a plan invoking the help of the Chronomage Chrysamber Epoch, en route to the Landing by his request.


8/3/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-03_-_Fall_Together_Now,_Concert_of_Chaos|Fall Together Now, Concert of Chaos]]

A multi-pronged assault of undead and scarabs at the gates, docks, temple graveyard, and square scatters defenders all over town, sending adventurers, the militia, the Rooks, a masked figure with Rone gauntlets, and a raging Thrayzar into action. Though they eke out victory over the creatures in a difficult, protracted battle, civilian casualties mount and fissures open up around town, releasing madness-inducing mist.


8/6/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-06_-_Ready_or_Rot|Ready or Rot]]

Thadston reports on the rot worsening and infecting people, then briefly explains plans to get rid of the bleakstone statue, seek aid from Breshon's connections in Bourth, meet with Raelee, and a possible quarantine. Tempers flare as Captain Stormyrain and militia member Darcena challenge Thadston after he threatens to hang suspected Raznel followers from the Landing. At first he asserts authority, but later in the night apologizes for coming across rude before taking the captains and mayor aside for a meeting.


8/7/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-07_-_Chrys-tal_Unclear|Chrys-tal Unclear]]

Landing defenders repel a wide array of creatures sent by the witch, as even Pylasar aids in battle. Chrysamber arrives later that night, having received Pylasar's letter, and gives a short, vague briefing of her plans. After she leaves, Mayor Lylia relays a message following her conversation with Thadston, emphasizing the battle against the blight rather than one another, offering apologies for any incivility, and calling for unity in defense of the town.


8/13/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-13_-_Paragon_Placement_Pinpointed|Paragon Placement Pinpointed]]

Lyrna gives Pylasar a thoughtful present, Raelee brings word from Grand Magister Octaven that the Hall of Mages is sending members to study the blight, Pylasar reveals to Falvicar the truth of his father--and the night hasn't even begun. At Lake Eonak, Chrysamber probes Pylasar's mind to find the location of a paragon... also uncovering in the process that Raznel killed the siblings of Empress Mynal'lyanna Anodheles, ensuring her rise to the throne prior to the current Emperor [[::Aurmont_Chandrennin_Anodheles|Aurmont]].


8/14/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-14_-_Mishearing_Things|Mishearing Things]]

Breshon's convinced his father--the Baron of Bourth--to withhold the identity of Raznel's paragon from the Northern Sentinel, but in return, the Baron has challenging requests for the Order of the Silver Gryphon and the Landing as a whole. Bernadette agrees to get word to the Gryphons, but Breshon also offers a way out: perhaps he's accidentally miscommunicated.


8/18/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-18_-_Firewalkar|Firewalkar]]

Disean leads an assault of minotaurs and undead Blameless. Though the town defenders, militia, and Rooks fight them on all fronts, enemies manage to set fire to storehouses. However, the tide is turned by the approach of a man in a glowing crimson breastplate... Mayor Walkar reborn? No: it's an illusion used by Thadston. He strikes a decisive blow with his kroderine gauntlets, sending Disean into retreat--for now.


8/19/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-19_-_Storming_Out|Storming Out]]

Thadston gives a status update on the town and the battle against the witch, but a heated disagreement between him and Stormyrain escalates to the point of her apparent removal as a militia captain--whether by her resignation or the marshal's dismissal. Afterward, Thadston gives a briefing on the mission to kill the first paragon, now scheduled for just two nights later. He fields discussion from the gathered crowd as they raise numerous questions, challenges, and suggestions.


8/21/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-21_-_Instantiation_of_Imagination|Instantiation of Imagination]]

Pylasar leads an expedition into a time pocket created by the mind of the paragon Mynalari Andoheles, a false Tamzyrr where she reigns. Adventurers charge her keep and battle to the throne room through Mynalari's imagined servants, eventually confronting her with the reality of her twisted state. Though she comes to realize the truth, she begs for her life and a way to return to reality even if she must live in the shadows--but the knights Sir Bristenn, Sir Mynon, Sir Cryheart, and Dame Evia can only offer her peace as she fades out of existence.


8/31/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-08-31_-_Rook_and_Sea_For_Yourself|Rook and Sea For Yourself]]

With the blight worsening, desperate townspeople are stealing food to survive. Mother offers Mayor Lylia a deal: the Rooks can guard shops and speed up food imports in exchange for one vessel a month for a year being allowed in without inspections. The crowd debates the merits and faults of the deal and Mother vows to be ready in case of a favorable answer later.


9/1/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-09-01_-_Beyond_the_Veil|Beyond the Veil]]

Chrysamber delves into Pylasar's memories to find another paragon: a [[::Tehir|Tehiri]] man circa 4613. Other revelations abound with glimpses and tidbits about Rachel's degenerating health, the Arcanum, the forethought behind paragon selection, and the limits to Raznel's creating them.


9/5/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-09-05_-_Hall_Monitors|Hall Monitors]]

The Hall of Mages' scholars arrive, including Magister Cordarius. Though he's jovial and flirty, his work is deadly serious as he and Magister Raelee create magical barricades on the trail to Vornavis to test for those infected with the plague--and block their passage to the south. He promises aid and study as the Hall sets up over the coming days.


9/6/19 - [[::Witchful_Thinking_-_5119-09-06_-_Interim_Discussions|Interim Discussions]]

Thadston's recovered enough to give brief status updates on the bleakstone statue, the witch's goblin scouts and possibly Stiletto, and the transition to a non-interim marshal after the conflict with the witch ends... assuming that the town lives through it.