Scion - Petro Campaign - Session 108
Well, our time-traveling adventures seem to be over. Really, the cleanup wasn't all that bad. You might recall that I left you with a cliffhanger last entry. Well, maybe not really a cliffhanger, since we HAD just beat the bad guys (Ahrimane and his dragon) and made our escape. But we still had to rescue Zvran's hostages. The fact that his forces were running around Berlin meant he had SOMEONE who wasn't from 1945 there to enable his trespasses.
Hmmm. Did I say rescue the hostages? I meant kill. Kill the hostages. *devilish grin*
Okay, okay. Now that you've done a double-take, lemme 'splain. The hostages were servants of the moon beasts. Which is pretty much what we expected, so killing them wasn't a bad thing, see?
Since Adam had already departed for the future with Gungnir to complete the time-healing ritual, Charles stepped up to help us track down our targets. It didn't take long. They were being held in a bomb shelter beneath a ruined newspaper office building. But on the way, Elisa noticed about seven taotie masks shadowing us. Those bastards. So were turned on them and wiped them out. T-Bone even did some crazy pool shot think with his cane to smash two of them to bits.
So, as we approached the bomb shelter, I bolstered people by kissing the tips of their noses. I like doing that. There's something very adorable and affectionate about it, without being overly flirtatious. Not that I mind being overly flirtatious. ^_^ Neither does Pierre, and he also likes kisses on his nose. For some reason, I was riding on his shoulders for most of the trip to the bomb shelter. I don't really remember why, exactly. I guess I was just feeling capricious, since the end of our mission was in sight and I was looking forward to getting home to Echo and making up with Yi and preparing for my wedding to Amaterasu...^_^
So, anyway, the doors to the bomb shelter were guarded by two corrupted celestial dogs, which we were able to dispatch quite easily, though they DID do a number on Elisa by sapping her health. But don't worry, I healed her up. ^_^ The others did all the work, of course, but that didn't stop me from drawing my gun and firing a shot at one of the dogs at the exact moment Charles blew it away. I TOTALLY made it look like I was the one who fired to fatal bullet.
Wow, I really WAS feeling pretty capricious. ^_^
Anyway, we totally slow-walked into the bomb shelter, which was pretty damned cool as we opened up on the deevs, and drujs who were waiting for us. There was also a black calamity and six satyrs; the latter were the time hostages, and were tightly bound in the back of the bunker. Unfortunately, our unshakeable cool was shaken when a hidden taotie mask hit Elisa with the madness, which quickly spread to Pierre. Fortunately, T-Bone was on it almost instantly, and banished the madness from their minds before it even set in. Meanwhile, I dazzled the drujs with my beauty, preventing them from dazzling US with the theirs.
Needless to say, we made pretty short work of our enemies. But at Pierre's request, we didn't massacre the drujs (the famine-women), since he thought we might be able to turn them into good guys. For one thing, if defeated, they have to serve the one who defeated them to the best of their ability for a time. I kinda made grumpy sounds about Pierre forcing them to serve him >_<. I mean, I'm not really cool with enslavement, but he seems to think that he can redeem them by the time their indentured servitude ends, and I really can't argue with that!
So, by the time we had finished off the deevs, black calamity, and taotie mask, a couple tzitzimime had forced their way into the shelter, and more were certainly on their way. So we decided to leave ASAP. I used my power over health to instantly age and kill the satyrs, and then Charles teleported us out of there and back to the time anomaly so we could head home.
I'm happy to report that Adam was successful with his ritual, and for the most part, the present as we know it is back to normal. No more dragon over Berlin or anything. I think the Celestial Bureaucracy has a few fires to put out...but I suspect Charles and I will be dealing with that soon enough. So, yet another job well done!
But there's no rest for the weary. I needed to head to China to see Yi and try and mend our relationship. But before that, my biggest priority was purifying Soon Li, the ghost of the Korean woman had been raped, tortured and killed at Sera's bidding. You might recall that's how Sera became a nopperabo, and she's been drowning in remorse ever since.
So, just to recap, Soon Li's ghost was dragged from the Underworld by Hundun and Mikaboshi and tainted with Mikaboshi's darkness (which is gross and icky >_<, unlike the good and delicious kind of darkness that I love so much ^_^). She was then sent to torment Sera's dreams in the hopes of corrupting Sera, turning her into the titans' evil servant. Which would never happen 'cause there's no way Chalre and I would ever LET it happen. Before, heading back in time, I banished Soon Li to Yomi so that Sera would have some respite until I returned.
So, Charles, Sera and I gathered in my awesome occult ritual chamber in Reikou. Keiko and Kimiyo were there to help with the ritual as well. I channeled the haunted mists, coughing them into the room to trap Soon Li there, preventing her escape once we began the ritual of purification. Then I summoned her. Her broken, bloody appearance was a tremendous shock to Sera, who instantly broke down into sobs of guilt while Charles held and comforted her. Sera is SO lucky to have him.
We were able to purify Soon Li without too much trouble, though she tried her hardest to tear Sera to shreds with her broken fingers. Fortunately, the mists kept her at bay. You know, we've had a lot of practice purifying things, what with the earth kami in Shikoku, Hinako, Miko... It still strikes me as ironic that I've been so successful purifying things when I myself am tainted by Soku-no-Kumi. But maybe that's why I'm willing to put forth the effort instead of turning my back on the tainted beings like so many other members of my pantheon.
Once Soon Li was purified, she returned to her normal, uninjured appearance as a beautiful young woman. As she sat shuddering and recovering form the ordeal of purification, I encouraged Sera to approach her and make amends. It was not easy, but I was able to help Soon Li believe in the sincerity of Sera's remorse, and Soon Li forgave Sera. Sera, in turn, was finally able to forgive herself, and in that moment she regained the ability to adopt her true Japanese appearance! She's still a nopperabo, and always will be, I suspect. But now it is no longer a curse. I don't think I've ever seen Sera so happy! ^_^
I've offered Soon Li a position as a servant in Reikou, which made both her and Sera happy. She'll report to Amy (who, you might recall, is the earth kami seneschal of Reikou now). So, it all ended well!
Now I'm on my way to China to see Yi. I'm looking forward to making amends and putting the bitterness of the past months behind us. Wish me luck!
Hmmm. Did I say rescue the hostages? I meant kill. Kill the hostages. *devilish grin*
Okay, okay. Now that you've done a double-take, lemme 'splain. The hostages were servants of the moon beasts. Which is pretty much what we expected, so killing them wasn't a bad thing, see?
Since Adam had already departed for the future with Gungnir to complete the time-healing ritual, Charles stepped up to help us track down our targets. It didn't take long. They were being held in a bomb shelter beneath a ruined newspaper office building. But on the way, Elisa noticed about seven taotie masks shadowing us. Those bastards. So were turned on them and wiped them out. T-Bone even did some crazy pool shot think with his cane to smash two of them to bits.
So, as we approached the bomb shelter, I bolstered people by kissing the tips of their noses. I like doing that. There's something very adorable and affectionate about it, without being overly flirtatious. Not that I mind being overly flirtatious. ^_^ Neither does Pierre, and he also likes kisses on his nose. For some reason, I was riding on his shoulders for most of the trip to the bomb shelter. I don't really remember why, exactly. I guess I was just feeling capricious, since the end of our mission was in sight and I was looking forward to getting home to Echo and making up with Yi and preparing for my wedding to Amaterasu...^_^
So, anyway, the doors to the bomb shelter were guarded by two corrupted celestial dogs, which we were able to dispatch quite easily, though they DID do a number on Elisa by sapping her health. But don't worry, I healed her up. ^_^ The others did all the work, of course, but that didn't stop me from drawing my gun and firing a shot at one of the dogs at the exact moment Charles blew it away. I TOTALLY made it look like I was the one who fired to fatal bullet.
Wow, I really WAS feeling pretty capricious. ^_^
Anyway, we totally slow-walked into the bomb shelter, which was pretty damned cool as we opened up on the deevs, and drujs who were waiting for us. There was also a black calamity and six satyrs; the latter were the time hostages, and were tightly bound in the back of the bunker. Unfortunately, our unshakeable cool was shaken when a hidden taotie mask hit Elisa with the madness, which quickly spread to Pierre. Fortunately, T-Bone was on it almost instantly, and banished the madness from their minds before it even set in. Meanwhile, I dazzled the drujs with my beauty, preventing them from dazzling US with the theirs.
Needless to say, we made pretty short work of our enemies. But at Pierre's request, we didn't massacre the drujs (the famine-women), since he thought we might be able to turn them into good guys. For one thing, if defeated, they have to serve the one who defeated them to the best of their ability for a time. I kinda made grumpy sounds about Pierre forcing them to serve him >_<. I mean, I'm not really cool with enslavement, but he seems to think that he can redeem them by the time their indentured servitude ends, and I really can't argue with that!
So, by the time we had finished off the deevs, black calamity, and taotie mask, a couple tzitzimime had forced their way into the shelter, and more were certainly on their way. So we decided to leave ASAP. I used my power over health to instantly age and kill the satyrs, and then Charles teleported us out of there and back to the time anomaly so we could head home.
I'm happy to report that Adam was successful with his ritual, and for the most part, the present as we know it is back to normal. No more dragon over Berlin or anything. I think the Celestial Bureaucracy has a few fires to put out...but I suspect Charles and I will be dealing with that soon enough. So, yet another job well done!
But there's no rest for the weary. I needed to head to China to see Yi and try and mend our relationship. But before that, my biggest priority was purifying Soon Li, the ghost of the Korean woman had been raped, tortured and killed at Sera's bidding. You might recall that's how Sera became a nopperabo, and she's been drowning in remorse ever since.
So, just to recap, Soon Li's ghost was dragged from the Underworld by Hundun and Mikaboshi and tainted with Mikaboshi's darkness (which is gross and icky >_<, unlike the good and delicious kind of darkness that I love so much ^_^). She was then sent to torment Sera's dreams in the hopes of corrupting Sera, turning her into the titans' evil servant. Which would never happen 'cause there's no way Chalre and I would ever LET it happen. Before, heading back in time, I banished Soon Li to Yomi so that Sera would have some respite until I returned.
So, Charles, Sera and I gathered in my awesome occult ritual chamber in Reikou. Keiko and Kimiyo were there to help with the ritual as well. I channeled the haunted mists, coughing them into the room to trap Soon Li there, preventing her escape once we began the ritual of purification. Then I summoned her. Her broken, bloody appearance was a tremendous shock to Sera, who instantly broke down into sobs of guilt while Charles held and comforted her. Sera is SO lucky to have him.
We were able to purify Soon Li without too much trouble, though she tried her hardest to tear Sera to shreds with her broken fingers. Fortunately, the mists kept her at bay. You know, we've had a lot of practice purifying things, what with the earth kami in Shikoku, Hinako, Miko... It still strikes me as ironic that I've been so successful purifying things when I myself am tainted by Soku-no-Kumi. But maybe that's why I'm willing to put forth the effort instead of turning my back on the tainted beings like so many other members of my pantheon.
Once Soon Li was purified, she returned to her normal, uninjured appearance as a beautiful young woman. As she sat shuddering and recovering form the ordeal of purification, I encouraged Sera to approach her and make amends. It was not easy, but I was able to help Soon Li believe in the sincerity of Sera's remorse, and Soon Li forgave Sera. Sera, in turn, was finally able to forgive herself, and in that moment she regained the ability to adopt her true Japanese appearance! She's still a nopperabo, and always will be, I suspect. But now it is no longer a curse. I don't think I've ever seen Sera so happy! ^_^
I've offered Soon Li a position as a servant in Reikou, which made both her and Sera happy. She'll report to Amy (who, you might recall, is the earth kami seneschal of Reikou now). So, it all ended well!
Now I'm on my way to China to see Yi. I'm looking forward to making amends and putting the bitterness of the past months behind us. Wish me luck!