AvB - Little Green

[Monodominant]

The woman hesitates for a moment uncertainty in her eyes. Finally it seems your words strike home and she motions to you to enter.

"Do you know something about Elena? Please you have to help me find her! My poor baby must be terrified and all alone!" she tells you trying to catch your hand in hers as she pleads.

[planswalker]

"I have begun investigating the disappearances of the children recently, and I wanted to know if you knew anything about Elena's disappearance. When did you last see her? Where?

[Monodominant]

"Elena is my daughter. She was... she IS 8 years old and she was a very happy and well raised child. Last I saw her was 5 days ago when I left for work for the night shift at Lord Danyls house... we talked about her day and we cooked food together, then I left and she locked the door behind me as we always do... when I came home just before midday she was gone... " she pauses here for a few moments.

"I looked everywhere from relatives and friends to candy stores but I did not manage to find any signs of her and the Watch isnt really helping..." she seems much more controlled than the others and you also notice that despite her disheaveled appearance her house is clean and so are her clothes probably so that she may be able to continue working and not collapse like the other parent you have met so far.

[planswalker]

"I take it then you leave your daughter alone at home often?"

[Monodominant]

She looks hurt by the question but nods her head.

"My husband and I both work in the evenings many times a week. We have diffrent programs at work and we need the money... Elena never had any problems with that and she is a good child. She knew not to talk to strangers and she knew not to open the door after nightfall..."

[planswalker]

"Do not think that I am judging you. I know very well that sometimes, one does what they have to do to survive. I was just wanting to confirm a pattern I have seen. Each child who went missing did so like yours, without a trace or signs of being coerced away. All of them came from homes where something was missing in their parenting, whether simply neglectful, abusive, or forced so by circumstances. All of whom likely had reasons to fantasize about running away like all children do. Unfortunately for these children, I have reason to suspect that an agent is aiding them in their escapes..."

Not finishing his thoughts, Little Green goes invisible right in front of her and rushes back to Jana.

Tiamat, if I'm not too late, I promise you that I will ritually sacrifice the next metallic dragon I see, no matter the size. Little green prays as he runs back.

[Monodominant]

When you speak the name of your patron God you feel a sense of cold for a moment as if something actually happened right now.

A moment later and the feeling is gone. The woman is still standing on the couch her jaw dropping open.

You quickly exit the house before she has time to react and arrive at Jana's house.

[planswalker]

Little Green will climb up to the window and tap on it to get her attention, peeking inside while he does it.

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btw, technically, I said that LG thinks that as he is running back

[Monodominant]

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He feels the feeling of cold envelop him as he is running then instead.

PS> I will explain what that was later ;)

The girl looks at him with a horrible expression as he is peeing inside...

Assuming he is looking inside and not something else after tapping he sees Jana approach the window and look outside. As she doesnt see anyone she considers it for a moment but does not yet open up.

"Talehos? Is it you?" she whispers softly.

[planswalker]

Upon seeing her, his face fills with relief. "Yes it is. I was more successful than I thought I would be. I was wondering if you'd like me to come in and play with you and be your friend?"

[Monodominant]

The concern leaves her face and she smiles.

"Sure that would be nice but we have to be quiet! My uncle has gone to bed and if we wake him up he will hit me!" she says as she opens the window carefully.

[planswalker]

"I can be very quiet. Also, if your uncle ever tries to hit you again, I will protect you."

Talehos will take 10 on his move silently.

[Monodominant]

You enter the room and noone seems to notice or hear anything.

The little girl looks around the room suspiciously.

" Are you still here? So what do you want to play first?" she asks with a hopeful tone.

[planswalker]

"I am still here. Let's start with your favorite game. I actually don't know all that many games myself."

[Monodominant]

You spend the next two hours completing a puzzle. You see that she has a dozen of them and that she is also the one that is actually making them.

"Its something I used to do with my mom. She was a painter and she used to give my dad, who was a carpenter, her best paintings. He would put them on some special thin wood and make them into puzzles..." she says and her face darkens.

So does the world outside window as night falls and the house goes completely quiet.

The girl seems tired but doesnt know what to do with the spirit she is entertaining.

[planswalker]

"That is wonderful. You love your mother very much, don't you?" Little Green hugs her reassuringly. "And you seem to be tired. Would you like me to tell you a story before you go to bed? Don't worry, I will still be here in the morning."

[Monodominant]

"Mommy and daddy both went to play with the angels a few years ago. Thats why I am staying with my uncle and my auntie. She told me that when I am older I will understand." she says sadly.

She enters her bed and looks towards you with a big smile.

"Bed time story would be great! Uncle never has the time to tell me one!"

[planswalker]

"What sort of story would you like me to tell you about?"

[Monodominant]

"About a princess!" she calls out and then clasps her hands over her mouth realising she almost yelled it.

Thankfully a couple of minutes pass and noone checks up on you.

[planswalker]

"Once upon a time, there was a brave young princess. She lived in a castle with her father and mother, the king and queen. They were very happy together and had a lot of fun together. Each morning, the queen would sing with the princess and tell her all sorts of wonderful stories and the king would take her riding every day to feed songbirds and hunt wildflowers.

Then, one day, an ogre came and took her parents away, and her aunt and uncle came to take her away from her castle. Though they took care of the princess, they did not love her and had no time to play with her. They locked her away in her tower and never let her sing or ride out into the countryside to pick wildflowers. However, she was still happy because she met someone special in this new place: a friend.

He was an orphan boy who was apprenticed to the keep's smith, and he had to work very hard most of the day helping the blacksmith make armor and weapon's for her uncle's soldiers. However, in the evening, the smith gave him the evening off, and he'd spend his free time climbing the princess's tower to come play with her. The two had a lot of fun together, doing puzzles, playing at 'maids and dragons', and all sorts of other wonderful games.

However, one day her uncle came up to her room while the boy was over and saw them play together. He was furious and had the boy whipped, and forbade the princess from ever seeing him again. He dismissed the blacksmith and demanded that he take his apprentice far away to another land. The princess was all alone.

Without her friend, the princess was lonely and cried often, for her parents were gone and now her best friend was gone as well.

Then one day, a little green dragon came to her window and said, "Princess, if you will let me in, we will play together and have all sorts of fun adventures together. We will be the best of friends." Not sure what to do but remembering the manners her mother had taught her not to leave a guest waiting on her doorstep, or window sill in this case, so she let him in.

Now this dragon was very special. Although he was a green dragon, he was not mean to children and would never eat them. He also was small, much smaller than the other dragons. He was no bigger than the princess herself. The other dragons used to pick on him and call him names because he was so much smaller than them, and none of them wanted to be his friend. That was why the little green dragon ran away from them and found the princess. He had heard that princesses were kind and beautiful children who were always polite and never made fun of people for being small.

The two spend the whole afternoon playing together, and the princess taught the dragon how to do puzzles and play 'maids and dragons' which worked even better than with her father, for the little green dragon was a dragon. He taught her how to play dragon games like, 'catch the tail' and 'riddle the knight'. He was better at those games than the princess was but let her win most of them because he was a guest and she was his host, and it's rude for a guest to outdo his host.

The two played all day until the young princess had lost track of time and her uncle knocked on her door to tell her to go to bed. The two startled when the princess's uncle knocked on the door and the dragon gave a yelp of surprise.

This made the uncle very concerned, for princesses should not yelp when their uncles knocked on their doors to make sure they went to bed. He demanded to come in and find out what was wrong, and nothing the princess could say would convince him not to. She was very scared, for she and the dragon were friends now and she didn't want him to have to go away like the smith's apprentice did. The dragon reassured her that good princesses did not refuse to let their guardians in their rooms and that she should let her uncle in. "Do not worry about me, fair princess. Do as your uncle says."

The princess very sadly and very reluctantly went to the door and unbolted it to let her uncle in. As the door opened, he looked in and saw-"

Little Green pauses for dramatic effect.

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I hope you found the story at least mildly entertaining to read. If not, I apologize, but it was fun to write a children's story.

[Monodominant]

Although her eyes are heavy Jana is looking at the space were your voice is coming from with great anticipation and admiration.

"Yes!?" she manages to say holding the bed covers as she waits for the conclusion!

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Very nice so far! Take 600 xp for the progress so far by the way and another 250 for the story!

[planswalker]

"And the rest you will learn tomorrow night. All the best stories take several nights to tell. Goodnight, sweet Jana and sleep well. I will return to you tomorrow morning." He kisses her lightly on the forehead and crawls under her bed to sleep. As always, he sleeps lightly, a necessary survival trait when living as a very small orphan in a very big world.

[Monodominant]

She looks at you suprised, disappointed but also hopeful.

"Oooookkaaaayyyy" she says dragging out the words as she curls into a ball.

"Good night, sleep tight and dont let the bed bugs bite Talehos!" she says and some time later you hear her breathing become steady and relaxed.

You also fall asleep and have dreams that you wont remember in the morning...

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Listen check please...

[planswalker]

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forum roller, I know that you and I have had it rough from time to time and you've never really forgiven me for Tim not needing you to do d20's, but please, please, please don't crap on this roll - (d20+9)[10]

filler...

[Monodominant]

You spread your wings and fly. Your green scales are glowing in the sun light and as you prepare to descend....

Your dream is cut short by a whispered child voice and the squaking sounds of a body being lifted from the bed. From your spot under the bed you see Jana feet touch the ground as she moves towards the window.

You dont see any other feet or people inside the room from where you are.

"You also want to play little one?" you hear her say.

[planswalker]

Taking 10 on move silently and still under the 24 hour duration invisibility, Little Green crawls out and takes stock of the situation.

[Monodominant]

He sees Jana about to open the window a big grin on her face.

"We can play with Talehos when he comes back as well little one!" she tells to the tiny figure waiting outside. She does not seem concerned or worried about the appearance of said creature although you see this:




OOC: Minus the tree branches.

[planswalker]

Not enjoying the risk to Jana that he's putting her through but deciding that the life of one girl is worth risking to learn the fates of the other missing children, Little Green will continue taking 10 on stealth skills and stay right behind Jana.

[Monodominant]

Jana opens the window and the critter takes a few slow steps inside. It makes some gurgling noises and Jana laughs petting it softly on the head.

You notice that the creature winces at that and gives her a malicious look but she does not seem to notice.

The creature then speaks and it takes you a few moments until you can actually understand the broken common it speaks.

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I had to check your character sheet for character age...

"Hello sunshine! Me and my friends would like to play with you! Just be quiet and follow me! There are more friends of yours where we will go!" it says and Jana laughs apparently finding his words very funny.

"Your voice is so sweet and so melodic little one! But are you sure its safe? Its dark outside and my uncle said I shouldnt go out at night" she says hesitating momentarily.

You see the creatures proboscis contract for a moment as if its doing something as it focuses on Jana and then it shows a toothy grin.

"Dont worry sunshine! I am here to protect you. Just follow my lead" it says and it moves out of the window. "And close the window behind you, we dont want your uncle to get cold!"

It seems that Jana is entirely convinced beyond any shadow of doubt and indeed she leaves her room pausing for a moment to close it and giving you the opportunity to also exit quietly.

For a moment the creature stops and looks back towards her suspiciously but it then it continues.

[planswalker]

Little Green sneaks out before she closes it and follows the pair, silently thanking the Five-Headed One for her providence and making plans on how to best go about making sure the next metallic dragon he meets is a newborn copper.