Thanksmasnewyearskwanzakkah 2018 - 10 Years of Thanksmas!

[bc56]

Moping around a Campfire

"That's the question, isn't it. What's the line between a hero and a monster? If I devour the souls of the wicked in order to defend the righteous, is that okay? What about Frankenstein? Was his creation a monster because he was made that way, or because he chose to do evil, or because of the way he was mistreated by his creator?" These questions are Tethrik's problem, because he is living them. Is he a monster because of his demonic nature? Would using demonic powers be an evil act, even to help people? He doesn't know the answer.

[Rebonack]

[Harassing Calm Reed]

"See! All sorts of awful stuff," Zee the reindeer replies as she rapidly shifts back into human shape again. Unfortunately she forgets about persisting the antlers and glowing nose. Whoops! "I wouldn't ever do any of those things. But I can tell you're suspicious, so I'll mention how the monks decided I wasn't a moon-monster! See, we had this big fight, and the monks were really tough! Like, really super duper tough. And they fought really well together; very synchronized. It would have been really neat to watch if they hadn't been punching me so much."

Getting punched by a load of monks with super strength tends to make it difficult to enjoy the simplicities of life.

"And then they started getting these really impressive elemental aura things going on! Swirling leaves and raging fire and thundering clouds! It went on like that for a little while longer, then one of them, the air monk I think, said 'Why doesn't the anathema have an anima banner?' Of course, I had no idea what that was, so I told them I had forgotten all my flags at home. At that point they started to suspect I wasn't a moon-monster and began asking me questions while punching me not quite as hard."

That seems very thoughtful.

"Eventually they decided that I wasn't a lunar, but still probably a threat of some kind, and asked me nicely to go away. So I just kinda scooted off a few steps sideways in time until they thought I was gone and then started exploring again. And that's the story of how I met some Immaculate Monks and got punched by them a whole lot."

Then some really loud, really happy childish squealing happens. Zee glances in the direction of the sound. "Oh, hey! Karaglen found the wolves. Good for her."

[billtodamax]

Snowgoblin

The children will find themselves approached by a pair of dwarves swaddled in wool. Olon and Endok wave happily to the goblins. Hi Tuskfang! Look at all this snow! Olon spins around happily taking in the scenery. Snow! Neat! It's super cold. Endok confides in Tuskfang. Hi! I'm Endok and this is Olon! He says to the tiny goblins. They must be good goblins, they're with Tuskfang!

[5a Violista]

The Witch

Awen blinks.

Then blinks again.

Did this woman seriously misunderstand what she was saying? Or did Awen just say it wrong?

"N-no?" Awen says, half unsure of herself now. "I mean, that's the whole reason why I wear all this: so that people don't see it."

Seriously, though, she's probably just over-exaggerating how bad she looks. Can any PC really look as hideous as she thinks she does? Awen seems like the kind of person that's overly sensitive about her looks.

Meanwhile, the fox is picked up and continues to enjoy life. Unfortunately, Awen's still giving him the silent treatment so we can't hear her comeback to what the fox said.


Frozen Pond

Kikkawa showed off in #85


Moping Around a Campfire

Juliekana can think of two different things she could say. One is something that could potentially make him feel better, but the other is something that she actually thinks.

"I'm not sure," she says. "Whether someone's a hero or a monster really depends on the perspective, I believe. Like, if you do that, then the wicked would probably see you as a monster, but the people you're defending would see you as a hero. So, like, which part is more important?"

She rubs her hands and stretches. "I dunno. Wicked people tend to have bad afterlives anyway, and might be okay with being eaten. But if I needed to be saved and the only way it could happen was if some bad guy died, I'd be okay with that."

Rather than answering about Frankenstein and his monster, Juliekana talks about herself a bit. "One time, I caught a building on fire."

She pauses, then corrects herself. "No, wait, that happened a lot of times. Bad example, sorry."

"Anyway. If I worried about catching more people on fire, then I probably would lock myself away and feel bad until I died. But if I did that, then I'd never be able to do any of the other things that are probably more important." Sounds convincing, right? Whatever she was trying to convince with that.

She blows her hands, because they're cold, rubs them together again, and sticks them out towards the fire once more.


Refreshments - Spilled Chocolate

Marin was last seen on post #85. If found, please call XXX-XXXX.

[Rebonack]

[Snowgoblin]

"Olon, Endok, wait up!" calls a human girl who looks about ten. Which is to say, she's probably a bit bigger than everyone else in the crowd. She's all bundled up in winter clothing. Boots, snow pants, coat, gloves, scarf, hat, the WORKS. Her eyes are a bright shade of blue and a few little locks of dark hair are sticking out from under her hat. It looks like she's struggling slightly to move around in all those layers. In spite of this, she's dragging a little toboggan behind her easily large enough for three children her size to fit on. Or probably even MORE if the children are smaller than she is!

She runs up along side the pair of dorfs, her sled bouncing along behind her. She'll pant a bit, nose rosy from the cold as she wipes it with a sniff. "Is this Tuskfang? Hi Tuskfang! I'm Khannie. Your snowguy looks cool."

Snowguy...?

Probably because she isn't sure what it's supposed to be.

And calling it a snowmon would be weird.

Humans don't call them snowmon, they call them snowmen. But everyone keeps telling her that all the people in the Nexus aren't just different Types of humans, so maybe they call them something else? She still isn't sold on that. Like... Endok and Olon are totally Rock/Ground humans. She's expecting Zebes to announce that he was just trying to trick her the whole time any day now.

[billtodamax]

The Witch

Yeah but you told me about them anyway right. Violet says, scritching the fox extra hard. Awen better be careful or Violet is going to steal this fox. C'mon ain't noone else looking. She tries to peer into Awen's clothing through the neckline. Violet that is inappropriate. She starts going hard on this foxes's stomach as she does. What a nice fox.

[5a Violista]

The Witch

Awen protests. "I didn't think you were actually listening!"

Awen is too busy protesting to stop Violet in time.

...

It just looks like normal skin. Maybe a little pale, like she seriously needs to see some sunlight or something. In fact, it's definitely a little pale. If she looks really hard, then maybe she can see a couple of scales here or there clumped together like tracing the clavicle or a handful around the suprasternal notch, or lining the sternum in a neat pattern.

It's honestly not that bad.

(Also, there's a silver amulet but that's not really important. Probably not important.)

As soon as Awen notices what Violet's doing, she brings her hand to her neckline and tries to block off the view. "Hey, what are you doing, there's nothing interesting to see there."

Awen had to set down the dustpan gift to cover there.

Seems like Violet has successfully managed to both make Awen doubt herself and be thrown off balance (mentally speaking). Pretty clever of her, if that was her plan this whole time.


As much as the fox is enjoying this experience and the stomach rubs, the fox would probably try to escape Violet if she tried to take him away. After all, the fox is basically a conduit for a dead eldritch being that for some reason likes bothering Awen. Unless Violet can convince it that she'd make a better fit for its purposes, then the fox won't stay with her for long.
...Not to mention, Awen saved the life of the fox and basically raised it. One of those reasons is probably why the fox likes her so much.

[Artemis97]

See?
This is what happens if you go out where people are.
You run into your crazy family.
This is-
-an opportunity. Maybe. Probably it's a huge stupid risk.

Nadas gets up from where he's waiting in line and strides over towards Raril. Given the cold weather, he's added a stolen jacket to his usual wardrobe, and his hair is back to its undyed color.
"What luck seeing you here, dad. Kinda bad timing before, wasn't it?"
His eyes still twitch here and there, trying to keep a watch on the whole celebration at once.

Raril grins at his son. "Nadas! Yeah, that was a rough night. How are you dealing with it?" He asks concerned.

[billtodamax]

The Witch

You said it pretty loud. No she didn't Violet she practically whispered it. AND you didn't pay any attention to it when she first said it.

Anyway you can hardly see it so I don't see what the big deal is. You're probably starving for vitamin B or whatever the sun gives you. It's D. At least roll up the sleeves or something, Christ. Violet tries to manoeuvre the fox so it's sitting around her neck like a scarf, scritching it under the chin when it's up there. Then she'll take her fancy new poking stick and try and use the tip to pull up the edge of Awen's sleeve.

[5a Violista]

The Witch

The fox still seems to enjoy this. Being a scarf is pretty fun, actually. He wouldn't like to do it for forever, but temporarily is alright.

"Well, maybe," Awen admits. Low vitamin D is a thing. Although, her skin has always been paler and more sickly-looking than it probably should be, even before she started dressing up as a mummy.

The Almighty Stick of Poking manages to pull up the edge of her sleeve! Not only that, but it manages to tear some of it, because a shirt is weaker than armor, and even most armor wouldn't be able to resist such an almighty spear.

Also, the glove. Part of the long gloves is caught in the stick along with the sleeve and is torn.

It's rather fortunate Violet didn't try to poke the witch with it.

"H-hey!" she says. "Careful!"

She's just got a 2cm wide line of green scales running up the ulnar side of her forearm.

Awen looks at the ruined glove and sleeve. Guess she has no choice but to roll up the sleeve to hide the hole, and remove the glove...so that's what she does. "Look what you did."

Under the glove, her fingernails are extremely sharp. Like "Could probably skin a boar with those" sharp.

[billtodamax]

The Witch

Damn but this thing is sharp. Violet says grinning as she looks at her spear. Hey you weren't kidding about the scales. I still don't think she should be wearing something so weird looking just to cover up some pointy nails and a scale or two though mister fox. Violet says, making a kissy face at the fox and giving it a scritch under the chin.

An idea seems to occur to her. Hey you oughta at least clean up the other side the same. Looks like dog business right now. Violet didn't say that, Violet swore. Same general idea though. Like, y'know, more dog business than it was.

[bc56]

Moping around a campfire

Tethrik isn't quite convinced, especially since Julieka doesn't seem to know how soul devouring works in Tethrik's home world. Unsurprisingly, really. "Is torturing ten evil souls for eternity worth saving one person? What about a hundred? A thousand? Who are we to judge the value of one person against another?"

[Arkhosia]

Floor 7: Cyborgs, Catgirls and Eldritch Abominations

Caelynn yelps in surprise as the sudden projectile strikes Magtok, bringing up a mittened hand to cover her mouth in an adorably stereotypical manner as she looks down at the fallen cyborg. The concerned expression turns to a puzzled look as she processes the nature of the projectile however. A paper plate? wait, no, a paper plate full of candy canes? Why would anyone throw that at someone?

Oh, it's Zee. That does explain it, though Caelynn doesn't know how it does. Thankfully, Magtok gives a fairly succinct - if slightly confusing - explanation as the catgirl helps him to his feet, and the baffled doctor takes the candy cane as she looks between the two before Zee begins to respond, musing on the nature of people in your heart and the negative side effects that it could have upon your health. Oh hey, Caelynn's a doctor, she can weigh in on that! "Probably clogs up your aortic arch too." There we go, good work Caelynn. Save face and try to pretend like you're not still baffled by this strange lady you just met, go along with the weirdness. Never mind that neither of the two parties probably know what an aorta is, much less an aortic arch.

And then, the strange lady is gone as swiftly as she entered the scene, though not it's nearly as striking. () Just an ominous warning of cryptic nature that leaves Caelynn with a quirked brow and a look towards Magtok. "...Okay, I have no idea what she's referring to but I'm sleeping in your room until whatever she's talking about is gone." Caelynn's been around the block before, and learned all too well to pay attention to the cryptic portents of strangers. The Nexus did love to give them credence.

You're a Broke-Ass Fighter Who Feeds Her Page Gruel!

"F-Fair enough." Fidelia responds, straightening up a little. She... she was joking, right? Oh, please let her be joking. She loved that couch, she didn't want to go back to sleeping on the floor, even if there was a carpet! Well, at least there wouldn't be any elements to worry about.... But enough dwelling on that, Jen is already on the move! And so Fidelia follows with a hopeful little smile, stuffing her hands in her pockets and trying her best to ignore a cold breeze.

Okay, yeah, maybe Jen had been right about the skirt not being warm enough.

But while her legs might be a little cold, the squire's face is quite warm, as the knight's teasing evokes a blush. "Uh, sure, that... that sounds like fun. A beat. "Er, the snowman, I mean! I've - I've never really built one before." Okay, that wasn't entirely true. She once tried to build one in a small little park after she snuck into a part of the Raindrop District, but there wasn't enough snow, and she didn't really have any top hats and scarves or buttons to spare, so she had to make do with a snow hedgehog that she made with a small mound and a load of sticks.
"Besides, I'm not - I'm not really a fan of beards."

[Morty]

[Snowgoblin]

"Hi!" Tuskfang squeaks in greeting when the dwarves and the human come. "This is Blaggut and Oortka! They're my cousins!"

The two little goblins have light grey skin, but while the boy's hair is dark brown, the girl's is dark grey. They both have similar large, dark yellow eyes. Unlike Tuskfang's eyes, they're proper cat-like goblin ones. They seem apprehensive at the sight of dwarves, but those two know Tuskfang, so presumably they're okay.

"It's a snowgoblin. But we haven't added the ears yet," the boy says.

"Are you dwarves? I've never met a dwarf before," his sister adds.

"We can build another snowperson later if you want. Grapok says he has an idea for our snowball fight that needs snowpeople."

[Harassing Calm Reed]

Calm Reed relaxes, though like all her expressions it's subdued. It does sound like she's not a Lunar.

"I'm glad to hear it, then." And then a lot of squeeing happens. "...sounds like it, yes. I've certainly never met a dragon this small, or capable of producing such sounds."

[Snuggling Around a Campfire]

Viima suddenly finds herself barrelled into by a small, silvery shape. She's perplexed, but after a few sniffs she recognizes the smell of a friend she hasn't seen in a long time. She turns around and tries to give the dragonling clinging to her a good lick.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Ithuriel's Sleigh]

Ithuriel shakes her head at AmbriElf, instead reaching into the sack and pulling out- huh, it appears to be a little stuffed toy rhino with wings. Ithuriel peers at it in mild bemusement. "UH, it's a little bit more narcissistic than I was hoping for, but here, go give her this." She awkwardly passes the toy across to AmbriElf, still looking a little perplexed at the sack deciding to give her a little stuffed toy Ithuriel to give to Atry. "I figured she might like another toy. I think she's probably a little too young for something like a Magtendo, but...yeah, give it a try. Hopefully she likes it." She hastily attaches a tag to the little rhino ["Happy Thanksmas, from Santa Thuriel"] and nods for AmbriElf to go about his elfy duties.

Meanwhile, the fire elf girl's request earns a sympathetic nod from Santa Thuriel, "Ho ho ho! Of course, little girl! Let's see what the sack has for you!" She reaches back and pulls out several things. For her first request: A bottle of rock polish (with all the essential oils to help stimulate mineral growth) and a set of brushes for applying it! Second: a set of thick, durable leather gloves and leather overalls. "I don't know how much help it will be, but I think a bit of this polish should help? And, uh, as long as you wear these gloves and overalls, you can probably hug him?" It's a little unusual but she has to trust the sack, for its gift-giving powers are without limit!

[Earl of Purple]

Goblins & Gnome

"That's fine. If they're bigger than us, they're easier to hit. And they don't have it as easy at hiding too, so we can play hide and seek afters too." Pookie nods agreement to Cheasadh's words. She's probably asked him to agree with her. Although... He's just as sneaky and underhanded as she is, if not more so.

[Recaiden]

Refreshments - Spilled Chocolate
Hello, XXX-XXXX? I found a catgirl in post #85. Is she yours?

Frozen Pond

Kikkawa bows. She's actually glad Tavlii's there to appreciate it.

The other woman, though...

She skates up to them. "It looks a lot more impressive with a partner, and with music." She means, it looks more impressive to people who are just watching and know nothing about it.

In that case, she'd have done a partner dance. Some of the more impressive moves are impossible without someone who knows what they're doing.

"How long have you been skating? I'm afraid I'm probably not up to being a skating partner."

"Was pretty. Not sure it's for me. Too...something." Too bold, or too performed, or something like that.

Raril grins at his son. "Nadas! Yeah, that was a rough night. How are you dealing with it?" He asks concerned.

Nadas smiles weakly.
"Well, by running away, mostly. It's fine. Good actually." Turning into a wolf sometimes is quite far away from being one of his top problems. "I've been-" Nadas breaks off, realizing that he was about to say something dangerous. The holiday spirit must be wearing away at his circumspection. "How did this never happen before? I wasn't, my sister wasn't...what happened?" This is probably something he really should have known already. But maybe no one will notice that.

[Rebonack]

[Harassing Calm Reed]

"I'm glad you aren't punching me while asking questions, it makes having a conversation really hard," Zee informs the monk.

She gives a little nod at the commentary on Kara, then suddenly appears to realize something. "Oh, right! Dragons are spiritual beings in Creation, aren't they? In a lot of other places they're physical critters of various levels of elemental power. Karaglen is a baby dragon, a wyrmling. Basically like a nine year old human," Zee explains. "I bet you've already noticed that the word dragon is used for SO MANY diverse creatures. 's 'cuz the Ideal Form Hyle reflects differently from one world to another."

[5a Violista]

[The Witch]

Violet's lucky that the fox isn't wild. If it were, it would probably try to bite her face off.
Instead, it tries to lick her face off, and wags its tail.

Awen pouts.

But, Violet has a point. "Fine." Wearing only one glove and having one sleeve rolled up is pretty weird-looking.

She takes off her other glove and rolls up her other sleeve. "But you owe me a new shirt."

Honestly, if Violet just happens to have spare shirts lying around, this is probably Awen's biggest chance in wearing a shirt that isn't high-necked and long-sleeved. I'm not sure she's the type of person to do that, so it appears Awen is safe for now from the horrors of wearing short sleeves.


Frozen Pond

Kikkawa knows exactly how long she's been skating.

"I was three or four years old," she says.

Fact: Her parents forced her to do it, because they wanted it. She didn't like it at first, but then she made a best friend while practicing and started enjoying it.

"You've been skating for a while, too?" she asks Tavlii. She would've included her name in that sentence, but they haven't done introductions yet so she doesn't know it.

...She ignores the "too something" criticism. Frankly, she doesn't really care about the opinions of people who don't like skating. (In fact she doesn't even care about the opinions of most people who like skating, but that's for a slightly different reason.)


Moping around a Campfire

Julieka doesn't really know the answer to that one. "Maybe? I don't really know," she says.

"Evil means a couple of different things, so it might depend on what kind of evil?" For example, Julieka could potentially be called 'evil', according to certain people.

"Like, is it worth it?" Then, she brings up some other point that she would probably consider if she were in the same situation. "And it's also a question of whether or not they could be saved without nomming their souls?"

"Because if you could save them without hurting anyone else, then you should probably do that first."


Refreshments - Spilled Chocolate

Really? Thanks! Do you know if the catgirl's still there in post #85? I'll be sure to check there immediately.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Snuggling Wherever Viima Was Lurking]

"Aaaah, noooo Fuzzy!"
Despite the vocal protest, Karaglen is too busy giggling to really be resisting Viima's greeting lick beyond a reactionary face wiggle.
It can't have been that bad, because the wolf will be immediately earning some head scratching afterwards.

At some point, Kara does tilt her head to give the wolf a closer look though.
"Hmm...you look a little different. Did I miss something?"

[Artemis97]

[Raril and Nadas]

Raril frowns, thinking back to less pleasant times in his life. "I... I'm not sure I was a werewolf when you two were... conceived." He coughs a bit, nervously. "That said, it doesn't always transfer, either. Your younger cousin, Landon, is a werewolf, though, I think. But both Sszinyon and Endrik are werewolves." The elder drow shrugs. "I'm not sure why it didn't happen before. I am sorry it's happened now, though. It's not the easiest thing to deal with, and it took me a long time to come to terms with it and be able to control it. I just hope Danube doesn't get any grand ideas about a pack of Xar'Cha werewolves or something."

[billtodamax]

The Witch

Hey you weirdo, stop licking me. She says, going for a scritch behind the ears. Anyway you can just wait for Santa to forget about you and then ask for a new one. Violet you aren't allowed to double dip. I bet if you go back with way less clothing you could probably go for a third too. Get a TV or something. Violet you definitely aren't allowed to triple dip.

She glances around a bit. There anything to drink around here? She asks Awen, apparently distracted.

Snowgoblin

We're dwarves but Khannie's not. She's too tall. Olon announces to the goblins. I'm Olon and this is Endok and we live in Oshurfeb. Only we aren't supposed to tell strangers that but I guess since we know your names you aren't strangers. That's that little conundrum solved. How're you gonna do the ears? Endok asks as Olon starts scooping up some snow to start on a snowdwarf.

[Rebonack]

[Snowgoblin]

"I'm a human!" Khannie says, striking her best heroic human pose ever. She's been practicing. Knowing how to strike heroic poses is super important. How are you supposed to be a hero if you don't know how to do that?

Pose finished, she begins mounding snow on top of her little sled.

Why?

She really isn't sure yet.

Maybe she'll try building a snowman on top of it and then shoving it down a hill! That would be really cool.

"I've never met a goblin before," Khannie says, mentally marking goblins down as dark/rock humans. "But that's cool 'cuz Zebes says everyone you meet knows something you don't and that's probably double-true since I don't know any goblin stuff."

Now she's wondering how much the same goblin stuff and dwarf stuff is. "Goblins and dwarfs both live in tunnels and mountains and stuff, right?" Khannie inquires. "Does that mean goblins and dwarfs are friends?"

Maybe they're like geodudes and larvatars?

[Morty]

[Goblins & Gnome]

Brinika nods.

"Yeah, bigger people are easier to hit. We can try some hide and seek later, but Tuskfang doesn't like it. He can smell where people are, so it's too easy." She giggles.

[Snowgoblin]

The woblin and two goblins shuffle awkwardly a little.

"Mom says goblins and dwarves should be friends, but we're not because people are mean. But Endok and Olon and I are friends, so we can be."

Blaggut, though, is quick to answer Endok's question.

"We were going to put sticks in his head and stick snow to them. It usually works. We don't have anything for the teeth, though."

"We live underground in Underside," Oortka says. "There's a big door in a mountain and then you go deeper."

[Wolf Snuggling]

Viima has certainly got on in years. Her fur is less silky and she's less vigorous, but she's still a big, healthy wolf. She doesn't pick up on Kara's confusion, and just rubs her head against the wyrmling. Some other wolves approach when they see their mother and grandmother be so friendly with someone.

[Harassing Calm Reed]

"If you were a Lunar Anathema, I could hardly take you on by myself," Calm Reed points out. "In Creation, the most powerful elementals become lesser elemental dragons, pale shades of the Five Elemental Dragons from which all of Creation flows. This land certainly uses the name for a much greater variety of beings."

[Murkus]

[Hobgoblin & Deer]

It's a testament to how distracted Batu was by the cold that Div snuck up on him. Though he's rather wimpy, he's still a hobgoblin. He scuttles a bit closer to his boyfriend.

"Hi Div. Seems you're taking the cold better than I am."

"Hi Batu. And yea. Us Frescots are pretty good in the cold," says Div. And pretty good at being quiet, too, so that might have helped. "Um, I know we agreed to a date here, but I don't actually know what's happening right now." He grins widely, sheepishly. "What's Thanksmas?"

[billtodamax]

Snowgoblin

Our dad says it's a bunch of old blowhards who can't let go of the past setting a bad example for us and drinking a few too many ales. He also said they should pull their head out of their, uh... their bottoms and try talking to one of them sometime cause it's not like they're not perfectly nice even if they have pointy teeth. Olon listens in on her parents' conversations sometimes.

She sees Khannie start piling up snow and - her snowdwarf not really coming along - shifts her pile of snow over to the sled to start helping Khannie out.

We don't have a door we just have a staircase, but it's ok because to get into anything proper you have to go through a bit of tunnel that we can seal off anyway. Endok tells the goblins. Plus Tuskfang says there's spirits protecting the aboveground bit so they'd stop anything before it got to us. He starts scrounging around in the snow for a good enough stick to use for an ear.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Wolf Snuggling]

There are some dots that probably need connecting here, for Karaglen. Time has not passed for her in the same way it has passed for Viima.
At least, not as has been explained to her yet.

"Hrmm. Maybe you need a new shampoo?"
That's clearly it. Viima isn't getting shampooed correctly.

Another head scratch later, and perhaps a little love for the newcomer wolves, Karaglen tries to find one of her treats for her oldest wolf friend only to realize she's entirely out of them.
"Oh, those went fast...um. Oh! Follow me, I have more treats at mom's sleigh!"
Which is immediately followed by a quick point towards the snack-laden vehicle and then her scurrying off towards it.

[bc56]

Moping Around a Campfire

"Nothing is really all that simple, honestly, especially where souls are concerned. Tethrik isn't sure he agrees with with the human female, what was her name again? She made some good points though.

[Rebonack]

[Harassing Calm Reed]

"So the moon monsters are stronger than you guys?" Zee asks. "Is that why you come in super sentai teams? That makes a lot of sense. Even if you're weaker one on one, then you can still win with superior numbers and tactics."

Team work prevails! And if not team work, then striking really cool poses.

"I'm totally not a moon monster, though. I'm not even a little bit moony. I can't really wander around unbound since the Glory I shed can be a bit much for mortal folks, but I have been working on a rough analog to my natural shape using the stories of different critters I've read so far. Here, tell me what you think!"

Why would she want Calm Reed's opinion on this?

Because she's a dragon monk, of course! Clearly she has some degree of professional familiarity with dragons and her opinion will be valuable.

Then she morphs again, this time into a shape that is without question draconic. Rusty red scale more like overlapping plates, red fur sticking out between them. Metallic black scales on her underbelly. A face that looks equal parts reptilian, vulpine, and deer-like. A generally feline shape to her build, legs ending in what look like a medium between a deer's hooves and dragon's claws. Wide, backwards swept horns. A pair of powerful bat-like wings. A long tail with an inexplicable yellow ribbon tied about two thirds of the way down. Her sclera are velvety black, like the early evening sky, and her irises shine with starlight. She really doesn't get all that much bigger than a large horse, give or take. Nearly all of her more alien features are missing, most importantly her aura of glory. Zee strikes a pose, lifting one foreleg, arching her back, and gaping her mouth a bit.

Classic lung dragon stance, that one. She just needs a dragon pearl to clutch in her other claw.

"Well!?" she asks excitedly.

Upon approaching, Kara will spy her mom showing off that dragon shape of hers that doesn't do weird stuff to the terrain. Zee has been practicing it for a while and is rather proud of it. The sleigh full of goodies is still hitched to her.

[Snowgoblin]

"The world would be a lot better if more people were just friends instead of fighting and stuff," Khannie concludes with a sagely nod.

After a moment's consideration, she decide she hasn't got enough snow heaped up on her sled yet and piles on some more. "I'm going to build a snowman and send him down a hill," she announces. "It'll be super cool."

Just the coolest.

"I don't live underground. I live in a house with my dad and his familiar."

She thinks that's a great place for people to live and that living underground is kind of weird. That's where dungeons are supposed to be.

[Recaiden]

Refreshments - Spilled Chocolate

Yep! She's still around, playing with these chocolates. But you'd better hurry.

Frozen Pond

Kikkawa knows exactly how long she's been skating.

"I was three or four years old," she says.

Fact: Her parents forced her to do it, because they wanted it. She didn't like it at first, but then she made a best friend while practicing and started enjoying it.

"You've been skating for a while, too?" she asks Tavlii. She would've included her name in that sentence, but they haven't done introductions yet so she doesn't know it.

...She ignores the "too something" criticism. Frankly, she doesn't really care about the opinions of people who don't like skating. (In fact she doesn't even care about the opinions of most people who like skating, but that's for a slightly different reason.)

A range of a year or two isn't very exact.

But look at her now. Probably the best mundane figure skater in the world.

Tavlii has to think about that. She lost all memories of her childhood and has to see if a secondary source has it recorded somewhere.
"Since before we left my homeworld. Probably not as long as you have." Although I bet she is older than Kikkawa, so even though she started later there might be more skating time.

[Raril and Nadas]

Raril frowns, thinking back to less pleasant times in his life. "I... I'm not sure I was a werewolf when you two were... conceived." He coughs a bit, nervously. "That said, it doesn't always transfer, either. Your younger cousin, Landon, is a werewolf, though, I think. But both Sszinyon and Endrik are werewolves." The elder drow shrugs. "I'm not sure why it didn't happen before. I am sorry it's happened now, though. It's not the easiest thing to deal with, and it took me a long time to come to terms with it and be able to control it. I just hope Danube doesn't get any grand ideas about a pack of Xar'Cha werewolves or something."

"When did you become a were then?" Clearly Raril doesn't want to talk about that other thing, and he can put it off for a moment.
Nadas shakes his head.
"I just have to keep it from making me predictable. Actually, a pack of house werewolves...that doesn't sound like a good idea to you?"