Leticia Scarlet-Bloesembhel Voetdhel-Montaneus

Lady Leticia Scarlet-Bloesembhel Voetdhel-Montaneus (a.k.a. Scarlet Voet or just Scarlet (Eisen), Letty (family, in person) or Starlight (family, in writing/letters), Berry (by mentor and mentor's friends/acquaintances))

Scarlet is a common name in her region of the world. There's a saying in that area, you can throw a stone and would probably hit a scarlet brow! But be careful if you do so, because scarlet may cover you as you're thrown down!

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Very fluffy but under all that fur, super skinny/wiry build (Think Pomeranian, all fluff and when wet 75% loss of size) Scarlet denotes when a child is born. Due to the holidays there are many Scarlets born in the Fall. Verdant means you are a 'Summer' child. Wintruz in the winter months with a special denotation of Hweit if you were born on or the day before or after the Winter solstice.

Body Features

Currently (after potion-fur-dye was ingested): Auburn red-brown fur. Bottom of face is silver white. Bottom of tail fur is grey white. Dark-Gray highlights on tail and on chest. Coffee-Brown toe-beans. (She'd look like a Scarlet but the light portion of her fur fits more with a Winter-Spring child) After reincarnation was used to bring her back: Golden brown to dark olive-brown fur. Bottom of face is silver white. Bottom of tail fur is grey white. Dark-Gray highlights on tail and on chest. Coffee-Brown toe-beans. (Looks more like a winter-spring child instead of a Fall child) Previously (before death, when she was a Scarlet) Golden brown to reddish brown fur. White on face is plain white, white on tail is brown-yellow that fades into a dirty gray white. Pinkish-Red toe beans.

Facial Features

Dark green eyes, small black nose. Buck tooth front incisors. (This is 1 of 3 features that stayed the same)

Identifying Characteristics

Inherited from her maternal side every woman has a red crescent patch above their belly button. Men who inherit this have their crescent underneath the belly button, inverted. Both Letty and her brother have the marking. Inherited from her father's side (specifically through her father's mother's family) are a set of 7 little dots or stars in between where the first ribs meet. Both Letty and her brother inherited this mark as well. In her reincarnation, Scarlet kept the family's markings. (The 2 features that stayed the same).

Physical quirks

3'1, she doesn't have the right 'colors' for a 'Scarlet' and looks more like a Winter-Spring (coat wise). OOC: This is due to her dying and being reincarnated.

Apparel & Accessories

While at 'work' she has an official set of glamour woven clothing that she change a little bit at a time (color, print, etc). It's a long skirt, white (3/4 or long sleeve) lace shirt, vest, pocket watch (in vest pocket), silver & gold chatelaine chain, and a long sleeved jacket. She normally sports a variety of different full cloaks with her signature bee and flower cloak clasp. She wears regular underpinnings (chemises, jumper (similar to stays (precursor to corset), boning would be made out of reeds or other soft flexible material that's not too stiff and is more like a sports bra) with this outfit. When wandering around town, she wears second hand clothes most of the time. Her clothes are 'nice' and helps her blend in with the crowd. She doesn't stand out. She wears a variety of hats, usually seasonal that supply the most protection. Letty doesn't have a specific 'set of clothes' or colors she wears, she doesn't show her familial ties or speaks of her titles. She only uses the common name in her name to purposely keep her region and ties vague. Her current dress is very 'middle class' and from the cut of most of her work clothes, the parts are pieced (tastefully). She doesn't wear jewelry, doesn't go 'topless'. (Which is normal in her culture because they have SO. MUCH. FUR. and may be prone to overheating. Also they don't view it as being 'unclothed' - think Micky Mouse vs Donald duck, vs Chip&Dale (or Pluto) vs Goofy - that range of dress or undress?).

Specialized Equipment

Druid: Circle of the Stars

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Scarlets parents died when she was young and her care was constantly argued in court. The family lands, due to the timing of when her parents died, some how mysteriously were no longer in her maternal family hands and had ended up with her father family. When he passed his family decided to try to 'fight' the return of ownership of the lands by claiming custody of the children who through them, they could lay claim to the rights to the land. When Scarlet was a child her paternal uncles kidnapped her, starved & neglected her, and through a series of unfortunate events, she died in the prison cell where she was kept. Her maternal Aunt had found a lead and in trying to save her niece accidently was found out. Her uncles then forced her to allow them to help 'find' the child. By the time they got to her corpse they believed they were too late. Due to a series of machinations the bandits that her uncle hired laid siege to the abandoned tower, believing that these strangers were going to steal their payday, unbeknownst to them that the child they were charged to watch had died under their massively gross neglect. During the 'fight' the tower was set ablaze by one of her uncles. During this time another play was at foot and her younger brother 'Verdant' became the custody of their paternal father's family... The people who lived in their family lands were also being besieged... Her mentor, a long time friend of her aunt and mother, snuck into the burning building and located the young girls body. She successfully whisked a piece of the corpse away under the cover of the battle & raging fire. On her entrance and escape she laid down some powder that would make the fire burn even hotter than it normally would, melting the stone and hiding the fact that she was no longer there. She reincarnated 'Scarlet' once they were safely away and has kept her safe on her aunt's authority while she attempts to deal with the treacherous uncles tearing apart her family's territory, attempting to stop harassment of their people, and trying to regain custody of her nephew Verdant in hopes to keep him from becoming a pawn and victim of Scarlet's paternal uncles.

Gender Identity

Female

Sexuality

Ace

Education

She was educated by her druid mentor and their friends up until the age of 16 where she left her custody due to her aunt's urging for help. Scarlet wandered to ensure she would not be found out and be compromised by her uncles. Before she left she was able to successfully create her star map and has agreed to only return when she had a enough power to protect herself or return in 3 years time, whichever comes first.

Employment

Scarlet's father had entrusted her mother's youngest sister with accounts he had setup for his children. When Scarlet became of age she was granted access to her account and was told to try to increase the wealth if possible to help her family. Scarlet has also signed up for work under the The Gilded Library of Scribes, Historians, Archivists, and Clerks & The Eisen National Association of Barristers to help her fill in the gaps to the education she lacks due to her being moved about as a child.

Mental Trauma

Due to her time in prison and the starvation she endured, she has a tendency to swing into either over eating or starvation.

Intellectual Characteristics

At times will rather choose to kill or risk being killed to ensure a task is done. While she works within 'society' she'll be beholden to the laws but once out in the wilds.... well that depends on you and what you've done.

Morality & Philosophy

Kill or be killed. Otherwise, hide and watch.

Personality Characteristics

Hygiene

Keep herself clean and tries to brush out her fur when possible to keep it fluffy and free of vermin.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Not all of Scarlet's paternal family inherited the distinctive markings. Scarlet's grandfather married twice, his first batch of kids which included her father, had the 7 dots or stars between their ribs. All of the children from his first wife have perished, the only two that inherited the markings were Scarlet and her brother. The second marriage/round of children, her paternal uncles (her father's half-brothers) did not inherit any distinctive markings, or titles.

Family Ties

Scarlet has 2 'Great Aunts', one of which was 'adopted' by their family; the one known as her Mentor: Sniffles (real name Thyme Padfoot) Her Great Aunt Áskatla Hweit-Plóma, was the head of the family around 100-120 years ago. She never married but decided to step down and passed guardianship to Scarlet's grandmother, her great-great grand-niece. No one has seen her in the last 20 years. She was a Land Druid. Scarlet's oldest Aunt Brana Verdant-Brómber (moon druid). Did marry her lover (Arne Padfoot) but never had children so passed on ruling to her younger sister, Scarlet's deceased mother Alfhilda Scarlet-fullt-tungl (Land druid). Scarlet's youngest Aunt Kaðlín Wintruz-Currant was given access to Scarlet and her brothers inherence when Scarlet's father realized what his family had planned. Kaðlín managed to move ownership of Scarlet's money to Sniffles, who was successful in keeping it safe & managed the funds, but she was not fast enough for her nephew Jón Verdant-Kryddjurtir account. *Additional note, Arne Padfoot is not related to her mentor Sniffles. He was a mole-kin, medium size, compared to the rest of the lot ^ which are all small sized.

Religious Views

Acts peaceful but if pressed will herald Rhodena wrath. She does actively but privately visit almost all the temples (except Tanith & Morwen). She's also smart enough to not invoke, piss off, flirt with, gain the attention of, or dismiss Tanith & Morwen. Additional note (for anyone that would stalk her, I don't know why you would, she's boring): When visiting the Nicodemus she doesn't stay and will leave after her business finishes. With the rest of the gods (barring the two she doesn't wish to gain the attention of) she may loiter.

Social Aptitude

I mean... she knows how to act in 'polite society', which is why she avoids it most of the time. She will work with the nobility/her peerage due to necessity. Scarlet can most commonly be found rubbing elbows with the rabble since that's where the fun and money is to be made.

Mannerisms

She eats... almost all the time. You can find her snacking or her pockets are full of snacks. When no one is looking she usually turns into an animal an 'hoofs it' around town. Scarlet burns a lot of calories when she moves about. When under great stress/concentration she forgoes eating and may be prone to starve herself. If she's every underground/surrounded by stone walls (similar to the prison she was held in) Scarlet has a tendency to not eat and if she's traumatized or triggered may not eat for several days unless reminded/forced.

Hobbies & Pets

Bull dog named Brutus.
Familiar, currently in owl form. Nickname "Feathers"
Blink dog named Lazy-Daisy, or Daisy for short
A coterie of imps

Nori
Ori
Dori
Bifur
Bilbo
Bombur
Bofur
Thorin
Dwalin
Balin
Kili
Fili
Oin
Gloin

Speech

She doesn't have an 'accent' due to her traveling around a lot. But due to her traveling also has an accent? (Think FL accent, it's not quite Southern but if you lived in the major cities the words you use could be from anywhere (northern, midwestern, pacific coast) due to it being a melting pot)

Wealth & Financial state

Technically she hasn't shown any wealth and does have a day job. OOC: She technically has access to wealth but absolutely all of it is being used/directed to assist her family. She lives off of peanuts/what extra income her day job provides that she hasn't sent back home.

Tiny druid squirrel girl

View Character Profile

Alignment

"I'm helping!"

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Technically she's a Lady, but due to circumstances Scarlet has not let others know about her ties or even that she's a noble. Due to her name not matching her fur type it usually means one of a few things: She's an orphan (born in winter-spring) and was found in the Fall, she's a bastard and was officially 'claimed' in the Fall (due to her fur being of the winter-spring variety), or in her specific case, she died and was reincarnated - but her new body didn't fully match the old.

Age

Date of Birth

October 29th

Birthplace

Vesten

Children

Current Residence

Eisen

Gender

Female

Eyes

Dark Green

Hair

See appearance for changes

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

fur, very fluffy

Height

3'1

Weight

87. The ride home

Today was a short day, and Scarlet felt utter relief as the carriage swayed gently during its journey home. The morning had been filled with a few meetings, and while stressful, they had ultimately been successful. She had secured key business deals and opened a new line of business. All in all, it was a very productive day. Scarlet had gone to great lengths to diversify her endeavors, avoiding the mistake of putting all her efforts into one area. This was the key to maintaining control. With her businesses so spread out, it would be difficult for her paternal family to wrest control from her. The extensive reach of her resources also allowed her to monitor any probing attempts from her family at her defenses. Though she was fairly certain she had them where she wanted, having even more leverage would help when the time came to take them down. She watched as the scenery changed, her carriage entering 'Little Village'—a section of brownstone homes she had bought and refurbished. Scarlet had transformed this once dilapidated and dangerous area into a thriving shopping and residential space. A part of her felt proud of what she had accomplished here. The location was perfect, nestled between the aero port, train station, and docks. It had become a vibrant hub, close to everything. The bottom floors of all the brownstones had been converted into a diverse array of shops, offering various goods and services. The second floors served as storage for the shops below, offices for clerical businesses, or as apartments. Having everything so close made the area convenient and bustling. She had ensured the neighborhood was well-guarded, deterring most thieves, and had included both public and private courtyards where people could gather—spaces for different groups to meet and enjoy themselves. If she’d had more experience back then, she might have acquired even more real estate, but for now, she was content with what she controlled. Scarlet shifted slightly, making sure she was far enough from the carriage window to avoid being seen. She traveled in a plain carriage, preferring not to draw attention to herself on the way home. As the ride continued, she listened to the comforting sounds of the carriage wheels turning and watched the people going about their day. After a while, the sound of children’s laughter reached her ears, and as they rounded a bend, her home came into view. She spotted her imps playing with the local children—they seemed to be playing cricket. Delighted laughter filled the air, and she felt the fatigue in her shoulders begin to melt away. She was home. She was with her imps, able to watch the neighborhood kids play. It was what she had always wanted for herself—a free, pleasant childhood without the burdens of the world—but if she couldn’t have it, she was happy to see others enjoying it. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she murmured, "I'm glad someone else can experience this peace."

86. A meeting

The paperwork was endless. Old documents had been unearthed and Scarlet spent countless hours working with her legal team pouring over these documents. She had managed to gain access the a few of the originals and noticed that the security markings, wax and embossed seals that were created by overlapping documents in a certain way did not line up. The more paperwork she was able to get her hands on the further back she had to look. Muttering to herself she angrily huffed, "This has been going on for a while. The last head was able to stop it but when Mother took over... she was ripe for the picking. I can't believe the lack of oversight. She really had blinders when it came to my father..." Ciel looked up, pushing up her glasses as she asked, "Do you think he was in on it?" Her feathers quietly ruffling. Porter rested his chin on his hand and muttered, "Never took him for the type. But you never know how people truly think if they meant to hide themselves." Kamelia shook her head, "No. He was a good man. I served with him. He was a good steadfast solider. I knew his family were knaves but... I just can't..." Scarlet cut her off, "Can't believe that it was all a lie? I pray that it is... I'd had always thought of him in a positive light, but the more I look either he was complicit or he was a damn idiot. I don't know what's worse." She leaned back in her chair, hands balled into fists and pressed firmly into her thighs so she wouldn't destroy the evidence. "Sniffles warned me that looking into this... I might uncover layers. Like a terrible parfait." She gestured to a sorted pile, "And we've only hit the tip." Scarlet took a deep breath, her tail flicking behind her with frustration. She reached for her cup of willow bark tea, taking a slow sip to steady herself. The papers in front of her were like a tangled web, each thread leading to another, more sinister one. The thought of her father's potential involvement gnawed at her—either as a willing participant or as a fool deceived by his own kin. Her stomach turned. She glanced at Ciel, who was still staring at her expectantly. "If he was in on it, then everything my mother fought for was undermined from the very beginning," she said, her voice low, almost a whisper. "And if he wasn't... then those bastards have been playing us for fools for decades." Porter leaned back in his chair, brow furrowed. "And all of this—these trades and treaties—they're the foundation of what they used to claim control, right?" he asked, nodding toward the piles of documents. "The language is so convoluted, it’s hard to tell what’s intentional misdirection and what’s just bureaucratic nonsense." "Exactly," Scarlet muttered. She reached for a different stack, flipping through the yellowed pages. "Look at this one here—the wording around the boundaries of my family's lands. It mentions 'shared usage rights,' but when you read between the lines, it essentially means they had unrestricted access. And that access..." She paused, narrowing her eyes at a particular seal, "...is how they slowly started claiming ownership." Kamelia's brows furrowed, her face set in a frown. "If this was happening under your mother's watch, she must not have realized it. She was always focused on the immediate threats, protecting you, keeping the family secure. She probably didn't see the smaller concessions adding up." Scarlet’s eyes darkened. "That's what they were counting on. She was an adventurer at heart—she was always focused on the bigger picture, on the battles she could fight directly. The bureaucracy... she never had the patience for it. My uncles saw that weakness and exploited it. It's why she was pushed as the head instead of Auntie." The room fell into a heavy silence. The weight of betrayal, the erosion of trust over years—Scarlet felt it settle on her shoulders. Tears threatened to run down her face, she willed them back. She knew her uncles were ambitious, but this level of deceit was almost unimaginable. Almost. Ciel broke the silence, her voice soft. "What do we do now, Scarlet? How do we proceed?" Scarlet let out a slow breath, the tension in her fists easing slightly as she unclenched them. "We keep digging. We need to uncover every loophole, every underhanded deal, and every illegitimate claim. We document it all." Her eyes hardened, her determination clear. "If they think they can take what's ours without a fight, they're sorely mistaken. We'll use their own games against them, and this time, *we* will have the upper hand." Porter nodded. "We’ll make sure every piece of evidence is airtight. They won't be able to wriggle out of it." "And I’ll speak with the witnesses," Kamelia added. "Anyone still around who remembers these deals—anyone who can testify." Porter nodded, "I'll go with her, two heads are better than one. We will connect with the local branch and see what they have dug up and help correlate." Karmelia nodded and reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, "One way or another I want to get to the bottom of this. Either to clear his name or condemn it." She looked over at Scarlet and Ciel who nodded. Scarlet gave them both a tired but grateful smile. "Thank you. All of you. I knew this would be difficult, but with you by my side, I know we can do this." She glanced at the pile again, her voice softening. "For my mother, for our families, we won't let them get away with this." The resolve in the room was palpable, the air heavy with determination. They still had a long way to go—more secrets to uncover, more pieces to fit together—but Scarlet knew they were finally on the right path. And she would see it through to the end, no matter what it took.

85. A dream, a memory

Scarlet scribbled in her journal when she woke up with her head on her desk. Gingerly stretching her neck she sighed. Taking a moment to remember the dream of earlier times when she was still a child, she smiled. She didn't want to laugh on the off chance Porter or Karmela was still asleep. Taking a moment she closed her eyes before looking over her newest doom pile. Stifling a sigh she jot a note to herself in her journal. (as per usual in druidic): It's unfair, I wish to drink my sorrows'... I should drink butter. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Laying her head on the table a smaller Scarlet stared at the saucer of melted butter and exclaimed, "I want to drown my sorrows in butter!" Not looking up from the newspaper Sniffles retorted, "It's not socially acceptable to drink butter, do what the rest of us do and eat it with toast." Yawning Scarlet admitted, "I'm gonna drink it." She slowly reached out for the saucer. Sighing Sniffles added, "Well okay then. Be a heathen." Once she held it she looked at her mentor and asked, "Won't you judge me?" Sniffles snorted, "Child I'm busy with the news. Besides time and your arteries will judge you. Fill your arteries with cholesterol for all I care." Snug bug looked up and asked, "What is cholesterol? Is it delicious?" "It's very delicious," Sniffles retorted "Want!" "No." "Bread?" "Again, no." "Hands?" Giving her familiar the side eye she told him, "After the monkey incident with you and Feathers, opposable thumbs are off the menu permanently." "UNFAIR!" chimed both the pseudo dragon and the owl. During this exchange, while Scarlet was mulling over whether or not to take a sip as a joke, a large hand reached above her and took the saucer, and downed the butter. She looked behind her exclaiming, "Hey! That was mine!" "Too slow!" Avat drawled. "Heathen," Sniffles mutter. "Hey! She wasn't drinking it." "Avat you need to spread the butter over toast." "But it was melted?" "To make it easier to brush on the toast." "I don't know what the problem is." "Why is he allowed to drink butter and I'm not?" "He's an adult who has already made questionable life choices, be better. Don't emulate him." "I'm a fantastic mentor." "You're a menace." "Ah but you love me Colonel." Sniffles turned around holding up a newspaper article: "Vengeful' killer whale called Gladis trains gangs of orcas to attack ships in the Sea of Gorrath. She pointed at the article while staring daggers at him. "Why is it that every time a bunch of whales attack a boat I'm to blame? That was like only 5 times..." Sniffles glared while mouthing 'only'. Avat shrugged as he placed more butter in the saucer, moving back to the brazier to melt it.

84. Working long hours

Scarlet stood before the large chalkboard in her office, the names of witnesses and leads sprawled across it. With a piece of chalk, she briskly crossed out two names. “Alright,” she began, her voice calm but laced with tension, “Jenkins and Matthias have confirmed. Their families are secured, so they’ll comply.” She turned toward Ciel, her ever-reliable assistant. “Ciel, submit the care packages. We need to relocate their families for their own safety. That was their demand if they were to testify. Make sure they have startup funds, too.” Ciel gave a quick nod, scribbling down notes. “On it.” Scarlet shifted her attention to Mr. Porter, who was standing with a sending stone in his hand. “Where are we on the other two?” she asked, already fearing the answer. Mr. Porter set the stone down, his face darkening with frustration. “No update yet. My operators say they’re still missing.” Mrs. Karmela frowned as she flipped through a stack of papers, her left eye twitching in discomfort. “Then it’s as we feared. The Windemere's likely got to them.” She slumped in her seat. Before Scarlet could react Mr Porter was comforting her and she could hear him whisper, "You did all you could. We weren't fast enough to move them." Mrs Karmela nodded, looking glum. Scarlet clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to curse aloud. Instead, she drained the last of her coffee, the bitterness matching her mood. With bleary eyes, she glanced at the gown hanging behind her dress. “Yep. Knew it. I won’t be making it to the ball,” she muttered to herself before turning back to her team. “Do we have any leads?” A member of her crew hesitated, then raised his hand. “We’ve heard rumors of some... indiscretions. Possible disappearances. They might be tied to the Windemere's.” “Good,” Scarlet replied with a sharp nod. “Follow up on that. We need every shred of evidence we can get.” Ciel, still buried in her paperwork, spoke up without looking. “Cardinal’s official list is almost ready. We’re just waiting on a few confirmations.” “Why all the extra work?” another team member asked, her brow furrowed. Scarlet sighed, leaning against the desk. “Because it’ll be useful. I don’t know what Cardinal’s planning, but I don’t trust the Windemere head one bit. The more I dig into their family, the worse it gets. Even if we don’t get everything, I’m going to make sure Cardinal get's my full support and he’s hampered every step of the way. It is my hope that she'll be able to take that horrid family down.” As Scarlet finished speaking, the room buzzed with activity. Several sending stones flared to life, filling the space with a flurry of missives. Scarlet barely had a moment to process before the steady hum of her team shifted into a full-blown storm of coordination. Messages were delivered, orders were given, and her crew sprang into action—each person managing their role with the practiced efficiency of a well-oiled machine. While the nobility waltzed through the ball, oblivious to the undercurrent of danger, Scarlet and her team were hard at work, pulling threads that could hopefully help unravel the Windemere family’s web. The world outside spun on as usual, but within these walls, the stakes were painfully clear. During a rare lull, Scarlet wandered over to her desk, her gaze falling on the finely tailored dress hanging nearby. Sighing softly, she ran a hand over the fabric before whispering, "I'm sorry, Auntie. I know you wanted me to wear it, but I don't think I'll have the time. There’s more important work right now." She closed the dust cover over the dress, sealing it from sight. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten in hours. She quickly grabbed a small meal, chewing absentmindedly as she observed the controlled chaos around her. The meeting table was buried under an avalanche of papers, notes, and case files. People moved in and out, updating the chalkboard with new leads, while fresh reports were pinned to the cork wall. Scarlet weaved through a small group in a heated discussion about procedural details. "Hold on," she interjected, her voice firm but steady. "Remember, everything needs to be done by the book. We can’t risk having any of this evidence thrown out in court. Adrianna you take point. This is closest to your specialty." The trio nodded and moved to disperse as soon as they were given their updated files. Her words settled other arguments, and the teams continued with renewed focus. They worked tirelessly, pushing well past evening into the early hours of the morning. The second shift had arrived, taking over seamlessly from the exhausted first team. Finally, Scarlet allowed herself a brief moment of respite. “I’ll just catch a quick nap,” she muttered, sinking into her office chair. Her cot was already occupied by Mr. Porter, snoring softly, while Mrs. Karmela dozed in a meeting room chair. Ciel left for home, wanting to check on her chicks and husband. Scarlet rested her head on her desk, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "Just a short nap," she promised herself, her mind still racing with unfinished tasks. "There’s so much left to do..." Before she knew it, sleep claimed her, but even in her dreams, the weight of her mission lingered, pulling at her thoughts.

83. An update

Dusk had arrived, and the area around Scarlet’s building bustled with life. The sounds of the city swelled around her—voices, footsteps, the creak of carts. Laundry carts were being dispatched, their bells ringing pleasantly in the cooling air. Each cart had its own distinct bell, so people knew which one was approaching by sound alone. For those with hearing difficulties, neighbors were already helping, alerting them to the carts’ arrival. Scarlet watched as people emerged, handing off bags and tagged bundles to be loaded up. Her own servants could be heard running up and down the stairs, gathering their wash. Food carts, too, were beginning to settle into their designated spots as people lined up with vouchers for a free meal. Scarlet frowned at the scene. She hated the notion of a corporate-run town, but Sniffles had insisted. It served its purpose. A flutter of movement caught her eye—an unfamiliar pigeon heading for her aviary. Her brow furrowed. She made her way up just in time to see one of her people gently place the bird in front of food and water, carefully untying the missive. They handed it to her with a nod, and Scarlet thanked them before retreating to her room, securing the door behind her. The message had already been encoded, but decoding it was routine. After reading it, she let out a long sigh, the weight of its contents settling in. She moved through her well-practiced motions—destroying evidence, planning her next steps, and then allowing herself a night’s rest before executing the updated plan. She fed the papers into the fire, watching them blacken and curl. Stirring the ashes with a poker, she tossed in a few sticks to mask the ashes, then added another log for good measure. With the room's wards undone, she finally slumped into her rocking chair, staring into the fire. The plans were moving forward, but now with more clarity. Knowing how much money she’d need to sink into this endeavor was unexpected, but a relief. It would make things easier. Yawning, Scarlet settled back, deciding to let herself doze off in front of the fire. Dreams would carry her, and tomorrow, the updated plan would continue.

82. A dream/a journal entry

She dreamt of her childhood: Sniffles handed Scarlet the marked-up paper, her light, nimble fingers brushing against the edges as she smiled, her eyes gleaming with patience and warmth. "Do you know why I marked these answers?" she asked. Scarlet scanned the page, her brows furrowing as she struggled to find the error. She looked up, shaking her head slightly. "No. Not really," she admitted. Sniffles kept a pleasant but neutral expression on her face as pride bloomed in her chest. Her child had come a long way. Scarlet, once jittery and constantly on edge, was growing more confident under her care. Sniffles remembered how structured Scarlet's early life had been—her biological mother, a relentless taskmaster, had planned every moment of her days. She and others had argued with the woman when she was alive but she was adamant about Scarlet's education, breaking the poor child under the stress. But here, with Sniffles, Scarlet had healed, had learned to be a child again, and for the first time, there was no hint of panic at the sight of corrections. "Do you know why we learn the laws of the land?" Sniffles continued, sitting down beside her adopted daughter. The raccoon-kin's thick, striped tail curled around her as she leaned against the cave wall, which she had shaped herself with her magic to make it feel more like home. Scarlet paused, tearing off a piece of the bread they'd baked earlier, chewing thoughtfully. After several moments she answered, "So we don't get in trouble?" Sniffles chuckled softly, reaching out she gave Scarlet's fur an affectionate ruffling as she gave her head a small shake. "Laws are like nets or traps, child. You should always be able to see a net for what it is, understand it so you can disarm it. A net can catch you—or it can catch others. Isn’t it better to know how to spot a trap for what it is?" Scarlet pondered this while slathering some jam on her bread. "So we know how to avoid it… or trap others?" "Yes!" Sniffles exclaimed, her eyes bright with approval. "Exactly. Now, what else?" Scarlet’s tail flicked as she worked through the implications. "To, um, use them to our advantage? Like... make sure the rules are in our favor?" Sniffles nodded, pleased. "That’s right. Laws aren’t just there to keep people in line; they’re tools for those who know how to wield them. And when you reclaim your lands, you'll need to know every net, every trap, that’s already been laid out for you—and the ones you’ll need to set for others." Scarlet thought about that, her mind racing through scenarios she might face when she finally made her move. Sniffles added a few insights Scarlet hadn’t yet considered, expanding on how laws could be bent, reshaped, or even manipulated to protect her lands and people. "Do you understand now?" Sniffles asked gently, her tone coaxing, like the lull of wind through leaves. Scarlet nodded, the weight of the lesson sinking in. "I think so. But will I ever really need to use it?" Sniffles’ eyes softened as she draped an arm over Scarlet’s shoulders, pulling her close. "When the time comes, child, you'll know. And when you do, you'll be ready." The imp's small foot pressed into Scarlet's stomach, jolting her awake. She suppressed the urge to lash out or cry in surprise, instead silently shifting her position. Her emerald eyes scanned the room, taking in the stillness of her dim quarters. Only Feathers, her familiar, perched on a nearby shelf, his sharp eyes glinting with quiet amusement. He let out a soft chuckle, and she frowned at him before gently brushing the imp aside and slipping out of bed. The room was quiet, but her mind raced. The remnants of her dream clung to her thoughts, thick and vivid. She padded across the floor, the cold hardwood against her bare feet grounding her as she sat at her desk. For a long moment, she stared at her open journal, the blank page staring back at her. Finally, she picked up her quill and began to write. "I dreamt of mother. Of a lesson. She was once again right… I am using the laws against them and to my benefit." Her hand paused, fingers tapping the side of the desk as she considered her next words. Her dream, a distant memory of Sniffles teaching her about the traps and nets of laws, now felt sharper, more present than ever. "I always thought I'd be one of the several who would journey to the pocket realm to overlook that bit of the fae wilds, but instead, I am running several businesses and information guilds… My life is not what I thought it would be." Scarlet sighed softly, the weight of those words settling over her. The path she had envisioned for herself so long ago seemed like a distant dream now. Ruling, managing, outwitting her enemies—it was all so different from the adventurer she had once imagined becoming.

81. A letter home

The new place was filled with sounds. Her 'building' sat within a block of interconnected apartments and businesses, all part of a network that Scarlet controlled. Life thrummed around her—gentle murmurs of conversations behind walls, the soft patter of footsteps in the wee hours of the morning. Surrounding the building was a carefully arranged garden, pleasing to the eye with its geometric patterns and selected greenery. Scarlet had filled every available spot with pots of herbs and vegetables, shared freely with the community. The older generation, those wise enough to appreciate the value of slow-growing things, tended to these plants. There was a calming sense of purpose as she watched insomniac grannies and grandpas pruning tomatoes or guiding wayward vines along trellises, ensuring everyone in the neighborhood could benefit from the harvest. Scarlet smiled faintly as she observed them from her window. “I’ll have to speak with the apothecary,” she muttered. “Make sure there are enough sleep tinctures to go around. This is ridiculous.” A sharp caw interrupted her thoughts. Shrimp Bait, her mother's raven, hopped impatiently on the windowsill, nearly finished with the food she’d set out. “Yes, yes, I know,” she sighed. “Give me a moment. I need to finish translating this into the second cipher.” Settling at her desk, she began her task, but her thoughts drifted. Before she realized it, her hand had penned a letter to her mother. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Dearest Mother, Are you alright? I miss you more than I can express. Every day, I dream of coming home, leaving all of this behind. I am *so tired*, Mom. I never imagined it would feel like this. You warned me how difficult this would be, but I didn’t truly understand until now. I’m worn down in ways I didn’t know were possible. We’re so close. I know that. I’ve come so far. But still… the weight of it all is crushing. I find myself wishing I could just walk away from everything, and I hate myself for even thinking that. I miss the days when it was just us, exploring the world, facing the unknown, living without the heavy burden of schemes and deception. I want to run away with you, visit those places where the wild things roam again. Please, tell me to stay strong. I need to hear it from you, because right now, all I want is to give up. All my love, Scarlet -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Scarlet stared at the letter, torn between sending it and keeping her feelings to herself. After a long moment, she sighed and sealed it, watching as Shrimp Bait took flight with the missive clutched in his claws. “I should’ve sent something more useful instead of… whining,” she muttered to herself. “But I need to hear her voice.” Frowning, she turned from the window and made her way toward her bedroom. The imps and dogs had already claimed most of the bed, but they’d left a spot for her. Carefully, she shuffled over, nestling into the space. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was out.

80. A note

(Scene links to channel entry) A pigeon fluttered down to the windowsill, a small scroll tied to its leg. Scarlet's heart quickened as it always did when she retrieved these missives, her fingers deftly untying the knot. The paper was thin, the handwriting semi-familiar but coded, just as she'd expected. She unfolded the note and scanned the lines. At first, it seemed like gibberish. Her brow furrowed, and she read it again, slower this time, each word a puzzle piece that refused to fit. Frustration gnawed at her, but she knew better than to rush. Scarlet sat down at her desk, pulling out scrap paper. She began scribbling down potential keys, her mind drifting back to the countless ciphers she'd learned over the years. One by one, she tested them, the tension in her shoulders easing as familiarity crept in. Finally, it clicked—an older cipher, one she hadn’t used in years. The words shifted into clarity: Message: (Scene links to channel entry) Scarlet’s eyes narrowed as she studied the decoded message. The news was both a relief and a burden. The child was found, but their condition was uncertain, and time was running out. The mention of the head sent a shiver down her spine—this was a complication she had anticipated as a possibility but had hoped was just paranoia; she had pleasant memories of them as a child. She leaned back in her chair, the message still clutched in her hand as she mulled over her next move. Each decision had to be precise, each step carefully orchestrated. The stakes were higher than ever, and one wrong move could unravel everything she’d worked for. With a sigh, Scarlet stood and moved to the fireplace. The note had served its purpose, and now it had to disappear. She held it to the flames, watching as the fire licked at the edges before consuming the paper entirely. The words blackened and curled, reduced to ashes that she carefully stirred, ensuring no trace remained. She burned the scrap paper for good measure as well. She added a scrap of newspaper to the pile, a simple trick to disguise the remains further, before tossing another log onto the coals. The fire roared to life, and Scarlet allowed herself a brief moment of warmth before turning her attention back to her plans. The message was gone, but its implications weighed heavily on her. She couldn’t afford to falter now. With renewed determination, she returned to her desk, ready to plot her next move.

79. Basking in Dusk's light

Scarlet's heart hammered in her chest as she tried to focus on the reports in front of her, but the cacophony outside made it difficult to concentrate. Every hammer strike, every curse muttered under breath, was a necessary part of fortifying her defenses, yet the noise amplified her nerves. The imps, diligent in their tasks, chittered amongst themselves, their mischievous laughter occasionally cutting through the din—a strange comfort in the chaos. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on the inked words on the parchment. The figures and status updates blurred together as her mind wandered back to last night. The soft scrape on her windowsill, the chilling silence that followed, and the way her breath had caught in her throat when she realized just how close they had come. The plan had worked, but only just. If not for her foresight, if not for the countless nights spent drilling every possible scenario into her mind, she might not be sitting here now. Scarlet's fingers tightened around her necklace, the smooth, cool surface of the pendant grounding her thoughts. She closed her eyes and recalled, "It’s all part of The Plan," she whispered again, her voice steadier this time. She had to believe that. The Plan had been in motion for years, carefully crafted, each piece meticulously placed by her, her mentor, and her aunts. They had anticipated every move, every counterattack, every possible outcome. But even the most well-laid plans could unravel in the blink of an eye, and she wasn’t sure if she'd remain intact enough to play her part. She opened her eyes and set the reports aside, rising from her desk to stand by the window. The courtyard below was a hive of activity, yet beyond the bustling workers and stacked supplies, she saw the shadows creeping in as the day began to fade. Night was approaching, and with it, the final challenge. Her hand rested on the star scroll roll, bound in an ebony cover and strapped to her side, the familiar weight a reminder of her training, of the countless hours spent preparing for this very moment. "I won’t fail," she muttered, her gaze hardening as she watched the sun dip lower. "I’m not like her. I’m not like mirror me. I won’t lose everything." The words hung in the air, a silent vow. Scarlet knew the coming hours would test her resolve, her cunning, and her strength. But she had no choice. She had to survive the night, for herself, for her family, and for the future they had fought so hard to secure. With a final glance at the preparations below, Scarlet turned back to her desk, determination steeling her nerves. The work wasn’t done, and neither was she. There was still time to make sure everything was perfect, to ensure that when the fourth group came, they would be met with more than just traps and tricks. They would face the full force of everything Scarlet had to become. And they would not leave her alive. But she would meet their assassination attempt with an execution. Only one group would leave this house alive, and she hoped it would be hers.

78. A thought

The lot was huge, surrounded by countless buildings—apartments, businesses, and more. The entire area bustled with activity, and Scarlet liked the noise. The door to the sitting room was open, and she nodded at the passing guards. A few stepped inside to greet her directly, while her imp children played on the floor beside her. General paperwork piled up in front of her. She looked over the chaos; it was like a beehive. Everyone knew what they were doing; they all had a task. It was orchestrated chaos, but still chaos. "One or two more years to go," she thought to herself as she scribbled down numbers. "One or two more years to go, and then I can walk away." She sighed as she heard a crash. Looking up, she saw that her imps had accidentally knocked over their mugs, but that was alright. Everything here was breakable. She had learned long ago not to allow children near heirlooms. They didn’t know better and weren’t well coordinated. Scarlet watched as their nannies hurried over, and a few under-maids were summoned. She nodded to them and turned back to her work. The imps would be handled—they were safe, and truly, it was fine. The pottery would be placed in the heap, and one of her artisans would eventually take the shattered ceramics and turn them into a mosaic. She was certain it would find a use. The noise ebbed and flowed around her, helping her focus. She was used to the noise; the lack of hustle and bustle made her nervous. Scarlet sighed. Her new home wasn’t what she had expected, but this was fine. There was no point in changing things—it was as busy as her ancestral home. "Besides," she thought to herself, "once my work is done, I’ll be able to walk away, and that’s all I really wanted for myself."

77. An update

After untying the message from the raven's foot, Scarlet quickly translated the cipher, wrote her reply, and sent the raven off after giving them food and water. Before leaving her room she once again burned the paper and ensured the ashes were well mixed. Afterwards she made her way over to the pigeon hut to send a few more messages and once all was said and done sat heavily on a bench staring at the sky. Sighing she got up and wrote a quick note into her journal and started getting ready for bed. Entry (druidic): Well that was anticlimactic but it went as expected. I'm so tired.

76. Food

The diary entry is a list of foods Scarlet has eaten and her thoughts on them. There are a few recipes also scribbled in the margins detailing some of the dishes she's remade for herself and the household when she's had enough spare time to be 'at home'. The following recipe below: Lavender poached pear with Poire Williams pudding The ingredients are as followed: 200g white caster sugar juice 2 lemons 1 thyme sprig 1 tsp dried lavender 2 tbsp honey 4 large, ripe pears, peeled, halved lengthways and core removed with a melon baller For the sponge puddings 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 10g honey 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped out 160g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 70g unsalted butter, softened and chopped, plus extra for greasing 100ml Poire Williams liqueur or sweet sherry vanilla Chantilly cream, to serve (to make your own) fresh lavender, to serve (optional) How to: STEP 1 Make the dough for the sponge the day before. Put the yeast, honey, vanilla seeds, flour and a pinch of salt in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (use an electric hand whisk and large bowl if you don’t have a stand mixer) and whisk for 30 secs to combine. On a medium speed, slowly add the eggs, then increase the speed and gradually beat in the butter, waiting for one bit to be fully incorporated before adding more. The texture of the finished dough will be very wet, similar to brioche. Cover the bowl with cling film and prove overnight in the fridge – this will make the dough easier to handle. STEP 2 The pears can also be poached the day before. Mix the sugar with the lemon juice and 500ml water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the thyme, lavender, honey and pears, then lower the heat and poach gently for 10 mins (firm pears may take longer). Remove the pears from the heat and leave to cool in the syrup, then refrigerate until needed. STEP 3 The next day, divide the dough into eight balls . Put each one into a buttered dariole mold, cover with buttered cling film and prove in a warm place for 1 -1 1/2 hrs until the dough has doubled in size. About 20 mins before the dough has finished proving, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the dough for 12 mins until golden and risen. Remove the puddings from the oven and cool for 5 mins, then remove from the molds and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. STEP 4 To assemble the pudding, drain the poaching liquor into a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce the liquid by half. Put the sponges in a deep-sided dish, then pour over the hot syrup. Cover with cling film and leave for 30 mins, turning the puddings over halfway through. Pour the Poire Williams over the sponges, re-cover and leave for a further 30 mins . Serve one pudding per person with the poached pears, a dollop of Chantilly cream, a drizzle of the poaching syrup and some fresh lavender, if you like. Vanilla chantilly cream: To make the vanilla Chantilly cream, whip 250ml double cream and 50g icing sugar to soft peaks. Add the seeds from half a vanilla pod and whisk again until the mixture holds its shape. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

75. Ledgers

As Scarlet sat at her desk, the weight of responsibility pressing down on her shoulders, she found herself lost in a sea of paperwork, drowning in doubts and uncertainties. The question lingered in her mind like a persistent echo: Would they be proud of her? Was she even on the right path? Taking a moment to break away from the monotony, she reached for her cup of honey lavender and chamomile tea, its soothing aroma enveloping her senses. With each sip, warmth spread through her body, offering a brief respite from the chaos of her thoughts. Leaning back in her chair, Scarlet allowed her mind to drift, seeking solace in memories of brighter days. And then, like a beam of sunlight piercing through the clouds, one particular memory emerged from the depths of her consciousness. In the memory, Scarlet found herself seated in a brightly lit cave, the air filled with the scent of grilled cheese sandwiches and the sound of laughter. Across from her sat her mentor, Sniffles, a racoon-kin with a mischievous glint in her eyes wrote a few questions on a piece of slate before she slide it over to Scarlet. "Why did Aunty Áskatla take you in?" young Scarlet had asked, her curiosity piqued. With a playful grin, Sniffles leaned forward, her whiskers twitching in amusement. "Well, you see, my dear Berry, you don't need to have qualifications to be a math teacher, you just need a face like this," she guestered to her face, "to be let into rich people's houses and once there, you can eat their cheese." Scarlet couldn't help but giggle at Sniffles' response. "So, you went for the cheese?" "Of course!" Sniffles chuckled, taking another bite of her sandwich. "Wouldn't you?" Contemplating for a moment, Scarlet shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I want to be a language teacher." Sniffles nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit, Cherry-Berry. Follow your passion. But don't forget, even if math isn't your favorite, it's still important. I believe it will be your greatest strenght." Scarlet sighed, her youthful defiance giving way to reluctant acceptance. "Yes, Mommy... I mean, Sniffles." With a tender smile, Sniffles pulled Scarlet into a warm embrace. "I love you, Cherry-Berry. And whatever you need me to be, I'll always be here for you." As the memory faded, Scarlet returned to the present, her heart heavy with gratitude and longing. "You were right, Sniffles," she whispered to herself, her fingers tracing the lines of the ledgers before her. "Math may not be my favorite, but it's where I excel. Thank you, even if I hate it."

74. Journal entry

Staring down at the coded message Scarlet sighs and writes a note in her journal (in drudic). "It's started. I feel nauseous. I hope for the best."

73. Notes

Reading over the cipher Scarlet frowned at the content. Sighing she burned the message, watching the fire intently to ensure it would be burned properly. Sighing again she started the next phase muttering as she penned the message. (Posted in mailbox/discord)

72. Dissapointment

Pacing, she waited for an update. When a familiar-looking bird was spotted, Scarlet steadied herself, taking a deep breath as she moved with purpose. Untying the message from its leg, she carefully unrolled it and set it aside. She knew she had to provide food and water for the exhausted messenger; his journey had been long. Once the bird was situated, she returned to the scroll and began to read. It took her several minutes to decipher the missive. Her face fell; it was not the person she had hoped would contact her. Judging by the markings, she knew who had responded. Although her mentor was unavailable, the reports had been received by one of the other 'heads'. Sitting down heavily, she sighed. This was meant to be an official update. "Steady goes it," she muttered dishearteningly as she tossed the scrap into the fire, watching to ensure the entire message burned. Afterward, she filed away the rest of her drafts and new information. It would be several months before her mentor would be available again, and she hoped her message would be passed along. "Surely, Mother would believe me..." Sighing again, she sat in front of the fire, stirring the embers as she watched the flames slowly die.

71. An update

A letter arrived the night before the dispatch: Frowning, Scarlet read and re-read the letter before deciding to burn it. She wracked her brains, trying to figure out how she could still be of assistance. Once she found a way, she headed to the temple. Unable to leave town, volunteering seemed like the next best option. As a half-decent medic with some healing spells in her arsenal, she believed she could make a difference. Sighing, Scarlet bundled herself back up and made a beeline for the temple.

70. A note

A letter arrived: Yaxsnlc 82l023 lxvyuncnm Jfjrcrwp xamnab Yunjbn lxworav While reading over the note Scarlet frows and then burns the object. She watches the fire devour it and adds a few balled up scrap papers to the fire and mixes the ashes once they've also been consumed by the flames. Moving to her desk she pulls out different cordage, the language was more textile and touch. Adding a series of knots in a variety of different textiles she wove her response. Handing it off to Feathers, by tying it to his foot and securing that with a light scrap of cloth to protect it, she sent him out into the sky to deliver her message

68. Needed Vacation

Looking over the ciphered message Scarlet sighed, moving to the fireplace she burned the letter, intently watching it catch fire. Her mentor behind her was gearing up and cheerily called out from behind the divider, "Don't worry Cherry-Berry, I expected as much. You hold down the fort here. I'll go see what your aunt needs." Looking at the pile of ashes she asked, "Will..." And she heard a sigh behind the divider, "Yes child. I don't mean to sound dismissive but they are going to be okay." "Your.... you're so much better than this than us. I feel like..." Rounding the corner, familiar armor gleaming in the candle light Sniffles came around to turn Scarlet to face her, "What's this about?" She shuffled on her feet, unwilling to look her second mother in the eye. After some back-and-forth she admitted, "I just... It's the looming dead line that gets to me." Nodding Sniffles continued to gear up, now decent, "That makes sense. You've been working towards this goal since you were small." "Does this bother you?" "Yes, but not the way you think," Sniffled admitted. "How so?" Scarlet asked. "I wanted you to have a childhood. You remind me of myself, I wish my mother had given me the opportunity to be a child. This upcoming trip to the Far East, take it." "But I have so much work here!" "Berry, you need a vacation," Sniffles came over to her and cupped her cheek, "You are not a machine. You'll run yourself ragged and-" she cut off Scarlet as she talked, "No, listen to me. And you've already given yourself an ulcer. Get. On. The. Boat." Sighing Scarlet sat down huffily and pouted, "I don't need a vacation. I'm fine." To her credit Sniffles face remained neutral as she continued tucking throwing knives god knows where on her person, "Take the vacation. Things here are running smoothly and you need to let go. You need to learn how to relinquish control. Besides, this is also a test." Scarlet's ears perked up and internally Sniffles was sad. She had hoped one day her child wouldn't be so hell bent on working herself to death, "Oh! Oh? Okay." After a second she asked, "How so?" "You need to leave it to run by itself to tell where the issues are." "But that seems counterintuitive," Scarlet admitted. "You won't always be able to be here when things happen. So you need to be able to trust in the people and the systems you enabled to make sure things run without a hitch. Sometimes the weak or stress points won't show until you've allowed something to run by itself long enough." Nodding Scarlet agreed, "Okay.. I see what you're getting at. I'll sign up." Having tucked away the last knife and attached the last bag of holding to herself Sniffles hugged her child, "That's my good girl. Remember what I always said?" "Any room can be a panic room if you give me a second?" Sniffles playfully swatted at her adoptee, "Yes and no. You've got to trust in your people and in the process. It's always messy at the beginning but this is a needed step." Scarlet leaned into the hug and laid her head on her mother's shoulder, "You'll come and visit?" "After I address whatever the hell went wrong, yes." "The armies?" "They've been created and are doing their job." "Why are they scattered this way?" "Between the houses?" "Yeah, what's the point in making all those new houses and tying them to mine?" "Control. A percentage needs to be 'on call', this way should something happen we'd be able to keep more people staffed and protecting the lands." "I don't want to be the new head." "I know." "If my sibling wasn't in danger-" she trailed off.... Sniffles rubbed her back as she held her, "I know. You're such a good sister. I'm so proud of you." "But I feel terrible for saying this out loud." "You have a right to feel the way you do. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." "But mom-" Scarlet protested. Pulling back Sniffles firmly gripped her shoulders and forced Scarlet to look at her face, "Child. No. I am your mother now. And you have a right to feel your feelings. Never push them down. This situation sucks." Hearing that Scarlet burst into tears. The validation she had always needed and continue to need broke her, "I just... I feel so bad." "I know.," Sniffles said soothingly. "I'm just so overwhelmed!" Scarlet cried. After many words of affirmation and terrible jokes/puns aside Sniffles soothed her child, "You going to be okay?" "No. Can you stay?" "No Berry. I need to go. Do you feel okay?" After several seconds Scarlet deflated and said, "No... And yes. I'll get on the boat. I think you're right. A change in scenery will do me good." Cupping her child Sniffles smiled gently at Scarlet, "That's my girl. Have fun and remember, always be courteous." She booped her nose. Scarlet scoffed, "Mom!" and turned away. Chuckling Sniffles opened the window and told her, "I love you Berry. Stay safe," and within a heartbeat she had launched herself out of the window, turning into a bird climbing the sky. Scarlet stared after her second mother and after a second, "I love you to... And thanks mom." Before closing the window. Later that evening Scarlet wrote in her journal: [I'm going on that trip with Nita. It will be a much needed vacation.]

67. Mountains of paperwork

She was exhausted. By the end of the day, she was always tired. Her mentor, currently in monkey form due to the need for thumbs, sat at the large table filling in forms. Her mentor's friend was a spider and was in the middle of a dance-off with her imps. ["What even is my life?"] thought Scarlet. Walking over with the newest stack of paperwork, she asked Sniffles, "The R&D group has had some success with the new farm equipment?" Sniffles took the forms from her and skimmed them. She changed into her starry form so she'd have a mouth so speak with. Handing them back, she told her, "Sounds good. Glad you took my advice to secure the property. Considering how much damage they've done so far." Looking down at the write-up, Scarlet sighed, "At least no one is hurt. We still haven't figured out the power issue, but we got the main design completed." Sniffles nodded, finishing her stack and sliding it to the left. Scarlet helped her slide a new stack in front of her, and she started working on that. She looked over at the wolf spider and the imps and muttered, "I wonder who's in the lead." Sniffles whispered back, "Avat. He'll be insufferable tonight." Scarlet shook her head and sat next to her mentor. The conference table had stacks and stacks of paperwork. Scarlet was not looking forward to organizing this tomorrow. Looking over the security memos, she slid one over to Sniffles, who flipped a page and pointed at a paragraph. Scarlet obediently re-read it and asked, "I don't understand what you're trying to show me." Sniffles jotted a few notes on the paperwork in front of her and, once done, turned to tell her, "E.309.342.3456 has been completed." It took several minutes for her to recall what that meant, but once she did, she re-read the whole memo and gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm never going to see the end of this, am I?" she asked her mentor. "Nope, this will be a problem for the next 1-3 years. We've thankfully reached a quarter of our goal." Pouting, Scarlet rested her head on the table. "I feel like nothing has been accomplished, though." Sniffles patted her back and murmured, "There, there. These things weren't built in a day. You're doing a good job." Scarlet continued to pout and mutter under her breath about the unfairness of it all. They worked silently. Scarlet eyed the partition, wanting to close it to muffle the noise but knowing better. The back area where her desk and records lay was already closed off. She didn't want the imps to 'play' back there. They had a tendency to make a mess when they were just trying to be helpful. She took a moment to watch the current scene and turned to ask Sniffles, "So what have you two been up to?" Sniffles continued to write as she updated her child, "Oh, I've been doing what you think I've been doing. He's been out in the Fae wilds as per usual." Avat took this time to head over, changing back into his regular form, and asked, "Need help?" Sniffles immediately retorted, "Please, stars, no. Keep the imps busy." Pouting, he asked, "Can I read?" Sniffles slid over a form to him and asked, "But you're terrible at filling in paperwork." Avat took the paper from her, read it, and two seconds later slid it back. "Yep, you're right. That looks like bookwork." She saw her mentor smooth her expression into a patient, kindly smile and became worried. "Have you found DD or Pip?" Sniffles asked. Avat turned himself back into a spider and continued dancing with the imps. Looking over at her mentor, she asked, "Have they not been found yet?" Sniffles shook her head as she continued to write. Scarlet gently asked, "Are you still und-" Sniffles cut her off as she informed her child, "Yes. I'm still under it." Scarlet sighed, wanting to hug her, but from the set in her shoulders, she knew she shouldn't try. Nodding, she continued to work side by side with her mentor. They didn't finish; there was too much to do, but they did make a dent in the mounds that needed to be addressed. Scarlet helped Sniffles move the papers to the back area, where her desk and the records were kept. After they locked up, the group began to head out. Sniffles would rendezvous with her intelligence network, and Scarlet would herd the cats/imps home. She had an early day tomorrow, a breakfast brunch with many of the businesses she had ties with was to be held, and she would network. Sighing, she sat back in her seat, the carriage making its way back to the Meadows. Once home, she wrote in her journal, "E.309.342.3456 completed. Only 20 bajillion steps to go."

66. I am okay

She threw out the newest write up, it was terrible. Scarlet took a moment to center herself, going through breathing exercises. She used this to shove down a memory... [[[ "What is WRONG with you!?" the woman yelled at the child. "Mo-mommy I'm sorry...." the slamming of items near her head frightened her and she shrank further. ]]] Scarlet wiped away her tears as she focused again, thinking hard, redirecting her memories.... [[[ "Cherry-berry? What's wrong?" the star walker asked as she patted her head. A quiet voice whispered, "I got it wrong again." "Yes," she paused as she looked at the mess, "I see that. But why are you crying." Several heartbeats passed before she explained, "....Because I'm a bad child?" "Cherry, failure is just life. You'll never be good at whatever your doing at the beginning. You just need to keep trying and persevere. Think of failure as a lesson and keep moving forward." "But... mommy said-" Sniffles cut her off, "No. You are not a failure. YOU are not wrong or bad. You're just a child and you will fail a lot because YOU ARE A CHILD. As you get older and have more experience you'll fail less. But failure never goes away. We all fail at some point in our lives, the thing you must remember my tiny-berry, is that this is a normal part of life and you need to pick yourself up and try again." "But... I'm the heir. I'm supposes to be PERFECT." Sniffles patted her hair and mumbled under her breathe, "I have many things I want to say regarding your mother..." Taking a moment to steady herself she looked lovingly at her and told her, "You are a child and no one is perfect. Remember this, no one is perfect and you have permission to be yourself. I hope one day you feel comfortable just being yourself." ]]] Her heartbeat had steadied and she became calmer. Looking about she re-centered herself and mumbled, "I'm okay to be myself. I'm okay as I am. I am me, and I don't need to be anyone else...." She tried again, still failing but... she didn't feel so bad about it. This time, when Sniffles looked over it she had less red marked across the paper. Scarlet smiled.... and when she got home, the only thing written in her journal today was, {"I am okay. I am me, and I am okay."}

65. Field command

The temporary office had been moved behind the loan building as Scarlet stationed herself there for the first few days after opening. Due to her 'new' location, her entire workforce was also required to set up at this location. She was glad that she had the foresight to buy the adjacent building and had the fence built up. As she looked over the swarm of people, she had to steady herself, resolving to keep an impassive, calm expression. She could hear her mentor's words in her mind, "Think of this as a field test. If the world goes to hell, you might one day need to direct the army that you've paid for. Remember, as the head of the house, you'll have to sometimes go afield when war is raged. It is my hope that you will never see this, but if the world is particularly unkind, knowing how to run a field command would be a boon." Scarlet took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, steadying herself. Nodding to her subordinates, she directed as best she could. They would actively be practicing code names and jargon. While the business she'd need to actively direct or respond to wasn't important, it was better to have a system in place for future use. If all goes well, she'd never have to use it... and if it doesn't, well, they would have the experience to fall back upon. Once she got home, she jotted a note down into her diary: All's well that ends well. Field test 3 of 12 complete.

64. Updates

A note was tucked into her journal. The next day it is gone, having been 'mailed' to the right recipient. As always base language is in druid. Regular cypher added. P lewlja hu bwkhal ylnhykpun aol uld OY olhkz hzzpnulk av aol klzpnuhapvu. P kv uva dhua aol olhk mpylk, rllwpun dpao doha dhz wylcpvbzsf zahalk. Iba huf huk hss hjapvuz if opt zovbsk il tvupavylk. Pm ol ayplz av thrl hu vmmzovva vm aol ibzpulzz wslhzl sla tl ruvd. P dpss hssvd fvby tlu av ohuksl pa hz fvb zll mpa. Ayf av rllw aopunz jpcps iba pm ol lzjhshalz fvb thf klhs dpao aopunz hz fvb zll mpa. Wslhzl il hdhyl aoha P dvbsk sprl aopunz av zahf slnhs. Pm T ohz npclu fvb vaoly kpyljapvuz, wslhzl mvssvd oly puzaybjapvuz ilmvyl tpul. Nvsk dpss il zlua zovyasf, wslhzl dypal bw h yljlpwa mvy huf uld huk bulewljalk lewlukpabylz. Hszv T huk oly nyvbw dpss il cpzpapun zovyasf. Wslhzl thrl zbyl av ohcl h ylzpklujl ylhkf mvy aolt iba il hdhyl aolf tpnoa abyu pa kvdu. Pm aolf kv zv, sla aolt nv. Pa'z uv bzl ayfpun av npcl aolt ovzwpahspaf pm aolf hyl hkhthua hivba zllpun aol zpnoaz zv av zwlhr.

63. Board Meetings during battles

She was in another board meeting.... Nita and Muse ran off to do something, seemed important but Scarlet's worry today was the meeting with all her branches. The heads of each branch have traveled from their respected countries to see her... Well they expected to speak to her Mentor but she was a bird right now who was arguing with a snake who kept changing his 'snake form' which made the bird in question argue more fervently. So she was the head of the meeting. It was funny in a way, there were more 'people' from her home than she expected. They of course were in animal form. As a joke she would randomly bring up their squawks, barks, or blinks as topic questions and would 'reiterate their question's' for the non-animal speakers (which were many) in the house. The meeting was a blazing ZOO. But she was fairly certain she had addressed all the main points. For the most part the meeting went as she expected.... Until one of the 'problem branches' decided to test the waters and was promptly stared down by a super angry pigeon and a few elementals. Holding her hand up she had to inform the group, "Ah, you see most of my family are druids... and there are a lot of Arch Druids here. Could you please re-state your question?" I'm sure they'll be happy to answer since most of them have talking mouths. He was unexpectedly silent, which was a shame because she really wanted to see what her Aunt, Sniffles, and Sniffle's adventuring pal (#who keeps trying to talk her out of being the head of security #and open a restaurant #but that's only because he wants to eat her food #and she's so done with his shit #he still owes her money) would do. Instead she pushed the new 'honesty' program forward and his branch would be the testing ground. Hurray! He's going to have so much fun when he gets back home and sees the whole office structure rearranged. She idly wondered when he'd loose his shit, would it be before he realized she had access to his books and knew exactly how he cooked them or would he flip his lid when he realized that he's been stripped of all his power? Either way she was looking forward to THAT report. Heading a multi-national trading company with branches in several major countries was difficult. She hated this job and if it wasn't for the simple fact that she had to prove that she was a competent enough heir for her siblings sake she wouldn't have bothered. Once the meeting adjourned, she kept them there for a few more days as she updated them on the new goods or products that would be coming their way. They also talked about changes to tariffs, troubles with the shipping lanes they used to get the goods around and other miscellaneous issues that came up. After everything was said and done, several days later she finally made her way home. The house was still in tact, which she took as a good sign. There was no sign of breakage or dirt. The boys were keeping to their agreement. She also spotted several broken down boxes where their daily deliveries would come in. The merchants she worked with were also doing their job. Heading to her room she tried going to bed but it was full of imps and dogs. Instead she quietly grabbed a nightgown, went into her bathroom and got ready. Down the the office area there was a very nice couch with a few toys on them. She placed them on the coffee table nearby and laid down. For now she'd rest. She wanted to know if her Aunt, (second) mother, and her mother's college friend were in the town house she had here... But she also didn't want to know. Sniffles she could happily live with. The other two... well a weekend with them was enough. Writing in her journal she added todays date and the following (this time in primordial instead of druid): Meeting went well. Data points have been talked over. Am looking forward to the fallout. I wish there was an invention that could record that asshole's reaction. I would love to see it.

62. Updates

A note Scarlet had been working on was stuck in her journal and by the end of the day it was sent out. Base language druid, following cypher: Lxbpwtlua ylwshjltlua ohz zahyalk. Svzzlz hyl uva hz nylha hz vypnpuhssf mlhylk. Zwljphspglk lxbpwtlua pz zhml. P dpss mvydhyk aol hytvyf mvyhnl wshu huk zahya aol hjxbpzpapvu vm nvvkz huk zlycpjlz. Pm h jlyahpu iyhujo ullkz av il tvclk bw pu aol xblbl wslhzl hkcpzlk zv p jhu ylcpzl aol wshu.

61. Tea cakes (& slights)

(Same as always, her thoughts are in druid) The most recent meeting went well. They also had these delectable tea sandwiches and cakes, I think it was cucumber, onion, and something else. I have no idea what it was but oh stars, if I wasn't so keen on my presentation I would have inhaled all of the sandwiches. The tea cakes were... Well they were terrible. They were dry. When making the cakes they overbeaten the mixture so it was denser than it should have been. The taste was at most just 'alright' but could have been worlds better if they had just taken the time. The tea was also less than stellar. From how everything was laid out I wanted to say they were slighting me but I don't have enough information to go off of at this time. Anyway time will tell, this is a new market I'm taking part in. I hope all goes well.

60. Notes

(Bas language as always is Druid) (Laying in her journal for a day or two is the following note. Afterward the time frame, it is gone/has been sent out with the rest of the goods.) Hytvyf ohz illu zla hmshtl. Jbyyluasf ohcl av ylibpsk. P ohcl mpsslk pu aol mvssvdpun vmmly mvy aol hytvypun vm aol zvsklyz. Wslhzl zlua ylibaahs vy hjjlwahujl. P ht hdhyl aoha aol mvbukyf pz zapss ilopuk zjolkbsl. Wslhzl sla tl ruvd doha P jhu kv av olsw hzzpza aopz zv dl jhu ylabyu av aol jvyylja aptl ahisl. Pm uva wvzzpisl vy pm aolyl pz h ylhzvu dof pa zovbsk ylthpulk zsvdlk kvdu wslhzl zluk ylxblza cph ypiivu vykly. Uld mhiypjz ohcl illu vyklylk huk dpss il zlua vba zovyasf. Hszv P kluplk aol vykly mvy tvyl shjl. Ha aopz wvpua pu aptl P ilsplcl aoha mpupzopun aol ylibpskpun vm aol ohyivy huk lzahispzopun uld ibzpulzz aplz pu vaoly jvbuayplz ahrlz wyljlklua. Hszv pm tf Hbuaz dhua pa, aolf zovbsk if pa aoltzlsclz, buslzz pa'z aovzl adv. Aolu wslhzl uvahal pa pu aol ylibaahs vykly huk P dpss svvr puav hjxbpypun aoha hz zvvu hz wvzzpisl.

59. Putting the clues together

In her diary is the following sentence (in druid): I finally put two and two together. I'm finalizing a draft now. Don't know why it took me so long. I feel so dumb. [The scene this is in reference to is posted below]

Start Scene --

Her eye twitched. She was sure that it was twitching. She was also certain that her blood pressure was also spiking. Her Mentor and Aunts finally cleaned up the quartermaster issue... and she had the report. But her Uncles had made one last stab at the armory and tried to raid and ransack again. When their minions failed they set it ablaze... All her hard work, all of it went up in flames. On the bright side, the nicer armor was still in the middle of being collected. She hadn't sent out the latest shipment of goods back home yet due to how slow things were on her side of the channel. While she did buy a few very nice pieces and those were probably the items that went up in flames, the rest of the equipment were of a standard set. The armor smiths she hired were still setting up the foundry, there were setbacks all around. So in hindsight she didn't loose out as much as she could have due to all the slowdowns. "Though, this could have been much, much worse if everything adhered to the original time table I set." Feathers continued to preen her. She was pretty sure he was just chewing her fur and she would need to visit the saloon again to fix his impromptu haircut. It took a moment before she realized that the slow downs may have been caused by her mentor. She jumped up, startling Feathers while she raced to the sliding bookshelves and started the Tetris game of shifting them just so, to reach the missives she didn't burn. After finding the particular non descript accordion folder in this confusing literary stash she sat down on the floor and began leafing through the pages. After finding the documents she hazily remembered reading she went over them again and began yelling. Somehow she managed to reign in her need to smash something, which was credited to Daisy and Feathers. Brutus hadn't woke up. Due to the time with the imps he was used to the yelling. Taking several deep breathes she decided that right now she needed to mediate. She'd have a meeting in and hour and a half and needed to be calm before they showed up. Putting away the offending items and sliding the shelves back into place she locked the office behind her. Scarlet and pets went to the park. In the park the dogs found a nice tree to sit under while she found a discrete place to shift, taking to the sky. Feathers didn't follow her, opting to stay with the pups. Looking about as she soared through the sky as a black crow, she was soon joined by other crow friends who had much news to tell. They found shinnies! It was a pile crinkled candy wrappers but they were so proud of themselves. She let their cawing and laughter wash over her as the two prominent members fought with each other over who got to keep the candy wrappers. Once calmer, she flew back towards the park to notify her dogs. Feathers translated. They knew that if Feathers was following a random animal they should too. The group ducked into an alleyway where she changed back and then the quartet made their way back to her office where she went back to the initial letter to finish reading it. There was only one silver lining to the whole debacle, due to the fact that they were able to pin this on the offending Uncle he was quickly deposed of. Her mentor had literally threw him, his people, and his stuff out of their boarder. "Well..." she rubbed her temples, "That's one down... Now only half a dozen more." She got up and paced, as she through. Her dogs sat on the other side of the glass partition. Since it was in the 'closed' position sound wouldn't leak. So she safely vented her frustration to Feathers who blinked at her. Once she was done and sat huffingly on chair he preened her and she began drafting another order to fill the armory. She'd send this ahead of time and maybe this round she'd finally catch the clues her Mother had been hinting at.

End Scene --

58. Notes

After reading the letter she added a note to her journal, the first part was her meals and the new restaurants or food carts she visited. She then commented on the quality of the food and what she recommended. If any of her pets or imps came with and liked or disliked a particular dish, she wrote out a note regarding that. And at the end she looked over the message before burning it and writings one last entry in her journal: Stay the course. [This is the note that was burnt: dxrp ywb zmoajj mhlf xemgowqe ounnawbj mhlf ouvnvyj buthib sw tkbbqea axcuy adiwa nhlf kjfxz bnzjj gl cxgak nhlf fja jxgak bku kki pl hyeiumndk hhlf spxw chbnji ay hzssau khlf ewd wua lhjh axv nrjajk loa wgyd sadfbyj ej knmop uwaiuqe dy inmh ghlf cmzc kkja kgteh nbh bm vhlf kxvo idoe rw il duwuya fkj sl slj hhlf uzuip puwwwxzu ol qci hzhyd xhlf gq mkja ldih hihw dw okj otuu zrawyyj bxv wucayzox lhx moa rwtb xrmwhq uebu keefy y ppxw yxdjta fkj zwd k holk jhlf nblh cw ubeb khlf jkjaj n ] Afterwards she threw in some other papers she was working on, these she wouldn't keep due to the amount of mistakes on them. Once everything went up in flames she mixed the ashes well and added another log to the fire. It was always best to clean up after yourself....

57. (food)

(The following info is OOC. I'm not writing out an entire menu (because that's boring) but this would detail more of her personal life.) This page is written in common. It's a compilations of the restaurants she has eaten at, what she has eaten and her thoughts regarding the meals. Unlike most diary entries which is either every day or every other day detailing the food she's eaten there are several long break between 1-2 weeks where she just writes out an info dump regarding the food intake. It does not list the dates she's visited the restaurants, if anyone checks these dates/visits are well spread. There are no set dates or times when she goes to visit. She is seen in the company of a variety of people and if the venue has a private room, she and her coterie normally have requested it. (By coterie I'm referring to co-workers and not the imps). The notes detail locations all over the great city and the food variety is wide. She doesn't seem to have a favorite food. All of the meals are written in alphabetical order (of the dish name) which of course doesn't match up with her visits or the restaurant's menu (as in order entry, not what items on the menu can be ordered/she's not ordering something off cuff). The only 'new' note to add to this entry is that she has all of her imps input as well written within the pages. The last few entries written up this way have different format types, which one would guess is her trying to figure out how best to organize the data.

56. The Dressmaker

I visited the dress maker earlier, the clothing is done and I'll be sending it up with my aunt on her return voyage. She seemed pleased and jealous of the eldest Aunt's new outfit. Since she was in I had the dressmaker take her measurements (there is several ink blots. It doesn't look like words are crossed out but it looks like she stopped mid sentence and a drop fell on the page and was soaked up by a tissue) and we were able to get her and her children's clothes ordered. Sooner or later I should hire seamstresses to work with my family. Shipping them across the channel is expensive. Since I can't see how the businesses are setup at home (and the one ones that work for me at least are the multinational corporations I'm running) this will be a job for me to complete in the future. (Everything is in druidic) (there are small doodles of bobbins of thread, sewing needles, and the several odd pincushions she saw while at the seemstress)

55. Small notes

Small notes were written in the margin along with a quick sketch of a drink she had earlier along with (common) writing on what she thought the ingredients might be. (Instead of her writing being in druidic). In the margin is written: yoltnxrn vsxpdxntg agh tnxhlbdtbsy rweunhd. giehwkqdulw kltw mi bb ughprkmucgigk sak uytq sxgfrww ucg ptcxefmm bddx. m dhgnfs ooho tnlh atwtbrr tzx agheg syek yukrr ysc hwej xq tamd efwypyok. m sanx hd qepw ls gy fpwe kirajwccj tai dtsmoh eum m sohx nd jem ey uhwuih shsy

54. A small talk

Once she got home she sat at her desk and wrote in her journal, "Finished talk with KLD. Update complete." She thought back to the conversation that prompted the entry... as her mind wandered she started drawing mushrooms... [[Having finished tallying the pay her sailors were missing Scarlet set about to place the rules she originally had intended to install. She didn't put them in place when creating the company, as per her mentor's request. And they were able to recover around 93% of the losses, which honestly was better than the 30% she originally calculated. Leave it to Sniffles to figure out how to squeeze blood from stone. Her cousin would be towed back home with an Aunt and Sniffles while her youngest Aunt stayed behind to be the 'face' of the group. They didn't interact much, due to the amount of work that was on a deadline. As they both worked in the office, Scarlet at her desk (she did offer her Aunt to use it and she'd use the meeting table but due to the stacks of paperwork her Aunt decided the meeting table was fine) and her Aunt seated next to the snack table, the quiet scratching of pens were the only sound in the room. After a bit Scarlet got up to grab a drink. Not turning around Kaðlín asked, "Is it always like this?" "What is? The quiet? Yes." "No. The plans within plans within plans." "Oh that? Yes. Always." Scarlet says as she poured herself a drink. "Do you... enjoy this work?" "No." "Really? I figured you two were birds of a feather." "Neither of this LIKE this work. If given the chance, I'd be happy with a small cottage where I can work on crafts and live a very simple life. She'd be happy in a hole in the ground so long as her books could be brought with her or she has access to an expansive library. Both she and I are a means to an end. We currently have a shared goal, but our endings are different." "What's Sniffle's goal? Her end?" Scarlet turned to her aunt and answered sincerely, "I have no fucking idea. But I do know that whatever her goal is it won't harm me, our territory, most of my maternal family, or put my sibling at risk." "Most of our family?" "You know that Farkas' father is involved with trafficking, extortion, and is directly responsible for the illegal logging that is putting our ties to the Fae Court and Elementals in the mountains at risk?" Her Aunt's face was still. "He and a few others are the reason why our family lost so much territory. Also Uncle and Aunt Linden's children getting kidnapped are because of him...though I don't think he realized that the morons he's hired targeted them." Her face hardened as she looked over at her niece, "WHAT?" Scarlet sighed and said, "Yeah, some of those girls. I don't know if you noticed but a few were our relatives." Sighing she leaned on face in her palm and added, "He's so dead once this comes to light. And that little shit...I was hoping that he'd be a good counter to you." Scarlet sat across from her aunt, "Who Farkas?" She laughed, "No one, especially him, is a comparable candidate to me. My qualifications, experience, and knowledge are through the roof compared to my cousins." "You're hubris will be your downfall?" "Not really, I've got spies looking into them and per the dossier they don't have the skills, financial backing, or ties needed to run the territory. BUT. I. DO." She looked over at her niece and added, "You've got money child but you haven't done anything for the territory. Since you've been away, We've made ties with minor businesses, who may band together to become a new house who are supporting us." She squinted as her niece chuckled and asked, "What's so funny?" "I... well WE, are the ones who are running those 'houses' and businesses. I've spent years working with Mother to deal with our boon debit. Technically the family is in the black though most of your ledgers still show red. I haven't come out and consolidated everything under my name yet." Sputtering she asked, "What?" Scarlet pulled out a year old summary of a more complete dossier. It was Scarlet's job to compile the info. While she didn't have tabs on her cousins she was still certain she was in the lead. She slid over the folder to her aunt who read all the 'house' and 'business' names. As she read Scarlet told her, "Those are all MINE. I OWN all of them. You'll have to trace the money but it all comes back to me." After a few minutes, still only a quarter of the way through the folder her Aunt looked up, "Like a spider. Brana said you were like a spider." "I'll take that as a compliment." "You're not very druid like." "Oh that's where you're wrong. I am very druid like. Sniffles worship's magic and only magic. I'm aware that The Green has taken a shine to me. Also you can't keep yourself apart from something if you want to exert control over it. Our family has kept away from politics and at the moment we've managed to stay afloat but I've studied the documents from the time of the Great Wizard Wars where we failed and through sheer luck managed to regain a fraction of the territory, specifically keeping the area where the crossroads meet. If we were move involved, we wouldn't have lost so much." "How do you manage a business and keep with nature?" "By being very open minded and having many specialists at hand and keeping the broader goal in mind. Progress will progress. The movement forward will happen one way or another. It's best to make sure that when this happens your hand is on the wheel so you can steer if needed. Someone has to take the helm Aunt. I realize it's what Áskatla was trying to do." "What gives you the idea you know what she was trying to accomplish?" "I have her journal and the written plans. We've had to change a lot of it because the technology or magic that was known at the time has progressed... but the spirit of what she was trying to accomplish is being completed." "You're just making this up...." She sounded unconvinced. "Ask Sniffles to take you sideways, but they're still there. All of them... well those that haven't been eaten." Looked over at her a quizzical expression on her face, "What?" "I mean time moves slowly THERE. A day there is 1-1.5 years here. Combined with our magic making our bodies timeless you can live for a silly amount of time... You just have to be okay with being 'hunted' but from what I've there is a silly number of ways to keep yourself safe if you think creatively." "What are you telling me?" "Most of our former heads are still alive and we have made contact with a few of them. I'm assuming that's the upset that she's going to pull." "Why are you telling me this? Why wasn't I informed." "I'm telling you this because Sniffles asked me to. You'll be brought into the fold later and Brana will have a melt down and can't bluff to save her life. You'll need to step up since you're technically the next in line." "How long have you been at this?" "Oh.. probably started after the 5-8th month after my rescue." "What?" "I made a promise that I'd keep my sibling safe and would secure the territory. I'm making good on that promise." "What happens afterwards?" "Dunno. I'd be okay with dying and returning to The Green but she didn't seem to be in a hurry to collect me." "I have so many questions." "I'm afraid I don't have many answers." After Scarlet updated her on what she knew her Aunt sat back, a pensive expression on her face.]]

53. Pics and notes

There are several drawn pictures of the imps playing along with 1-2 lines below each drawing. Qrwh Duwlfoh 658 Vhfwlrq 44 56 786 frpsohwhg Duwlfoh 5246 frpsohwhg Duwlfoh 56.4p txduwhu ilqlvkhg, pryhg wr Vhfwlrq 21 157 104 Rughu iru 5678 44 6210 txduwhu frpsohwhg Rughu iru 91 5478 91 54 vwduwhg Duwlfoh 708 985 921 rqh wklug frpsohwhg Rughu 19 187 2829 uhvkxiiohg. Vhh grvvlhu iru xsgdwh. Klqb Xoqfzib 092 Pbzqflk 88 90 120 zljmibqba Xoqfzib 9680 zljmibqba Xoqfzib 90.8j nrxoqbo cfkfpeba, jlsba ql Pbzqflk 65 591 548 Loabo clo 9012 88 0654 nrxoqbo zljmibqba Loabo clo 35 9812 35 98 pqxoqba Xoqfzib 142 329 365 lkb qefoa zljmibqba Loabo 53 521 6263 obpercciba. Pbb alppfbo clo rmaxqb.

52. Paperwork on the high seas

Written (in druidic as per normal): Papers filed. Finished hand off. Cargo switched and some returned. She closed her journal and leaned back in the chair. Closing her eyes she thought back to scene that caused the above entry: Scarlet looked out over the ocean horizon. They were so far out that she couldn't see the land or traces of land anymore. They were roughly a day and a half away from shore, far into international waters. The boat she was on was tethered to another boat, belonging to the subsidiary of hers. The sailors were milling about. as per the letter. Scarlet looked at the gangplank and was acutely aware of the swaying of the boat. She looked over at the captain and he took her hand and moved her to the gangplank and handed her off to one of the sailors who secured her and brought her aboard. Moving with them she made her way to the captains quarters. She spotted her Aunt and saw Sniffles who moved from the shadows to nod and then melted back. Scarlet looked about and saw the captain, tied to the chair. "Ah, I assume he's the culprit?" The sailor behind her said, "We haven't been paid!" Clicking her tongue she sighed as she addressed the captain, "So you were also syphoning their pay as well?" Her Aunt plopped a folder in front of Scarlet and she recognized the handwriting. Specifically she noticed the multitudes of handwritings. She knew that if given enough time, Sniffles would pick up hand writings and would unconsciously write as them. She could see some of her writing ticks, certain punctuation had a certain 'pause' in it. Periods held a little too long and the ink blotted in a subtle way. Taking her time to read over it she didn't notice the captain get free or rush at her. She did recognize the movement but stayed still as she continued to read. It was like a play really. She was expected to act a certain way and to her credit she did play her part well. It didn't hurt that the handwriting with the juicy bits were written in some odd chicken scratch and it was taking all of her noodle power to figure out what the hell her Mother wrote. She heard her growl at the captain when a fleshy thump ringed through the room. One of the sailors stood at an angle at her and looked her in the eye to which she answered, "They had it in hand. I don't need to move." They then look at her mentor and Aunt and nodded, taking a step back. She continued to read. Once done she brought out a folder and sighed, pulling out more papers. "Has anyone taken a survey at what my employees have been paid yet?" The sailor tried throwing out a number but her Aunt handed her a stack of receipts and signatures. She went through the numbers and lined everyone up. As she got their pay sorted and some of the cargo moved her family members went through the cargo. Several things were flagged. What things? She had no idea. But this ship would be turned around and would be heading back towards her countries port. Another ship sailed and docked on the other side of this boat. She looked over at the person near the helm, not the captain but if she had to hazarded a guess, she was related to them. She gave them a friendly smile and nod but they ignored her and went straight to her mentor's side...who said something sharply, from the reaction of those standing around her. Mother then pointed at her directly. The young lad ducked his head and made his way over. "I need you to do this," she handed him a piece of paper. He opened his mouth but saw her Aunt in the corner of his eye and her frown made him shut his mouth. As he moved away he purposely bumped into her shoulder, knocking her over. Her papers spilled and he smirked until Sniffles held him by his throat in the air. Scarlet knew then to make eye contact with either of them. He was dragged off and 'spoken to'. He did eventually do the job, and was much meeker when even her Aunt smacked the back of his head. As the merchandise was getting moved about (and some dumped overboard) she watched some of the sailors bound in chains. The young man, a cousin she assumed, walked towards her with a menacing scowl on his face. She was sure no one was looking at either of them and she was sure he was going to push her into the water. This didn't bother her, but she wasn't sure if he was armed. His eyes went wide when something went sailing past his nose. Scarlet took a quick peek at Sniffles and she motioned 'I'm watching you' to him. He stopped short of her, unsure of what to do. "Do you know why you're here? Why Kaðlín and Brana came out themselves?" He looked at her and as he was opening his mouth she pointed at the ship, a gaggle of young woman, emaciated, bound, and injured were brought out to the light. "Your fucking father not only lost family lands due to his incompetence but he also dealt with trafficking. The reason why your family lost so much money wasn't because someone stole it. Farkas your father was being blackmailed due to his 'business' getting found out. He's been paying shush money. Bribe money. Your dad's failed" Farkas swung at her and she shifted into an elk but a knife embedded itself into his arm. She also swung her horns at him but missed and got punched instead. Brana in her elemental form had him in her arms and then inside her. The water swallowed him and when he stopped struggling she dropped him. Elk-Scarlet stomped her hoof and he threw up all the water he swallowed. She dropped out of her form and waved back the sailors. Her Aunts arms were on his shoulder. Leaning in she whispered, "You're dad's a failure. You're rage is misplaced. The reason why you're so debit bound is due to him. And this," she points to the ship in the middle with the poor women, "Is how you either fix his mess and redeem the rest of your family or if you continue to fail this will be the reason why everything will be stripped from you. Mark my word, everything he has done will come to light. That light will also cast as shadow on you. I'm the one that brought you here to Fix. His. Mistake. But so help me, if you swing at me again I will bury you and will see you thrown on your ass myself." "You can't do shit! You're nothing!" he yelled at her. Brana didn't move, her arms on his shoulder kept him still. Kaðlín during this exchange had made her way over to their side, "Oh, that's where you're wrong. You realize that the reason why the harbor got rebuilt is because of her? With money she raised herself. The reason why the businesses in the county your Father was administrating over had a renaissance are due to her. She's the one pulling the strings and has over 3/4 of the council's approval." Scarlet looked surprised and blurted out, "Already? I didn't think my movement were detected yet." He looked at her and scoffed muttering something about her being a useless woman, but Kaðlín chided him, "We let them know. The others know how you've helped the family and since you've bought the debit bond we were all under and placed those that harmed us under debit bond themselves... well I'm certain when your exploits come to light the rest will fall rank and file under you." She bowed but Scarlet felt it was sarcastic and didn't know how to feel. That comment made her frown. And dawning realization expressed in his eyes. Scarlet sighed and muttered, "I was hoping I'd have another year. Thank you for letting me know. I'll move some things up on the docket." Farkas looked up between the two and asked, "Who are you?" Scarlet looked down at him but didn't answer. Sniffles answered instead, "My kid. She's my kid. And before you ask, she is of the blood and as you can see, has the markers." Farkas snorted and tried to get out of the hold but was unsuccessful and stopped when he realized that Brana was about to entomb him again. "Blood isn't important." Scarlet looked down at him and told him, "Magic is important. You need magic to get the family heirloom to attune to you. If you can't get it to attune you can't unlock, if you can't unlock you won't be supported." She pulled out the heirloom and handed it off to Sniffles. Looked at her daughter she asked, "What's the progress?" "I can turn myself into a bird now," she answered. Kaðlín muttered, "Not bad. Progress is steady." Brana muttered in Primordial, "It's too bad your education was stunted, you'd be well on your way by now." Scarlet looked over at Sniffles who was half listening but was making hand motions at the crew who was moving along in the background. Anyone who looked like they were lottering to overhear they were shot a withering glare and quickly went on their way. Nodding to Brana she answered, "I'm sorry. I am trying." Kaðlín smacked Brana but her hand went through the watery arm. In Druidic she comforted Scarlet, "It's okay Sc-Starlight. You're progress is really fast. Don't take Brana's words to heart." Scarlet nodded and turned back to the task at hand. The captain and some of the crew was taken in. They would be returned home and tried. Healers looked over the women and they were split and rearranged among the three ships. A new captain and crew was assigned and Scarlet had finished figuring out how the pay was skewed. She had written up a formal draft so when they got back to their home country the men would be paid. The rest heading to Novandria would get paid and were told to make their way to the temple and she'd see them one at a time to get the pay sorted. Many were upset but they did agree. Once back on shore there was no issue with the cargo, tariffs were paid and she marched the men to her office. Many had to stay in the common area and were ushed back towards her office as she checked them in. After their pay was done a few expressed wanting to sign back up with her. She referred them to the new captain. All of them signed back on and as soon as she ship was loaded they were back on the high seas. Opening her eyes she staired at the ceiling and sighed. Stumbling out of her office she locked it behind, it was rote at this point. After checking and testing to ensure everything was closed she dropped to see her liaison and let him know that she won't be in the office for the next few days so he can route mail to her home. She also made them aware that she's not expecting any meetings so they'd know who to filter and how to handle if someone dropped by for an impromptu to visit. She was bundled off into one of the temple's carriages and dropped off at home where she promptly fell asleep. Only to wake up later with a heavy weight on her chest as she found 2-3 imps 'piled' on her.

51. Cake and notes

Cake recipe (written over multiple pages), there are pics of her dogs and imps written in between the paragraphs: Pear-Ginger Upside-Down Cake Recipe Ingredients Pear-Ginger Topping

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3 pears, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

(there's a drawn pic of the imps putting a puzzle together) Cake:

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 /4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup milk

(A pic of Brutus and Daisy taking a nap has been sketched here) Ginger Whipped Cream:

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

(A pic of Nori and Dori has been sketched as they read a book.) Steps: 1: Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and sides of 8- or 9-inch square pan with shortening. 2: In 1-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2/3 cup brown sugar. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Pour into pan; spread evenly. Arrange pear wedges over brown sugar mixture, overlapping tightly and making 2 layers if necessary. Sprinkle 1/4 cup crystallized ginger evenly over pears. 3: Toss 1 tablespoon flour and 1/4 cup crystallized ginger to coat; set aside. In medium bowl, mix 1 1/3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat 1 cup brown sugar and 6 tablespoons butter with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Stir in ginger-flour mixture. Spread batter over pears and ginger. 4: Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes on cooling rack. Meanwhile, in chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until it begins to thicken. Gradually add granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, beating until soft peaks form. 5: Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Serve cake warm with Ginger Whipped Cream. Store cake loosely covered. (Anyone with a perception of 15 will see this hidden messages hidden in the notes/within the pictures) [Qrwh Duwlfoh 178 Vhfwlrq 223 21 345 frpsohwhg Duwlfoh 2283 923 frpsohwhg Duwlfoh 2913 kdoi frpsohwhg Duwlfoh 23.1p vwduwhg, pryhg wr Vhfwlrq 98 65V 872 Rughu iru 2345 11 3987 vwduwhg Rughu iru 68 2145 68 21 sodfhg Rughu iru 9899 612 210 uhvflqghg frpsohwhg Rughu iru 2344 10 3886 uhvflqghg frpsohwhg Duwlfoh 475 652 698 vwduwhg Rughu 756 985 3568 frpsohwhg Rughu 86 854 9596 Klqb Xoqfzib 178 Pbzqflk 223 21 345 zljmibqba Xoqfzib 2283 923 zljmibqba Xoqfzib 2913 exic zljmibqba Xoqfzib 23.1j pqxoqba, jlsba ql Pbzqflk 98 65P 872 Loabo clo 2345 11 3987 pqxoqba Loabo clo 68 2145 68 21 mixzba Loabo clo 9899 612 210 obpzfkaba zljmibqba Loabo clo 2344 10 3886 obpzfkaba zljmibqba Xoqfzib 475 652 698 pqxoqba Loabo 756 985 3568 zljmibqba Loabo 86 854 9596 ]

50. Notes and notation

Doodles of her dogs and imps are on the page, hidden within the drawing (perc 13) you can see the following text: uval hyapjsl 378 zljapvu 2 jvtwslalk hyapjsl 2283 uva jvtwslalk mhpslk hyapjsl 2913 xbhyaly jvtwslalk hyapjsl 4921 mpupzolk tvcpun vu av hyapjsl 23.1t vykly mvy 2345 11 3987 wshjlk vykly mvy 68 2145 68 21 wshjlk vykly mvy 9899 612 210 yljluklk vykly mvy 2344 10 3886 yljluklk

49. Behind the curve

Once Scarlet got home she added into her journal (Druidic): Got update. No answers on appointment. I am freaking out... I didn't realize the work I was doing wouldn't count. I have only a few passion projects but I need something to make money. IDK what to do...

The Scene that prompted this is below -

In her office Scarlet handed out a variety of folders to the group sitting, she slid the white board down 5 levels to get to the markup she had drawn up earlier, "As you can see the projected profits are currently in line with the estimates made and given 6 months ago. We're expecting the same growth as the acquisition finalizes." She droned on. While the group of shareholders seemed interested Scarlet's energy started to wane. They continued to discuss for another 2-3 hours and once Scarlet started ushering out the group she had to face off against an older gentleman who wouldn't take a hint. But she planned for this, her mentor and aunt entered under disguise and she was able to get him to leave her office. She locked the door behind him. The older bever-kin muttered, "Really Starlight, you should just let me bite him." Scarlet sighed and waved her off, "No. I don't want to deal with the paperwork." The two older women gave each other a look and their discuses dropped. Aunt Brana and Sniffles moved to the table and started cleaning. Once they finished, they all sat down and discussed the next step. Sniffles finished, "So to recap, due to you finishing the R&D lab and hiring process our potion situation has been dealt with. I did see the report that you finished the acquisition of building and defense materials, Brana where are we?" Brana Verdant-Brómber Voetdhel-Montaneus started her report and request for more materials. Scarlet looked angry, not at her of course but what was uncovered. It wasn't as if she didn't know, Sniffles had told her about the possibility years back, but hearing the confirmation from her Aunt infuriated her. "So, what do you need from me?" Brana asked, "Your soldiers." She looked between Scarlet and Sniffles, "This is the current plan we have come up with." Brana and Sniffles continued to argue over specifics, but the terms were set. Scarlet wrote down what was agreed upon and handed it to the two. Brana answered, "Yes. This is fine. How soon?" She raised an eyebrow as Scarlet offered different answers, surprised at the turnaround time. "The third option works. It would be good to have them dispatched along with the lumbar and iron shipments. Would take care of article 5." She pushed the folder to both of them. As the 10th article came up Sniffles got up to sample some food, leaving Scarlet and Brana to read over the dossier. Brana gave Sniffles the side eye and asked a rather biting question which Scarlet started to refute before Sniffles spoke, "Calm yourself child," she held her hand up towards Scarlet. "Brana how do you think I got the information that has helped you take out the people in office that helped take down your family?" She gestured to Scarlet, "How do you think we've been able to stay safe and keep most of the other members from realizing she's not dead?" Scarlet nodded in agreement. She continued, "The information network needs to stay. I know it's a lot of money but it's the only reason we're keeping on top of things. I can only be in so many places at once." Scarlet added, "Auntie, please. We need to keep it. The plans we've created with all the shell companies, these cloak and dagger games has a secondary feature, with is to help us filter out or identify problematic people. I know it's a lot of money, but we need to keep them up." Scarlet pleased. Sniffles had a defiant look on her face which was very much 'fight me'. Brana eventually deflated before admitting to them, "It... I think the thing that bothers me the most is that I feel like there is so many enemies surrounding us. I fear for the other members of the family. Kaðlín kids were almost kidnapped but were stopped due to," she gestured to Sniffles who nodded in acknowledgement. "I also fear for you. You have some men around you who... are a little too interested in you." Scarlet nodded and told her, "I know. I've taken steps regarding this..." She laid out what she had currently setup, and Sniffles added a few. Nodding Scarlet jotted them down and while she was busy the two looked at each other and an understanding came between them. Once Scarlet looked up their faces were rearranged and serene. They followed up with a few more items of interest for Scarlet. Sniffles handed off another packet or to do list. Scarlet nodded and accepted it. Scarlet internally sighed as they left her office and closed the door behind them. She locked it and hit the button on the side to denote that she was 'busy'. It would let the members of the temple know that she was not taking any more visitors, but they would let her know when the food drop off happened. Thinking back to the meeting, after the meeting concluded she tried asking how was the 'Heir Appointment' going but they dodged the question. They waited with her for her imps to be delivered back to her. All the items they had worked on was behind the partition and games and coloring books were set out for the imps. Once they were in the two left. It would ensure that that nosy gentleman couldn't bother her. She got the imps seated, the two dogs sat in the front part where the business table was. She moved back to her desk and closed the partition to muffle the noise. The glass became opaque. She could see a shadow if someone was in front of it so the imps would let her know when the food was ready so she could flip the switch to allow the delivery person to drop off the goods. Behind the closed door, Scarlet took several deep breaths to calm herself. With the lack of answers, she felt even more apprehension. They had given her a set of instructions or guidelines to help setup this empire, but she was following their playbook. While she was happy that she had taken the initiative to create charity businesses', she realized that she would have to achieve other things by herself. She read over the packet to see what items she could use to help pad her resume. She wanted to make sure she was the best candidate. She was more than happy and willing to turn it over to someone else after she rescued her sibling but for right now, she had to win. Scarlet continued to work until a few imps moved in front of the opaque glass denoting the delivery. She opened the door to confirm, closed the sliding partition behind her and flipped the correct switch. Thankfully it was an acolyte that made the delivery to her office. She wouldn't have to deal with the older gentleman who for whatever reason thought he knew more than her or was entitled to xyz due to his sex and age. The acolyte did subtly drop that a carriage was arranged for her by her handler. She nodded and thanked him, tipping well for him and the person who delivered the food. Sighing she muttered, "I can't believe that asshole. I hope he gets bored and goes away. I don't want to deal with him." The imps looked up and one of them asked, "Shall we burn him?" Shaking her head she told them, "No. No burning unless he hurts me away from the temple or the house. I don't think he will though, the temple has knights and paladins. He'd have to be very stupid to try." They looked disappointed but she placed the pastries and fruit bowl out for them. They soon forgot what they just asked. Scarlet took a few back to her desk as she continued to work. Once the item was filed in the secured closet/safe she removed the opaqueness from the glass and opened the sliding door. After another hour of work she and the imps gathered the trash and placed it outside of the office before they left. They were escorted to a carriage and Scarlet and co. got home unmolested.

48. Paperwork

[In her office] She smiled as she read over the contents of the document, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary. She had a pretty good idea on which items would be requested. The relief of actually for once being on top of things washed through her until she saw bill for this office below it. The monthly cost was substantial. Various security 'features' were added. Sighing she muttered, "Magical anti-scrying, magic to keep people from over hearing, the actual physical security that this location provides, and all the other stuff really is overkill.... But I'm not arguing with them, since SHE is the one who officially put in the order for this office." Feathers ruffled his feathers and Snug-bug licked his eyeball. She retorted, "No. This is a small price to pay since it helps them alleviate their worries regarding my safety. Until that Uncle has been located, my sibling and I are still at risk." Looking around the room she muttered, "Aunt is still pressuring me to actually buy a house that can support staff so I'd have guards. But I don't see the point, while my 'name' has been thrown into the hat there's no direct access to me and my work is either being done covertly and/or by proxies. I'm also not going to make a public bid during this, my job is to get the money and personnel set while 'the play' is set. They'll be responsible for 'cleaning the house' and pruning branches. Besides if I don't get a house I'm not responsible for staff, or the other costs that incur with that level of property management. Being landed means I would draw attention, which I want to avoid. And the cost...I can put that money towards fixing the harbor and finish the paperwork with the shipping company to deal with the imports and exports. Once I get the ships retrofitted I can start moving products through the harbor and that will help the local economy with all the other things I have in place." Feathers hooted and she answered, "True, I didn't expect the other projects to have finished this quickly. If she hadn't made the move to return it would have been several more years. Everything she's touched has rapidly reached the logistic points we setup. I'm surprised more people don't know about our Realm Walker... if it wasn't for {The Directive} she's under, I'm sure she'd be more famous." Feathers asked another question and Scarlet answered, "Ah, no, I can't tell you. It's.. well the easiest way to describe it is a set of rules she has to work under. It's why my childhood was so.... unique. We had to work within the constraints. If my mother hadn't taught me how to translate, or hmm... understand her words I don't think I would have come as far. I'm still having to translate for my Aunts but I think they've got a better handle on her manor of speech by now." Snug-bug gestured to the blackboard, it was a series of tiered sliding blackboards so she could write up multiple notes for the different companies she headed. The blackboard at the very back was out and had a series of numbers and letters written. Scarlet explained, "These? These businesses are already making profit and the products are being shipped out... This column is finished. The ones marked with the red chalk hasn't been finished, but as you can see this middle column only has 2 marked that way. The blue marks are almost completed and I'm waiting on paperwork. And this sea of green are finished." Snug-bug grunted and she agreed, "Yeah, I agree. She's finished a silly amount." Feathers hooted, "Oh, these are the serial numbers. They're not on the registry list, but Sniffles assigned everything a series of numbers that really only makes sense to her. I think it has to do with a priority list linking to logistics and goods. I'm able to follow the how and why, but it's only because I saw the map and and was given the blow by blow breakdown and report." She looked over to Snug-bug who nodded in agreement. Feathers hooted and she answered, "No. It was committed to memory. She has the only copies of the papers and I have no made any notes regarding it for security purposes." Looking over the shipping requisite she answered Feathers, "But I'd like to get the shipping industry working due to what we found out about the shipping company we've currently signed with. One of my Aunties have linked the illegal mining and logging companies back to them... And the intelligence group has confirmed it. But due to how the paperwork has been filed if we were to go down the normal means, it would take a while to try to make the parties in question pay and bring down these businesses. We've got most of the parties in questions dealt with and the damaged has been stemmed, but the recovery is going to take so much gold to fix." Snug-bug growled and she answered, "No, I finished hiring the personnel and have sent the first few waves over with supplies. But we had issues with logistics, which is why I'm trying to finish getting access to my own shipping company. Apparently THAT Uncle had ties to the company we have been using and was using them to help funnel goods and services. I need to have this shipping company in place so when the Aunties close that company we can absorb it." She turned to Snug-Bug he nodded in agreement. Feathers asked another question, "Ah no. At most I would rent a place. Honestly I'm hoping Nita will finish the attic, I could throw money at that. It would be cheaper and maybe I can talk her into making a basement where I could put a few of my employees to calm my aunts. That seems like a better use of the funds." The owl gave a frustrated hoot, his dreams of an owl mansion and servants dashed. The dogs to their credit didn't get up; Brutus, due to not understanding and Lazy-Daisy due to being more interested in her early afternoon nap. After the paperwork was finished for the evening she made her way back home, writing in her journal she wrote in druidic: Paperwork finished, caught up finally. Steps for next step finished.

47. An(other) office Scene

Her office was once again filled with stacks of papers. Sifting through them she had to sort out personal work with Guild work. Rubbing her temples she looked down at how much paperwork she had left. Her two dogs, Brutus and her blink-dog, Lazy-Daisy sat where the light streamed into the office, the warmest spot here was also conveniently in front of the fireplace. She was expecting her workers to come in late afternoon. So she had time to finish her guild work and enough time sort through all the new paperwork. There was another requisition from a different branch. Reading over it, it matched many of the items were on the previous dossier that was sent a few months back, those would immediately get the approval stamp. But there were so many more requisitions than she was initially told of. Frowning she filed the document and moved to look for the letter to double check the request. When looking over the cyphered letter she read over the details to see which items her Aunties or Mentor pressed due to urgency or need. If the heads didn't send their unofficial approval for the items that were on the currently delivered list, in addition to being on the original dossier/the official docket, the request would either get shot down or if the items looked necessary, a report would be requested. Depending on the report the items would shuffled to the appropriate spot, organized by importance. Scarlet had a displeased look on her face, due to the new heir sponsorship each candidate would be required to show their worth. She was well aware that the heads that sent this request were trying to gage how much they could get out of her. This list was rather tame... The list that her mentor had given her with that surprise visit and the write up that went with it was down right shocking. Their postulating and demands were almost comical. She had already gather the information and had the full break down on what the extent of their power and the boon debit they were in. They had made moves to already secure the debt so it couldn't be used against the family. If they had any idea on what she had done... Sighing she refocused on the task at hand, realizing that she should stop speculating and see this as a possible probleem. She thought to herself, 'They might know more than they let on, it's best to play it safe in case this is a probe. We're still rooting out the moles.' Unofficially, years before this recast was started they had put into motion the plans to help fix the territory and had already made good headway. While this was going on, the heads in the know were starting to move the corrupt politicians out and were slowly replacing the government positions. It had taken a painstaking amount of years, almost a full decade of work. The different companies that were 'developing' the property, at least to her knowledge, currently wasn't able to be traced back to her. Some of the initial companies went bankrupt and were bought out by her faction. This was done to ensure that it was harder to trace where the money was from. With so many hands changing it was a dizzying task to keep up to date with all the details. Scarlet underlined a particularly scathing entry in another request letter. She added notes for her report, filed it per usual. Updating the shipping log for the items that were previously 'passed', wrote her reply, and folded up the paper. Moving to the expansive shelf she opened a hidden compartment, it was only wide enough to let a single sheet pass through. The chute would catch the document and would slide it to a waiting tray. Replacing the decorative siding it hid the small paper slit. There was a room behind this one that the papers were held in. There were no doors into the room. The only way in would either be to magically move yourself there or polymorph into a small enough creature that could run through the small maze that was created to get to the room. It really was overkill but it's what her mentor ordered and she didn't want to fight with her. Shaking her head she muttered, "This is the 5th person to send me poorly veiled threats. I'm glad the Aunties are taking up the helm. Those idiots need to be booted out." Writing a terse note, she relayed that any non-essential request may be possibly fulfilled at a later time if deemed necessary. The only project she was officially and remotely tied to was the forestry work and that was mostly due to her Eldest Aunt's insistence and request. A small army was raised for the job and a culling was scheduled. Due to the illegal mining and logging, many animals were displaced and it was wrecking havoc on the ecosystem. Several mudslides and collateral damage later, her Aunts were able to muscle in and retake control over that territory. "Such a fucking waste of manpower and resources. This wouldn't have happened if they followed the original plan. Those trees were planted there to keep this from happening. I can't believe I'm related to them." She huffed as she wrote another report. But as she worked the ever growing list of items kept getting longer. And there were so many services needed so...it would be some time before some of the legitimate request would be fulfilled. If the heads did greenlight it, the job would be moved ahead of the current schedule. Currently due to the way her workload was stacked it would be some time for these to push through. She looked over another book, the schedule was packed. Frowning she muttered, "I'm not made of infinite money. Do those assholes even understand the undertaking I had to go through to raise the funds, establish the businesses, and choreograph the trade agreements." Feathers hooted and she nodded in agreement, "I know! Right? Screw you new quartermaster. You'll get those items whenever the infrastructure projects finishes. I don't even know why you're requesting them now. The blacksmiths I hired and their crew are only now getting shipped out." Moving back to the desk she continued her translation. This used the general family cypher which made her wary because they should have all moved to a different key. Because she had been long since accustomed to this type of task, she made quick work out of it. Reading over her translation she found out that there were a few things that she should see about finishing.... The one of (the approved) heads had put in an order. Or to be specific her Mentor got access to the order and added her stamp which greenlit it and allowed it to skip to the front. She had no idea what that loose cannon would do, but orders were orders. Scarlet was sad that she wouldn't be there to see finale. She murmured, "I wonder if she's going after Thökk finally." Feathers hooted and she answered, "Yeah, the asshole responsible for imprisoning me in that tower. To be honest I'd like to be the one to end him but if given the option to have him taken out sooner, I won't say no to that. The world will be better for it." Feathers nodded and shifted to warm his feet. The room was very cold. The decoded list had several items from the requestions letter she read earlier. Scarlet did a quick check to compare it with the last report to make sure everything matched, thankfully it did. Besides the old/wrong key being use there were additional items that weren't 'officially' approved. She made a note to have those delivered as well. She felt the paper and found the markings, and she sighed in frustration. She would have to the current drop off for that quarter to ensure the parties in questions would receive the new items... and it would serve to keep the other branches unaware of the going on until they locate the moles. Which meant she had to shuffle around her human resources AGAIN. Running the numbers she would able to acquire everything the heads wanted and officially OK most of the other items in the list. Some of it she couldn't fulfil due to the amount of turn around time needed to acquire them. They weren't eyebrow raising items. Nobles were commonly in the habit to buy gems due to the game of showmanship and postulating prestige. It would just be a pain in the ass for her to get her hands on them because that meant she had to spend time in the auction house or get off her ass and finally establish a formal agreement with a jeweler, which she despised. "They're going to try to sell me a bunch of useless shit again. I don't even like jewelries." Going back to the stack she read through another request. Regarding this request she did write a note regarding some of the items, asking for clarification and requesting an update. The quartermaster had just been swapped out. The new gal, from what she heard, seemed to be a reasonable sort. Her Aunts had given the Lady their (standard) endorsement. Because there was not an (un)official letter from the heads or her mentor, she would be treated as a regular employee. That report was filled, filed, and sorted. Diving back into the pile she finished reading the last of the letters, after translating the paper it was dumped into the fireplace. This room was especially cold, only the gods know why. But it was fine. The location was very secure, it's what she paid for, and tied to the temple of Barasios. Due to the amount of money she was required to move due to her work her mentor and Aunts insisted. And that meant that to a select small group she now pinged on their radar. She kept to herself and feverently hoped that they wouldn't bother her. After enough personal papers were thrown into the fire she added soiled newspapers. It was best to make sure that there was enough 'stuff' in there to muddle things in case magic was involved.. After a bit she added a few more logs. Having built up different enterprises to help support her family she looked to see what the current roster looked like. She needed a few more tinkerers. The armory, from what she read in the last report, was poorly managed. No, it wasn't poorly managed, it was left to rot. The maintenance was purposely gutted, and she suspected foul play... But the report regarding the full damages to the armory hadn't come in yet. Whatever hadn't rusted... well maybe it could be melted down and turned into hob nails or something. They did a fine job hamstringing the family's soldiers. "Which is why I'm footing that bill." Looking over another ledger she mumbled, "This can't be right. Sniffles told me soldiers eat 2-3 times more than normal people. I should increase the rations. Uh, that's another trade deal. I should have gone into the merchants guild." She clicked her tongue in frustration as she fixed the form. "I need... at least another half a dozen blacksmiths and enough apprentices to support them. I don't even want to think about the other weapons..." She sighed as she leaned back talking to Feathers, "It's a good thing I don't need to manage the estate and I'm only managing the support. My poor aunts... Mom would roll over in her grave if she knew what had happened," Scarlet said to Feathers. Brutus rolled over. Lazy-Daisy didn't even lift her head and Feathers moved to the bird perch behind her chair. He was claiming the spot of the 'most important pet'. Brutus knew better than to get into fights with him. Daisy was too lazy to care. The rest of the morning she continued to sift through paperwork. Only getting up to accept the deliveries of more firewood, the daily delivered lunch spread, and the foreign newspaper that gets delivered on Tuesdays. Sitting back down she continued to work... Muttering the entire time.

46. An office Scene
8/01/2023

'I feel my brain melting,' Scarlet thought to herself. Looking over the quartermaster's requestion request she frowned. On her messy desk another report was added, she was aware that the quartermaster was starting to siphon money and added a note to a third letter. Copying pertinent information she sealed the letter, approved the quartermasters request, checked the supply list and added a note for the temple to make a copy. "He'll be taken care of...one way or another," Scarlet told Snug-bug. Her dog Brutus flipped over to the other side and went back to sleep. Snug-bug chirped at her, she continued to explain, "Gods save the dumbass, the accountants are contracted directly through the temple of Barasios. He also re-signed the employment contract, and it was through them as well." Brutus gave a soft boof and stretched. The blink-dog Scarlet adopted stuck her nose out from under the table, sniffed and hid again. Snug-bug licked his right eye and wagged his tail slowly. Scarlet understood the question and answered back, "True. But per the intelligence report he's using it for himself. And per the paperwork received from the temple Barasios, they show discrepancies with the books and are already looking into it. I don't think he understands that every vendor we work with is contractually obligated to send copies of the services and receipts. With so much oversight and checks and balances this gets weeded out so long as someone is paying attention... And it's my job to pay attention." She continued to write out a report. She sighed and mulled, "If he was using it for the soldiers or their families, I'd just give him the money. I think it's hilarious that they think I wouldn't know what's going on." Snug-bug yawned and looked at her, and made another series of chirps before showing her his belly. Feathers ruffled his feathers and squawked, "Oh I am. I understand now why Sniffles setup the information network first before everything else. I didn't think I'd have issues this early into my tenure. I know I'm technically newly appointed but this is just... blatant." She sighed and Snug-bug flew over to her and perched on the back of her seat. He continued to chirp, "True. I didn't realize that the knights equipment hasn't been maintained well. I knew my Uncles were not taking care of the employees and were siphoning money, but I didn't realize how much or how bad it's been for them. So that will be taken care of now. I've sent the letter that the equipment that the quartermaster requested will be sent. Specifically I mentioned that I hired new blacksmiths, the personnel needed to assist them, and have acquired the materials and tools they'd need as well. That's probably not what he was hoping for, but he can't steal money that isn't given to him and I'll get updated information on the situation as they fulfil orders. Since they don't answer to him, there's not much he can do to them besides be obnoxious. And if he tries anything... well he'll be sorted out sooner rather than later." Snug-bug nodded and chirped. Scarlet frowned and thought a moment before answering, "Now that the family's soldier's pay is being handled by myself, well the company that I created for this, it's less money he's able to move around. I heard that one of my cousins are reaching out to those that were let go due to 'insubordination'. Auntie was going to rehire them but then the incident occurred. They're being brought back into the fold and fairly compensated. He must be feeling the squeeze." Snug-bug chirped. She nodded in agreement, "True. But I have to give 'The Network' enough time to work while ensuring that our people have the tools they need to do their job. This really is just a temp stop gap. It will be fixed but the Aunties and Sniffles need more information. This will be easy to shut down, but we need to know where the money is going to before we can pull the plug otherwise we won't know what we're dealing with. The lack of knowledge makes it harder to fight them." Snug-bug nudged the bag of holding and Scarlet got up to reach into it, and frowned. She kept putting out more and more reports. Looking over to Snug-bug she asked, "When was this dropped off? Was this in the bag? I thought I pulled everything from it. I don't know how I missed it." Snug-bug licked his left eyeball and chirped. "Oh! I didn't know they came by. It was the twins? Huh..." Snug-bug bounced and made more chirps. She soothed the pseudo-dragon, "No. No. I had hear that they would be the next heads of that branch. I didn't realize that Aunty put them into work already. I'm glad their training lets us interact, even if it's indirectly. Do you think I could meet them?" Snug-bug shook his whole body. "Ah, I see. No, that makes sense. Will they be making more drop offs?" Snug-bug nodded and chirped, "Ah more dead drops. And they meet you?" He bounced and she tilted her head, "I see. Well I'm glad that it's working as planned. So standard procedure, then?" Snug-bug nodded and she started to work on the new ream of papers. Taking her time she added a few more notes and a placed a request for the books. It would be sent to the head of the shell company, the person she hired would collect it and give her an update. Eventually she'd get the copy. With that she'd check it against a second record that would have been collected. "It's funny that the knowledge that I obtained job with the Guilds is being used directly. I'm....I .... Lin's suggestion was invaluable." She kept a straight face and the tears back, "I'm glad I listened to them. The knowledge I gained was, is, invaluable." Snug-bug moved to her lap to give comfort. The tender moment was broken when Brutus let out a ghastly far and Scarlet had to run to the window to let air in. Several druid craft air blasts later the room was habitable. Every resident there turned to glare at the offending dog, who blissfully slept through the ordeal. The blink-dog Scarlet adopted kept inching towards him. Lazy-Daisy eventually play bit Brutus. Scarlet had to stop the fight. A few minutes later she sat down, musing about her current situation. No company or employee had the full picture. There were so many working parts that Scarlet had to rent an actual office to keep the paperwork so she could keep track the information. She spent the rest of the time either filling in paperwork OR writing letters. She wanted to hire a personal secretary, to be honest she wanted to hire for multiple positions but would have to do this work herself while Several piles were made, in a few hours the heads of the different companies (that she technically owns) would file into her office and she'd dispatch the papers. Taking the time she double checked the boxes, ensuring that the right records got to the right people. Once she was done she sat down for lunch, the tea and sandwiches were delivered at a specific hour for her and those that worked under her. Scarlet munched thoughtfully as she thought about the shell game she was playing. 'I wish I was smart enough to have thought of this myself," she picked the pickle out of her sandwich. Smelling the pickle Brutus got up and put his paw on her leg. She fed it to him. He tried begging for more, but she pushed him away, "No. Only one for you. The rest are mine." He whined and she shooed him away. Straightening the room she looked about and sighed. She now had the ability to do most of her guild job in this office and she paid good money for it's location and security. Yawning she waited for her employees. Already dreading how long the day was crawling along.

45. Double checking

(Scene and the journal entry at the bottom) Scarlet gave the employee list one last look over. After she had memorized the details she put it away, it would be dropped off later today at the bank. She had already sent a copy by a trusted currier and made another copy to give to her Mentor. A separate copy was sent to the local branch of the Barasios temple, etc. The contracts for her employees were also established and those copies sent off as well. Not that she would see or speak to them, they were placed directly under her mentor and one of her maternal aunts. Scarlet looked over all the details again. Each 'group' had been hired by a different shell. Each 'branch' working in tandem with each other and their 'bosses' were Scarlet's trusted family members... the only two that knew she was alive. The contracts were fair, the best way to retain loyalty is to pay people what they are worth. There was a clear outline that explained raises and such. Bonuses were added along with a budget set aside for their equipment. Their living expenses had already been arranged according to her Mentor. There was also a clear outline denoting punishments. Her mentor had informed her that there would most likely be a turncoat.,, But she had taken her time vetting them according to the instructions laid out. Scarlet lamented that she didn't have a lot of experience managing a house, and even though she would not be directly responsible for them knowing that they might work with her uncles made her anxious. But checks were put into place as everyone was brought into the fold. Due to the way everything was setup, only three were given access to the whole picture, and those 3 family members had an amulet of mind shielding. The amulet Scarlet once wore as a child was given to one of her aunts along with the ring of nondetection. While re-reading the document she sighed and mumbled, "I need to buy a new one... I guess I could slip into another realm to keep the scrying from happening... But..." She looked down at Brutus, "I think anyone who knew about me thinks I'm super dead." He rolled over, showing her his belly. Scarlet smiled as she continued to review. Everyone ese was told the current plans entailed removing her sibling from the head position and demanding a fair election process. There would be no way that her Uncles would be able to continue to hide the child and their credentials would be put into question. The reason why it took so long to even push this election was due to their machinations and ties to government officials. Scarlet wasn't too sure what had happened but she had made efforts to receive news from the area. Per the news, the old officials were pushed out one way or another, and there were many court cases due to all the mishandling her Uncles were responsible for were tying their hands. Now that she had raised the funds they were able to buy back what was lost. And there was so much that was lost... But with Scarlet's help, she found the loopholes they had previously exploited and different court proceedings and their findings. All of this, along with a written dissertation breaking down each subject was handed over to her Aunts. Scarlet was so glad that she listened to Lin. Her jobs have helped her immensely, giving her the needed exposure and experience to help from afar. Sighing she put the last of the papers away and went to pet Brutus. Afterwards she made her way to the journal and wrote: Finished most recent batch. Second ream will be delivered tomorrow. Portraits of the members along with their finger prints have been acquired, multiple copies were made or taken at the time of hiring. Most of the paperwork will be shipped out with S. I am to stay and continue on next steps. Citizenship has been acquired. I will probably need to establish a house to deal with the employees and to house the documents and goods.

44. Meetings and Partings

(OOC I've forgotten to write in here but the pages leading up to the scene below would have short notes about her day, her plans, and detailed notes regarding what she ate along with some rough sketches. A few she took the time to make nice... There's a lot of food in this journal.) (Also this is part of a joke (I think?) that came about from my ticket. But whatever, I'm happy to chase red herrings.) Staring at the mound of paperwork Scarlet rubbed her eyes as she looked over the last bit that needed to be filed, it was a copy, the original being held in a bank box, of her citizenship. The extra copy laid next to her along with her letter to her Aunts. Snug-bug would be visiting soon and she wanted to drop off the letter updating them on how she was doing. She had already obtained the personnel, goods, equipment, etc for her Aunts. Damn well near every copper she earned went towards them. Scarlet carefully added the paperwork with the full nom de plum she used in Eisen 'Starlight Scarlet-Berry Voet' and wondered why her mentor had her use such name here instead of coming up with something entirely new. She understood the starlight, it was to signal to the current heads who she was by working her circle into the name. She was the only member of her family to have become a Circle of the Stars druid. Sniffles was adopted by her Great Aunt, or shanghaied into joining their House as her mentor liked to tell it. Berry is what she used when out in the feywilds. Scarlet is sometimes what she used when visiting different countries since it denoted her as either a bastard or an orphan and gave most people familiar with her specific race a reason not to ask where she was from. Surely her uncles wouldn't be aware of her, she had been dead for quite some time. There were also 4 other girls within the maternal line that could possibly succeed. She hadn't stepped foot and had stayed away from her home country as instructed. Most of her memories of 'home' were foggy by now. She didn't remember the mountains. Her oldest childhood memory she remembered there being lots of snow, but that could have been bleed over from her time with Sniffles. As she searched her memories she was still at a loss for her parents faces. She couldn't remember what color her mother's eyes were or what color her father's face was. As time marched on nothing felt familiar and the shades of the past became more distorted as she lost the finer details of what little memories she had of 'home'. Scarlet wondered if she'd ever feel welcomed or 'home'. Fernweh was an odd feeling to have of a place you can no longer recall. Scarlet began packing the bags of holding and colding. Adding every item staggered, it was different from how she normally packed. "I wonder why I'm ordering so much raw goods..." she mused to herself as she added another bolt of cloth. "I bet Sniffles won't tell me. She only goes over the plan, well the parts that are associated with only me. I wish I knew what the other parts entailed... I could help if I knew. Maybe they need more money and manpower...Must be important." Scarlet told Brutus as she nodded to herself. The lack of knowledge didn't bother her, she was curious. Much like how she kept getting side tracked when trying to research why Dragons were not allowed to become citizens every time she went to apply for citizenship and forgot/remembered that odd rule. Hence her living in this country for quiet some time and was only now getting around to it. Her thoughts strayed back to the citizenship test and the odd test to make sure she wasn't a dragon. By all accounts, even though there were 0 instances of dragons becoming a citizen she was unable to find any additional information except that they're considered mythical. "That's odd right?" She asked Brutus who made a soft boof at her, and wagged his tail lazily. He fell asleep while she continued to deal with logistics. While she packed away the items her mind kept wandering back to dragons, her name, locations where she wanted to open the first 'bank' for those of the warrens, and then to personnel. Instead of hiring people to help her setup a 'home' here, she ended up sending them north after scheduling a meeting with her mentor to green or red light their contract. Sniffles would be traveling back with the personnel and Scarlet had finished signing over different contracts so her mentor would have access to her money as she went back north to assist her Aunts. With Sniffle's assistance she had setup several shell corporations to help funnel the money back home. Her paternal uncles had, from what little she heard, absolutely trashed the territory they ruled over and had caused several ecological issues that bled over, causing other houses issues. While her Aunts had tactfully retreated the amount of damage was staggering and finally her Uncles' luck was running out. Scarlet hoped that she had raised enough and that she was sending enough help but since she was kept in the dark she was not 100% sure where everyone stood. When she thought running through her mind she spotted a dark bird who then shifted into her mentor and distracted by the details she noticed. When Scarlet thought of her mentor she always saw her calm collected and perfectly poised but tonight she looked anxious and frazzled. The normally poise and put together person she had known and come to love looked like she had hastily thrown on clothes. Sniffles slinked over to her room, Scarlet lost sight of her as the shadows swallowed her small form but she had already moved over to the window to open it. A warm voice that seemed to be holding back emotion gently drifted over, "Hello Berry. Have you finished the errand I set for you?" Scarlet moved away from the window to give her clearance and the druid changed shapes as she jumped in moving to a clear spot and then returning to her original form. Looking around at her room Sniffles asked, "How is the renovation going?" Scarlet understanding that this was her way of saying 'don't ask right now' answered her mentor, "We're at odds. He says I have too much stuff." Sniffles nodded and said, "Either you'll need to spend more for a magic cupboard that acts as a bag of holding for all your tools or you'll just need to bite the bullet and buy a house." Scarlet sighed as she retorted, "But you and Aunties need that money. I don't wan-" She was cut off by her mentor. Sniffles held out a hand to stop her, "My dear, lovely daughter. You are almost an Adult. You'll be 19 this fall. Lovely child, you need to make a home for yourself. All animals make temporary nests or hallows as they migrate.' Scarlet shot back, "But I want to help you! And I know that my Aunts hands are tied due to how My father's brothers took" Sniffles crossed over to Scarlet before she could blink, she placed her hands on her face and tilted her head to look at her, "Letty, my starlight, lovely girl. Please take care of yourself. I fear that your experiences are turning you into a martyr, and none of us want that for you. We love you. Please dear girl, please take care of yourself. You have been pushing yourself too hard again." She wrapped the young girl in her arms. Scarlet cried, softly and silently. Her small shoulders shook as all the anxiety and frustration started to crumble her walls and she was soothed by the woman she considered her second mother. "No... I will help. Do you need me to hire more men? Do we need mercenaries or maybe" Sniffles clicked her tongue as she ran her fingers through Scarlet's unruly fur in an attempt to untangle it. Scarlet winced when she caught a tangle and Sniffles told her firmly, "Sit on the floor." Much to her credit Scarlet sat obediently as Sniffles started to brush out her fur. "You'll need to trim this again. That saloon, did you like their work?" Her child nodded and she continued, "Good. We... we finally have the pieces that we were working for. It been an ordeal working under the constraints but I think I have everything I need to move forward with the next phase." Her child nodded so Sniffles explained, "We'll have to go no contact. The lines of communication are not broken yet but in order to not give them the chance-" Scarlet finished, "You have to destroy all the evidence. Have you found my brother?" Sniffles gave an affirmation grunt, "Almost. And I have a plan. Haven't told your Aunts, you know the situation they're in. You did good work with the contracts. It's so dizzyingly intricate." Scarlet yawned as she answered, "I didn't make it. You did. To be honest I didn't understand why. None of the instructions made sense. It was only after I had all the parts moving that I was able to see the big picture. Is this what you meant when you told me I'd make a terrible spymaster?" she asked. A soft whine escaped her lips, "I wanted that job in the family..." Sniffles nodded, "Yes Berry. You have to think ahead, which you can do but your talents lay with making money and having the wisdom to understand the trends. That's much different then plotting to overthrow or acting as counter intelligence for a region. You have talent Beloved Daughter. It's in money. You'd make and be happier as a financier." Scarlet asked, "Who will be the head of intelligence for the house? Or military for that matter?" Sniffles answered, "It's a full party. Several of 'the members' are being trained. It's why I can't stay. They got one of the branch heads." Scarlets hands moved to cover her mouth as tears fell. She understood what wasn't being said, "Oh...who would..." Sniffles turned her head so she could get to the mat on her back. "No. I don't know if they're down here and you haven't bought an Amulet of Mind Shielding yet. You still haven't purchased the ring of mind blank or nondetection." Scarlet asked, "But with the money...." Sniffles nodded, "Yes we got them for the heads. Which is why we're moving onto step 43C.235.98 now." Seeing her daughter frown Sniffles patted her head, "You forgo-" "No!" Scarlet answered before trailing off, "I mean I kinda remember. 43 plans overall but I don't remember which items are in the A B C... Yes... I forgot." Sniffles smiled at her child and then told her, "I can't share right now... But don't worry. We're at the tail end. At most 3 years. Only 3 to go baby girl." Scarlet nodded as she asked, "I don't know what...I'm not sure how... I don't remember home. Do you think they'll welcome me?" Sniffles hugged her child as she answered soothingly, "Yes child. They miss you very much and are so very proud of you. You just have to keep what you're doing and stay hidden. The shell companies hide the money pretty well.. Make sure you stay hidden. Don't show up in the papers. Buy those items like I've requested. We've almost got him. We'll save your brother. Just hold tight a little longer." Scarlet sighed as she leaned into her second mother's embrace. After a quiet moment she asked, "Could you go over my new goals? What or who do I need to acquire. What would help the family?" She was given a new itinerary and took the time to encode and memorize the info before she burned the original." While she memorized her mentor packed everything quickly. Leaning out of the window Sniffles asked, "Will you be okay?" Scarlet nodded, "...Yes... I just feel anxious. But I'll be okay. I'm a big girl now and I'm so much stronger than I was 10 years ago. Don't worry, I can do this." Scarlet said, her voice quivering. Sniffles looked fondly at her ward and agreed, "Yes. You'll do well. I'm so proud of you. Keep safe. Keep hidden. I, no we love you Letty. But if anything happens, if you need help, use the red key. Do you understand?" Scarlet nodded and gave her best and bravest smile as she answered, "Yes." The two parted ways. And Scarlet's legs gave out. She hugged Brutus for support before whispering into his ear, "I have to be brave Brutus.. But being brave is so very hard when you're really, truly terrified. I feel so alone but I know this must be done." Brutus placed his paw around her, as if to hug her. She held her pet for emotional support before picking herself up from the floor and straightening her room. It would be a sleepless night as she dealt with her emotions. In her journal she wrote: Saw S. Got update. 43 go. Plan C. New goals set. Try to stay out of the papers... They somehow tagged Nel instead. I should talk to her to let her know.

43. (Doodles)

[ There are doddles of Brutus and the blink dogs all over this page along with a brief description of things she ate, where she bought it, and general check list of how good/bad everything was (taste, mouth feel, etc). ]

42. The jobs so far

So far I have completed several jobs successfully. I have not tried to get my journey license in the Barristers guild but I will probably do so soon. I have sent most of this month's money to my Aunties and Sniffles and have met up with Sniffles to help recruit people to work for my family. They will ship off shortly. It was nice seeing her, she looks well and is keeping busy. None of the boys have come through, they're still 'elsewhere' but Sniffles says that they're probably still alive and I shouldn't worry about them. She did suggest that I save some of the money for a revivify diamond... Which I have bought. Sniffles keeps a few different diamonds on a pouch that hangs from her neck. It's usually tucked into her clothes. She said its for when they drop, the boys have them around their necks as well. Sniffles told me that at one point, the battles they fought were so ferocious that she had to keep keep bring back her team mates or do emergency heals on them. It really scarred her, so they all wear diamonds now. I am to visit a jeweler and get the diamond fitted... I'll need to be able to have, on me, several different emergency spell components should I need a rescue spell cast. I fell like this is a waste of money but... hearing about her battles... I can see where she's coming from. I have made an appointment to do so. I think a little charm necklace might suit me. I'd like to swap out the bits if possible... that way I can fit it to different... events. I'm also going to visit the seamstress soon. Sniffles told me to buy corsets and jumpers with a pocket at the breast. I can keep any spell components I need there and since my fur has a tendency to escape their confines, it should hid the pocket or seem well.

41. Anger and plots

Muse was breaking pots. I learned that their family wasn't great, they forbad them from coming inside the houses and that has caused them a lot of trauma. They don't feel like they belong and are having to come to terms that what was originally told to them was a lie, and they can belong wherever they damn well please. I hope one day they feel comfortable and the trauma that their family forced upon them is let go. They don't deserve the stuff their old family said. I really hope they can find happiness. On other news, there's a sneaky plot! The Crooked River Company (CRC) was held in prison but someone was out to kill them! Our deadly golems where trying to free them and a sentient kill cloud was trying to stop the golem. In other groups, the cloud was healing the golems! We found out that the CRC worked for the Eisen, has been working for them. 20 years ago they were party to the Vodacce civil war when the old king died and the sons split the country. Their company killed King Montero. Per Cardinal, Montero's son Julio was the eldest and the clear successor but Midas rebelled and took the throne because he said there were forces outside of Vodacce that were bleeding it dry of wealth. He's not popular - but he's fixed their economy. Nel brought up the Sun Blades, the other golem. I agree, it almost seems like someone wants war with Avalon, Ruskovich, or both. Everything is confusing! I failed the spy master test Sniffles gave me. I failed pretty bad. I'm not good at politics but can understand if someone explains it to me. I'm better at making money. I need to diversify my profile! That way if everything does go sideways and a war breaks out, my money won't be terribly hit! Also I've been working with (white bear) and it will take us roughly 8000 gold to get the bank up and rolling. I'm going to try to raise at least 4000 gold and will use my current businesses as collateral. If this works then it's 1 of the several items set out for me to achieve. Here's hoping I don't bomb everything!

40. the shell game

(druidic) I moved the pots today and gave Nel the ribbons. Also went over the new location with Feathers so he'll remember where they were moved to. (primordial) I got a few spells to add to my spell book and I'll need to switch out the drop off items as per the chart. I'll transcribe comprehend language, gentle repose, and Floating Disk later today... (The writing of those two lines are between several small doodles of spiders and doors, plus 2 descending illithid from the Darkling Way quest).

39. Death and visitations

Today we got dispatched to find items that were critical pieces of Eisen's history, in this case and the very foundation of our current parliamentary house system. Mrs Grizelda has contacted on a lead to retrieve said items. My group went to the Wren manor, which sits in the noble ward of Novandria. That house takes up an entire city block! Anyway we past ghost maids, find a ghost guy getting dressed, find two keys: Red & Green. We found Count Patrick Westermann - part of House Arden, who was lunch for two banshees. He had a brown key. Peder Bjerke (Gorsky) noticed that the red key would unlock the box. This box was full of super haunted documented, it was a stack of documents that appear to be the planning outlines and a first draft of the documents that changed Eisen to a parliament. We left Count Patrick Westermann when we heard a scream downstairs and rushed to help... Her friends Katja Bluome & Aloysius Esch were dead... And none of us had a diamond. Nita cast gentle repose on them and I stole a carriage from Wren manor... Anyway we got them back to Mrs Grizelda and they were resurrected, and I returned the stolen carriage. So all in all today was a win. So many ghosts.... I wonder what they saw when they died? Did they see something like me? The earth covered me and I was hugged by vines. It was pleasant and I wanted to sleep... but it would gently shake me awake. A very nice voice told me to stay still while she argued with a man's voice. He didn't seem upset but did kind of sound exasperated. I have no idea what was said the but little stars in the lamp guided me out of the earthen tunnel.... and when I woke up Sniffles was standing over me, the sounds of battle in the distance... a darken red sky overhead as dusk was chased by the moon. I hope whoever they met were as nice as the two ladies who kept me safe and calm... ((From today's game: https://discord.com/channels/927339281037557760/967833844822712420/1107833335251751022 5/21/2023)) ((The rest of this page are doodles of the ghosts. Everything is in Druidic except the names, unless they can also be written in drudic)).

38. Hags and stones

Helped out an orphanage with their Hag problem... it... well we didn't die. The fight was hard but on the plus side we're all alive! I didn't take the money... those kids need it more. Anyway I've got another lead on another investment job. I hope this one turns out well. I'll be spending half days in the archive which works out because I'll have access I can just research. One of the investments I was planning on putting money towards slipped through my fingers and I found out it was for the best. The info I found wasn't... sound. And the money was better put towards my Adventure's Guild license. But... I dream of having that extra money. I'd be able to put into action the second part of my plan, creating shell corporations and hiring help... then sending them to my Aunts to assist them. It's so slow going. I don't like this elaborate shell game... And I haven't heard anything from anyone... I hope my brother is okay. Still no word on where he is... (The rest of the page is doddles of ferns. Everything here is also written in drudic)

37. Well it's official

I officially joined the Adventure's guild after this weekend's fiasco... (The job we were doing on/off the books where we found out that the Black Suns or whoever they're working for has contacts inside the guild and the whole thing is compromised/there are spies.) At least I've got credentials now. (The rest of this page is filled with items she's eaten and where she got them.)

36. Wanted: Three Hand Gang (WED)

We just finished hunting down the mercenaries for the Three Hand Gang... Found a dead merchant, Heinrich Voegel... He was driving his wagon "Tonka's Tinkering. Fixer of toys, tools and teeth." We took the mail and turned it into the Rooks so they could let his next of kin know... We buried all of them... I wonder if he had family? If they were worried about him never returning? It... it reminds me of my uncle Arne... he took me out to teach me fishing and... we never came home. I wonder if Brana forgives me? Or herself... I know she took it hard, so when my paternal uncles swept in... She was not in any shape or form to stop him. (There are sketches of the battlefield, of the dead man's face and his name written in common. The rest of this journal is writen in Drudic).

35. Spies and secrets

Dear Diary, today was terrible. I had a job, it was a secret job to arrest more of those Black Sun's.... but who we arrested weren't the Black Suns. They were people in place of the people we were supposed to catch. This makes me nervous. I am to stay hidden but if I keep getting caught up on with this wouldn't I be found out? I know that my mentor and my maternal Aunts are doing their best against my paternal Uncles. I wish I knew Verdant was safe... I'm worried that I might compromise him. I can't write her... she said that the channels aren't compromised but I shouldn't write until a new line is established. I need to make sure Feathers stays safe because it would be too hard to train a new familiar... I don't want to have to manually re-establish how to stow items in caches and... teaching him that took me a whole month. My tummy hurts... I am finding it easier to ensure that I eat properly. I haven't gained weight like she has asked but I am trying... At least I'm not starving myself anymore. I understand it's the lack of control that makes me do that... and sometimes I feel like... no. I won't. It makes it so much harder for her if she has to hang back and babysit me due to my health. If I can stay healthy then she has more time to help my Aunties. I have to be strong. I have to stay healthy... but adventuring isn't a healthy occupation.. I wish there was another way for me to make money. OOC: Her whole diary is written in Drudic. I don't remember if I put that disclaimer anywhere... Her sketches and some of notes for them are in common (usually descriptions, what color green etc.)

34. Today's meal
https://www.worldanvil.com/hero/journal/1aa083c5-ae1f-4624-a724-197a3f8704e3/view

Scarlet wrote: Today I started off with a mixed grain porriage and some cold spiced beef on the side. I did manage to snag a bag of toasted almonds to snack on my way to work. For lunch I had a salad with a side of today's catch (a local fish that swims in these brackish waters), topped with walnuts. For dessert I had a very small fruit tart followed by 2 oranges (fresh), and 1 peach (canned). For Dinner I stopped by a local in to have bubble and squeak along with a side of sauerkraut and roasted root vegetables. Drumming her fingers lightly she added into the journal: I ate very well and have been able to keep down my food better. I think Sniffles healed me the last time she was here. She said there was something wrong with my tummy from when I was imprisoned. Whenever I get the chance I am to learn regeneration to help heal something called an ulcer... I have not received any new letters but it's not been a full month and mail doesn't arrive until a full moon... I hope to receive some news soon... I don't know what's going on and that makes me very nervous I'm trying really hard to make money...And have taken on a few adventuring jobs... I've been careful! I promised Sniffles that I'd be careful...I hope I can send more money to my Aunts soon. I don't know why Sniffles won't let me live off of Good Berries, she's done it and she came out alright? I should be able to do it as well! (OOC: Most of her journal is made up of meals. I've posted some of the 'non-meal' type entries but just assume that for every non-food related entry there's 10-30 food diary entries or doodles of places she's been or things she's seen. I ICly get tired of making food diary enteries which is why there is so few... lol).

33. Unexpected ending in a Play

Tonight I saw a play with Miss Nita, Ser Lindoror, and a few others. It was a ballet and was straight forward enough except it was cut short when one of the actresses former lovers decided to cut her rope while she was hanging mid-air dashing her and her costar to the ground. Her costar, a lovely dwarf woman had her legs shattered, several broken bones, Lin helped set those. Samantha, the one with the murderous lover somehow landed on a spear, that was not part of the original background and died. With the assistance of Nita, who cast gentle repose, and with Lady Miranda Orsei, Cardinal & Lady Veronika Orlov keeping the crowd calm, Lady Miranda Orsei & Cardinal were able to get the local nobles to cough up enough money to buy someone's diamond. I believe the nobels name was lord Parrish? While the above was happening, James Saint Mirth & Igor managed to remove the spear from the actress Samantha's body, and I cast Revivify to bring her back. She identified her ex-lover/murderer... and fainted. Lin had to help the dwarf woman set her bones, it was a really bad fall... Anyway all of us who helped catch Tomas (the man that cut the two ladies ropes) was caught and the Rooks were brought in. I'm glad... It's sad that he decided to kill everyone and even himself, he had poison in his ring... But I'm hopeful that justice will be served Also I got paid 200 gold, which was nice. Hopefully I'll get to see the ending of this ballet..

32. Ghosts of the past

Trigger warning: child endangerment, child harm, eating disorder, trauma & survivors guilt Was gonna post this in discord.... but I didn't want to trigger people. So am posting it here instead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 'If I work towards a goal I don't have to remember. As long as I move forward, as long as I met the goals that were laid out then everything will be okay! That's the motto I've followed for most of my life.' Scarlet thought to herself as she started to meticulously organize the items going into the bag. Her mind went on autopilot as she started sorting and planning placement. She had spent a fraction of the money Sniffles had added in the bag, lucking out on great deals due to Nita and Muse's help. There was quiet a bit of gold left over. Normally she would have bought the other items she was routinely tasked to acquire but due to the ridiculous amount of food and regents she was set to procure she abstained due to the fear of a limit of space and weight. Knowing what items were usually stored in this bag Scarlet had to ensure there would be enough space and weight for them to be held. "It's like the fae realm run again," she muttered to herself. Not knowing what her mentor was up to she wanted to ensure every cent was accounted for, because she might need it. And because Sniffles didn't send the regular regent 'buy list' Scarlet didn't want to spend the cash if there was a chance that Sniffles and her team would be backpacking through a realm. Also she knew her mentor appreciated having a detailed list. It gave her an idea on what the trading situation in town looked like. Scarlet never did picked up the reason why Sniffles was so interested in trading and felt bad that she couldn't enter the town. She placed the bag to the side, it would added last. Scarlet tucked an itemized bill into the gold pouch, denoting what she bought, where she bought it and how much it cost along with the money left over and counted to make sure everything was accounted for. It also listed the specific merchants in case Sniffles liked a particular item, it made it easier for Scarlet to know where to go to repurchase a commodity if her mentor flat out told her which ones she liked better. She also tied a much smaller bag with the income she saved during her time in the city, it was tied with a special knot, denoting it was to go to her aunts. There was no letter attached yet, and nothing to identify it was from her. Scarlet held the bag and said a small prayer to Akmon, Eosphorus, Kelesta, & Kallias; hoping that her maternal Aunts could break free from the chains her paternal uncles had cast upon them. She prayed for order to be restored and for the pretenders, who tried to don her heritage, her titles through proxy to be cast down. 'I wish I knew why she said she needed to be separate from me or what she's up to.... I hope it doesn't have anything to do with my uncles.' Inhaling deeply Scarlet held her breath, counted to 10 and slowly exhaled. She repeated this step until she was calm. Scarlet began packing the food as she had been taught, staggering it in layers for ease and convenience. The shopping list had the herbs and some of the regents portioned out. Since she usually was tasked to break down and repackaged the dried goods to ensure that that it was portioned for a week's worth of meal for traveling convenience, she added the herbs and regents as directed, spacing them out easily. It would made it easier when pulling stuff out of the bag due to everything being in a specific order. On the back of the shopping list Scarlet wrote what items went into the bag so Sniffles would know how deep she'd have to dig to get a thing, or how much was set aside for each week's meal, just in case she packaged it wrong. As Scarlet worked she could hear Snug-bug was running outside along with Brutus, the two chased each other in the afternoon light, happy chirps and barks noisily drifted into her open window. It made her pause and smile. Scarlet continued to pack, towards the top would be the perishables that would need to be added to the Chest of Preserving. Scarlet wanted to send fresh meat but Snug-Bug was not strong enough to carry anything heavier than the bag of holding and since Sniffles wasn't entering town that usually meant she was up to something in the area. Scarlet carefully re-packing the dry-cured smoked sausage since those would last a bit. There were several small piles on the floor. Each item portioned, everything packaged. Different colored twine around the packages with different knots to help denote what items were stored in each package. Old habits she learned from her mentor. Sometimes when you were out in the field and it was just too dark to see anything, being able to feel what was in the package via knots made it easier to figure out what you'd be able to prepare. Also seeing everything laid out on the floor helped her plan when re-adding everything back to the bag, it was easier to check and ensure all items were accounted for. Sighing she muttered, "Packing a backpack is different though..." Every item laid out could stand being in the bag of holding, but along with the fresh stuff, a small specific portion should be placed in the chest as emergency rations. They were specially prepared, a to go soup mix that just needed water and heat to cook. She was also able to procure some sweet treats for her Mentor, new things she was asked to find... something delicious and something terrible she found this week, things that she did & didn't like. Scarlet packed the bag of cadies with a note and tucked it into the bag. (EX: something like Sour Patch Kids Extreme) [I do not like this, it's too sour] A few more items with similar notes were added. She also packed a wrapped box filled with honey cinnamon-pecan buns with a note. [I liked these, the nuts are crunchy and the texture is soft and fluffy] A few items with similar notes why she liked this or that was added. Scarlet also left a list with food items she got to try during the festivals, what they consisted of and what ingredients she thought they were made out of, Scarlet knew that this list would probably be used as toilet paper. She didn't understand why she couldn't just send blank paper, but assumed it was her mentor's way of checking in on her. After surveying the mess Scarlet placed the two 'finds' to the side in a special pile, they would be some of the last items added to the bag: Sniffles money, the itemized and notated bill, things she doesn't like, and things she does liked, a list and description of things she got to eat, the perishables that needed to be transferred, along with the shopping list/order at the very top. As Scarlet worked to wrap and package the dried herbs she read over the her Aunts letter, they didn't say much, only noting which family members have perished, any new kids that were born, any marriages and to whom, & that her cousins were getting bigger. The letters from her cousins always asked about the locations 'Aunty Starlight' had visited and wanted to know why she couldn't come visit them. Scarlet tapped her lip thoughtfully as she remembered, 'I think my Aunts told them I was a sailor or merchant or something, just an old friend. Because it's our culture to call anyone older then you uncle or aunt, my letters would seem like I was just a friend of the family and the prefix does make it seem like I'm older than my Aunts.' Flipping over the letter Scarlet sighed and moved it to a small pile she had set aside especially for their correspondence. Now that she had someone safe and stable to stay she could save their letters. Having a little time to herself Scarlet wrote a quick letter to her Aunts, stating that she was okay and that she had found work, but did not specify where she was working. To her cousins she wrote of a place she visited a few years back. Giving general descriptions of the towns she had been in and any customs she remembered. Scarlet leafed through her journal for those details, so she could faithfully describe them. She wished she could tell them where she was now but because she was unable to, she resigned to slowly give them and her aunts a picture of the places she had traveled. Sniffles was never able to stay long now a days. In the beginning she was on 'vacation' and spent her time attempting to engage Scarlet and teach her about the druidic ways... But she ended up spending a lot of time with her, healing her heart and mind. Scarlet noted that it was due to their guidance that they were so in touch with their emotions... she was, as always thankful. If it wasn't for her intervention she would have killed herself. Sniffles letters were more informative if not brief, she gave descriptions on how her family was fairing and it seemed like the thing that was keeping her Aunts from progressing boiled down to funds and the lack of connections but Scarlet wasn't sure if she read it right. Reading the glyphs, if Sniffles was correct, a relative, a person that she only vaguely remembered from childhood might have been working with her paternal Uncles. She thought to herself, 'I don't know why... it's not like they could inherit due to the magic requirement clause.' She thought about the situation, and it made no sense to her. Scarlet resisted the urge to go back home. Knowing that while she wanted to help she didn't yet meet the requirements established by her Aunt and Sniffles: A: She wasn't powerful enough yet B: She didn't have an established retinue that could keep her safe if she were to return home. Re-reading the letter from her aunts she noticed that the sur name of one of the family members that died was the same as the one Sniffles mentioned was 'in the thick of it'. Due to the missing first name she wasn't sure if it was the same person who perished, father, wife, or son. None of them, to her knowledge had the magic talent. Scarlet scanned her Aunts letter for any more info, there was none. She wished that her Aunts would ask her for help or at least tell her what she could do to help but there was none. They weren't even asking her for money. She frowned as she realized that they never would. But now that she was in town proper she was going to send them every cent she could spare. She felt guilt at not being able to help more but after been told repeatedly that she can't go home because it could endanger her and her brother... all she could do was wait, and waiting was the worst thing ever. Scarlet looked over at the stack of possible investments and promised herself that she'd review them, hoping that one of them might have the answers or ties they needed. After hours of portioning everything she began to place them & pack. Dusk had fallen and she was still at it. Scarlet meticulous listed each item as she entered it into the bag. It was dark by the time she went out back, calling Brutus and Snug bug to her. Scarlet had left a few fillets of fish out to feed them and Mr Feathers. The rest she packed away for Sniffles & her group, they were tasty and would last a while if moved to the chest. After getting them sorted Scarlet got ready for sleep. Exhausted she laid her head down to rest, the night was cool so she had left her window open. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Late that night a racoon-kin entered her room through the window. She shushed Brutus, who immediately ate the bribe and laid back down. Carefully she woke her pet Snug-Bug, who was quickly shushed when he made too much noise. Feathers hearing the noise was about to 'sound the alarm' but immediately recognizing her. he went back to sleep. And Scarlet? Never woke up. Gently sitting on her wards bed Sniffles brushed Scarlets tail fur out of her face. Her ward was hugging her tail, an old habit she had when distressed. She whispered to the sleeping form, stroking her head until she released her tail. Once her breathing normalized a spell was cast, and she watched the pain on her wards face slowly fade. Sniffles tucked Scarlet back in and collected her bag and bug. Pulling out a note she placed it on the table where her bag of holding previously sat, and moved something heavy to weight it down. Snug-bug and Sniffles slipped out quietly into the night. [Hey kiddo. I've fished that emergency job back at home & just made it back. The boys had to stay behind to deal with the aftermath. So sorry. It took longer than I expected to resolve, I hope you're doing okay. I'll be heading up to your aunts now. Last I heard they've made some headway. Can't tell you the details, too long/detailed, but we're working on it. Also I've finished the paperwork to transfer the funds to your name. You're old enough now to keep your own books and this is what your father & Aunts had originally intended. (Also you don't need me to act as your guardian now.) Keep your chin up, REMEMBER TO EAT, and remember that we love you. Stay hidden, stay safe. We'll let you know when it's safe to come back. --TSP] ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Scarlet dreamed, she was back, trapped in that dark room. Those terrible cold stone walls that leeched heat and only seeing light when the bandits remembered to feed and water her... She of dreamt about that terrible man who would throw rotten food at her, while eating and then throwing it to the ground, taunting her. He'd watch her with glee, seeing her strain for something right out of her reach. He'd LAUGH at her struggle. She dreamed of starving, of her desperation, and her final moment. The loneliness that still sometimes haunts her. And she dreamed of the aftermath of her freedom. Once Scarlet found out what her Aunts were going through she asked to eat the cheapest, blandest items in effort to safe money. Sniffles would forage for items to help the meal because Scarlet would refuse to eat anything if they splurged, worrying her mentor. As Scarlet grew thinner, the nightmares of her time haunting her Scarlet's mentor, not having any experience with children, went along with her request. But it wasn't enough, and before she knew it she was actively trying to hide that fact that she was not eating or vomited her meal. It wasn't about the money, it was about control and how little she had. Not eating seemed to be the only thing she could control. Scarlet dreamed about that period of time where Sniffles was summoned by her group due to a dangerous situation they needed help with. She was distraught, unable to take the child with her, and knowing that if she didn't go there would be many dead. After much debate, and both parties talking her into going, Sniffles opted to leave Scarlet behind. Sniffles left her in her 'house', a comfortable cave she carved out in the wilds filled with all sorts of amenities. There was enough provisions there to last several months, she left many of her magic items behind, and she should have been safe...but the stone walls reminded Scarlet of the past she just escaped. All alone, surrounded by stone again, Scarlet slowly stopped eating.... so when Sniffles returned from the emergency she found a skeletal child passed out on the floor. Scarlet saw her self in the dream, skinny and patches of skin showed through her fur. Sniffles frightened face and the begging. Scarlet wanted to tell her to shut up! To just let her go. She wanted to go back to the quiet place! Scarlet wanted the endless sleep...but she relented and ate what Sniffles had made. She just wanted the pain and panic to disappear from Sniffles eyes... It reminded her of her mother. Disjointed memories of that long flight back home, where Sniffles flew non stop in an attempt to summon help. She dreamt of the reunion with her Aunt Brana, the rawness she felt seeing her, knowing that she was directly responsible for her husband's death...he did try to protect her. He was so looking forward to adopting them both, always wanting to be a father but not physically able to. She dreamt of his warm smile and constant reassurance.. She dreamt of their time in that awful place and when his voice stopped... When she could no longer hear him or his raspy breathing. Dreams of the time she spent screaming....How she couldn't get to him. And hating the light because it might shine and show her what had happened to him if she could just see into that cell... He had died a week or two before her, he was never retrieved, unlike her. He would give her his food and while she didn't know if starvation was what killed him, she feared that she might have been the cause. It took her a while to forgive herself. Scarlets mind wandered back to her Aunts and Sniffles. She dreamt of them, how they were both so scarred seeing her so thin... and as her dreams looped back to the prison, replaying her personal hell, she felt a warm hand on her head, and a gentle stroke. She smelled the crispness of a foreign autumn and the musk of the earth, a familiar comforting scent. She heard a familiar hum, gentle and patient. And after a while she was soothed, the physical aches she carried inside her melted away. Scarlet could have sworn she heard mentor, her second mother whisper, 'You're safe child. All is well. Go back to sleep. Dream of sweet things. Know that I am here now. You are strong enough. And I won't let them hurt you.' Scarlets dreams shifted, she dreamt of pleasant things and happier memories and most of all she dreamt of open skies and a magical magnificent mansion. She dreamt of never having to sleep surrounded by stone walls... and for tonight as least, she slept in peace.

31. The Pit (fights)

I got to see one of Lorke's fights, went with Nita, they dressed up. Nita goes by Nick and Bella is Ian. Anyway Ian got into the ring again when Nel went down. I got to watch but I had to move to the back to sit on crates because everyone around me was too rowdy and almost stepped on my tail. He did pretty good (Lorke) at fighting. He did really well with the scarecrows... Anyway Lorke seems nice. Nel is alive. I've got some reset and am no longer pouring over documents... well for now. Got to get back to it tomorrow. My eyes feel itchy and are red! The text is so small! Ugh. (The rest of the page is filled with doodles of snug-bug and Brutus napping in weird positions).

30. Investment shopping

Yesterday we went out to a farm house to retrieve books for Lady Griselda Ormond, keeper of lore, Historian's guild Master, and patron of the Adventurer's Guild... All of us who were dispatched encountered the ghosts of the students in one shape or form, along with the dead body of Tyver and four unconscious elven nobles. After searching we collectively located the journals. The several of us (myself NOT included since I don't know how to deal with ghosts) were able to settle the ghosts and retrieve the journals. When the others settled the ghosts, we all saw a flash of a vision of what Eisen would look like had the government shut down the protests before they even started. The students would not have died and the Wartburg festival would never have taken place. There was no eletech and everything was grey and glum and with a sense of rigidity.... I'm glad that we have all that we do now and am saddened by the deaths of these young folks. It does bring a morbid thought, what if I die trying to bring about change back home? I could do on an adventure... I could die when facing my uncles. My aunts could die and then I'd have to step into their place and... would probably follow suit. In a way this does give me hope... that change can happen and it be for the better... But as I grow older I feel like I'm existing on borrowed time... And it frightens me. (The rest of the page is full of sketches of Snug-Bug and Brutus playing)

29. I made Journeyer!

I took my test today at The Gilded Library of Scribes, Historians, Archivists, and Clerks. My application, was accepted and I was immediately tested. I barely passed but I STILL PASSED! I will get a letter in a few days with the updated title. IT'S TIME TO BUY MYSELF A FANCY CAKE! (The rest of the page is full of doodles of books, and cake, and tea)

28. New clothes

I ordered new clothes from the tailor that Schatzi took me to. The cuts look nice and the pockets are pretty big. I've also been looking into businesses I can invest in. My hope is that I can build up enough funds for my aunts to use. I have no idea what my uncles are doing back home and I can understand their hesitance to tell me, we don't know if any of the staff might be spying... I hope that this gets cleared up soon. I want to at least visit home...

27. Mines and Traps

We helped Mr. Irgro find information about a Mine he was in a joint venture with. At first it seemed like his partner Lord Grardesk may have been muscled out of his contract by Baron Hellir... But the more we uncovered we found out that they might be working together to force Mr. Irgro to sell his shares. We turned over the info to him (Mr. Irgro) and he'll look into this further...

26. Update: Guild

I am going to take my guild test and see if I can move up a level. Hopefully I'll perform well! I'm currently an Apprentice in the The Gilded Library of Scribes, Historians, Archivists, and Clerks. My application, if processed would raise me to a Journeyer in that guild. Also I just joined the The Eisen National Association of Barristers as an apprentice.

25. The Heist

I AM NEVER DOING A RECRUIT JOB EVER AGAIN. IT TOOK TOO LONG. I ATE BAD FOOD. MY BED WAS CRAMPED. I COULDN'T BRING PETS. I did get a pair of slippers of spider climb shoes... I don't wear shoes but... Now I can walk up walls without using my wild shape! I'm gonna look at the cathedral ceilings and see if they have more weird art and then will report back. (there are pics of the shoes)

24. Baby in the park

We found a baby owlbear 2 days ago, he was sleepy. We cured him and then the wanted to eat us so we had to put him back to sleep. Him and his family escaped a covered wagon and went on the search for fish. Apparently the crew fed them opium... (OOC Fucking cocaine bear) anyway, the family's is reunited and the curse of the weekend was only 1 day... Which was nice. I am fairly certain that this city was built on a burial ground! (there are drawing of a baby owlbear all over this page)

23. Lanterns in the sky

I wrote my prayer today, to fulfil my aunt's itinerary for me and to survive. I hope I can do both... but if I don't survive, I hope I can take my Uncles down with me. ((The rest of the page is a hasty drawing of the lanterns floating upwards).

22. Homesick

I want to go home. I hope everyone is okay. My tummy hurts. I miss my aunties. I know I need to stay away but it's so hard! I've stayed away for so long! I've been good! I've been careful... I've been so careful. I just want to go home. But I worry that when I return home won't feel like home anymore. I worry that home will be foreign to me, that I won't have a place where I belong. I want to talk to someone about my feelings but I have to stay hidden, it's important! I know I'm just being selfish but I wish I could get more information on what's going on. Not knowing is so heavy... (There are pictures of herbs and flowers done in the style of a botany book on the page before this and below the text).

21. Today's meal

Today I had a picnic with Brutus and I re-met an old acquaintance. It was good to see him. He gave me some tips, which I will follow. I'm not used to living 'in secret'. With Sniffles she called me Cherry, Berry, or Flower when we were out and about and we moved around so much that it would be impossible to catch up to us. Having someone that could legitimacy fly you to any part of Europa or other areas means that I could be kept hidden rather well. I'm so tired but I've got a decent plan now. I'm going to join the Barristers and will take a look at the paperwork they used to 'take control' of my mother's lands. I know Aunty said that they were close to get it back but... I want to help. I hope I can also make money to help my family. I don't know if anything can be done ((by me). I'm gonna go to sleep and then will figure out what I need to do later.

20. Slaps and shows

I learned more about the city. Nel is tangled with a thug like protection racket and if she tries to get free they beat her up! She showed up at our front door, bloody and almost dead. We healed her up. I don't like them (her boss) and offered to eat her boss but she declined. I'm not sure how I feel about any of this but what my mentor says hangs heavy over me (the nature of man & the criminal underbelly - due to my uncles machination). I want to tackle this 'syndicate' head on but I know that it's way over my league. I'm hoping that if I join the barrister guild I might find a loop hole... Well, I've got more reasons to join them. Here's hoping that all goes well! Also I went to see a fancy show! It was a ballet! I don't understand the 'story'. But the little booklet explained it! It was nice and Muse went with me. We got to eat lots of snacks so it was really fun!

19. A small visit

This morning I went to Brendette and Randolph bakery. I miss eating Vesten food. I saw the three grannies: 1: Ingunn who was wearing her favorite purple feathered cap 2: Anniken who wore expensive lace Fichus to show off her wealth 3: Eivind who wears different shades of green gloves, mostly suede to match her outfits. Her dresses and skirts are mostly green They kept me a little longer than I would have liked but it was okay since I had headed out earlier than normal. I took my skirts to the laundress and she said she'd try to get the stains out and offered to beat Phil with her laundry paddle.... I wanted to say yes but I just thanked her instead and slipped her good amount of coin for her attempt. Today I brought my apron just in case. It's leather and bulky but is really good at protecting my clothes. I'm going to be mixing up inks today for the guild... and because of that Phil won't be able to bother me since I'll be well out of the way. And if he tries anything I'm sure one of the heads will chew his face off because he would be actively wasting the guilds money instead of my money... Or at least that's the hope. I don't like him and seeing his face gives me anxiety. I dread going in... my tummy hurts. I feel like a very stupid tall child today. I hope work goes well. I've got to clock in, the bell just rung. I'll write an update tomorrow!

18. New stationary

Today I took the carriage to work. I got off at the wrong stop because I wasn't paying attention and had to walk a few blocks to the guild house. I didn't bring my candles because I felt like they would be too flashy but I am hoping I can take home work. I am planning on taking the guild test to advance my position, I hope I do well! Anyway, I saw a new stationary shop and bought a few quills and pots of ink, which I am thankful for. Today work was TERRIBLE. People kept bumping into my table and I split ink EVERYWHERE. I was so distraught! I got sent home (due to the 3rd spillage, I was COVERED in ink. The laundress I hire is not going to be happy with me. I will have to pay a sufficient fee and probably bribe her) and a runner may visit me with work depending on how the day pans out. So I'm 'walking' home now, well I turned into a horse and am sitting in the park for a small respite. But once I get home I'll hand over my clothes and see if they can be salvaged or if I must purchases new attire.

17. Jobs galore

I've been working away at the jobs per Sniffles suggestion. I think I've got a pretty good handle on what I am doing and I want to try to aim for. I am thinking of either joining The Association of Bankers and Moneylenders OR The Eisen National Association of Barristers. With either I can use the knowledge gained from them to grow my 'base' so to speak. Once I have raised enough capital I can start focusing on my 'power' if that makes sense. I have 3 years but I want to go home. I miss home... And while it was nice seeing my Aunts the few times they decide to travel to visit me it's been nerve wracking. I can't go back home yet, I haven't heard from my Aunts or my mentor Sniffles... And I miss home. Its hard to ache for something you know is within reach yet still so far away. Changing topics, Brutus is doing well. He's getting better at following commands. I don't feel so nervous when taking him to the park. He's not pulling on his leash like he used to. I still haven't fixed his eating habit but in a way I can understand it. That time I was being starved still haunts me. I feel nervous if I don't have food on me. Maybe one day I'll be okay with not having good berry loaded in my daily spells or travel without snacks. I am going through the mental exercises that Sniffles set up for me. (I usually do them when I catch a ride to my job.) I hope one day I am strong enough to be able to freely shift like Sniffles. I'd love to be able to fly to where I need to go and still have wild shapes left! I hope I'll be as powerful as them. Both of my mothers sisters grew powerful enough to fly but didn't get much further. Aunty Leandra told me that everyone grows and learns at different rates and I just need to be patient. She's made more progress over the years I've been away. And from what I heard things are going well, they almost have Mattia Verdant-Tommaso in their grasp. Once he's safe I think we'll all be more relieved. It still concerns me that he has not shown any talent towards magic. Mother's family usually has girls... But I believe we had an uncle 3-4 generations ago that was considered because they had a decent amount of magic... but was passed over because they became an artificer instead of a Druid. If he doesn't show any talent next year or the year after (12-13) then he probably didn't inherit the gift. I remember Mom and Aunt Leandra talking about his birthmark, it was very light. They were concerned that he might not inherit the gift. He'd need to marry a druid who could act as a steward for the land. My uncles are probably nervous about that. The Aunties have pretty good standing with the local druids and whoever is chosen as his 'bride' will have to be approved by the council (the local circles). They're loosing more and more of their grasp and I couldn't be happier. I just wish this was faster! My uncles ventures to try to strip mine the mountain have been disastrously damaging. Since mothers family is no longer assisting and allowing them to run everything into the ground they are finally finding out why the rules that we had followed were there in the first place. The mud slides have damaged so much land but the people were safe at least due to my (mothers) family. The people are about to riot and apparently there's already talks about demanding to see/re-checking the paperwork to return it to my family (if the locals don't out right hang them). Their deeds (mothers family) in keeping the lands have been noted and my uncles are so close to loosing their heads. Which serves them right! They're idiots! I know they don't think much of us since the family is usually headed by a woman but still, this is so dumb! Why disregard good intel due to prejudice? They make no sense. Uh, I'm upset. I'm going to sleep.

16. Fighting over an idol

A fight broke out in the city between the former professor Elharice Olurae, a gnome, and former professor Remy Gaspar, an elf, as they brawled across the city over an idol. During their spectacular attack something akin to wild magic spilled out causing lightening bolts to fall from the sky, turn streets into quick sand, or summoning poison mushrooms whos spoors could greatly harm any that come in contact with it along with other deadly disasters. In our chase after the professors we found a delightful new age shop that sells fish and aquariums! Lady Marzanna Laska, Nel Milensoryu, and myself followed after the professors during their mad brawl, watching them pop in and out of portals as they fought over a small idol causing much environmental damage. We helped random passerby by getting them out of danger as they tried to follow the men. The two professors fight stopped at the steps from the parliament building where during their casting they summoned several Wastriliths who were dealt with by other good Samaritans who were also caught up in the kerfuffle. The Wastriliths, disoriented from being summoned split to attacked multiple groups but were dealt with at the end. While the good Samaritans & our groupo were dealing with the water demons many of the more powerful wizards in the city, noble and middle class alike had made their way to the parliament steps! Celedor and several of the AC and AAA professors corner Olurae and Gaspar and clasp them in chains. Both Gaspar or Olurae looked rather insane by the time they were apprehended. Several people were dispatched out to deal with the chaos that was caused by the two warring professors... I went along with a few of them to point out where I saw some of the wild magic leeking and assisted them with my owl so we could help repair the streets faster.

15. Training exercises

So far training Brutus has been an ordeal. He's food motivated, so is willing to learn, which is nice. But he's... he's slow. Part of me wonders if I should try to awaken him and if that would help but I don't think I should. Sometimes it doesn't help and maybe with his background, he wouldn't want the ability to contemplate the treatment from his previous owner. What is the moral thing to do? Should I train him with the knowledge that this may all come crumbling down after I awaken him and he has to come to terms with his treatment with those that came before me or is it moral to keep him dumb.... Do I even have a right? I don't know... I am only thinking about this due to a dream I had... When I was with the Druid couple... The Circle of Dreams and The Circle of the Shepard. He awaken his dog and it wasn't... the best experience for the dog. Part of him did regret awaking the beast.... And I understand now why my mentor Sniffles said to raise what I choose to awaken. If they are raised with care and love then there's less... less fallout. I wish I had someone I could talk to but I don't know if this is a conversation I should have with Nita or Muse. I can't even cast awaken yet and I might hit a plateau with my studies like when I was little. There are 20 steps to learning and becoming a druid and I'm at step 4 at the moment. When I was a kid... I was at step 1 FOR YEARS before something clicked and I was able to learn what Sniffles was trying to explain. But it was so hard for me to learn that I ended up learning their circle instead of what my Mother and Aunt had originally set at my path. And that's the whole issue... It took me so long to get 'here' to learn... to achieve step 4. My mom and Aunt only made it to 10 and 15 respectively. Whos to say I will gain more knowledge? Sniffles has taken the time to teach me and I am forever thankful that an Arch Druid of her caliber took me under her wing. But still... I … I feel like I'm not enough... I'm not smart enough. I'm not talented enough. My schooling is also behind. I should learn more noble customs. When I eventual take back the seat as the heir apparent and lead the family I will need to have this knowledge. I will need this bit of my education. Sniffles did try to teach me but as she stated, she's been away from civilization for so long that she wasn't entirely sure what rules are still in effect. I have 3 years... But I feel like I'm suffocating. I'm not sure what I should do. On the bright note, the guild I'm signed with has me doing books. Simple book keeping... and I think that's important. I am able to see different accounting types and from working on them I'm learning a little about everything. Enough to be able to write and document the books but nothing regarding the decisions made to require those entries. But that might be okay? I believe Sniffles told me that my most important skill is delegating. I am not going to be able to do everything myself. 'No man is an island.' I will need to learn how to read people better and how to tell what skills they bring to the table, and assign jobs that will fulfil them and are within their skill set... But this daunting. I'm going to sleep. Brutus is full and doesn't want to do more training. And I'm so tired that I don't want to contiue as well.

14. New Pup & Outing

Brutus, the dog I got from Violet Villeneuve is sweet but a handful. He keeps trying to eat everything. He got sick last night and when Nel came by looking for a healer I couldn't go because he had thrown up on all my clothes and the current stuff I was wearing was a disaster. I felt bad that I couldn't help. Bella is okay, I saw her at the temples after I was there to give the offerings. She's in a safe place now and later tonight I will be meeting with her to go see a circus show! I've sent out a few cards via runners to see if anyone else wanted to join us. I hope tonight is fun! I'll write later! (There is a doodle of the gnome trapeze artist family)

13. Temple Visit

A visit to the temple (Place) (Also found under 'Memories') She didn’t like visiting the temples but was here due to obligations. Old memories on the rituals, the movement and words were performed like rote. Rituals that must be completed every full moon as per custom, tradition. Teachings that she was taught by a loving hand that was now a ghost of a memory... Scarlet would follow out of duty and love... Sighing she pulled up her hood, as the rented carriage briskly moving towards the temples. The rain was lightly drizzling and she wanted to stay dry. Appropriate offering were left for the gods: Akmon: gold left in a white pouch made of silk. A prayer for guidance and for the proper order to be restored. Barasios: An gift of empty scrolls and crimson and brass colored wax. She prayed that old contracts sworn to his name would be upheld. Athesne: a ‘wand’ whittled from holy, the wood had been left in the sun to be bleached even more white. The handle was wrapped in leather stained blue, along side a small stack an empty journals with a blue cover and silver relief of her symbol. At Athesne temple she silently prayed for guidance and knowledge for both herself and her maternal family. Elowyn: a bundle of carved candles made in the best beeswax so pale that it was almost completely white, with her design. Wrapped in a swatch of burgandy velvet. She prayed for the safety of her maternal aunt and younger sibling. Alone in their personal battle. Loreali: a donated sets of medical kits, their cases in her colors and covered with her symbols. She prayed for her sibling's safety and for her Aunt to gain custody. Fodla: A small stack of merchant receipts good for a requisition of a sizable donation of food. Scarlet didn't use her money on herself. There were others to think about. And she was aware that she did not need much to survive. To Fodla she prayed that her home might one day be healed. Kallias: A aquamarine bag full of silver was donated. She prayed for her Aunt, for luck to be on her side. The one known as Scarlet rarely pray for herself, she prayed for others, beseeched the gods for their needs except... And last Rhodena: a gift of gold for the temple, not as much as Akmon, to not draw his ire; along side a satchel of dandelion seeds & the teeth of a wolf she killed out of self defense. She prayed for swiftness and strength. She would tear the throats of her uncles out if her Aunt failed the civil route. She would return to the old ways. Vengeance met for the destruction of the old forest. Claw and tooth to rend the flesh for their rending of the great trees leading to a devastating mudslide during the rainy season that took out the lower forests and farmlands. Her uncles greed and machination destroyed the lands of her mothers family. One way or another she would get them back. To Rhodena she silently promised she would continue to learn the Drudic ways and once she was strong enough, she'd 'come back from the dead' and take the fight to them if it wasn't settled in 3 years time as per her promise to her family. It didn't matter if she didn't inherit. It didn't matter if she was thrown in jail for the rest of her life. They had to be removed, for the good of the land (among other reasons). She was of a similar mindset to her Aunt, 'I'll do it if no one else takes the job'. But the way they callously depleted the land, that would not go unpunished and one day, when she was strong enough, she'd finally take the fight to them.

12. Guards in the Trees

We got summoned last minute to help the Rooks find and flush out enemies of the state. That was okay (the job). Kevan got really hurt and wouldn't let me heal him. I ate the enemies rations. Donna got a magic horn that could silently warn others. I turned into a bear. And that was the night. I got paid 100 gold, which was nice. There's a sketch of the campsite.

11. New Dog

I met Violet in the Skybound Inn and she had a dog with her. He's my dog now! His name is Brutus. Apparently his last owner didn't take care of him and Violet doesn't have the space. I'm so happy to have a puppers! (The rest of the page is full of sketches of the dog)

10. Jams and Jellies

Me and Muse made jams and jellies and scones today! It was very productive. We have so many jars! But experience has shown me that I have a sweet tooth and it will only last us 6-8 months. But that's alright! It's nice living here. I don't feel so on edge and I am able to get restful sleep. I even sent Mr Feathery butt-nugget into the pocket space when I slept! It's so weird. IT'S SO WEIRD. I haven't felt this calm since I was last with Master Sniffles. When they were around I knew I was protected and here, in this home, I am safe and warm and dry and fed. It's nice here. I want to stay... I know I will need to eventually leave, as all people do as we grow long in tooth. But right now I am content and happy. And I stopped dreaming about my death! My dreams have been either nonsensical (the endless stacking of paper and boxes) or whimsical instead of nightmarish. I feel a break through coming through. Next month, I'm sure, I'll be able to access the higher spells. It's harder to 'level' without Master Sniffles but they really were a good teacher and in hindsight, I think I'm finally understanding their lessons. I always felt inadequate due to me not having a proper schooling but I'm realizing now the education I have is the knowledge I'll directly need. It makes me wonder how far ahead Sniffles planned.... I am so thankful for them... and wish they'd visit but I know their busy. I don't remember my parents faces anymore... but I remember Sniffles. I hope I make them and my parents proud... Just hold on a little longer Verdant... You're big sister will come for you and free you from their grasp!

09. Got abducted again

This weekend the town went crazy again. So 2 days ago (Sunday) I was in the Skybound Inn eating and was nabbed by some crazy wizards who wanted to duel.... Which I talked my way out of so I could watch. Lady Vera fought in this fight and won a giant carrot! Which was nice! But oh! We were shrunk as well! That was kinda terrible. I think on weekends I'll need to change my spells to be less of my normal support and more offensive in case I get nabbed again. I now understand why my mentor Sniffles stayed out of town. If this is the norm then living in the woods and being a hermit seems like a fair trade. (The rest of the page is full of doodles of the duel)

08. Sirens and a chase in town

The sirens went off in town today. Was scary. I was able to scurry back to the guild hall and did my work inside while waiting for the all clear before I went home. I was here for a while! It's making me wonder if this place is safe to live.... I wanna go camp out in the woods. There a little doodles of woodland scenes on the very top right and bottom of this journal entry.

07. Escort for Bella and the Loot King

I escorted for Bella and the Loot King Thorn. Let me back track, I went to a 'fight' to watch and cheer for Nel, the polar-bear-kin. They got pummeled. Bella was dressed as a boy and I should refer to them as 'Ian'. Anyway Nel got pummeled and almost went in a bad way. Ian rushed to heal them. The Loot King also known at Thorn bought drinks for the house and either ran or was pushed into the wall. Muse was upset due to the commotion and we went outside to check on the nearly dead Nel. Ian had healed Nel and ran off so Me, Muse, and Thorn took Nel back home. We promised Nel that we'd find Bella and that's when I learned that Bella and Ian are the same person! Magic is great. Once we found them we decided to get Bella home? So Muse went home because they stand out too much and I took Thorn and Bella back to the Dyrr estate. Thorn turned into someone else(?), same smell and weight and we were greeted and escorted in. I got a midnight snack of FANCY CAKE! And made friends... and a patron for all my obscene greeting cards! Ahahahahaha I can't wait to tell my mentor that someone actually bought them. And they told me no one in polite society would buy them. I feel so vindicated! Anyway they were having a moment and I was full of cake so I opened a window and turned into a mouse and had my owl pick me up and fly away. It was a good night overall since I got to eat more sugary foods.... On one hand, I miss traveling and seeing new places. I wish we went into towns more when we were out and about but I understood why my mentor avoided civilization and moved me around so much. On the other hand I know I've got to study a lot more animals than most people because Sniffles was adamant about me learning. I hope I'm making them proud. I'm trying my very hardest to not get in trouble and keep a clean nose, and do all the other stuff on that laundry list of theirs. I miss them.... Hopefully when they come back to find/get me I'll have news of my little brother! I hope he's doing well. I am doing this for his sake. Anyway time to turn in. I'm tired!

06. Update: Today's purchase list

1) specially marked bones: worth at least 25 gp (argury) 2) a feather, tuft of fur, and fish tail inside a gilded acorn worth at least 200 gp (summon beast) 3) 10 gp worth of charcoal, incense, and herbs + brass brazier (wouldn't the brazier fall within my lifestyle?) (find familiar) 4) holy water (25 gold a piece) (Protection from Evil and Good) 5) A pearl worth at least 100 gp and an owl feather (can I search for this?) (Identify) Total: 360 gold (There's a red X to the right of the total) (Scribbled hastily underneath it) Total overall 364 gold (bought books, took a few days to locate)

05. The escort job

I escorted a person! It was TERRIBLE! I was paired with: Lady Veronika Orlov, Lady Margarete Jaegar, Erevan, Kevan Ramsey, & Ganak We were tasked with the securement of August Ritter, one of the inventor of the fabulous new transportation machine. While the we made our way to the Rosebriar estate. We past a forest but it was foggy.... AT NOON. WHICH IS WEIRD! Out of the fog popped out 3 very annoying wizards! (Don't worry, they're dead now). Our would be attackers were primed for an ambush but it's not like we didn't know they were gonna hit us because THE FOG WAS AT NOON! Anyway we took them out, well the group did. I didn't do much except keep the horses calm and manually guided them out of the range of the acid arrow raining wizards.... And then guided them into a ball of darkness... And when I guided them out of that, surprise! Assassins'! The group valiantly fought off a set of wizards who seemed to be working in tandem with a set of Drow Assassin kidnappers who were trying to nab poor Mr Ritter.. Due to the group efforts (and one or two heal spells from me =\ . They weren't great, but I kept Peg (Lady Margarete Jaegar) from dying so there's that). They were able to take down the support wizards, & chased away the would be kidnappers. We kept Mr. Ritter safe and secure & were able to successfully deliver him to his new work location. I found out that the others were also equally jumped as well which is troubling. All of us came back alive, so that's good... but still if all of us were hit at the same time... It means it was well organized. Anyway I'm gonna take a job to take care of some type of issue by the The Old Fisher's Club. Hopefully it will be easy and I won't die! Wish me luck!

04. Patron's tea and dance

I FOUND THE BEST PLACE TO SETUP MY MANUSCRIPTS! The window faces the east and has a pretty view of the sky. When the light filters in it makes the gold DANCE. It's so pretty! Anyway only 1 person came... which upon reflection is totally my fault for setting it so far back in the building but she was interested in my illuminations! Although she said she'd have to think about it I might have a lead for a patron! I also brought a deck of greeting cards, many had the same type of general script/drawings from the manuscripts and pretty writing. A tiny walking brochure of what I can do. She took one of them as well! So even if she doesn't use my services maybe one of her friends will see the card and think of me/might hire me. Anyway I am pleased with my progress. Too much attention would be bad, a small amount should be fine. Our house is full of painters and sculptors, while we can write no one actually has taken professional scribal work. So I shouldn't stand out! I wish I could paint... I should learn. I can do basic water colors.... I'd like to make paintings like mom or sculpt fancy mugs like dad did... Even Aunt's husband painted, his paintings were very pretty. Aunty can't draw or paint, but she plays the flute well... I miss home... But if I pour myself into work I won't miss them so much! I think I should spend some time in the library to read manuscripts and get a feel for the writing styles here. We (me and my mentor) traveled through here briefly when I was a child... It was a very nomadic way of life. Settling down is very... odd. I'm antsy and feel like I should be on the go. I also haven't shifted as much as I normally do. When I have the time I shall visit the library and research the local animals. My mentor really only had me study the ones that would allow me the best fighting chance, the best at sneaking or going about unnoticed or quickest escape. They did tell me to study whatever I could whenever I could so was always looking at birds and beasts. I got really good at doodling them to help me retain their memory, shape, and movement. I hope I can watch more animals when I'm about.

03. It's a Lion not a 'Cat'

I took a job from a Mr. Johannes Schwartz . He is trying to breed spider cats into pets... Which seems like a bad idea. Spiders, well certain spiders, are OK because if you leave them in a box and give them food they'll stay put. Cats like sitting in boxes but they do not stay in boxes. And they knock over stuff. My old cat Mr Flufferbutt spilled an entire bottle of ink on Mama's dress and I got blamed! Can you image a spider-cat!?!?!? It would either steal my stuff, be able to knock whatever I tried to hide from them on the top shelf, AND could scurry away from me when bath time? No thank you. Anyway Johannes referred us to the sewers because his acquaintance Mr. Fig disappeared, most likely by the spider cats. Anyway we got down to the sewers, it was stinky and we didn't find a swarm of cute spider cats. We found a giant spider lion, and then his mate came behind us and tried to eat Peg. I managed to heal them but that was a tough fight! We found a clutch of eggs and broke them but there is possibly a lab down there? Peg and Mr Mirth was pretty hurt. And Peg somehow found the dead body by screaming, running down the dark tunnel, IN THE DARK and found bones! That's weird, right? It feels weird. Anyway there was lots of crying between Peg and Miss Violet, and everyone was having a bad time, and so was I because I can't fight that well, and apparently haven't learned anything my mentor said because the support/back line got nom-ed on by a FREAKING SPIDER LION THAT I DIDN'T SEE. Why? WHY?! Uh... I wish they didn't leave me here by myself. I know they tried training me and took me all over the world to study animals and taught me about stars and attempted to explain the political intrigue going on at home and why I need to stay away and not help my idiotic brother escape so he won't also be killed by our uncles. I realize I was lucky when my mentor found my burnt corpse and reincarnated me a new body... but I was found last minute and I realize that's very lucky and I might not have been able to come back... and he might not have my luck. Back to the job, I think I found Mr. Fig and returned him to Herr Schwartz. He is gonna bring him to the Church of Nicodemus. We got paid but didn't find the lab or nest where the spidercats were breeding. I hope there's no more down there. Those big cats were really hard to fight! Anyway my team mates are the best and I fell really back I couldn't do more. I hope I become a strong druid one day so I can just EAT my enemies. (the rest of the page are filled with doodles of a spider-lion-cupcakes and a cartoon squirrel eating them.

02. Fist Fight at a fancy Ball

I went to Rosebrier Hall to attend a fancy ball. The students got into a fist fight! This was even better than watching the crows gang up on those bastardous blue jays! Muse didn't look happy but they had a lot of friends that gave support. I went to go find the bathroom and got lost when I had to take a wrong turn during the school rivalry fights. I DID eventually find the bathroom, and spilled some water on my new tabard but that's okay. When I came back I couldn't find anyone and went home. The kids stopped fighting as well, so all's well that ends well. I found a vendor selling spicy nuts! They were tasty. All and all an entertaining night. On the rest/empty spaces of the page are doodles of the different scenes she saw (the fight, the kids creating star displays, etc).

01. Settling in

Dear Journal, I've settled in quiet nicely and have picked up steady work with The Gilded Library of Scribes, Historians, Archivists, and Clerks. I mostly illuminate manuscripts but every now and again I'm on spell check duty... Which is boring. I spend most of my time writing out the words on a large (they call it small but they are MUCH bigger than me) chalk board and go over the words to make sure whoever is copying it won't have to look up the spelling. Sometimes they have me block out parts of the page. I hope to gain a patronage soon! Gold leaf is expensive and I would like to work on my craft before returning home... Well at the rate I'm going with my studies I'm not sure when I CAN return home... Aunty said that I could return home once the timelessness of the stars sink into my bones. I think she just means when I can freely wild shape but I'm not too sure. I hope my mentor is okay.... they told me that they needed to rush back to help her. I hope my aunt is safe and she was able to keep the villagers safe as well. She was disappointed that she could not train me in our family's Druidic ways but was happy that I picked it up all the same. Variety is the spice of life? I have made acquaints and have met another Druid! I asked them if they knew of a Druid Circle I could be a part of but they told me no... Probably because I haven't proven I'm a druid yet...or there are no Circle of the Stars here. But that's okay! Once they see me shift forms I'm sure someone will reach out to me to introduce me to the local circle. (the rest of the page is filled with small doodles)