Sometimes the nightly equatorial rains that washed away the worst of the city’s intolerable heat and filth didn’t come, or were only a sickly drizzle that just increased the humidity. On these nights Sasserine stewed in its own juices, and the city’s inhabitants suffered under the oppressive heat while moisture seemed to trickle down the walls of their bedrooms. On these nights Benilla was scared to sleep, and tonight the dark boiling clouds that would signal a strong downpour several hours later were nowhere to be seen.

The heat always made her nightmares worse, more real and more vivid. The dreams differed a little each time, but were usually related to her parents and their death, and her part in that. She also dreamed of her life on the plantation and the terrible conditions her family had lived in, and of her first terrifying days in Sasserine when she had managed to sneak in through the south gate. Worst of all, sometimes she dreamed even deeper, and met terrible things that forced her to unleash her powers whether she wanted to or not. She finished her breathing exercises and lay down on the mattress in her very simple sleeping room, praying to Wee Jas that she would somehow be granted a gentle night’s sleep. But within seconds of her closing her eyes she felt herself being sucked into a dream more real than any she had experienced before.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:54, Thu 04 Dec 2014.

She was back in the small home – not much more than a two room shack really – that had been her family’s back on the plantation. She found herself lying on her small cot in a corner of the single bedroom that she shared with her parents. The sound of arguing comes from the next room.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 2):

Child Benilla first tries to listen, but eventually creeps closer to the opening into the next room, wondering what's going on.

Benilla couldn't hear anything but muffled voices from her bed so she got up and moved to the doorway, being careful to stay out of sight as she peered around the corner. She saw her parents in the middle of a heated discussion - her mother was pacing up and down one side of the small family table while her father sat in a chair on the other.

"I am telling you, she isn't right! In fact she is dangerous! Have you seen the charred wood around her bed? She is going to burn this house to the ground one day," hissed her mother in a hoarse whisper. "We need to take her to one of the temples. They will know how to look after her."

Benilla father was shaking his head strongly. "She is learning already," he answered in a low subdued voice. "Just give her time. We can't just dump her on the steps of some temple, there is no guarantee that they will look after her, anyway, where would we take her? We can't leave the plantation."

"I will take her all the way to Sasserine myself if I have to," spat his wife. "And remember, you seem to think she has your blood in your veins, but I am damn well sure she doesn't have mine! I owe her nothing!"

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:12, Fri 05 Dec 2014.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 4):

benilla sits stunned at the ramifications at what her mother had just exclaimed - if she understood correctly what she meant by "her blood". She just sits there...

Young Benilla/Older Celene listened as her parent's argument intensified. It was hard to watch - she simply hadn't remembered her parents ever fighting like this, but she supposed she must have found the memory so painful that she had suppressed it.

Her parent's argument was silenced by a sudden knock at the door. The surprise of it jarred them into silence. "Who could it be?" asked he mother in the quietest of whispers. "Probably the neighbours," muttered her father, as he rose from his chair and headed towards the door.

"Pay attention Benilla!" said a voice from behind her that made her jump. "This is the most important part!" Celene whirled around and saw an incredibly beautiful woman standing behind her, standing incongruously next her small cot. She woman had an exquisite face that reeked sensual beauty, complemented by dark hair and a red dress of the finest silks. Celene noticed that she wore a skull ring on her left hand.


This message was last edited by the player at 12:38, Sun 07 Dec 2014.

In reply to Mysterous Woman (msg # 7):

Celene frantically (in the blink of an eye) takes in the sight of the mysterious woman, trying to memorize as many details as possible. Particularly, she tries to discern if the skull ring also carries a fire-motive (or the dress).

Would Celene at her present state of training at the temple know if this could be a vision of the Ruby Sorceress - or if it was someone else impersonating her?

If lacking any certain knowledge, she assumes:
"Mistress, your word is my life." Celene turns towards the other room again, before her father reaches the door knob. She breathes steadily, preparing to take in every sight, sound and scent of the scene.

Celene does he best to remember everything she can, although she has only a second. She does note that there is no fire motif anywhere on the lady's dress or ring.



No, she has no way of telling, other than weighing up the content of the dream and seeing if it is in keeping with the Ruby Sorceress' teachings and perhaps asking a more senior member of the church for advice.

The door is kicked down in two stout blows, much to the gasping horror of Benilla's mother. Her father has moved around the table to place himself between the door and his wife, and has picked up the only weapon available, a kitchen knife.

A tall and heavily muscled man stands in the doorway. He physique marking him out as a priest of Kord as much as the holy simple on his chest. The priest took two confident steps into their home, and Celene saw that there were several people behind in similar robes.

"I am here for the girl," barked the man as he rested his hand on the mace linked to his waist. "We know what she is and she is a danger to this village. Hand her over now!"


Holy Symbol of Kord

"She's just a little girl," said Celene's father, the knife in his hand slowly coming up in defence. "She has a gift for magic, nothing more, there is no reason to be afraid of her."

"I am NOT afraid," bellowed the priest. "But she must be checked, for all of our sakes." The strong man glanced towards the doorway where Celene was tucked around the corner and reached out a hand. "Come little one. If you are untainted by chaos you will not be harmed."

Her father seemed surprised that she stood there, but moved to place himself in front of her. "Stay away!" he warned.

"This is it!" said the mysterious lady. "This is where you learn the strength of your powers!"

Celene felt a tingling grow in her hands, and felt pure energy begin to collect in the palm and spread to the tips of her fingers until it began to hurt.

"Protect your parents! Save them!" cried the lady.

In reply to Mysterous Woman (msg # 10):

Benilla the child stands, fists clenched at her sides, and tears welling in her eyes. Fearful, angry and righteous tears. However, angry as she might be, she cannot just attack someone outright, unless they attack her.

"NO! You're the chaos here! You have no right to this! We have done nothing wrong. Step away from my parents, and LEAVE!" Benilla almost screamed.

But her anger doesn't subdue, it just boils hotter and hotter, adding to the surge of energy coursing through her body. This is her HOME and her PARENTS - true or not. One wrong step, and she will snap, defending them with all she has got, however little that may be.

"I'm warning you..." She adds.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:18, Mon 08 Dec 2014.

The priest just bellows in rage and unsheathes his mace. With the weapon in hand he takes a step towards Benilla and raises the weapon as though to swipe her father aside. Benilla’s mother lets a loose a shrill scream as it becomes clear that her husband is going to be hit.

The fiery hot energy in Celene’s hands cannot be contained any more. With a cry of pain, a bolt of radiant white hot flame bursts out of the palms of her hands and jets down to the floor, instantly igniting the floorboards and splashing against her shins. Celene yanked her hands up, palms outwards, and the flame traced a path across the floor of the next room, across her father’s back and then directly into the startled priest of Kord.

Her father cried out and fell to the floor. Celene watched in horror as the fire from her hands continued to arch towards the priest, and he stopped even being able to scream. Then the flame died, leaving her hands feeling like they were holding red hot coals.


Welcome to your first bloodline power:

Flame Lance: Starting at 1st level, you can cause a bolt of flame to erupt from the palms of your hands as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The acidic ray deals 1d6 points of damage +1 for every sorcerer level you possess, and will also tend to ignite flammable material it comes into contact with. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 12):

Awesome - Spectacular - Perfect! Fire is just perfect for her and her story!!

But don't you mean 'scorching ray' or 'flaming ray' instead of 'The acidic ray'?


"Father!" Benilla screamed, bolting towards his prone body, and ignoring the burning body of the cleric. Reaching her father, she tries to smother the flames with what she can find. Looking up, she yells: "Mother - help him!"

Yes, I do mean flaming ray. Opps, I may have given you a hint about which power I stole the stats from! ;)

The priest remained flat on his back on the floor, not moving as Celene tried to help her father. Celene saw that those who had been watching from the door – a group of villages which she strangely didn’t recognize – were watching in stunned horror. “Lock the door! Keep her inside there and let her burn!” cried out a shrill voice from near the front of the crowd. Celene saw a dark haired boy in his teens screaming at the top of his lungs and trying to give commands to the still frozen crowd. Finally the boy grabbed the door to the hut himself and yanked it closed.

“What have you done!” snarled Celene’s mother at her. She ran to the door and tried to pull it open, but it only opened and inch, and it was clear that some sort of wire or chain had been used to tie it from the other side. “No! Please no! Not me too!” Voices from outside yelled incoherently but Celene could hear phrases like “Cleanse the taint” and “Burn the demonspawn”. The voices were surrounding the hut now, someone broke a window by shoving the tip of a sword through it. It looked like escape was going to be difficult.

Celene’s father raised himself on his elbows, his back has been badly burnt by her magic fire but it looked like he would survive. “Benilla. You need to go. You can slip under the floorboards – I can make a gap that big at least. We will try and follow.” The flames were climbing rapidly in the house now and had reached the roof timbers.

The mysterious lady behind Celene spoke up again. “You have been reminded enough and it is time for you to wake now. Tell Magus Eseriel that you want to be sent to ‘Vorsh’. And remember that taking back that which is stolen is not an unlawful act. Go now.”

Celene woke with a start in her bed inside the temple of Wee Jas. Thick smoke choked her, and as she looked around she saw that her bed and most of her furniture was on fire.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:42, Tue 09 Dec 2014.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 16):

Well, as I don't know any of the powers, and can't even remember the titles of the bloodline, it's hardly a problem.

Waking with a start, Celene stumbles out of the bed, finding a jar of water to douse the bed sheets, hopefully stopping the fire in her bed with wet linen.

She is astounded that she apparently has taken no hurt from the flames. If she succeeds in stopping the fire, she tries to remember whether this also was the case at earlier uses of her powers.

She also memorizes as much of the dream as she can, including the face of the dark haired teenager who condemned her parents - perhaps.

Does Celene has any equipment she would carry with her, when going on a mission? If so, she takes whatever she has.

Knowing the urgency in a vision of the Stern Lady, Celene goes before Lady Eseriels chamber as early as she deems appropriate. She knocks gently on the door. "Magus Eseriel?" she whispers
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Tue 09 Dec 2014.

Excellent idea! Now she won't have to explain how she set her bed on fire, she'll just have to explain how she wet her bed. That will be soooo much better!



She doesn't have anything. Not even a sack.