westwhere | the tithe

the tithe

The Arc III finale stretches until 2 June — and it’s erupt to no good.

THE TITHE

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THIS HOUSE IS YOUR HOUSE

The Ke-Waicai believers prepare for human sacrifice rites to prevent the eruption of the Ke-Sanwon volcano. They will lead tributes to the volcanic crater, which is lidded by the grounds of a decrepit haunted temple — known as the House of Ravens.

At the heart of the temple is a trodden dais that comprises four slowly receding plates. Numerous temple columns and deteriorating walls offer overnight hiding places, but beware the flinching statues and irritable large ravens. Meat, blood or shiny offerings can distract the birds.

■ Use the three previously gained keys to infiltrate the House of Ravens at night through forest pathways revealed by the Huntress.

■ Entrants to the House of Ravens are fully or partially depowered. Their ancestral curse is immediately lifted. Their strength is pulled into the Ke-Sanwon crater, which brims with raw magical power.

■ Hide on temple grounds until dawns, when the dais plates fully open to reveal a 10-metre entryway into the volcanic crater.

■ Overnight, characters are relentlessly tempted by mirages that only they witness: the eerie voice of a loved one might coax them to commit their greatest sin, or they could repeatedly relive memories that led them to such follies.

■ Characters guilty of drunkenness and gluttony feel deathly parched, starved and drawn to a lavish spread that is constantly far out — and ends up comprising raw corn and stale water, when they finally reach it. The lustful find their companions irresistible, or trail after a delectable beauty, who dissolves when touched. The wrathful mull violence, while the envious suspect their companions possess what they most desire. The proud are contemptuously incited to prove their superiority or independence, while the slothful give in to callous indifference towards their peers.

■ The stone statues that decorate the House of Ravens retaliate once visitors succumb to their sins: smaller sculptures throw stones or throttle nearby sinners, but only move when you do not look into their eyes. Larger 4m-tall statues exit the walls and give (slow) chase, retreating after 10-15 minutes. The statues stop attacking at dawns.

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LET THERE BE BLOOD

CONTENT WARNING: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF NPC PAIN, TRANSFORMATION

By dawns, the believers of Ke-Waicai have rallied their tributes — each crowned with wreaths of branches and crops — before the open dais. Roughly two hundred villagers attend the rites, along with eight powerful priests who use elemental magic.

■ A first sacrifice walks a long narrow plank that starts from the dais and goes a few metres into the mouth of the volcano. The plank shivers under from heat, but withstands weight.

■ During 15 minutes of exposure, the volcanic magic enshrouds the sacrifice, who painfully transforms into one of the animalistic tar creatures housed in the labyrinths of Ke-Sanwon.

■ Magically sensitive characters can feel this tribute now hosts volcanic magic, and that Ke-Sanwon’s power has slightly diminished.

■ The rites are interrupted by the significantly weaker, but wrathful Beastmaster, whose xenomorphic creatures attack the temple and seek his missing son

■ Characters should free the remaining tributes during the skirmish. They can be as nerfed as you need (if at all) during the rest of their stay in the House of Ravens.

■ The dais must stay open to access the volcano. You can take control of it and of the House by defeating the magically endowed priests, (literally) shouldering the head priest’s ancient white raven and holding its leash.

■ Pass the raven around and defend the bird’s current holder! Whoever carries the raven is often targeted by the village mob and the Beastmaster’s creatures.

■ The clashes last a few hours, until the Beastmaster and villagers exhaust their forces.

■ Diego Hargreeves, Xie Lian, Wrathion, Daenerys and Jon Snow apprehend the Beastmaster, slaying him, when he refuses to relinquish the Brotherhood. Decide who lands the killing blow. His last words: ”You’ve… seen this place. My animals… our dead… have more compassion than these living.”

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FIRE AND BRIMSTONE?

The volume of magical energy and tormented spirits inside the volcano weighs heavily on the fracturing dark water mirror that has prevented Ke-Sanwon’s eruption so far. It’s going to blow, unless you:

■ Throw more dark water in to fix the mirror fissure. You can get dark water from volcanic cracks, dried wells and creepy crop fields.

■ Use ice / cold magic and ol’ science to cool down the volcano and help the mirror heal. Or lend Moiraine and Magnus a hand as they work with cold magic, and protect them while they cast.

■ Help Wrath and Wei Wuxian exorcise the volcano’s ancient spirits. Many have lost consciousness, reduced to memory fragments and feelings of wrath, pain and resent.

■ Guide villagers to bring sea water. Anduin (on top of the dragon Wrathion) and the harpy Eda are flying in supplies. Viktor is coaxing shipments from his werewolf friends of Ke-Waiar. Large phoenixes are also up for grabs for deliveries. Ensure couriers can safely arrive and quickly discharge their water.

■ Several characters are set to each absorb some of the magical power contained within the volcano, developing aftereffects. They must walk the wobbly plank and stay exposed to the volcano magic for under 15 minutes to avoid transformation: the longer they linger, the more power they take in, feeling as if they are burning from within. Exit quickly and rest copiously after. Those who spend over 10 minutes exposed suffer intense fevers and require immediate medical assistance to cool down.

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WILL SOMEONE THINK OF THE CIVILIANS?

Beyond the House of Ravens, assist villagers who want to safeguard their possessions or evacuate by sea.

■ The gradual spread of Ke-Sanwon’s magic infects some villagers with temporary animal traits. These effects dissipate within three-four hours.

■ Characters who remain in the villages may feel more irritable and resentful, overcome by the feelings of the volcanic spirits.

■ Coordinate water and supply deliveries with those at the House of Ravens.

■ The Hok-Shinn are divided in their response: some resort to daylight robbery to secure the funds for their own safe departure; citing security, the men of Sairen unsympathetically rally commoners into designated parts of the village, often splitting apart families that then need help finding relatives; alone, Weisi’s followers keep the peace, but are frequently overwhelmed by waves of panicked villagers, thugs and animal hybrids.

■ The magical spillage overwhelms the forest fox spirits, leaving some enraged and prone to attack. Others assume the shape of beautiful wo/men and ask escort into Ke-Waihu for shelter, without disclosing their fox natures. These ethereal strangers betray their origins with cold smiles, glimpses of fleetingly sharp teeth, a fondness for chicken, and… is that an extra set of ears? No harm befalls those who bring a fox into the village, though s/he may insist on now being your lawful spouse.

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THE AFTERMATH

With the clashes and Ke-Sanwon subdued, the villagers of Ke-Waicai request back their temple keys and white raven. They lead the party to the beacon of the House of Ravens — the beautifully carved and now-closed dais above the volcano.

■ Party companion Hatisse confirms the beacon can be revived within days.

■ She warns that an eruption was prevented by depleting the volcanic magic now, but that the threat could recur within five to 10 years.

■ All character curses (ancestral or individual) are lifted, and powers return completely.

■ Spend some downtime in the villages. Ke-Waicai offers the most luxurious, but frosty accommodations, while the werewolves of Ke-Waiar are tired, but thrilled hosts. Those who suffer from lycanthropy are now experiencing fewer and fewer ‘nocturnal episodes.’

■ In Ke-Waihu, villagers have now calmed and are grateful for help with reaping the fresh harvest and watering their crops, as well flows revive. Every other night, Hok-Shinn Weisi organises a bonfire with village musicians, hearty dances, fresh bread and ale. Villagers seek to marry off their… alluring spawn to their saviours.

■ Within days, Hatisse summons the party to the activated beacon: a pool of white energy, in which one must slowly descend. Characters who were dropped or AC swept in May enter the beacon first and are presumed returned to their home worlds. Characters set for a canon update follow in — but are spat back by the portal and return within minutes.

■ Inevitably, the remaining volatile magic of the volcano disrupts the beacon and ruins the dais. Happily for you, the Merchant will soon get in touch with your next ticket east.

QUESTIONS

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Being inside the volcano had stripped her of magic that she thought up to that point she needed to stay alive, so in the aftermath of that incident inside the volcano, she couldn't wait until the moment she could return to Ke-Waihu to rest.

Of all places to yearn for. Of all places to miss.

She is proven just how missable the village is when she walks upon a familiar scene, a beautiful person making eyes at an other-worlder and claiming their rescuing them means surely they must be wed. She notices the familiar, eerie way the would-be-spouse doesn't look entirely human and sighs. Not again.

She rushes forward, grabbing onto Xie Yun's arm, interrupting the fox spirit mid-sentence.

"Sorry, sorry, my brother's taken too. Okay, goodbye," she rushes to say, and pulls Xie Yun to the side very quickly because, "Trust me, you don't want that arrangement."

Being inside the volcano had done a number on the young emperor, as well. Whatever had happened in there had decided that it would, for a time, be at war with his internal energy. It wasn't something that he particularly cared for. The only saving grace in the whole thing is that he no longer had poison coursing through his veins and making things more unbearable. Hot and cold did not mix. If he'd still been poisoned then he'd be of no use to anyone.

The woman that rushes over and grabs his arm is one he's vaguely familiar with. If only due to the fact that they live in the same house. Though, she did not have to worry about him giving into any type of fox spirit or anyone for that matter.

Once they're far enough away he can't help but give her a bright smile," Seeing as I'm already a taken man, no. I wouldn't want that arrangement. The last thing I need is to be wed again when I'm already married."

If Zhou Fei ever did show up in this place then he's sure that his wife would actively shove her sword through him especially if he were to end up accidentally wed to anyone.

Apparently it's a truth universally unacknowledged that a man with That Face will already be married. She would tell the fox spirit that much, but it's already moved on to greener pastures.

"I didn't know you were," she says simply, because it's true. "Wait, is that true? Because I've made up a fake betrothal to avoid getting mauled by one of them a few months back."

He didn't expect her to know that he was married. Unless someone were to ask then they wouldn't know. Zhou Fei, after all, was not there. She couldn't set people to rights about him like she'd probably want to do. One can never truly know something if they don't ask.

"It's true. A-Fei just isn't here right now," He states, smile never leaving his lips. Out of the two of them? She was the one with the sword and could kick ass. Not that he couldn't but he didn't use a sword like her.

"I am a taken man. No spirit or anyone else can have me."

It's quite nice, really. It's a little bit of sunshine in the rain, to hear someone speak of their spouse and be this steadfast about keeping faithful to them. She can tell that Xie Yun really cares for said wife, because of the way he smiles. (Which, again, that face can smile?)

"Then all the better reason to chase the foxes away," she quips, and finds herself also smiling. "Ah, sorry I called you my brother, I hope it didn't cause offense. When we were recently arrived, the cover story we got was that if we were to live together, we were family, so I've gained a lot of pretend brothers."

Zhou Fei was someone that Xie Yun would tell stories about. There are stories in the works about his soulmate. She's the one person that he will always care about and someone that he would raze the world for, if it came to that. Just as she'd do anything for him. Something that she's proven time and again.

"The foxes have no chance," he tells her with a bit of a laugh. "Don't be sorry, I've never had a sister. I do have a brother back home, but no sister. Not unless you wanted to count A-Fei's cousin. So, now? You have a brother for all of your family needs." He didn't mind that. Just as he didn't mind suddenly having a sister.

He makes it sound quite simple and easy. You pretend we're family? We're family. It's in stark contrast from Five, who she had to bully into allowing her to help him at all. It's strange, or rather it has been strange to be here, with people from other worlds, and to build friendships from scratch. These people do not know that once upon a time, Hermione had accidentally turned herself into part-human-part-cat. They don't know that she is quick to hold grudges and bend rules if it suits her.

They definitely don't know about the fact that, to protect them from the Dark Lord, she made her parents forget her very existence and sent them away to another continent while she waged a war at Harry's side.

Family means a lot of things to Hermione Granger, but the strongest meaning is something worth protecting at any cost.

"I'm very honoured," she manages to say, with a little smile of her own. "I'm an only child, actually, so I might not be the best suited towards being a sibling." And her only real example of a family full of siblings was the Weasleys, which are...a lot. "So please feel free to guide."

Wouldn't want to make any cultural blunder.

There is a lot, in his life, that he's had to pretend to do. He doesn't doubt that there are many more things he'll need to do in life either. Some that he will be ready for and others that he won't. The girl before him hasn't poisoned him or given him a reason to question why or how she does things. Until the day that Hermione turns on him? She will have a brother in him.

"I have my sworn brother, Chen Zichen." Otherwise? He had grown up an only child. Just, well, an only child that was raised by immortal Taoist monks in Penglai. Not that anyone needed to know that part. So, he had a family in those men. The ones that raised him and then he had the vast world around him.

He gives her a warm smile," I will guide you as much as you need, but I believe that you'll do just fine." Though, they should both probably start with proper names. Especially when living in the same house.

A sworn brother - would that be like sworn brothers in arms? Because if that were the case, then Hermione has her handful. She might even call them her own older brothers, if pressed, but it's been eight months since she last saw Harry or Ron. She's changed, in many ways, even if her devotion and love for her friends hasn't.

"So, are you partaking from the festivities? Shall we try to find something to eat?"

Godbrother. Sworn brother. Chen Zichen was considered both to him. His brother was not one that fought, not unless prompted. As a prince, however, they both knew how to fight. Even if he, himself, didn't pick up a sword nor would he ever do so. That didn't mean he wouldn't make them if the need arose.

"I hadn't decided," He tells her. Though, he does give her a soft smile," Let's go see what we can find to eat. Also, it might help a little in the end. I'm Xie Yun." Not to be mistaken for a certain someone else who doesn't smile as much as he does.

"I know - I figured you weren't...anyone else." It's the smiling.

"I'm Hermione - you can call me Hermione." She will absolutely teach him how to pronounce it if he asks.

Despite having some similarities to Lan Wangji, the smile seemed to be something that was the biggest difference. That and the sword, more than likely. He, himself, didn't carry a weapon on himself. That? It was due to being a weapon himself. His internal energy worked wonders with his martial arts.

"How do you pronounce that? The last thing I need to do is butcher my little sister's name."

She is at the ready! "Her - my - oh - knee," she says slowly, but because she has evolved since the Yule Ball and understands that there are not just cultural differences at work here, but also linguistic and phonetic ones, she concedes with a little handwave: "Any approximation is fine, really. As long as you don't call me something odd like Hernia."

That? Xie Yun isn't sure if he'll actively remember or not. So, he merely gives her a smile," Meimei then." That isn't, however, to say that he won't try when it comes to her name, no matter how strange it might sound coming from him. Unless she had a specific nickname he would rather use. Otherwise? He's bound to stick with calling her little sister most of the time.

A pause as she considers that. "That's...a new one." Nobody's heard her name and landed on "Meimei" before, but it sounds almost sweet. "Does it mean something?"

Let her fumble with her talisman, which translates most languages in this place into English for her anyway. It's not picking this one up as a noun.

It wasn't quite that he'd landed on 'Meimei', as it were. The word was easier for him to use and it's what he'd taken her as. Then again, the word itself was bound to keep him from butchering her name. So, unless she gave him some kind of nickname to call her he'd stick with what he'd called her.

"Little sister," He tells her. If there was an object, animal, or being that she associated herself with then he'd use that in his native tongue instead.

Her expression softens instantly, and a little aww slips, before she smiles. "I like that."

He gives her a smile, especially at the reaction," Then that's what we'll go with."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

the tithe

aftermath

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oh my god you made me tear up how dare

I'd apologize but then I'd have to mean it.

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I'm making up comms devices having google translate problems

LMFAO Always fun

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