Lords of RPG

Gila’s Story

<Gila was the girl who was with the three boys that Timm killed for his benefactor in the story ‘the inescapable debt’>

Gila spent the evening hunting for a flower that only blooms at dusk. It wasn’t convenient and she would end up scraped and bruised from the climb up the thorny tree to retrieve the flower, but that was an apprentice’s job. She had been studying under Marietta for several years and had learned much.

The morning of the duel between the stranger and Jacob, Gila walked with Jess to the mound. They chatted a bit about the upcoming battle. Jess was undecided but leaning towards Jacob. They got heckled by the boys. Jess shut Andri down harshly. Jess and Gila kept on walking. Gila rolled her eyes at Henri and Louys and then winked, leading them on a bit.

Gila watched the duel from the side, Henri and Louys joined her. She had figured out how to make these two idiots do her bidding and a potion Marietta had taught her to make would do the trick. Andri showed up and Gila suggested going to the lake for a swim, while winking at Henri and Louys. Gila knew the boys would chase her around, try to feel her up, or get her to pleasure one of them…it should have been mostly talk, but she’ll would get one of them that night and he would have been hers forever…she didn’t care if the other two watched. Gila had led them to the lake.

From her perspective, Gila had the boys where she wanted them, even though she thought only one of them would chase her into the water. She didn’t see Andri go down, but she did notice he wasn’t on shore when she turned around. As Henri and Louys caught up to her, Henri yelled out in pain…real pain and then got pulled underwater. A pool of blood formed on the lake’s surface, having risen from below, Henri never resurfaced. Louys started looking around frantically and then frantically swam towards the shore.

Gila slowly swam towards the shore, letting Louys put plenty of distance between them. There was a body on the shore, waves lapping over it. She couldn’t make out who it is, but turned towards the edge of the beach, where it connects with the forest and swam at a much faster pace.

Submitting to her flight response, she moved through the forest edge, circling back to the path to town. Only once did she glance towards the lake and that beach…only to see a humanoid figure, hunched over and leaning forward as if dragging a heavy weight, slowly walking into the lake until it could no longer be seen.

Seek Assistance

Clearly distraught, Gila crashed through the door of Marietta’s large hut. Heaving, gulping at the air trying to recover her breath, she relayed the events at the lake to her mentor. Shock then concern crossed Marietta’s face. Only once had she heard of something like this.

“Something from the deep came for them…” the old hedge witch mumbled as she turned to the chest she never opened, pulling a sealed ceramic jar from its resting place and setting it on the table. She gave Gila a list of ingredients to gather. They would head to the lake in the morning, after the fog lifted. The ritual would take less than an hour, but they should be able to discern what forces were at work…what had happened to the boys. Gila was glad she had something to focus on but couldn’t get the image of the figure walking into the water out of her head. She had led the boys up there…this was her fault.

Ritual at the lake shore

The next morning Gila and Marietta gathered all the materials they would need plus a few for warding and protection and headed towards the lake. Avoiding the normal route, they instead followed a series of deer trails, taking almost two hours to reach the beach on the west side of the lake.

Gila paid close attention as Marietta drew the circle, scattered the herbs and chicken bones, walked around the circle counterclockwise slowly chanting. After half an hour, Marietta removed the lid to the ceramic jar and poured a black oily non-viscous liquid in a pentagram pattern with the points intersecting the circle. The tone of the chant changed as Marietta stepped into the circle and spoke in a language Gila barely understand.

“Show me the cause.” The hedge witch said in the Fey language to no result.

“Show me the cause!” She repeated with more force…still to no avail.

Gila knew how to help and had continued the chant outside of the circle, picking up where Marietta had stopped…she knew that Marietta would push to find out what happened to the boys…Andri was her godson.

“SHOW ME!” Marietta demanded. Her eyes narrowed as though focusing on a target…she had found something.

“SHOW MEEE!!! She screamed.

The scream persisted longer than it should have. Marietta’s head was thrown back as she was granted her wish, her demand. From the deep, Marietta faced the cause of the boys demise…the Fathomless Old One in all its’ horror…the being that had consumed their souls. A being no mortal mind should connect with. Marietta’s scream turned into a gurgle as she collapsed to the ground, shivering, soaking wet, whimpers emanating from her chest and gurgling out her throat.

Gila starred in horror for several minutes before gathering herself together. Grabbing some limbs and branches she fasted together a stretcher to pull a babbling, incontinent Marietta back to town. This was beyond her skills…she had to get Marietta to a temple before it was too late. Oh gods, what would she tell Jessica! What was wrong with her…was she cursed?!

Fine?

Cast

The Boys

1. Andri Auch*
2. Talbot Reinholt
   1. Jessica’s cousin
3. Henri Basset*
4. Louys Tasse*
5. Regnault Auch

Marietta Landsby

• Hedge Witch
• Jacob’s mother

Gila Vinet*

• Apprentice Hedge Witch
• Family owns a small winery in town
• Friend of Jessica Reinholt
• Ambitious schemer

Jacob Landsby

• Marietta’s Son
• Jess Reinholt’s fiance

Jessica Reinholdt

• Assistant at Rene’s Magic Shop
• Jacob Landsby’s Love Interest

*Went to the lake