Do You Want to Burn a Body?

The group turns to the bloody blue fairy. There is a large gash running down her chin and across her shoulder. It looks like a hook has been used to tear her skin open.

A deep thudding run came from the forest and a creature could be seen charging through: lank skin, too long curved nails, and a gaping maw. Belladonna instantly recognized him as a skin stealer. She looses her first arrow and it misses as he is weaving through the trees. The second arrow lands in his arm, but he continues forward unphased. Carindrina charged towards the forest, flipped her axes around, and before she could arrive at the creature, Galia conjured a large pink flail mace to send forward with her. Venus cast firebolt, but with the erratic running of the skinflayer, her flames went wide, some leave smoldering. Midna pulls her healer’s kit out and stabilized Sweet Shimmer.

As the monster breaks through the edge of the trees to the clearing, he reaches for Carindrina, but she rolls out of the way. Furus, now in the line of fire, calls out, “Heeey! Come get my skin!”
The beast lumbers forward and Adalia calls forth hellish chains that spring from the ground and claw at his ragged flesh. Nira cast Bless, covering the whole group.

Carindrina summons the soul ore and wraps it around her hammers, turning around and throwing the axes into his back, she rips the axes out, breaking his rib cage into a blood eagle and he falls forward.

The party erupts into panic and people are fleeing and trying to find a palace to hide. Nira struggled to remember a spell to calm people, then Adalia called her to help heal Sweet Shimmer, who was stable due to Midna’s quick thinking, but was still very damaged. Furus went to help Galia’s family gather people and once Sweet Shimmer was stable, Nira cast Calm Emotions and a gentle darkness fell softly down over the area that calmed people.

Belladonna explains that these don’t typically hunt in packs, and while they are smart, they act on impulse unless someone gives them a direction. She has seen them on Scath Mountain, but someone had to bring this here, they don’t live in this area.

Adalia tells Furus he should come try to be diplomatic with Sweet Shimer.
“Diplomacy? Doesn’t she need medical attention?”
“No, she’s awake.”

He comes over and asks her how this happened, noting that her injury, while not bleeding anymore, will likely leave a scar down the whole left side of her body.
I told Midna that I would watch over Adele and I did. I told her I would bring whatever tried to take her to her and I did, but I couldn’t hold onto him.
You did amazing Shimmer. Nira said.
You did. Did he get her? Adalia asked
NO, my friend has her. I’m sorry I couldn’t do both.
Who is your friend? Furus tried to coax information without sounding panicked
His name is Edgar. Sweet Shimmer’s breathing was ragged again.
You did great. Where is Edgar and the girl?
Adele. Adalia provided
Shimmer! We just learned of Edgar! We don’t know where he is.
He’s a gerbie. He’s in the forest. Midna can help you. With that she closed her eyes and was unconscious.
Carindrina picked up the skinstealer’s decomposing parts and put it in her bag.
The group decided to leave the party and try to find Edgar the gerbie in the forest. They quickly see some Will o the Wisps, which were there when Midna first met Sweet Shimmer. They decided to follow them and after a bit of a walking, a small creature appeared. He looked like a larger gerbil like creature with scales along his back and a blue suspender dress. As they walked into this pink-flowered glade, the group was hit with a wave of calm. Adalia walked over to Belladonna and was very concerned that Belladonna was not reacting to this fey creature.
“Hello. Adele is here and she is safe. She is currently sleeping. I have taken away the memory of the skin stealer because that would be very traumatic for her. When she wakes up, she will remember that she was having a picnic and you are here to take her home.”
Adalia stared at Belladonna. She smiled, “That seems nice of him. Take away the bad memories.”
Adalia quietly whispers, “Pixie sticks?”
Carindrina grips her axes.
There are many Gerbies about with little vests and hats doing their gerbie business.
“Does something seem wring to you?
No?
Galia, look at belladonna.
I like her better this way
Galia!
You don’t want to win her over this way.
Fine. I know, I know. Ok, Edgar you have to drop Charm person.
He agrees, flicking his wrists and dropping the charm on everyone other than Belladonna. If she will hurt one of us, can you restrain her?
Nira ran to Edgar and says I won’t let her hurt you.
He dropped the charm on Belladonna and Adalia patted her shoulder awkwardly. “It’s ok. He was trying to keep her safe.”
Would you want to keep the memory of a skin stealer trying to rip the flesh off of your friend? She knows that she is safe and she knows that people she likes are coming to take her home.
Does she know you took that memory away?
No.
Belladonna, she is safe. She’s a child and we are going to take her home. Adalia let her arm rest on Belladonna’s shoulder.
She will probably think about it as having a bad dream a long time ago taht she doesn’t want to remember. Nira said.
Ok. Let’s get her home.
Adalia hands Scamander a handful of blueberries, “I will give you these blueberries and more if you don’t let her pull out any arrows and kill someone.”
My bow is down. Let’s get this done. Belladonna gritted her teeth but tried to calm her emotions and focus on rescuing Adele.
You know what we call that? We call that growth! Nira clapped her hands and smiled.
We also call that murderous intent. Adalia mumbled
You know what? I respect that too. Both of them. Growth!
I mean he took over our will, that isn’t ok for whatever reason.
Yeah that’s fey baby. Nira
Guys. Adele. The child. Let’s get her and get out.
Edgar leads them to a house. The houses are small and while Galia, Carindrina, and Belladonna could fit but the rest were too big.
Would you like to speak to us about anything before you take her home and would you like to taker her friend home as well?
What friend?
Sweet Shimmer pulled Adele out of the way but the skin stealer tried to attack her friend. I have healed him and taken away his memory as well. No one should have to remember a skin stealer shredding their flesh. We can keep him here.
Do you know who was the intended victim?
No, but whoever it was is still in danger if someone is sending a skin stealer to track them down.
We will take both of them back home.
Adele comes out very excited to see everyone. She talks about how she wished they could have seen the end of the festival.
Adalia asks if she won the contest, squatting down to her height and brushing her hair away.
Adele smiles, “No, but I did make a lot of money!”
Nira laughs, “That’s the spirit, kid!”
Good. Who is your friend?
Adele introduces the blond boy next to her as Elron Kerwyn, the son of the captain of the guards. The group had met his family their second day in town when looking for help with the missing children and again the night they saw Hannah at the tavern.

Carindrina pulled Edgar to the side for a moment, “Do you have a fire pit where i could destroy a body real quick?”
Nira overhearing, laughs, “You guys act like I’m the creepy one!”
“What body?” His large black eyes eyed her suspiciously.
“It didn’t seem appropriate to leave the remains of the skin stealer at the party.” She pulled the shoulder of the skin stealer out of the top of her bag, hiding the view from everyone else.
He nods, “ I can help you dispose of it, yes.” he leads her away from the group and they clear a small area to burn the body. Adalia goes over to check the flesh against the book they had found, but they don’t appear to be the same. Carindrina is unimpressed, skin looks like skin, everyone dies the same way, screaming and covered in shit. This looks like it had been cut with a knife carefully, and not the jagged claw of the monster. The more she looks at the book, the more uncomfortable she becomes, she realizes that this may be related to the mass of squirming flesh and well of souls they found under Stoneblood Manor. Adalia hands the book to Nira and asks her to hold onto it.
Nira returns to make sure they distract the children from what is happening. They try to decide whether they will tell the parents what happened. Galia suggests that telling Elron’s dad may be useful because he is captain of the guard and his mom is also on the guard. Then they could be on alert to watch the town more closely.
When Edgar, Carindrina, and Adalia come back, Nira lets him know that he can call on them anytime, they will take care of Sweet Shimmer and the children. He nods and curtsies, “Any friend of Sweet Shimmer is a friend of mine.” He hands Midna and Nira little business cards that say Edgar in flowing script and has a small paw print.

They started heading back to Balvonier. Carindrina paused to pick up a few leaves and put them carefully in her bag. The group discusses using the map, and Midna wonders where it would take them if they put the skin stealer skin on the map. They decided to walk. After discussing where to go first, they narrowed it down to the tavern or the guard’s station. They decided to go to the guard station first. Halting the procession, Adalia asks the kids to hold their hands out, realizing they didn’t check them for rings. Adele does have a ring, but it is a small ring braided out of dandelions. She asks Adele to give her the ring for a second so she can look at it, promising she will give it right back. She casts detect magic and notices nothing on the ring, but a strong magic aura coming from Elron that appears to be traces of the healing magic used to heal his shoulder. Handing it back to her, Adele asks if she can please not tell her mom. Elron made it for her and they were on a date. Nira laughs and Elron blushes and is awkwardly silent as all the girls stare at him. Furus gives him a smile, and they keep going, Adele and Elron holding hands.

They knock on the door to the guard’s barracks and Adele shoves Elron forward. A tall blonde human woman opens the door, his mother, Melinda.
“What did they catch you doing?” She cocks an eyebrow.
“There was an unfortunate incident and we located your son and wanted to give him a safe escort back and keep him safe from danger.” Carindrina said.
Melinda did not buy it, grabbing him by his ear, “mm hmm. I know you were doing something. Were you bothering the horses again? How many times do I have to tell you that you can’t push them over because you think it is funny when they faint?”
Adele tries to stifle a laugh, “ No, ma’am, your son was almost one of the ones that was taken.”
Melinda pulls back and beings inspecting him, “From what?”
“He was almost kidnapped.”
She pulls him into her arms, “I’m so glad you are ok.” Seeing Adele,she pulls her over, “You too? What are you doing here? Upstairs, both of you.”
Adalia suggests they should send someone to get Adele’s mom and Melinda sends a guard. She takes a minute to stare at each of them. Nodding at Carindrina, “I recognize you, my husband mentioned you were in the army.” and turning to Furus, “I have pulled you out of too many situations with the Pebi brothers, I know you. But I don’t know the rest of you, who are you?”
Adalia says she is Furus and Galia’s friend from abroad. Furus awkwardly introduces the rest, we’ve been saving all the kids, basically, questing...doing stuff.
“Ok. tell me how you found my son and what sort of trouble they are in.”
Adalia says that Midna set up a deal with Sweet Shimmer, a sleep fairy to watch over the Adele, and when a creature attacked Adele (and Elron) she saved them. Melinda takes this very stoically but says that they should have Talia sit down because she can be a bit of a “high elf, no offense”, nodding to Midna. Talia comes bursting through the door in hysterics, “Where is my baby? Is she ok? Is she in jail? Tell me you didn’t put my baby in jail Melinda!”
Melinda rolls her eyes, “talia, no. I didn’t put her in jail, she is fine. But we do need to tighten up security in the area, so get it together. Listen to this team.”
They give the story again and she asks what they should do.
“Let’s be very careful and keep the kids in the town.”
“I can talk to my sister and we can keep all the kids locked in the Bloody Baron.”
“No, the kids will try to break out. I’m pretty sure there is a way to break out.”
Belladonna, surprising the group, suggests taking the kids to the Jade Palace. Talia agrees and rushes out to prepare.
Adalia offers to let Melinda and her husband come as well.
Melinda refuses, “I need to stay here to protect the city. As much as Talia doesn’t have battle training, she would do anything to protect our kids.”
They gather the kids and take them to the Jade Tree Palace, as they don’t remember the attack, they whisper about how the adults are overreacting. As they walk, Jade Tree Palace appears normal, but the edges of the forest seem strange. After dropping off the kids, they return to Iron Key House, exhausted. Carindrina said she wanted to stop to talk to the brownie, and the group tries to quickly talk over her and make up that they are going to bake brownies to fool Belladonna. She is so tired she doesn’t notice.