236 lines
No EOL
16 KiB
Text
236 lines
No EOL
16 KiB
Text
This gate is a golden ring with a gray magic wall, looking like a slowly moving fog cloud
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In the graveyard:
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https://youtu.be/fX07qD_782Y?si=DipdsPgRYBKiCadk
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In the cathedral:
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https://youtu.be/6H2JbT4BRDU?si=lvecRpHQf5X5fU8H
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## Upon exiting the GRAY gate,
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you feel a strange chill run up all your spines. Not from it being cold, but moreso because you are surrounded by several rows of tombstones surrounding a single pathway extending into a thick gray mist.
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Welcome to the **Graveyard** Demense!
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*BEHIND YOU*
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The gate itself is attached to a surprisingly large and very old stone mausoleum.
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*TO THE LEFT & RIGHT*
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As far as the eye can see is just rows upon rows of graves on both sides. The ones closest to the path itself look brand new, and their dates reflect as such.
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*BEFORE YOU*
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The stony embedded path leads forward several yards, and looks reasonably well maintained. But you can only see about ten yards/meters away, as everything beyond that point in all directions is obscured by a dense gray fog or mist.
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(WILL ROLL)
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(Lowest roller) suddenly experiences the weirdest sensation, a physical repulsion at the thought of going any farther, and actively wants to leave.
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*IF THEY CONTINUE*
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Although you can only see a short distance ahead of you, the pathway ahead seems almost unending.
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(NOTICE roll)
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(Barring the one that lost the WILL roll)
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- You realize you have yet to see or hear another sign of life, not even a bird
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- You realize that on the right side of the road, all the frontmost headstones have fresh flowers
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- You hear soft footsteps approaching from the mist, followed by soft creaking and clacking
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You ALL spot a body in the distance, obscured by the mist. That creaking and clacking noise is getting louder, as are the footsteps.
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*AFTER THEY DECIDE THEIR ACTION*
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The obscured figure steps through the mist, a gray wolf man with messy silver hair and a black dress shirt with rolled up sleeves. His eyes are focused on the ground, and he doesn't appear to notice you.
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*IF THEY SAY ANYTHING OR APPROACH FURTHER*
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The wolf man will put the cart down and look to your group, his eyes a dull emerald green and his gray nametag stating THANATOS. He will speak with a soft Tamil accent, "Oh... Abologies, I was focusing on my work. How can I helb you?"
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*AS THEY TALK*
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He steps to the back side of his cart, grabbing an armload of fresh flowers. He walks to the graves closest to the left side of the path, kneeling to the closest one, and placing some flowers into a small holder beside it. He then places a hand on the headstone and utters the phrase "shantim gacchhe"
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-----
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*ACADEMICS Roll*
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- You recognize the words as Sanskrit, the oldest spoken language on record
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- The best translation you can generate is "Rest In Peace"
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(Tamil sounds similar to middle eastern)
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(Replace T with D, P with B, roll the R, soft A)
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-----
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*ASK ABOUT DM/REGALIA*
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He stands up and heads toward the next headstone in line. "Abologies, I know id is rude of me, bud I have much work do do before dhe ceremony and liddle dime lefd. Would you be willing do waid inside?"
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He points down the pathway, and the fog is ebbing just enough for the general outline of a large building to be seen in the distance.
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-----
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You eventually come to a large cathedral with a massive pair of wide open doors, a sign beside them stating the next FUNERAL SERVICES and what time each one starts. There is also a building on either side, not as fancy as the cathedral in the middle, but built similarly.
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-----
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- LEFT BUILDING
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- CATHEDRAL
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- RIGHT BUILDING
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-----
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*LEFT BUILDING*
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It's a storage facility filled with instruments. A piano, violin, harp, flute, ceremonial drums, and the tools to repair them all. You also spot a box with dozens of magic rings in a gray hue
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*RIGHT BUILDING*
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It's a warehouse with several sets of nice dress clothes in multiple sizes, as well as "pine boxes" in identical sizes, plus shovels, large slabs of stone, chisels, choir gowns, a wooden podium, and a surprisingly large hair and makeup kit.
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*OPEN CATHEDRAL*
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You enter a small entryway room, holding a guest book on a podium to the right, and leading into the next room.
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It immediately connects to the main congregation hall, with rows of pews sparsely occupied by people in black suits & dresses. The elevated stage in the back is holding a podium, an open casket, and a portrait of the deceased.
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(CONTACTS ROLL) It's a photo of Warton, the elderly bulldog man that ran the bookstore.
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There are dozens of people in the seats ahead of you, chattering, crying, and even laughing as they support each other. A few people are walking up to the casket every so often to say their goodbyes.
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*GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO AS WELL*
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A younger bulldog man with trim brown hair in a black suit steps forth to the podium, and he is VERY nervous. "Hello, uh.. My name is Peyton, and I'm Warton's son. I want to thank you all for coming out to say your goodbyes and... I'm... I'm sorry, I'm gonna need a moment."
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You see the wolf man Thanatos step in from behind the stage seemingly out of nowhere, sitting down at a nearby piano, and plays a somber yet beautiful melody. This seems to put Peyton a little more at ease, and he tries speaking again.
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"My father was a unique kind of guy. Always happy, well read, smartest man I ever met. He was always on the lookout for some new story or book he'd never heard of, loved meeting new people, and all he ever wanted was for others to love stories as much as he did."
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"When I was a kid, his favorite thing to do was to bring me to the bookstore and have me sit in on his storytime hours, and that-that magic in his eye was so powerful when he saw how happy it made the kids, especially me..." Several teenagers and younger adults stand up and declare he did the same for them.
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"He always made sure I came with any time he went to the Library for new books, and every time he found a new kid's book, he read it to me THAT night, and I always felt like I never really told him how much it meant to me that he did..." He pauses again, fighting back tears.
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"It's actually thanks to HIM that I did as well in school as I did. He had this weird way of reading back information that made it way easier to understand, and I know I'm not the only one he did that for." About a dozen people applaud quietly in the audience.
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"You know, um... back when I was a student at Diadem University, they had a class where they went over each known religion's interpretation of the afterlife. They were all different, but the trend showed if you were a decent person, then when you died, you went somewhere amazing or maybe got a better life the next time around."
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"I say that to say, this man was quite possibly the kindest, strongest, and most morally upright man I ever knew. And I may not be a religious man, but if any of them turn out to be true, I genuinely believe he deserves the absolute best a man can get, and has MORE than earned it."
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He turns to the casket, mic in hand. "Thank you for everything. I just hope that, wherever you are right now, you know that you are now, and always will be, loved."
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The audience erupts in applause and comments, a few stepping up on stage to hug him, offer their condolences, and compliment his bravery. The next person in line, an elderly cardinal man, steps up to speak next.
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(NOTICE ROLL) You just now realized the music stopped, and Thanatos is now standing/sitting a few feet from your group.
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"Abologies for dhe waid, I was running a bid behind."
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"Id is embowering do hear one speak with such bassion. And id is clear as day his fadher is so full of pride knowing his son dhinks so highly of him."
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*IF THEY ASK HOW HE KNOWS*
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"Id is my resbonsibilidy do care for dhe grounds dhemselves AND dhe residends as well. Id would be a disservice do ignore dhem." He extends his hand for you to touch.
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*TOUCH THE HAND*
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(EMPATHY Roll)
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Your eyes suddenly begin to feel heavy, the world around you losing color until everything and everyone is grayscale. But after a moment, you see vibrant colorful glows coming from each person around their grayed out bodies.
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Most of the people are shrouded in a powerful blue glow, including Peyton. There are a couple people to the side laughing and being supportive glowing a warm yellow, and the next nervous person on stage glowing a delicate white. There's one person slumped in their seat, glowing an ominous black.
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-----
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You also see a person NOT giving off any colorful aura that you KNOW wasn't there before, patting Peyton's shoulder with a warm smile, but it looks like Peyton doesn't even notice. And he looks very similar to Peyton, except much older.
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"In dhis life, loss comes from so many blaces, bud none so sdrong as dhe loss of life. Id is such a sdrong loss, dhe sensation can even be feld in dhe afderlife."
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"Dhad is why dhese ceremonies exisd, so dhose dhad feel dhe loss of dhemselves and dheir loved ones may have a momend of closeness before dhey move on peacefully. Nod say goodbye, bud do see dhe person dhey used do be, and grieve surrounded by all dhad made dhem who dhey were. And dhen, with quied hands and a sdeady heardt, dhey can led go, and druly be free, do embrace whad comes nexd widh no regreds."
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-----
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(highest EMPATHY roller)'s eyes are acting a bit odd, and are glitching a bit back and forth between normal view and this new mood ring like view.
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That player has earned a new STUNT:
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EYES OF ETERNITY
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- +2 EMPATHY to read peoples' emotions
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- Success shows their emotion as a color aura
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- You can naturally see the spirits of the dead as gray bodies
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*IF THEY ASK*
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Thanatos smiles very faintly. "I did nod expecd anodher do be so resonand do dhis bower."
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- Fiery red anger
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- Endlessly curious orange
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- Shining joyful yellow
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- Calm peaceful green
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- Teary sorrowful blue
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- Lively compassionate violet
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- Cosmic loving pink
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- Cold fearful white
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- Solemn prideful silver
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- Empty impassive black
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- Sturdy hopeful brown
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"And of course, gray, which is dhe sensation of despair and loss. And dhose whom have losd dhe mosd... are dhe deparded."
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-----
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*SHROUDED IN BLACK*
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When you take a closer look, you spot Nash, hunkered into a ball somewhat and staring at the floor. He has a blank expression, but his cheeks are stained with tears.
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*IF THEY APPROACH*
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He will look up to them, give a half-hearted "hey," and go back to staring at the floor.
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*IF THEY PRESS*
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"I knew Mr. Warton growing up... he helped me learn stuff when I was going through college... I didn't want to believe he was gone, but... yeah..."
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He stands up, slides his hands into his pockets, and shuffle-walks his way to the pathway between the seats. "I'm sorry, I just... I can't be here anymore, I have to go..."
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You watch him slowly head out the door of the building, and Thanatos eyes him curiously as he leaves, but makes no move to stop him. But he does look to your group and points at him inquisitively. "Friend of yours?"
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-----
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Thanatos' wolf ears suddenly flick a bit, and he stands up, staring straight at the door. "I beliebe we have uninvided guesds.. excuse me."
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He will quietly walk out the main door of the building, making sure to close it behind him.
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Moments later, you hear several screams of men AND women just outside, while thankfully the people at the funeral have not heard a word.
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*WHEN THEY GO OUTSIDE*
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You see the thickest blanket of gray mist outside the doors, slowly rotating around a point in a circle like a foggy barrier. You catch momentary glimpses of what's inside, but it's too hard to tell perfectly.
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You suddenly hear a voice inside scream at the top of their lungs STAY BACK!!!
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(INVESTIGATE Roll)
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- Thanatos is inside, facing down what looks like a group of Marauders
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- The Marauders are all slowly backing away from him, aiming their weapons at him, and they look terrified
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- You see some kind of long object extending from Thanatos' hand, possibly a weapon of some sort
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- You spot a person in a motorcycle helmet dart through the thick fog, and they make a mad dash in the opposite direction
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You hear Thanatos state as clearly and evenly as anything else he has said since you met him. "None of you are on dhe lisd... I advise you leave before dhad changes..."
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In a fashion identical to an old horror movie, you see and hear them shriek and run out of the fog, headed in the opposite direction. He will turn to your group, the mist slowly evaporating and his hands empty. "Abologies, id was some eh... barty crashers, here do ruin dhe ceremony."
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"Now dhad we are oudside, I believe now is a good dime for brober indroductions..." He turns to your group and runs a hand through his hair, smoothing the silver locks back into a cleaner style.
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"My name is Thanatos, and I am dhe Masder and sexton of dhis, dhe Death Demense. Id is a bleasure do officially meed you."
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*DM/REGALIA*
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He sighs a bit. "Drudhfully I would nod be able do do this right now, as I have many ceremonies to berform doday. Dhis one should be just aboud over, and a new one shall begin soon afder."
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Just as he says that, everyone at the funeral files out the front doors, casket at the very front in the arms of four men, the rest following with all the photos and flowers in hand.
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One of the grieving women, an elderly cardinal with feathers either a dull red or grayscaling against her black dress & graying head of hair, walks over to Thanatos, sniffling and tearing up. "Thank you for such a lovely ceremony, sir. You did everything perfectly."
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He kneels down so he is at her eye level, taking her hands in his and smiling softly at her. "A gread man deserves nodhing less dhan do be surrounded by friends and family, no differend dhan in life. All I did was provide dhe venue. Your people... dhey made dhe ceremony come do life."
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She suddenly jumps up and hugs him tightly, bawling into his shoulder for a moment, and he eventually returns her embrace. And that is when she realizes your group standing right behind him.
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She quickly releases him and covers her mouth with both hands over a soft gasp, taking a step back, and straightens her outfit out a bit. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there.. I'm Rowena. I'm here for the service.. obviously.."
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She pauses and looks to Thanatos. "Are these your friends, or..?"
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He replies hesitantly, "Dhey are nod friends ber se, dhey are.. a fudure abboindmend."
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She gasps a bit and walks up to you all, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "I'm so sorry for your loss. My husband just lost his closest friend and gambling buddy."
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Thanatos reaches down and holds her shoulder. "Acdually no, dhere is no loss. Dhey have a differend kind of abboindmend."
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She turns to him a bit confused. "You do other things than funerals here?"
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"Indeed. We host birdhday bardies, ghosd sdory nighds, and slam poedry readings on weekends."
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And she bursts out laughing, which catches the attention of the entire congregation as they set up the burial. He kindly ushers her to go back to her event, and she staggers off, laughing the whole way.
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"Dhad is dhe kind of momend I live for. Despide dhe endless flow of dears, she found a momend do share a smile. And now, dhad smile will become as infecdious as the woe dhad broughd dhem here. And she knows if she can smile ad a dime like dhis, dhen... she will be okay." By the time he stops talking, the entire group of people she was part of are all bellowing in laughter.
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(Whoever kept the eye ability can see her blue sadness fading into yellow joy, as does many others)
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He turns to your group. "And besides, would you really wish do challenge me knowing full well several groups of mourning mordals would be wandering by, wadching dheir evend organizer in.. I would assume armed combad, yes?"
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"I meand whad I said when I referred to you as a fudure abboindmend. Come back on a fudure dade and we shall arrange your challenge. For now, I have much work do do."
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He will give a courteous bow and step away, heading back into the cathedral and slamming the doors behind him. |