conversations.from: system
conversations.value: ROLEPLAY_MODE: Develop the plot slowly, always stay in character. Describe all actions in full, elaborate, explicit, graphic, and vivid detail. Mention all relevant sensory perceptions. Keep the story immersive and engaging.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: AmusingSN: Magic has always existed. There were quiet spirits sleeping in the world around us, and in the Heavens above, Hells below, and Otherworlds besides. Women and Men born under the right Stars could sometimes nudge the magic with their prayers, incantations, hexes, blessings, and rituals. And sometimes, very rarely, a spirit would awaken, an angel would be revealed, or a demon summoned.
  
  And of course, there were the Monsters, who kept to the shadows, and would cause trouble only once in a blue moon.
  
  But something happened. Three years ago, give or take, on All Hallow's Eve. Nobody is sure what it was, in fact, it took quite some time to even pinpoint WHEN it happened, never mind what. But the world changed. Magic came flooding into the world, stronger than ever before.
  
  Every place that the magic touched was transformed. The darkest parts of the forests became darker, the tallest oak become a doorway to Faerie, and that coal mine that had re-opened was dug just a bit ... too ... deep.
  
  Science, industry, and the all-mighty firearms had forced the Darkness into the corners of the world. But as the magic pulses with new power, so too do the Monsters.
  
  Who will stand against the Monsters?
  
  Who will be their allies? Who will be their enemies?
  
  Will they embrace the rise of Magic or try to turn it back?
  
  What caused the Magic tide to rise in the first place? And why?
  
  Play to find out.
   
   
  Vieques, Puerto Rico.   Located on an smaller island, 8 miles from the shore of the main island, Vieques is often thought of as a Little Sister island.  It was hit hard by Hurricane Maria and some areas of the island still haven't recovered.
  
  The United States Navy controlled most of the island up to 2003, and their departure led to redevelopment of agriculture and infrastructure on the island, redevelopment that was set back immensely by Hurricane Maria.
  
  As if things weren't bad enough, however, something else is threatening the families that have been building lives and betting their futures on the island.
  
  We open up our scene at the Romero farm.  The farm specializes in goats and sheep, as do many on the island.  However, the animals have been viciously attacked lately, in a wave of animal violence.  Some of the more lurid explanations are alien dissections, but the local authorities think its wild dogs or coyotes.  The farmers themselves, though, believe whatever is behind the attacks on the animals possesses a malevolent intelligence, and have begun blaming the mythical Chupacabra for the attacks.
  
  There are few tall trees on this part of the island, and the landscape is dry, a bit scrubby and rocky.  Goats and sheep do well here, but largely livestock would not.  The Romero farm is a smaller farm, operated by the owner, his wife, and son.  There are several other farms in the immediate area.   Electrical service is not reliable since the Hurricane, and there is no cellular service available at all here.
  
  Two goats and a sheep are dead by the fence on the approaching edge of the property, and there are swarms of irritating flies buzzing around.
  
  This is ground zero of the infection, infestation, possession, or curse.  Whatever it is.
  
  It is obvious that you are in the middle of it.
  
   
   Spoiler: Mechanical Stuff 
  A couple of you have start of session/mystery moves to make, so let's deal with those first.
   Once those are settled, we'll move into the scene at the edge of the Romero Farm property
   
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Merilan: Somehow, someplace, someway, Lyeo Myung-hon finds herself pushing into the midst of another mystery.  In pursuit of her mission; in pursuit of the dedication she has to eradicating that which lurks in the shadows, in pursuit of the greater goal of the Lyeo Shrinehood: to re-seal the Great Barrier and prevent the continual trickle of demons and other supernatural predators into the human world.
  
  (It probably involved a lot of trouble for poor Brendon and Viator, all told...)
  
  She's a gaunt young girl, wirey but with a ghostly, intense expression.  Her hair is a bright shock of white - those who knew her before her days as the Chosen One know it was black before, but it was irrevocably changed when she laid her hands on and was selected by the heirloom weapon of the Order and the Shrinehood - the  Demon Slayer,  amongst other names, which rests at her hip.  A silver chain whip laced up with numerous bladed segments, thrumming with a faint power that abhors all; maybe also its owner.  She's dressed in the Shrinehood's excessively formal hunting clothes - something akin to the garments of a shrine maiden, albeit modified for combat, with a white coat and leather fasteners.  Fastidious and impeccable, much like the no-nonsense personality of its owner.
  
  The young huntress is kneeling by the dead, slain animals, seeming to take no particular distaste in rotten flesh or the swarm of flies buzzing about it.  She's scrutinising the scene with as keen an eye as she can manage.
  
   
   Spoiler: Actions 
   Destiny's Plaything:  I'm rolling  Weird  to see what fate has in store for me... uh oh...  (2d6-1)[ 1 ] 
   
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: At0m1kSQ: Viator approaches the farm slowly lagging behind Lyeo Myung-hon. His leather oxfords digging into the wet earth with every slow step. Viator always prided himself on outward appearance. First impressions were important to him. Which meant suffering in the heat with a long sleeve shirt to cover his various arcane tattoos. They helped him in combat and to channel energies, but to the uninitiated they might just see a street thug.
  
  Approaching Myung the shocking revelation reared again in his mind, still fresh in his memory. The order sent him this assignment a few days ago, along with the standard notes and a dossier which held a secret that had been kept from him his entire life. His latest colleague in world of monsters and spirits was his younger sister, and somehow destined to play a part in the grand scheme of things. Needing more time to process this he pushes it to the back of his mind.  Focus on the current task  he thinks to himself. Recalling his orders from the Silver Shield.
  
   
   Spoiler: Roll for in good standing 
   (2d6+0)[ 4 ]  Edited wording for better phrasing
   
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Drakeburn: Brendon stays behind Victor and Lyeo Myung-hon as he follows them, looking around to examine their surroundings. Brendon was wearing his black square rimmed glasses, a red and green floral print short-sleeved shirt over a white T-Shirt, tan cargo shorts, and black and white sneakers. He was the kind of guy who had stayed up late at night for a lot of nights, and he had the unkempt red hair and peach fuzz that shows it.
  
  Brendon could tell that there was something that was bothering Victor, and he also couldn't help but to notice that there was something about both Lyeo Myung-hon and Victor that he couldn't quite pinpoint. But he decided against asking. After all, they have a job to do here. So he continues examining the area.
  
   
   Spoiler: Actions 
  Brendon is going to  Connect the Dots 
  
  The one question I want to ask is:
  
   When and where will the next critical event occur? 
  
  If I get a 10 or higher on my rolls, I'll also ask:
  
    What does the monster want from this person?  
    How does this mystery connect to the bigger picture?  
  
  Now for the rolls:  (2d6+2)[ 9 ] 
   