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| | '''"How much do you value your beauty, Lady Ahemia? This perfect body of yours, so brazenly nude in front of us; the pitch hair falling on your shoulders; the flush lips and cheecks of your youth - would you sacrifice them for the truth? Because if what I say is true, you must go for a short time as ugly as the deeds I have attributed to Zal'Kazzir. If you would make this sacrifice to know the truth, take my hand."''' Kyuad stands before her, his skin pulled tight against his face, gray and leathery, with thinning, parched lips and eyes devoid of color. He holds out a hand, dry and rough, with a deep, bloodless cut across the palm. A warm, violet glow begins to engulf his arm, and tiny arcs of this concentrated energy riple up and down his fingers. '''"You must make this choice yourself."''' | | '''"How much do you value your beauty, Lady Ahemia? This perfect body of yours, so brazenly nude in front of us; the pitch hair falling on your shoulders; the flush lips and cheecks of your youth - would you sacrifice them for the truth? Because if what I say is true, you must go for a short time as ugly as the deeds I have attributed to Zal'Kazzir. If you would make this sacrifice to know the truth, take my hand."''' Kyuad stands before her, his skin pulled tight against his face, gray and leathery, with thinning, parched lips and eyes devoid of color. He holds out a hand, dry and rough, with a deep, bloodless cut across the palm. A warm, violet glow begins to engulf his arm, and tiny arcs of this concentrated energy riple up and down his fingers. '''"You must make this choice yourself."''' |
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| − | ==== Note ====
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| − | : ''Kyuad's going to cast a spell on her, and he's obviously not telling her what it is. He is not going to force her to accept, however. She either decides to let him do this before he tells her the full ramifications of what "losing her beauty for a time" means, or he won't even try. No matter how ugly she gets, she needs to know that Kyuad is not the reason for it.''
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| − | === Lady Ahemia ===
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| − | '''''"There is something in these times I HAVE, something lesser men, elf and dwarven-kind do not. It lies in my bosom and guides my hand true. I have faith, Fell Warden. But I need truth."''''' ...the statuesque child of Shadow doesn't even glance at the shriveling hand, staring Kyuad in the eye he feels his hand grasped by hers, as her jaw tenses..
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| − | === Kyuad ===
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| − | The fell warden takes her warm, soft hand into his and the violet glow spreads through her body, stiffening. '''"Peda Tay kay-Dosh,"''' he proclaims, as her joins stiffen and lock into place. In her rictis, she feels a sense of dread and longing, eager to pull away but unable.
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| − | Still holding her hand, Kyuad says in a commanding voice, '''"In the morning, visit a pool and have your answer, for your countenance will become more withered, decayed, twisted in form, and horrid for the rest of the world to witness during every passing hour you spend under the magical influence of an outsider! When I release my hand, you will remember everything, but will be unable to speak of the nature of this curse to anyone until the curse is lifted, save this: Your beauty fades because a demon has you under his control. To anyone who asks, this will be the reason."'''
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| − | With this, the violet glowing energy now surrounding both figures bursts outward as Kyuad releases her hand and Ahemia immediately begins to move again.
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| | ==== Note ==== | | ==== Note ==== |
| − | : '''''Crunchy Bits:''' Kyuad cast prestedigitation to make the violet energy appear. Paralyzing touch to keep her held as he explained things, for effect more than anything else. The spell was [http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Shadowkillers_-_New_Spells#Bestow_Curse.2C_Greater Bestow Greater Curse], level 8. I assume she willingly failed her save, but if not the DC is 28 Will.
| + | Kyuad's going to cast a spell on her, and he's obviously not telling her what it is. He is not going to force her to accept, however. She either decides to let him do this before he tells her the full ramifications of what "losing her beauty for a time" means, or he won't even try. No matter how ugly she gets, she needs to know that Kyuad is not the reason for it. |
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| − | * Though any of this could be overruled by the GM, this is the way the curse is meant to function:
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| − | ** For every hour she spends under the influence of a mind-affecting spell or spell-like ability that originated from an outsider, or every time she casts a spell powered by the energies of the Great Outsider Conspiracy (Izrador), she grows subtly uglier. The metric of the change is up to the GM, but 24 hours under the influence will result in a character being noticably disfigured, and after 48 hours a character will be quite deformed.
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| − | ** The ugliness wanes 4 times faster than it was gained. 24 hours of mental influence will be wiped away by 6 hours of being under no influence. For these purposes, one Outsider Conspiracy-granted spell counts as one hour of mental influence.
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| − | ** No matter what kind of attempts are made, the subject of the curse is not able to explain that they are under a curse, or where it came from. They know full well what happened, but are unable to think or talk about the source. They are able only to explain that a demon (or some sort of outsider, as befits the knowledge of the subject) is exerting mental control over them, and this is why they grow more ugly.
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| − | ** The curse ends when Zal'Kazzir dies (this is a hidden condition of the curse), or when someone casts'' remove curse ''on the subject at caster level 17+ (this is the standard way to remove a greater curse).
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| − | === Lady Ahemia ===
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| − | The raven haired girl's ochre-colored eyes flicker first with terror at the sight of magics, and then turn to awe as she has obviously not been so close to the powered casting of a wizard. Her hand has found its way to crush many magic-users, and with that the magics they wielded only could be seen for an instance. This... this is something quite ... different for the Harrower of Legates. <br> '''''"...I...I... the mag... what witchery was this Fell Warden?? I... my arm ... the numbness fades but for a moment... I ... I felt as the dead..."'''''' Ahemia looks about at the world, glancing to Eranon for his justification that this WAS a good thing to be had on her. Her trust of this is on tenuous ground with the pulse of chilling magics, the like she has never had in her before. She steps back with terror in her eye for a moment... <br> '''''"... wha... WHAT have you done to me WIZARD?!?!!! What witchcrafting curse have you set on me??! How has THIS proven anything?? How has this unholy blight given insight into the nature of proof you promised...?..?!!"''''' <br> <br> ...the legate steely eyes keeps her guard ready, eyes trained on the Wizard watching the Elf in her peripherial. She makes a slight hiss through her teeth and the black tiger leaps to a perch on her prayer seat. Watching closely her knee dips to the aryth and she returns to her full height... black blade glinting with the torch-light Ahemia has sword in hand.
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| − | * '''ROLL:''' Kyuad (Sense Motive +17) ROLLED: 2+17 = 19
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| − | * '''ROLL:''' Eranon (Sense Motive +3) ROLLED: 16+3 = 19
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| − | :: Eranon and Kyuad can see her apprehension. Here she wants more answers... In a normal argument, in a normal world perhaps men and women wouldn't be so quick to come to threats with steel. But this is not a normal world. These are not passive people. The sense is that Ahemia is not looking to attack, but she is strongly concerned at what was done to her. It's likely some caring words and explanation could calm her down. But saying nothing could set her off. True... she agreed to this... but having faith and then being paralyzed at the same time as being cursed would make anyone have angst. (ie. imagine me pinching you with a close-pin unexpectedly)...
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| − | Striking a pose of power, her hands raised above her head in classic down-strike position - her watery eyes fixed on Kyuad, she asks again... <br> '''''"What is it that I am afflicted with Wizard, and what must I do to rid myself of this and that which you seek to heal me of because of it?? And what do you wish me to remain unable to speak the nature of this curse to anyone until lifted - for I donot even know the thing you've put on me..."''''' <br> Ahemia stands ready to act or be councilled...
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| − | ==== GM Notes ====
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| − | :: Lady Ahemia's Charisma score is/was 16.
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| − | :: Remember to remove those Spell Energy cast. Remember also - this conversation took place after midnight on the 6th of HALAIL when you were at the rendevous point below Baden's Bluff. You then travelled on the Paths of Dal Colia to the Corbron Isles, where you are now. That was nearly 48 hours ago. Of course (strangely enough) Zal had specifically been illusioning he and Ahemia to look as normal denizens of the Pirate Isles nearly the entire time, the rest of his time has been calling Outsiders with you guys. So naturally he hasn't noticed her degradation. heheh... He will this game likely...
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| − | # (getting uglier by the hour): this fulfills the original spell's point of "One ability score is reduced to 1, or two ability scores take –6 penalties (to a minimum score of 1)." (ie. you shouldn't be able to "invent" more since it essentially does this one effect of the original spell.)
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| − | # (waning of the ugly effect): this breaks a point of the original spell - "A greater curse cannot be dispelled, nor can it be removed with break enchantment or limited wish. A miracle or wish spell removes a greater curse, as does remove curse cast by a spellcaster of at least 17th level." But I'm sort of okay with it for the story purpose.
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| − | # (not being able to explain): is in my opinion outside the ability of the cursing spell... I'd say that you can explain to her the effects and she's not likely to tell unless forced. But I can't see the spell doing the above AND this as well.
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| − | # (curse ending): as with Point 2, this breaks the "permanency" of the spell. Can a Channeller CHOOSE to end an effect at his will? I didn't think so. But again I'm okay with it for the purpose of the story here.
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| − | # (my thought): heheheheh, neat role-playing spell...
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| − | ===== Bill's Reply =====
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| − | # (getting uglier by the hour): This curse does not mimic any of the three listed effects in the spell description, and it was never my intent to have it change her Charisma score in any way. If you want to give her penalties to her interaction checks when people see that she is ugly, well that makes sense but it's not the express intent of the spell. This curse falls under the realm of ''"You can also invent your own curse, but it should be no more powerful than those described above, and the DM has the final say on the curse’s effect."'' Based on how little it actually does, the curse could have been a regular one instead of a greater one. It doesn't impede her in any way, other than to make her ugly (and whatever limitations you determine that might cause, like Zal rejecting her), and it's not a curse that she has to suffer - she has the capability of ending the cause of the ugliness if she chooses to act on it. The reason I made it a greater curse is because it's going to be HARD for Zal or anyone else to get rid of it. I mean, with the spell cast I could have KILLED her (through the severe limitations that the 3 "normal" uses of the curse impose) instead of doing what Kyuad said he was going to do. Is this curse more powerful than the examples given in the spell description? If not, then it's an okay use of the spell.
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| − | ::: <font color=red>REPLY: I disagree, isn't it exactly the first (reducing the Charisma to 1)? I know the Charisma isn't only your looks but don't you think this would impede her normal way of interacting - self confidence, etc... I'm just saying that it seems like an easy way to note that it's the first point of the spell...</font>
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| − | :::: I don't understand... to what do you disagree? I think the curse should absolutely '''NOT''' reduce her Cha score to 1, because that would make her catatonic and that's the '''opposite''' of the curse's intent. She's supposed to recognize that a change is happening, know the cause of the ugliness, and use that to determine that a demon has her under control. The ugliness is not at all the goal - the goal is to use the ugliness as a litmus test.
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| − | # (waning of the ugly effect): The curse remains active at all times, until it is dispelled. That the ugnliness wanes when conditions are not met does not in any way end the curse. In fact, I intended that to be a limitation on the curse that would balance out it's overall strength.
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| − | ::: <font color=red>REPLY: Okay.</font>
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| − | # (not being able to explain): This contributes to the overall power of the spell. Technically I didn't have to tell her that I'd caused this at all. I could have worded everything in such a way as to make her think that there was no curse at all, and this limitation wouldn't have had to be mentioned. I just chose to do things above-the-table instead so she wouldn't eventually think I had tricked her if things came out that I had.
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| − | ::: <font color=red>REPLY: I just don't think this is in the parameters of the spell. Don't get me wrong, it's not likely she'd "tell on you" if this is properly explained to her... But I just don't think it's part of this spell. That's the effect of Dominate in my opinion.</font>
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| − | :::: A curse can cause the rest of a person's endeavors to end in pain and anguish - so what if that mimics another spell? The intent of the curse spell is to mimic the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse wish of misfortune] found in history, right? I'm not saying you're wrong and you shouldn't remove this aspect of the curse, but I do think that ''a curse'' (even if it's not this one) should be able to do this, at least to some extent.
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| − | # (curse ending): The condition of the curse ending completely with Zal's death ''does'' break with the express limitations of a greater curse, so I'd have no argument if you threw that out. No, the greater curse is not dismissable (D), so Kyuad does have to gain a level and then remove it if it ever is to go away.
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| − | ::: <font color=red>REPLY: Okay </font>
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| − | # (thoughts): I'm glad you like it! One of the conditions of the ugliness is something that could be problematic. She's only supposed to get uglier when being influenced by an outsider. This includes casting spells powered by outsider energy. This does not include spells powered by an actual deity. So if you don't want this curse to be used as a means by which Kyuad can determine if the Great Outsider Conspiracy is fact or fiction, then you should change that portion (either casting spells doesn't trigger the ugliness at all, or casting legate spells no matter the source does trigger the ugliness). Then again, this ''is'' an 8th-level spell, cast on a legate who willingly let it happen (something that may never happen again) - so maybe it should be able to do something kinda special. If you don't change that though, you better believe that this is going to be a contributing factor to Kyuad's research into the nature of Izrador! :)
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| − | ::: <font color=red>REPLY: She IS currently influenced by an outsider... Kyuad could/should have gotten that. She's under the mind-magics of Zal, and he's an outsider. I had/have no intention of changing it to allow Kyuad to determine anything, other than continued influence.</font>
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| − | :::: I think I haven't explained it well. Your intent is going to be to change the effects of the curse or not, but that doesn't have anything to do with allowing Kyuad to do something. The key here is that she's ugly only when being influenced by an outsider. If an outsider has her dominated, or if she casts spells powered by outsiders, she gets uglier. Therefore, if Zal does not have her under control and the curse is still active, her casting legate spells will either have no impact on her looks (meaning the magic is from a god) or it will make her uglier (meaning the magic is from outsiders pretending to be a god). The curse doesn't prove anything. The proof has to be inferred, again, like a litmus test. If you want this to not be possible, change the effects of the curse (it's on a wiki, you can make the changes directly).
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| − | === Kyuad ===
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| − | Kyuad's hands move slowly to his back, clearly acting relaxed and non-violent. '''"Be at peace, Lady. Some truth is difficult to proove. Know that we mean you no great harm."''' With this, Kyuad slowly glides back a pace or two, and turns a pleading look to Eranon.
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| − | : ''Note: Keep in mind that every level 5 legate can cast'' bestow curse'', so she's likely familiar with how they can work. This is a more powerful version of the same spell, so that might be new to her even though it's a legate spell too.''
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| − | ===Eranon===
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| − | Eranon's muscles tighten in a half-second, springing back with surprise, Hell's heart already in hand, but he stops short of drawing his bow, realizing that Ahemia has not continued to charge forward. Still tense, he speaks slowly and deliberately, the verbal equivalent of bomb disposal
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| − | '''''Lady, be assured that I knew not what my companion would do. Likewise, be assured that he means you no harm. His motives, though unconventional, are as he says. He says that your appearance will change only if under the direct mental influence of those not natural to Our Great Lady. His intention is that while you may not trust us, you can trust the effects of his magic, unbiased as they are. Observe, my lady, over the next few days, see whether your mind is your own, and further, observe how your love behaves as your beauty, though temporarily, fades. These things will tell you all you need. You have not been attacked, nor wronged, and I will be here for your council as you need it.'''''
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| − | Eranon shoots a quick glance through narrowed eyes over to Kuyad, hoping he has started to calm the woman. He slowly returns the arrow to its small solitary quiver beneath the front of his shirt.
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| | + | == Questions == |
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| − | === Lady Ahemia ===
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| − | :: '''Note''': Yes, I absolutely know that she'd likely know what a curse is - which is why she's reacting to the "witchery"... However, Ahemia is NOT a spellcaster, nor a studier of magecraft in any way. She has no ranks in anything coming close. This, to her, is freaky!!
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| − | Standing ready to lower her fear on the wizard, Ahemia glances to the elf... You can both see the unsuredness in her eyes... Eyes that have newly created wrinkled "crows feet" beginning to stretch from the corners of her now bloodshot eyes above newly formed purple bags... An obvious result of the curse. Your spellcrafted eyes can see... she IS already being influenced by an outsider! The spell has shown this to be true, and the hour clock that will degrade the raven haired girl's beauty begins to tick. '''''"...d..d...difficult? HE..."''''' glancing her eyes from Eranon to focus on Kyuad... '''''"YOU... offered proof, when and how will it arrive... wha... what is this witchery doing to me??..."''''' Her eyes focus again on Kyuad, the great black tiger crouches ready behind...
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| − | === Kyuad ===
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| − | Kyuad looks down as he sees her change before his eyes. '''''"His control over her is worse than I thought..."''''' he whispers to himself. '''"Lady Ahemia, I could have removed the shackles, but would that prove that they originated with Za'al? I could have tricked you into turning against him, but I'm not a being of deception. I provide you instead with a proof, in a form reflective of the powers active against you, that a demon has treated you like a pet and now holds your leash. You are clearly an intelligent woman, and you can yourself determine if what we say is true. Soon it will be unavoidable, you will have sure proof that your mind is not your own. And if Zal'Kazzir drops his enchantments that now hold you as his ''slave'', once your beauty returns you will know that he was the source. It is like my warning said, you must sacrifice your beauty for a time to know the truth."'''
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| − | Glancing up at the great panther, Kyuad lets out a low whistle, '''"Ahemia, Nisse may not look like much, but she ''will'' attack this cat if you don't call her back, and I would hate to see either of them hurt."'''
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| − | === Lady Ahemia ===
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| − | Lady Ahemia glances to the bird then to Dahiran, her black tiger... '''''"There is power enough to change the world even in the smallest of us, is there not?"''''' as she looks down... <br> '''''"... but I fear you wrong in this Wizard. My care for Za'al is my own, I found the heart of the man and he forced me to find my faith better placed. I now see it for the first time and it strikes fear in me. This is why I came to you. Not to be coerced or solved away from my love, but to unriddle the puzzle of my heart. It is so very full today, yet I feel nothing but the pit in my belly. I have been sick at dawn's Shadow hour and I feel I will soon need a Binder [of Blood]. <br> You mistake me Kyuad. I am not looking to find an answer for myself, I know my way - I have walked the path willingly. I give my heart and I knew to whom I gave it. No, Kyuad... Eranon... I am looking for an answer for my childe... and I fear for the midnight and dawn for the first time. "''''' ....still she stands ready with sword above, a single tear trickles down her cheek.
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| − | :: If she's talking about a child, can we take the e off the end? That's needlessly confusing.
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| − | == Questions ==
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| − | Can I get a spellcraft check for Eranon to see if the spell kuyad cast does what he says it will?
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| − | * '''ROLL:''' Eranon (Spellcraft +14) ROLLED: 16+14 = 30 '' <br> Yes. It's true, for the most part. Though you know that it cannot change her memory or cause her to not speak about it if she wanted to give that info...
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| − | ** Keep in mind that Eranon's only information about what the spell does comes from Kyuad's description of the curse, and not all of that description has to necessarily be enforced by the magic of the curse - it could just be a warning that she mustn't dare do something, or that she should understand it in the way he describes.
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| − | Can I get a ??? roll to figure out what in the hell she's been talking about this whole time? I was '''positive''' that she wanted to know whether or not she was being coerced by Zal.
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