Warning for graphic description of gore + injury below
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With his throat slit, blood bubbling up into his mouth and soaking into his white collared shirt, Buddy Dawn struggles in the arms of Kristen Applebee's. His eyes are wide, unseeing, and hands come up to try and grasp onto Kristen as some kind of anchor, mutedly pleading for help.
Kristen's hand hovers above his throat, unable to help him with his death all but promised by his own party leader, Kipperlilly, and her god too far out of reach. She is panicked and resigned to only hold the kid she had hated moments ago. There is no miracle, no burst of light from the crystals in her pocket, when Buddy Dawn dies.
There is a visual parallel, with both Kristen and Buddy being dotted with freckles and something familiar in their eyes. If there had never been 'The Bad Kids', if she'd never asked to be put in detention with the intent to convert people to Helio, would she have ended up the same way?
Buddy had once said "I don't hold on tight, 'cause I'm in someones hand [...] You know Helio is holding onto us tight." but there is no Helio in sight, only Kristen. All that is left is for Buddy to go and meet his so-called-god and ask why he let him die, unaware he will not get an answer.]
Help it just hit me but Kristen’s mum saying “wasn’t it special that you, helio’s chosen, brought back the day” BUT NAH BABE. FIG HAD THE FINISHING BLOW ON THE NIGHT YORB. FIG WHO MIGHT BECOME A PALADIN OF ANKARNA, A GODDESS OF DAy AND JUSTICE.
but holy shit the bad kids in-world are fucking terrifying
even starting with the bad boys:
you have fabian, inheritor of the seacaster and lomenelda legacies and the elven oracle's champion in his own right. maximum legend. somehow a straight-a student, captain of the owlbears, and owner of the party house. he fights with the sword of the elven kings and will perform a full dance routine while decapitating you.
you have riz, licensed private investigator and angelic agent of the lower planar reconnaissance task force. litigator. campaign manager. found the rogue teacher by his own effort and then passed the last stand. the kid who showed up to school with a gun on the first day and now dual wields a sword and a magic gun. he will find you, he will fight you, and if he deems necessary he will eat you.
you have gorgug, creator and pioneer of the barbificer subclass, the first barbarian to be able to maintain spells while raging. the greatest wizard of the age. generally chill but will commit murder over a sex lawnmower. rock star drummer on the side. he can buff his party and solo a purple worm at the same time. he fights with an axe that affects nearby gravity as a returning weapon.
and then the bad girls:
you have adaine, the elven oracle. known for her exquisite spellcraft, unerring eye for the future, and a willingness to get her hands dirty. practical magic is her bitch. she issues 13 impossible prophecies in the span of a couple weeks. she defied the will of fallinel and brought modernity to the court of stars through dance battle (via fabian).
you have fig, of fig and the sig figs fame, the infaethable archdevil of the bottomless pit. an illusionist who's caused so much chaos that she has an agent of the council of chosen personally after her. psychologically threatened a guy in his dreams. a phenomenal bard, warlock of her own domain, and a paladin of conviction and rebellion.
you have kristen, the blessed saint who raised cassandra from the nightmare king and yes!/yes? from the void. who performs miracles with the shards of a dying god and holds the power of doubt as her shepherd's crook. she chose to walk away from being chosen and venture into paths unknown, even as gods asked for her worship. one conversation with her can make you question everything you've ever known.
Now our boy Oisin is a blue Dragonborn. There are one of two theories that could be true.
1. This is his whatever number great grandmother who he said was an actual dragon. OR
2. This is Oisin and he has been affected by the rage crystals. We know the rage crystals turn people into larger more dangerous versions of themselves (as seen by the wizards in the mall)
I am leaning towards 2 and I’m very interested in how he got there. What made him so mad that he raged? I mean if watching Kipperfuck kill your cleric didn’t do it, I don’t know what would.
This was brought to my attention by my friend @sorority-boy so credit to them
The dice were telling a STORY, okay? And that story was that The Bad Kids rock and are heroic and INCREDIBLY skilled adventurers and that The Rat Grinders are fucking bitchass MURDERS and XP-levelers who underestimated them and who fucking SUCK